A Stanzaic Life of Christ Compiled from Higden's Polychronicon and the Legenda Aurea |
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Tractatus Bernardi de natiuitate domini.
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 | A Stanzaic Life of Christ |  |
Tractatus Bernardi de natiuitate domini.
Saynt Bernard spekes witerly
And saide thre myschefs monkynde hade,
er God of vs wold haue mercy
And mediacioun mekely made,
And saide thre myschefs monkynde hade,
er God of vs wold haue mercy
And mediacioun mekely made,
In birth, in lif, in deth also,
ffor birth was ay in wruchidnes,
the lif in trauaile & gret wo
ffro bodily deth to hell expresse.
ffor birth was ay in wruchidnes,
the lif in trauaile & gret wo
ffro bodily deth to hell expresse.
39
But þen Crist at his comyng
agayn thre poyntes of any
monkynde of bale forto bryng
ordeynt thre poyntes of remedy.
agayn thre poyntes of any
monkynde of bale forto bryng
ordeynt thre poyntes of remedy.
ffor born he was of a wommon,
And lifde thre & thrytty ȝer,
deȝet also þe rode opon,
so fullide he thes thre poyntus her.
And lifde thre & thrytty ȝer,
deȝet also þe rode opon,
so fullide he thes thre poyntus her.
His birth clanside oures tho,
his lif enfourmet vs in þe fay,
his deth destriet the deul our fo
And wan vs lif þat lastes ay.
his lif enfourmet vs in þe fay,
his deth destriet the deul our fo
And wan vs lif þat lastes ay.
Austyn sais also wel this,
that our first faders pryde
with meknes of Crist i-wys
was helet, nys not forto hyde.
that our first faders pryde
with meknes of Crist i-wys
was helet, nys not forto hyde.
ffor Adamus pride agayn God was
And to hym come & herre þen he,
As I declar wol in þis plas,
that thes moun stonde wel all thre.
And to hym come & herre þen he,
As I declar wol in þis plas,
that thes moun stonde wel all thre.
Agaynus God hit was i-wys,
quen mon so wroȝt agayn his wille,
of that tre to ete amys
that was defendet hym to com tille.
quen mon so wroȝt agayn his wille,
of that tre to ete amys
that was defendet hym to com tille.
to God come also his trespas,
for godhede to haue wilnet he
to trist þe deul al in that cas,
that heght hom Goddes forto be.
for godhede to haue wilnet he
to trist þe deul al in that cas,
that heght hom Goddes forto be.
Dixit serpens: Eritis sicut dii.
herre þenn God he wilnet also,
In-als-mich as was his power,
to coueit thyng defendet hym tho,
And that he myȝt noway come ner.
In-als-mich as was his power,
to coueit thyng defendet hym tho,
And that he myȝt noway come ner.
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Crist meket hym then agayn þes thre
In burth, lyuyng & deth also,
ffor mon was Adam, mon was he,
but godhede with þat wayuet our wo.
In burth, lyuyng & deth also,
ffor mon was Adam, mon was he,
but godhede with þat wayuet our wo.
| A Stanzaic Life of Christ | |