 | A Stanzaic Life of Christ |  |
[Quart]a causa quare pocius Apparuit in specie ignibus quam in alio elemento sumitur Amoris ipsius naturam &c.
Tho [furthe] cause quy he Apered
helder in fourme of fir this day
þen in other element, As I am lered,
As clerkes techen sothe to say.
helder in fourme of fir this day
þen in other element, As I am lered,
As clerkes techen sothe to say.
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ffor this skylle taken is truly
two maner kynde of his grete luf,
ffor luff fyr may signefy,
And luff is A gost Abuff.
two maner kynde of his grete luf,
ffor luff fyr may signefy,
And luff is A gost Abuff.
Be thre skylles fynde I may,
quy luff to fyr lykened is;
Tho fyrst for fir is steryng Ay,
So dose tho Holy Gost Iwis,
quy luff to fyr lykened is;
Tho fyrst for fir is steryng Ay,
So dose tho Holy Gost Iwis,
ffor qwo-so he fulfilles in fay,
he mas hym to meeue not Amys,
In gode wurchyng to be alway,
ffor Gregory wele preues this:
he mas hym to meeue not Amys,
In gode wurchyng to be alway,
ffor Gregory wele preues this:
Gregorius: Numquam est Amor dei ociosus. Operatur enim magna si est. Si autem operari neclegit, Amor non est, &c.
‘ffor Goddes luf’, says Gregory,
‘Is neuer-mor ydell, leue ȝe me,
Bot worches All-way wonderly
In iche plase þer-as is he.
‘Is neuer-mor ydell, leue ȝe me,
Bot worches All-way wonderly
In iche plase þer-as is he.
‘And ȝif þat luff be neclegent
ffor to wurche wyt gode wille,
hit is no luff verament
ffor luff con not holde hym stille.’
ffor to wurche wyt gode wille,
hit is no luff verament
ffor luff con not holde hym stille.’
Tho secunde skyll schaw I may
Quy luff And fir ben sette in fere,
ffor of All elementes in fay
worthiest hit is & moost der,
Quy luff And fir ben sette in fere,
ffor of All elementes in fay
worthiest hit is & moost der,
And most in syght sothe to say,
And leest hit is As of matere,
So fares tho Holy Gost Alway
Tho selfe maner, As ȝe schyn here.
And leest hit is As of matere,
So fares tho Holy Gost Alway
Tho selfe maner, As ȝe schyn here.
ffor what mon so full-fylled ys
Of tho Holy Gostes luff,
To erthely thyng no hert has he
Bot wilnes heuenly blis Abuff,
Of tho Holy Gostes luff,
To erthely thyng no hert has he
Bot wilnes heuenly blis Abuff,
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And litell wille to þo worlde he has
Bot meche to thyng that gostly is,
Suche is tho Holy Gostes gras
And lykened wele to fir I-wis.
Bot meche to thyng that gostly is,
Suche is tho Holy Gostes gras
And lykened wele to fir I-wis.
The thryd skylle now takes hede,
ffor thre thynges, As I fynde,
That fire has, As I schall rede
Qwyll this mater is in mynde.
ffor thre thynges, As I fynde,
That fire has, As I schall rede
Qwyll this mater is in mynde.
ffyrst fir makes hegh thynges to encline,
And vpward also draghes he,
ouer-fletyng with-owten pyne
he geders to-geder, leue ȝe me.
And vpward also draghes he,
ouer-fletyng with-owten pyne
he geders to-geder, leue ȝe me.
By þes iii vnderstonde I may
iij maner of strengthes þat luf has
lyke to þes iij, sothe to say,
As Denys clerke mynde mas:
iij maner of strengthes þat luf has
lyke to þes iij, sothe to say,
As Denys clerke mynde mas:
Ignis habet alta inclinare, sursum tendere, fluida adunare & congregare. Dionisius in libro de diuinis nominibus: Amor habet triplicem vim videlicet inclinatiuam eleuatiuam, & concordatiuam.
ffor luf has strenght to draghe down
thyng þat is hegh myȝtily,
ffor to haue neuer so grete renown
luf may thow hym bonerly,
thyng þat is hegh myȝtily,
ffor to haue neuer so grete renown
luf may thow hym bonerly,
Hel[d]er þen batayl to be bown,
to encline all curtesly
to all thyng, þat is resoun
ther othr waye fayles fullely.
to encline all curtesly
to all thyng, þat is resoun
ther othr waye fayles fullely.
Amor habet vim eleuatiuam.
Also luf makes loghe thyng hegh,
be mony wayes mon may se,
As men þat ben grete lordis negh,
who-so is lufd, on heght gos he.
be mony wayes mon may se,
As men þat ben grete lordis negh,
who-so is lufd, on heght gos he.
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