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A Stanzaic Life of Christ

Compiled from Higden's Polychronicon and the Legenda Aurea

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340

Domine, Domine non probavimus in nomine tuo, &c.

Bot God full of Autorite
dose miracles, takes þis in mynde,
Aungels be mater, leue ȝe me,
haue Abulte of hit as I fynde;
Deuelles be vertues kyndely
þat diuers thynges haue hom with-in,
of preciouse stones & herbery
& oþer mater I con not myn;
Nigramaunsirs done meruayllousely
be preue consaylyng And wytte
of deuels þat wolden men dystry,
quat þai don deuels techen hit;
Goode Cristen men don wondres als,
Al be knawen ryȝtwisnes,
Euell Cristen men be signes fals
Semyng gode, full of falsenes.
Tho seconde tyme his gost geue he
to his disciples all in pees
quen he blwe & sayd, ‘haue ȝe
þo Holy Gost, syn to relese.’

Accipite spiritum sanctum, quorum remiseritis, &c.

Bot ȝet no mon relese may
Preuee gylt in hert hydde,
or gilt þat bounden is ony way
In helle for to take stydde.
And ȝif mon to God do trespas
As sennyng in tho Holy Gost,
her most contricion come in plaas
& mercy of hym þat is moost,
Or hit may not forgeuen be
As to tho payne hit is worthi,
bot þurgh penauns pert or preue
& contricioun inwardely.

341

Bot ȝet will A confessour
Assoyle quen A mon schryuen is,
supposyng he tolde his errour
of all þat he had done Amys,
ffor þo prest may do no mor
þen he þer may segh in syght
& þat he schawes hym befor,
Assoylled he is be way of ryȝt;
Bot of preue thoȝt with-in
may no mon deme bot onely he
þat shryues hym so of his syn,
ȝif he worche be sotelte,
þerfor his saule for to saue
he geues hym penauns for to do her,
þat he in purgatory shuld haue
gyf þat his syn punysshed wer,
& sum penaunce temperall
he relesshes as for þo best,
bot ȝet contricioun most come with-all
other all his trauayle clene is lest.
Tho thrid tyme wos as this day

Psalmus: spiritu oris eius omnis virtus eorum.


þat God þo Holy Gost doun sent
to sadden hom fully in þo fay
to drede no dethe ne tourment.
Saynt Austyn spekes of þis mater
& says, ‘þo Holy Gostes gras
is so mury in his maner,
þof he fynde tristes in þat plas,
‘He vnbyndes hit boute ber
& turnes sorwe in-to solas,
& ȝif wylnyng waxen wer
he wayues as thyng þat neuer was,

342

‘& drede he puttes clene oway,
on Cristes dysciples as wos sene,
ffor fro þat þis gifte wos geuen þis day
Miȝt neuer mon turne hom for no tene.’

Augustinus: Talis est gracia spiritus sancti, quod, si tristiciam invenerit, dissolui, Si desiderium iniustum, consumit, si tremorem, abiecit, &c.