A Stanzaic Life of Christ Compiled from Higden's Polychronicon and the Legenda Aurea |
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Tercio natiuitas Christi fuit mirabiliter facta ex modo generandi.
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 | A Stanzaic Life of Christ |  |
Tercio natiuitas Christi fuit mirabiliter facta ex modo generandi.
The thrid poynt i-touchid her,
that his birth merueilous was
touchyng hym, with-outen wer,
thas þis maner engenderet has.
that his birth merueilous was
touchyng hym, with-outen wer,
thas þis maner engenderet has.
ffor his birth was agaynus kynde,
a virgyn to conceyue a wyȝt,
agaynus resoun, als [I] fynde,
fflesch to conceyue God almiȝt,
a virgyn to conceyue a wyȝt,
agaynus resoun, als [I] fynde,
fflesch to conceyue God almiȝt,
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Agaynus vsage of wommon,
Bout pyne to ber, I merueil most,
the furth thing that I wonder on,
to conceyue thurȝe þe Holi Gost.
Bout pyne to ber, I merueil most,
the furth thing that I wonder on,
to conceyue thurȝe þe Holi Gost.
ffour maner God made mon I-wis,
As seynt Austyn makes mynde.
the first maner that was tys
er that engendryng was or kynde,
As seynt Austyn makes mynde.
the first maner that was tys
er that engendryng was or kynde,
As Adam made was of þe clay
And ȝyuen gost & lif also.
the secund maner, as I say,
As Eue was made onon riȝt tho,
And ȝyuen gost & lif also.
the secund maner, as I say,
As Eue was made onon riȝt tho,
ffor of þe mon taken ho was
quyl that he lay þer slepyng,
that kyndly luf & eke solas
shuld be bitwene hom her lyuyng.
quyl that he lay þer slepyng,
that kyndly luf & eke solas
shuld be bitwene hom her lyuyng.
The thrid maner is kyndly
And comune vsage al day sene,
of mon & wommon witerly,
As alle men engenderet bene.
And comune vsage al day sene,
of mon & wommon witerly,
As alle men engenderet bene.
Nota quod natiuitas Christi fuit multipliciter ostensa, vt patet infra per creaturas ipsam cognoscentes.
The secunde principal poynt is tys,
that showide was his natiuite
In mony maner, nothing amys,
As ȝe shyn her now of me.
that showide was his natiuite
In mony maner, nothing amys,
As ȝe shyn her now of me.
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Ostensa est natiuitas Christi per omnes genera communes creaturarum.
Showet it was forsoth i-wys
by creatures of iche degre,
that both gostly & worldly is,
As ȝe shal ful sone se.
by creatures of iche degre,
that both gostly & worldly is,
As ȝe shal ful sone se.
Quedam creatura habet tantum esse, sicut pure corporea.
Sum creatur has beyng
wyth-out vertu any more,
As ston & erth & sich thing,
that neuer hade lyuyng her bifore.
wyth-out vertu any more,
As ston & erth & sich thing,
that neuer hade lyuyng her bifore.
Quedam habet esse & viuere, sicut vegetabilia.
Sum creatures han beyng,
that lif han but felyng none,
As trees, erbes on erth groyng
moun nother speke ne fele ne gon.
that lif han but felyng none,
As trees, erbes on erth groyng
moun nother speke ne fele ne gon.
Quedam habet esse, viuere & sentire, sicut animalia.
Sum han beyng, lif also,
and felyng als, as bestes han,
saue monnus wit has non of tho,
saue fle for fert lest thay be tan.
and felyng als, as bestes han,
saue monnus wit has non of tho,
saue fle for fert lest thay be tan.
Quedam habet esse, viuere, sentire & disc[erne]re verum, vt homo.
Sum han beyng, lif by kynde,
ffelyng & discrecioun,
As mon has, takes this in mynde,
As I declar wil by resoun.
ffelyng & discrecioun,
As mon has, takes this in mynde,
As I declar wil by resoun.
Sum han felyng, lif, beyng,
discrecioun, vertus mony moo
And gostly vnderstondyng,
As angels han & non oþer so.
discrecioun, vertus mony moo
And gostly vnderstondyng,
As angels han & non oþer so.
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By all þes creatures, as þis day,
Ihesu Cristes natiuite
was showet, as I shal sone say,
by diuerse miracles, leue ȝe me.
Ihesu Cristes natiuite
was showet, as I shal sone say,
by diuerse miracles, leue ȝe me.
Primo per creaturam que tantum habet esse.
As to þe creatures, in gode fay,
that beyng han, as erth & ston,
that þai knew Goddus com verray
Preue I may & þat onon.
that beyng han, as erth & ston,
that þai knew Goddus com verray
Preue I may & þat onon.
And þat was showet apertly
by temples & images fallyng doun
In Rome, as her bifore saide I,
And als mony an-other toun.
by temples & images fallyng doun
In Rome, as her bifore saide I,
And als mony an-other toun.
And als, sich creatures witerly
knewen God at his passioun,
ffor stones cleueden wonderly,
At his deth as men rede moun.
knewen God at his passioun,
ffor stones cleueden wonderly,
At his deth as men rede moun.
Als we reden, long bifore
In þe Olde Testament
the prophete Ieremie told ful ȝore
In-to Egipt quen he went
In þe Olde Testament
the prophete Ieremie told ful ȝore
In-to Egipt quen he went
That quen a maiden a child hade bore,
hor maumetry that þer was lent
shuld falle doun both las & more,
As fel this time verrayment.
hor maumetry that þer was lent
shuld falle doun both las & more,
As fel this time verrayment.
ffor, as we reden in story,
quen Mary flagh to Egypt londe,
then was fulfild þat prophecy
that I to specify now wol fonde.
quen Mary flagh to Egypt londe,
then was fulfild þat prophecy
that I to specify now wol fonde.
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Ecce dominus ascendet super nubem leuem, & ingredietur Egiptum, & corruent simulacra Egipti a facie domini exercituum.
‘Se,’ sais þe prophete, ‘God shal stegh
opon a liȝt cloude & a bryȝt
And entre into Egypt hegh
merueiles to meue with mayn & myȝt.
opon a liȝt cloude & a bryȝt
And entre into Egypt hegh
merueiles to meue with mayn & myȝt.
‘And quen he comus al mavmetry
Shun be mouet, tas this in mynde,
ffor hym quen he wil thider hy
that is verray kyng of kynde.’
Shun be mouet, tas this in mynde,
ffor hym quen he wil thider hy
that is verray kyng of kynde.’
And as þe prophete saide i-wys,
quen Ihesu entret Egypt inne,
hor mavmetry þen ferd amys
And fellen doun as haue I wy[nne].
quen Ihesu entret Egypt inne,
hor mavmetry þen ferd amys
And fellen doun as haue I wy[nne].
But quen þe prophet Ieremye
hade propheciet hit shuld so be,
Men of Egypt wenten in hie
And maden an image, leue ȝe me,
hade propheciet hit shuld so be,
Men of Egypt wenten in hie
And maden an image, leue ȝe me,
A maiden in arme a child beryng,
And in hor temple setten hitt,
And þat ilk ymage old & ȝyng
honouret hit with al hor witt.
And in hor temple setten hitt,
And þat ilk ymage old & ȝyng
honouret hit with al hor witt.
Also þat nyȝt þat Crist born wes,
ffirst it was riȝt a thester nyȝt,
but at his birth ful gret bryȝtnes
And thesternes so turnet to lyȝt.
ffirst it was riȝt a thester nyȝt,
but at his birth ful gret bryȝtnes
And thesternes so turnet to lyȝt.
In Rome als, as bifore saide I,
A walle sprong oil al þat day,
so I may preue scilfully
Al dede thing knewen hor god verray.
A walle sprong oil al þat day,
so I may preue scilfully
Al dede thing knewen hor god verray.
Heuenly creatures eke also
that han beyng & no lyuyng,
As sonne & mone both two
And sterres in þe lift schynyng,
that han beyng & no lyuyng,
As sonne & mone both two
And sterres in þe lift schynyng,
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knewen God quen he was born,
for about þe sunne was sene
A cercle, as I tolde biforne,
A maiden þer-in, bout wene,
for about þe sunne was sene
A cercle, as I tolde biforne,
A maiden þer-in, bout wene,
Thre sunnes opon þe firmament,
A sterre, was neuer non so cler,
that to þe kynges þer þai wer lent
In maidenus liknes con aper.
A sterre, was neuer non so cler,
that to þe kynges þer þai wer lent
In maidenus liknes con aper.
Thus heuenly creatures, as say I,
that dede wer knewen his comyng,
And erthlie also, in gode fay,
that neuer hade gost ne lyuyng.
that dede wer knewen his comyng,
And erthlie also, in gode fay,
that neuer hade gost ne lyuyng.
| A Stanzaic Life of Christ | |