A Stanzaic Life of Christ Compiled from Higden's Polychronicon and the Legenda Aurea |
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De sancto Dionisii.
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 | A Stanzaic Life of Christ |  |
De sancto Dionisii.
Neuer-the-latter sayn Denys
in a pistel that sent he
to Themople holy men and wyse
Reherces this tale that ȝe schun se:
in a pistel that sent he
to Themople holy men and wyse
Reherces this tale that ȝe schun se:
249
That aftur Cristes ascensioun
A holy man that Carpus hight
lyuet in grete deuocioun,
to whiche Crist spake on a nyȝt,
A holy man that Carpus hight
lyuet in grete deuocioun,
to whiche Crist spake on a nyȝt,
And saide he was ȝette redy
to suffer deth for monnes hele,
and hym-self told expressely,
The whiche wol I noȝt concele.
to suffer deth for monnes hele,
and hym-self told expressely,
The whiche wol I noȝt concele.
Carpus that ilk holi mon
told saynt Denys what he segh,
and [I] wol telle so as I con
what seght he segh in heuen on hegh.
told saynt Denys what he segh,
and [I] wol telle so as I con
what seght he segh in heuen on hegh.
Hit felle ther Carpus was wonyng
A paynym turnet hade sotily
A Cristen mon from gode leuyng
to leue opon fals mavmetrye,
A paynym turnet hade sotily
A Cristen mon from gode leuyng
to leue opon fals mavmetrye,
And when Carpus herd of this thing
in hert he hade ful grete any,
and by-cause of that turnyng
in greete sekenesse he felle ther-by.
in hert he hade ful grete any,
and by-cause of that turnyng
in greete sekenesse he felle ther-by.
We reden that mon so holy was,
As says Denys in his lessoun,
that euer when he song his masse
ffrom heuen he hade sum visioun,
As says Denys in his lessoun,
that euer when he song his masse
ffrom heuen he hade sum visioun,
So alle tymes he con praye
for these two men that cumbert wer,
and ones in bedde as he laye
bifelle this caas that ȝe schun her.
for these two men that cumbert wer,
and ones in bedde as he laye
bifelle this caas that ȝe schun her.
Hym thoght so he legh, sodenly
the hous departet ewen in two,
and a fuyr grete and horribly
schowet euen a-boue hym tho.
the hous departet ewen in two,
and a fuyr grete and horribly
schowet euen a-boue hym tho.
250
Thenne loket he vp and heuen segh he
alle open, and Ihesu syttyng
whit aungels in his deite
Alle abowte that euen kynge.
alle open, and Ihesu syttyng
whit aungels in his deite
Alle abowte that euen kynge.
Then the two men ful ruthfully
wer befor that fuyr stondyng,
for ferd of payne so negh hom bye
all way criyng and wakyng.
wer befor that fuyr stondyng,
for ferd of payne so negh hom bye
all way criyng and wakyng.
Out of that fuyr fast conen flye
grete nedderis bright chynyng,
in and out ful horriblely,
and tho two men fast manassing.
grete nedderis bright chynyng,
in and out ful horriblely,
and tho two men fast manassing.
When that Carpus segh this case
he hade so grete delite ther-inne,
that of sight in other place
he hade no mynd opon to mynne,
he hade so grete delite ther-inne,
that of sight in other place
he hade no mynd opon to mynne,
For alle his wille fulle was
that thay wer chaysteset for hor synne,
and fayn he wold for hor trespas
thai hade bien cast that fuyr withynne.
that thay wer chaysteset for hor synne,
and fayn he wold for hor trespas
thai hade bien cast that fuyr withynne.
Thenne as he loket to heuen blis,
he segh Crist on hom hade mercy,
and from the heghest trone i-wys
went doun wit Aungels ioyfullye,
he segh Crist on hom hade mercy,
and from the heghest trone i-wys
went doun wit Aungels ioyfullye,
And forȝaf hom hor doyng mysse.
thenne to th[i]s holy m[o]n in hye
Crist spake that her wreten his,
in Englisce as declar wol I:
thenne to th[i]s holy m[o]n in hye
Crist spake that her wreten his,
in Englisce as declar wol I:
Manu extenta percute contra me de celo, Paratus sum pro hominibus saluandis pati.
‘Putte furthe thi honde,’ sayde Crist tho,
‘And smyte aftur me in hye,
for ȝette to saue mon-kynd of wo
Eft to deth I am redy.
‘And smyte aftur me in hye,
for ȝette to saue mon-kynd of wo
Eft to deth I am redy.
251
‘And alle for loue I haue to mon
so loth me wer thai wer for-lorn,
but ȝette bees not to bold theron
to synne, as these men dedyn beforn.’
so loth me wer thai wer for-lorn,
but ȝette bees not to bold theron
to synne, as these men dedyn beforn.’
And cause why this tale told is,
ys for that worde that Crist saide her,
that for to bryng mon-kynde to blisse
he wold eft degh to make hom dere.
ys for that worde that Crist saide her,
that for to bryng mon-kynde to blisse
he wold eft degh to make hom dere.
| A Stanzaic Life of Christ | |