A Stanzaic Life of Christ Compiled from Higden's Polychronicon and the Legenda Aurea |
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Secundo ostensa est natiuitas Christi per creaturam
que habet esse & viuere, sicut plante & arbores.
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 | A Stanzaic Life of Christ |  |
Secundo ostensa est natiuitas Christi per creaturam que habet esse & viuere, sicut plante & arbores.
The secunde maner, as I say,
Cristes birth wel knowen was
with þat creatur, in gode fay,
that beyng & lif only has,
Cristes birth wel knowen was
with þat creatur, in gode fay,
that beyng & lif only has,
As trees, herbes & sich thing,
that lif han, but felyng non,
lif by greneschyp & growyng,
but nouther to fele, speke ne gon.
that lif han, but felyng non,
lif by greneschyp & growyng,
but nouther to fele, speke ne gon.
And that þai knewen hor God verray,
shewide hit was apertly,
ffor vynes of Engade al þat day
walleden out bavme continuely,
shewide hit was apertly,
ffor vynes of Engade al þat day
walleden out bavme continuely,
fflorischiden, beren fruyt in fay,
quen Crist was borne al sodaynly,
that men þer wonyng mony a day
wonderet, I shal say ȝou qvy.
quen Crist was borne al sodaynly,
that men þer wonyng mony a day
wonderet, I shal say ȝou qvy.
ffor thre thinges agaynus kynde
shewide þat day expressely,
that wonder is to haue in mynde,
saue only Goddus grete mercy.
shewide þat day expressely,
that wonder is to haue in mynde,
saue only Goddus grete mercy.
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The first, þat trees þat time of ȝer
or erbe ouþer shuld leuet be,
ffor mony a vyne þer fruyt ber,
that wonder siȝt it was to se.
or erbe ouþer shuld leuet be,
ffor mony a vyne þer fruyt ber,
that wonder siȝt it was to se.
Another wonder als was her,
that bavme come out of þe vyne tre,
saue only God wold hit so wer,
In signe of his natiuite.
that bavme come out of þe vyne tre,
saue only God wold hit so wer,
In signe of his natiuite.
The thrid wonder hit was tys,
thay sprongen wer so sodeynly,
ffor las þen in an hour i-wys
thay burionut & leuet apertly,
thay sprongen wer so sodeynly,
ffor las þen in an hour i-wys
thay burionut & leuet apertly,
And beren fruyt eke also.
thus knew þat creatur God almyȝt
that beyng & lif hade both two,
but nouther felyng, wit ne siȝt.
thus knew þat creatur God almyȝt
that beyng & lif hade both two,
but nouther felyng, wit ne siȝt.
Tercio per creaturam que habet esse, viuere, & sentire, vt animalia bruia.
Tho thrid maner as I er tolde,
his birth was shawed to old & ȝyng
by creatures, as hym-self wold,
that haden beyng, lif & felyng,
his birth was shawed to old & ȝyng
by creatures, as hym-self wold,
that haden beyng, lif & felyng,
As wilde bestis han i-wys,
the quich, I may wel preue & say,
Goddes birth nothing amys
was knowen & showide as tys day.
the quich, I may wel preue & say,
Goddes birth nothing amys
was knowen & showide as tys day.
ffor as I saide bifore now here,
the ox and þe as þat þer wer lent,
quen þat Mary Ihesu ber,
honouret hym in hor entent,
the ox and þe as þat þer wer lent,
quen þat Mary Ihesu ber,
honouret hym in hor entent,
Knelyng doun, as beris wittnes
Eusebius in his boke oright,
As fast as Crist þer born wes,
riȝt in Ioseph & Mary siȝt.
Eusebius in his boke oright,
As fast as Crist þer born wes,
riȝt in Ioseph & Mary siȝt.
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Eusebius says eke also,
A littel bifore þat Crist was born,
Plogh-men erit in a feld tho,
the exen speken hom biforn,
A littel bifore þat Crist was born,
Plogh-men erit in a feld tho,
the exen speken hom biforn,
Homines deficient segetes proficient.
And saiden þat folk shuld faile i-wis,
And cornes shulden encres oryght,
bi quich I vnderstonde wel this
that I shal say ȝou sone in hiȝt.
And cornes shulden encres oryght,
bi quich I vnderstonde wel this
that I shal say ȝou sone in hiȝt.
The folke þat þai saide shulden faile
myȝten wel be Iewes wyterly,
ffor to hom ordeynt was trauaile
At Cristes come be prophecy,
myȝten wel be Iewes wyterly,
ffor to hom ordeynt was trauaile
At Cristes come be prophecy,
As I saide a littel byfore
that Iacob told at his deth-day
Iewes blode shuld last euer-more
til Cristes come put hit away,
that Iacob told at his deth-day
Iewes blode shuld last euer-more
til Cristes come put hit away,
Non auferetur sceptrum de Iudac &c.
Therfore þe exen in þe plogh
saiden þat mon shuld faile in fay,
And qvy corn shuld do gode i-nogh
declare I wil her more verray.
saiden þat mon shuld faile in fay,
And qvy corn shuld do gode i-nogh
declare I wil her more verray.
I fynde þis writen in boke i-wys
And knowen also is ȝet þis day
with trauailet men þat han sene þis,
the quych I shal ful sone say,
And knowen also is ȝet þis day
with trauailet men þat han sene þis,
the quych I shal ful sone say,
That fro þat time Crist suffret payn
And deghet opo þe rode tre,
Iewes haden neuer myȝt ne mayn
to norisch corn in no cuntre,
And deghet opo þe rode tre,
Iewes haden neuer myȝt ne mayn
to norisch corn in no cuntre,
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And als sithen þei disperpoilet wer
ffrom thethen into diuerse place,
thai myȝt neuer raise in no maner
corn þer Iewes wonyng wace,
ffrom thethen into diuerse place,
thai myȝt neuer raise in no maner
corn þer Iewes wonyng wace,
So that a mon may sothly se
that of þes exen prophecy
was fulfilled, as thinkes me,
afterward ful fullily.
that of þes exen prophecy
was fulfilled, as thinkes me,
afterward ful fullily.
| A Stanzaic Life of Christ | |