 | A Stanzaic Life of Christ |  |
Circa tercium qualiter Ascendit.
The thrid poynt is god to knowe
how he stegh to heuen blis,
first myȝtily, as I shal showe,
As Isaie wel witnes þis:
how he stegh to heuen blis,
first myȝtily, as I shal showe,
As Isaie wel witnes þis:
Quis est iste, qui venit de Edom &c; gradiens in multitudine fortitudinis.
Also sayn Ion sais þat neuer none
stegh into heuen saue only he
that Goddes sone is & verray mon,
And now sittyng in that se.
stegh into heuen saue only he
that Goddes sone is & verray mon,
And now sittyng in that se.
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then sais þe glose made þer-opon
that neuer none thurȝe his owen powste,
for no creatur þat con,
hit wer impossibilite.
that neuer none thurȝe his owen powste,
for no creatur þat con,
hit wer impossibilite.
And al-thagh Crist in cloude vp went
not thurȝe the cloudes owen power,
but schowe hit was obedient
to serue Crist in that maner;
not thurȝe the cloudes owen power,
but schowe hit was obedient
to serue Crist in that maner;
For vche creatur is kent
be kind to serue his creatour,
ther-for that cloude was ther present
to do his office at that our.
be kind to serue his creatour,
ther-for that cloude was ther present
to do his office at that our.
So he stegh vp whit ful pouste
of his godhede, none other waye,
for none Aungels help hade he
ny other element, soth to say,
of his godhede, none other waye,
for none Aungels help hade he
ny other element, soth to say,
As hade Enok and Hely
that raueschet wer thurgh Godes might,
that one in fuyr, as sais the story,
that other in cloude whit Angels bright.
that raueschet wer thurgh Godes might,
that one in fuyr, as sais the story,
that other in cloude whit Angels bright.
Vnde dicit Gregorius: Primus per coitum generatus & generans Scilicet Enoc, Secundus generatus set non generans scilicet Helias, Tercius nec generatus nec generans scilicet Christus, qui propria virtute ascendit.
Secundo Ascendit patenter.
Also he stegh vp openly
in alle his disciples syȝt,
and neuer one asket qweder ne why,
for thai knewe he was God almight.
in alle his disciples syȝt,
and neuer one asket qweder ne why,
for thai knewe he was God almight.
Iohannes xvi: Nemo ex vobis interrogat me, quo vadis.
And steghe vp in hor sight wold he
for thre causes that I sal say,
one is that thai schuld witnesses be
of that [thai] seghen another daye.
for thre causes that I sal say,
one is that thai schuld witnesses be
of that [thai] seghen another daye.
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the secounde cause that thai suld se
hor owen kind broght vp that day
and mirthe in hert haue, leue ȝe me,
to be mor stidfast in the fay,
hor owen kind broght vp that day
and mirthe in hert haue, leue ȝe me,
to be mor stidfast in the fay,
and for that kindnes so kud
alle way wilne his trace to suwe,
and thoght on hym in hert hud
in tribulacioun to be trewe.
alle way wilne his trace to suwe,
and thoght on hym in hert hud
in tribulacioun to be trewe.
Tercio ascendit letantur quia iubilantibus Angelis.
Also he stegh vp ioyfully,
for aungels in heuen light
maden mirthe and melody
when thai seghen that ilk sight.
for aungels in heuen light
maden mirthe and melody
when thai seghen that ilk sight.
Psalmus: Ascendit deus in [iu]b[i]lacione[m].
And Austyn sais when Crist vp steghe
alle heuen schuld haue for that grete drede,
‘Sterres merueile steking on hegh,
alle sainteȝ enioy for that dede,
alle heuen schuld haue for that grete drede,
‘Sterres merueile steking on hegh,
alle sainteȝ enioy for that dede,
‘Trompes ȝiuen a blisful soun,
and that glade wer suetely sing,
in that wher of deuocioun,
full off ioy alle likyng.’
and that glade wer suetely sing,
in that wher of deuocioun,
full off ioy alle likyng.’
Quarto velociter, quoniam tantum spacium in momento percurrit.
Also Crist stegh hastely
in one stounde so fer to go,
as Dauid in his prophecy
told before hit suld be so:
in one stounde so fer to go,
as Dauid in his prophecy
told before hit suld be so:
Exultauit vt gigas ad currendam &c.
But how fer he lepe ȝe schun se,
as the philosopher sais her,
Raby Moyses, leue ȝe me,
that writes of hit in this maner.
as the philosopher sais her,
Raby Moyses, leue ȝe me,
that writes of hit in this maner.
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he sais, ‘seuen heuenes ther bien,
and seuen planetes eke also,
and vche planete a heuen betwene
as muche space as a mon wil go
and seuen planetes eke also,
and vche planete a heuen betwene
as muche space as a mon wil go
‘of playne way in fiue hundret ȝer,
and space betwene vchone of tho
as muche as vche heuen that is cler,
of one widenes byn both two,
and space betwene vchone of tho
as muche as vche heuen that is cler,
of one widenes byn both two,
‘So that the space that betwene is
from heuen to heuen, as sais he,
of as grete widenes i-wis
as is vche heuen of quantite.
from heuen to heuen, as sais he,
of as grete widenes i-wis
as is vche heuen of quantite.
‘then seuen heuens to acompt
and seuen spaces hom betwene
to seuen thousand h[it wol] Amovnt,
ȝif thai trwle meten bene.
and seuen spaces hom betwene
to seuen thousand h[it wol] Amovnt,
ȝif thai trwle meten bene.
‘and for to reken wol oright
from middes of the vrthe her
to the heghchip and light
of the seuent boute wer,
from middes of the vrthe her
to the heghchip and light
of the seuent boute wer,
‘the whiche Saturnes callet is,
seuen thousand hunderth and seuen space,
as muche as mon schulde go i-wis
in so long while and he hade grace.
seuen thousand hunderth and seuen space,
as muche as mon schulde go i-wis
in so long while and he hade grace.
‘and to acompt vche iovrne
to fourty mile of heuen way,
as vche mile, as leue ȝe me,
two thousand [cubitus] leue ȝe me,
to fourty mile of heuen way,
as vche mile, as leue ȝe me,
two thousand [cubitus] leue ȝe me,
‘And putte also to vche ȝer
thre hundreth dayes & sixte,’
thus haue I acomptet her
how hegh Crist lepe thurgh his merce.
thre hundreth dayes & sixte,’
thus haue I acomptet her
how hegh Crist lepe thurgh his merce.
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