 | A Stanzaic Life of Christ |  |
216
Quarto fuit prudentissimus ad expugnandum generis humani inimicum.
The furthe mater, in gode fay,
that he vs of bale broght,
was bi good sleght he con assay
our enemy forto bryng to noght.
that he vs of bale broght,
was bi good sleght he con assay
our enemy forto bryng to noght.
And to that sleght wel acordyng
spekes Iob these wordes her,
‘his wys sleght’, he says, ‘doun con bring
our foo to make vs to hym der.’
spekes Iob these wordes her,
‘his wys sleght’, he says, ‘doun con bring
our foo to make vs to hym der.’
Job xxvio: Prudencia eius percussit superbum. Item capitulo vltimo: Numquid poterat cap[er]e Leuiathan hamo? Leuiathan est serpens & assimilatur diabolo.
Also Iob askes a questioun,
whether the nedder Leuiathan,
that to the deuel we liken moun,
With a hook may not be tan.
whether the nedder Leuiathan,
that to the deuel we liken moun,
With a hook may not be tan.
Thenne says the glose that Criste had sette
a hud hook by his deite
to cacche the deuel in mennes dette,
as to mon bifore did he.
a hud hook by his deite
to cacche the deuel in mennes dette,
as to mon bifore did he.
And that mete that he with mette
was Crist al in his humanite,
but mon-hede was to goddehede sette
to priue the deuel of his pouste.
was Crist al in his humanite,
but mon-hede was to goddehede sette
to priue the deuel of his pouste.
Thenne come the deul that mete to fette,
whiche mete monnes flesche may be,
And that was thenne, as God byhette,
the deuel with hook that so sette he.
whiche mete monnes flesche may be,
And that was thenne, as God byhette,
the deuel with hook that so sette he.
Takyng mete that ther was lede
of mon-kynde, that he made do mys,
with the hook of hys godhede
caght he was right wel iwys.
of mon-kynde, that he made do mys,
with the hook of hys godhede
caght he was right wel iwys.
217
Of whiche sleght and eke taking
spekes Austyn, the grete doctour,
and says at Cristes don-comyng
ouer-comen was Sathan and our traytour.
spekes Austyn, the grete doctour,
and says at Cristes don-comyng
ouer-comen was Sathan and our traytour.
Augustinus: Venit redemptor & victus est deceptor. Item Gregorius: Quid fecit redemptor captiuatori nostro? Tetendit muscipulam cru[c]em suam, posuit in ea escam sanguinem suum.
‘what did God’, says Gregory,
‘to hym that vs in bondage broght,
but dight his engyne to destruy
that aȝayn mon-kynde had wroght.
‘to hym that vs in bondage broght,
but dight his engyne to destruy
that aȝayn mon-kynde had wroght.
‘The holy croice was his engyne,
the mete his body opon hit pight
to put our eneme into pyne
and make monkyndes languour light.’
the mete his body opon hit pight
to put our eneme into pyne
and make monkyndes languour light.’
Criste wold also his blode ther schede
to breke the chartre that Eue made,
as says Austyn, good ys to hede,
wordes that I wol say ful rade.
to breke the chartre that Eue made,
as says Austyn, good ys to hede,
wordes that I wol say ful rade.
Cirographum Eue, Augustinus: Eva peccatum a diabolo mutuauit, cirographum scripsit, fideiussorem dedit & vsura posteritati creuit.
Eue borowet synne at Sathanas
and wrote a chartre to hym of wo,
founden hym a borogh also ho has,
and to hir ospring after tho
and wrote a chartre to hym of wo,
founden hym a borogh also ho has,
and to hir ospring after tho
Al that meschef lafte ho has
that alwa sprong to one and mo,
As I schal, and I may haue grace,
say more clerele er I go.
that alwa sprong to one and mo,
As I schal, and I may haue grace,
say more clerele er I go.
ffurste I say ho borowet synne
at the deul and schewet in dede,
when that ho wold not hertly mynne
on Goddes bidding that he bede.
at the deul and schewet in dede,
when that ho wold not hertly mynne
on Goddes bidding that he bede.
218
But to his foule suggestioun
enclinet sone and was asent
noght withstonding temptacion,
but breke al hys commaundement.
enclinet sone and was asent
noght withstonding temptacion,
but breke al hys commaundement.
A chartre ho wrote als wyterly
when ho putte hir hond to that tre
to touche that appul willesfully
that God forbede hir done schuld be.
when ho putte hir hond to that tre
to touche that appul willesfully
that God forbede hir done schuld be.
Borgh ho fonde, als sone in hy,
making Adam to synne assent,
so broght ho al hir progeny
in seruage after and schamely schent,
making Adam to synne assent,
so broght ho al hir progeny
in seruage after and schamely schent,
Thil Crist coome and with Mary mette
And for synne that ho borowet hade,
sched his blode and whit hir dette
and suche a manumissioun made.
And for synne that ho borowet hade,
sched his blode and whit hir dette
and suche a manumissioun made.
Manumissio est litera acquietancie quando natiuus redimitur.
That chartre he breke that ho wrote so
when he to helle ȝates come,
And took hom oute bothe one and mo
after his dethe by rightwys dome.
when he to helle ȝates come,
And took hom oute bothe one and mo
after his dethe by rightwys dome.
The borgh h[e] broght als of daunger,
when that he rose the thridde day
and to his brether con apper
and made hom knowe hym God verray.
when that he rose the thridde day
and to his brether con apper
and made hom knowe hym God verray.
And right as one made Adam to falle
by hyr foule excitacioun,
so Crist comfortes vs one and alle
at his resurectioun,
by hyr foule excitacioun,
so Crist comfortes vs one and alle
at his resurectioun,
And made vs by that victori
to vayue synne in our entent,
and Eue of borghode to forbye
at bigynnyng when h[o] was blent.
to vayue synne in our entent,
and Eue of borghode to forbye
at bigynnyng when h[o] was blent.
| A Stanzaic Life of Christ | |