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A Stanzaic Life of Christ

Compiled from Higden's Polychronicon and the Legenda Aurea

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STANZAIC LIFE OF CHRIST
 
[Prologue.]
 
Petrus in Historiis Scolasticis de incarnacione Christi.
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[Nativity.]
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De circumcisione domini nostri Ihesu Christi.
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De epiphania. Epiphania dicitur ab epi, quod est supra, & phanos, apparicio, quia tunc desursum stella apparuit siue ipse Christus per stellam.
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De purificacione beate Ma{ri}e
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De occisione Innocencium & de Herode Ascalonica & eius vxore.
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Petrus in Histore capitulo xlvo.
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De septuagesima & eius institucione.
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De sexagesima & eius institucione.
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De quinquagesima & eius institucione.
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De quadragesima & eius institucione.
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De ieiunio quatuor temporum.
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De imperatoribus. Martinus. Anno gracie xvjo, Tiberius erectus est in imperatorem post mortem Octouiani.
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De passione Christi. Anno gracie xxxo, Tiberii xviijo.
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De resurrectione Christi.
 
[subsection]
 
Primo quomodo tribus diebus & tribus noctibus iacuit in sepulcro.
 
Circa secundum sciendum, est quod conueniens fuit, vt non statim, quando mortuus fuit, Christus resurgeret set vsque in diem tercium expectaret, propter quinque raciones & prima hec est.
 
Secundo propter probacionem.
 
Tercio propter sue potestatis ostensionem.
 
Quarta propter restaurandorum purificacionem.
 
Quinto propter triplicis status iustorum representacionem.
 
Circa tercium qualiter resurexit. Nota quod resurexit potenter, feliciter, vtiliter, mirabiliter & veraciter.
 
Secundo surrexit f[elic]iter, quia de-posita omni miseria.
 
Tertio resurexit vtiliter, quia capta preda.
 
Quarto resurexit mirabiliter, quia remanente clauso sepulcro.
 
Quinto resurexit veraciter, quia in corpore vero et proprio.
 
De sancto Dionisii.
 
Circa quartum, quare non expectauit cum aliis resurgere, quando fiet generalis resurrectio.
 
Primo propter corporis dignitatem.
 
Secundo fidei firmitatem.
 
Tercio propter nostre resurrectionis exemplari[ta]tem.
 
Circa quintum propter quid resurexit. nota.
 
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Circa sextum quociens apparuit.
 
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Tipum gerit penitencium.
 
Septimo & vltimo qualiter Christus sanctos patres, qui erant in limbo, adduxit & quid ibi egerit.
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De letania Maiori & Minori.
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De ascensione domini.
 
In die pentecostes.

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353

Ignis iiijor habet naturas, videlicet vrit, purgat, calefacit, illuminat, &c.

ffir purges, lyghtes, hetes, & brennes,
All þes faur kyndes has he,
So heuenly fyr brennes synnes
Tho selfe maner, as ȝe schyn see.
ffor heuenly fir brennes synne
her-to Acordes prophecy,
on quiche in Latyn I shall myn
þat speke þo prophet Zacary:

Zacarias: Per ignem vram inter eos, sicut vritur Argentum. Item vre renes meos & cor meum, &c.

Also þis heuenly fir in fay
purges hertes þat hit comes in,
As tho prophete prays ay,
ffrom temptacion for to twyn,
ffor this fir will come no way,
þer baret is, till bale blyn
& þat plas purget al to his pay,
er he take sesoun þer er wos syn.

Issay iiijto: Si sanguinem Ierusalem lauerit de medio eius in spiritu Iudicii et Ardoris.

Also þo Holy Gost wele heytes
þo saules in queche he tas seyson,
ffor gostly fir all godenes getes
In mon Amendet, triste ȝe mone.

Ad Romanos xiio: spiritu eruentes.

Here-to Acordes Gregory
And says, ‘þo Holy Gost come doun
In fir to put Away in hye
All coolde & foule corrupcion,
‘And God forthires ay þat fyr
Thurgh his endles mercy
Ay mor & mor to gode desir,
& mon to leue deuoutely.’
354

Gregorius: In igne Apparuit spiritus sanctus, quia ab omni corde quod replet, torporem frigoris excutit & hoc in desiderio sue eternitatis accendit, &c.

Item spiritus sanctus illustrat ignorancias.

Also, As I shall now schew,
þe Holy Gost dose maystry,
leghtnes hertes for to knaw
vnknawen thyng All fully;
Ryȝt As fir is to vs lyght
And in thesternes mas wele to se,
þo heuenly fir mas hertes bryȝt,
Of thyng vnknawen wise to be.
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