 | A Stanzaic Life of Christ |  |
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Circa quartum cum quibus ascendit.
Nowe schun ȝe knowe that he vp stegh
whit A grete pray of mon-kynde,
and with aungels als on hegh
ful grete novmber, as I finde.
whit A grete pray of mon-kynde,
and with aungels als on hegh
ful grete novmber, as I finde.
that he stegh vp whit mony men
the Sauter shewes apertely,
for hor wrechedenes he raft then
and honourd hom worchipfully.
the Sauter shewes apertely,
for hor wrechedenes he raft then
and honourd hom worchipfully.
Psalmus: Ascendisti in altum, cepisti Captiuitatem.
and that he stegh vp eke Also
whit grete novmbre of Aungels cler
and holy men as both two,
this prophecy wil witnes her:
whit grete novmbre of Aungels cler
and holy men as both two,
this prophecy wil witnes her:
Ysais xviijo: Quis est iste, qui venit de Eodom, &c.
for when Crist to heuen went,
summe Aungels in heuen wer
that wer not in hor kind kent
that God hade mon for-boght so der,
summe Aungels in heuen wer
that wer not in hor kind kent
that God hade mon for-boght so der,
Ne that he mon becomen was,
therfor thai wonderet on that sight
of suche prese comyng to that place,
And Crist al blody and so dight.
therfor thai wonderet on that sight
of suche prese comyng to that place,
And Crist al blody and so dight.
then the lasse aungels asket the mor,
who that was that come heuen whitinne
from the world ledyng thore
suche as helle haden bien whit-inne,
who that was that come heuen whitinne
from the world ledyng thore
suche as helle haden bien whit-inne,
Quis est iste, qui venit de Eodom & eodom interpretatur sanguinia, Bosra munita, quasi diceret: Quis est iste, qui venit de mundo saguinio per peccatum & de inferno Munito, &c &c.
but Denys in a boke he mas
sais when Crist to heuen went
thre questiouns in that caas
Aungels askeden Crist present.
sais when Crist to heuen went
thre questiouns in that caas
Aungels askeden Crist present.
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the furst that grete Angels made
vchone to other alle in ffer,
the secounde to Crist thai hade
in this maner that ȝe schun her,
vchone to other alle in ffer,
the secounde to Crist thai hade
in this maner that ȝe schun her,
the thrid questioun i-wis
the lasse maden to the mor,
as I schal declar ȝow this,
but sumqwat I haue sade befor.
the lasse maden to the mor,
as I schal declar ȝow this,
but sumqwat I haue sade befor.
thenne askeden the grete ther-in
who was he that come ther so
out of the blody world of synne
and from helle so stoutely tho.
who was he that come ther so
out of the blody world of synne
and from helle so stoutely tho.
Iste formosus in stola sua, &c.
‘Semely he is in his clethyng,
and goyng with a ful power,’
and while thay weren thus spekyng
Ihesus vnswaret, as ȝe schun her.
and goyng with a ful power,’
and while thay weren thus spekyng
Ihesus vnswaret, as ȝe schun her.
Ego qui loquor iusticiam & propugnator sum ad saluandum.
‘I am,’ he saide, ‘swete Ihesu,
that speke al maner riȝtwisnes,
And bifor-fegher thurgh vertu
to saue hom that wer in destresse.’
that speke al maner riȝtwisnes,
And bifor-fegher thurgh vertu
to saue hom that wer in destresse.’
the secound questioun was this,
that grete angels askeden tho
to Crist so going toward blisse,
al blody wondet as mon in wo:
that grete angels askeden tho
to Crist so going toward blisse,
al blody wondet as mon in wo:
Quare ergo rubrum est indumentum & vestimenta tua sicut calcancium in torculari.
‘whi is thi huling now so rede
and thi clothes opon the
like wyne-pressores on lenth and brede,
and al blody opon to se?’
and thi clothes opon the
like wyne-pressores on lenth and brede,
and al blody opon to se?’
303
this ilk, questioun askeden thai
for his body was blody,
whiche blode he keppet wel alway
that from his body went none bye,
for his body was blody,
whiche blode he keppet wel alway
that from his body went none bye,
and blody stremes he loket aye,
as Bede sais, I schal telle whi,
fyue causes in gode fay
him nedet to kepe hit skilfully,
as Bede sais, I schal telle whi,
fyue causes in gode fay
him nedet to kepe hit skilfully,
Beda: Cicatrices dominus seruauit & in iudicio seruaturus est, vt fidem resurectionis astruat, vt pro omnibus hominibus supplicando eas patri representet, vt boni, quam misericorditer sint redempti, agnoscant, vt perpetue victorie sue certum triumphum deferant, vt reprobi, quam iuste sint dampnati, videant.
Euer til the day of dome schal be
and therto shewe hom openly.
the furst cause now ȝe schun se,
as at sayn Bede lornet haue I,
and therto shewe hom openly.
the furst cause now ȝe schun se,
as at sayn Bede lornet haue I,
for to norisshe fully [þe] fay
of his resurectioun,
that he rose the thridde day
next after his passioun
of his resurectioun,
that he rose the thridde day
next after his passioun
in that flesshe and blode verray
that deghet for our saluacioun,
lest men hade opet him sto[l]en away
by coyntys and collusioun,
that deghet for our saluacioun,
lest men hade opet him sto[l]en away
by coyntys and collusioun,
And that sum other body rose
that was made be fantasy,
as was emonge Iewes lose
hor error for to iustifye.
that was made be fantasy,
as was emonge Iewes lose
hor error for to iustifye.
the secounde cause, for to present
the blody stremes as this day
to his fader omnipotent,
and for all mon-kinde to pray.
the blody stremes as this day
to his fader omnipotent,
and for all mon-kinde to pray.
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the thridde, that gode schulde knowe
how merciable thai were
by hym for-boght, hit wold showe,
to mynne him on that maner.
how merciable thai were
by hym for-boght, hit wold showe,
to mynne him on that maner.
the feurthe cause, to knowe be tho
he hade euer-lesting victory
of the deuel that did vs wo
and broght vs in so grete any.
he hade euer-lesting victory
of the deuel that did vs wo
and broght vs in so grete any.
that fift cause is at wikket men
schal knowe that thai movne worthely
for hor misdede be dampnet thenne,
that to Crist deden vnkindely,
schal knowe that thai movne worthely
for hor misdede be dampnet thenne,
that to Crist deden vnkindely,
for his kindenes schal showe wel ther
that he kuythet to mon-kinde
by blody on body that he schal ber,
men of hor misdede to haue mynde.
that he kuythet to mon-kinde
by blody on body that he schal ber,
men of hor misdede to haue mynde.
Thenne to this questioun anon
Crist onsuaret and saide this,
‘that pressour I haue appairet al-one,
ȝette of the folk, whit me none is.’
Crist onsuaret and saide this,
‘that pressour I haue appairet al-one,
ȝette of the folk, whit me none is.’
Torcular calcaui solus & de gentibus non est vir mecum.
The holy croice may callet be
a pressour pressing blode so bright,
in whiche pressour presset was he
that dehet on rode for monnes right.
a pressour pressing blode so bright,
in whiche pressour presset was he
that dehet on rode for monnes right.
Or elles the deuel he calles her
Suche a ppressour properly,
that mon-kinde bindes that maner
in sinne and sorow sotily,
Suche a ppressour properly,
that mon-kinde bindes that maner
in sinne and sorow sotily,
that gostly and to God der
He presses oute ful priuely,
and leues in him noght that gode wer,
vices by lengyng hym destrye.
He presses oute ful priuely,
and leues in him noght that gode wer,
vices by lengyng hym destrye.
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But our fegher put vnder fote
that ilk pressor vs appairing,
breke bond of synne & did vs bote,
and stegh to heuen as heghest king,
that ilk pressor vs appairing,
breke bond of synne & did vs bote,
and stegh to heuen as heghest king,
the tauerne of heuen oponet he
and sent wyne of the Holy Gost,
and whit that wine sustenet wer we
to striue agayn the deueles bost.
and sent wyne of the Holy Gost,
and whit that wine sustenet wer we
to striue agayn the deueles bost.
The thridde questioun that was made
when that Crist to heuen stegh,
lasse aungels to the mor hade
in his goyng vppe on hegh:
when that Crist to heuen stegh,
lasse aungels to the mor hade
in his goyng vppe on hegh:
Quis est iste rex glorie? Respondit dominus virtutum ipse est Rex glorie.
‘What is he this kinge of blisse?’
Saiden the lasse to the more,
then thai onsuareden and saiden this,
that vertuouse God went ther befor,
Saiden the lasse to the more,
then thai onsuareden and saiden this,
that vertuouse God went ther befor,
Keng of blisse that mon is,
as Dauid propheciet hor,
nowe is fulfillet forsothe i-wis
his prophecy in Angels lore.
as Dauid propheciet hor,
nowe is fulfillet forsothe i-wis
his prophecy in Angels lore.
Of these Aungels questioun
when that Crist to heuen went,
and of that onsuar be resoun,
Austyn tretes whit gode entent,
when that Crist to heuen went,
and of that onsuar be resoun,
Austyn tretes whit gode entent,
And sais that alle the air on hegh
at Cristes vpsteing halowet was,
and novmbre of deueles when he vppe stegh
floghen for ferde to se his face,
at Cristes vpsteing halowet was,
and novmbre of deueles when he vppe stegh
floghen for ferde to se his face,
To the whech runnen fast
Aungels at hom forto enquer,
what power that was that by hom past
and what keng of blis went so ther.
Aungels at hom forto enquer,
what power that was that by hom past
and what keng of blis went so ther.
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Quis est Iste Rex glorie, & cetera.
Then thai onsuaret & als tite
and saiden ‘sikerly this is he
that was so rody & so white,
and after-ward mo rud hade he,
and saiden ‘sikerly this is he
that was so rody & so white,
and after-ward mo rud hade he,
‘So bitterli that bale con bete,
he suffert on the rode tre,
big agayn the deuel to flite
and armet no way for to fle,
he suffert on the rode tre,
big agayn the deuel to flite
and armet no way for to fle,
‘In dethe foul semyng to the sight,
wonder fair in hup-rising,
white of that virgyn he in light,
all reide of blode in croice hengyng,
wonder fair in hup-rising,
white of that virgyn he in light,
all reide of blode in croice hengyng,
‘A purs to geder repreues inne
ffor mony repreue then hade he,
but in heuen shynyng bout syn
clerly now we moun hym se.’
ffor mony repreue then hade he,
but in heuen shynyng bout syn
clerly now we moun hym se.’
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