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A Stanzaic Life of Christ

Compiled from Higden's Polychronicon and the Legenda Aurea

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Primo quomodo tribus diebus & tribus noctibus iacuit in sepulcro.

ffurst I may preue soth and verray
that thre dayes and thre night
in sepulcre Ihesu lay,
and the thrydde day roos with might,
As Austyne beres good wytenesse;
thagh hit to be so wold not seme,
ȝe schun beleue that so hit was
in this maner, as I schal deme.
ffor ȝe schun take the Gode Fryday
by the later ende of hit,
the Seterday al hole in fay,
that open is to monnes wytte,
The thridde day by the furst party,
And thus thre dayes dede he lay,
and vchone of these thre say I
had his night by-for the day.
ffor thenne by Bedus opinion
cours of nightes chaunget wer,
expresly as I schal expoune,
takes hede and ȝe moun her.

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ffor by-fore Cristes passioun
the day went byfore the night,
and after his passioun, leue ȝe moun,
the night by-fore goos by gode right.
And this skil may alegget be,
for when Adam by-gylet was,
in-to thesternesse felle he
ffrom the day of lyght and grace,
and after-ward by Cristes payne
and resurectioun, as I say,
from night to day he come aȝayne,
from gult to grace that lestes ay.