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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.
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De letania Maiori & Minori.
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De ascensione domini.
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In die pentecostes.
 
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Bernardus: Dedit nobis animam in precium, sanguinem suum in potum, carnem in cibum, &c.
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Secundo quot modis missus est.
 
Iohannis tercio: Spiritus, vbi vult, spirat & vocem eius Audis, set nescis, a quo venit aut quo vadat, &c.
 
Secundo in specie nube.
 
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Canticorum iiijto: Surge, Aquilo, veni, Auster, & perfla, &c. Item spiritus sanctus lenis est Ad flatus demulcendum, &c.
 
Item A spiritu sancto venit remissio.
 
Ad Romanos viijo: Ipse spiritus testimonium reddidit spiritui nostro, vt sumus filii dei. Sin autem filii, & heredes, &c.
 
Domine, Domine non probavimus in nomine tuo, &c.
 
De quinto qualiter missus est.
 
Repleti sunt omnes spiritu sancto.
 
Yssay: Plenus sum & ideo holocausta, &c.
 
Secundo in [l]inguis [ig]neis.
 
Quare pocius in igne quam in alio elemento propter tres causas &c.
 
Secunda causa quare apparuit in specie ignis pocius quam in Alio elemento sumitur penes sue deitatis excellenciam, &c.
 
Ignis iiijor habet naturas, videlicet vrit, purgat, calefacit, illuminat, &c.
 
Sapiencie ixo: Sensum Autem tuum quis sciet, nisi tu crederis sapienciam & miseris spiritum sanctum tuum de altissimis.
 
[Quart]a causa quare pocius Apparuit in specie ignibus quam in alio elemento sumitur Amoris ipsius naturam &c.
 
Item habet vim concordatiuam
 
Iacobus: Lingua nostra est ignis vniuerse iniquitatis.
 
Ysaie lxxxijo: Spiritus domini super quod vincerit me.
 
Secunda prerogatiua data apostolis per spiritum sanctum videlicet Sapiencia.
 
Tercia prerogatiua videlicet humilitas.
 
Quarta prerogatiua videlicet humilitas & pulcra, &c.
 
Nota de sexta. Ad quos missus est, ad discipulos, quia fuerunt spectacula mundi.
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Primo Animo commoti &c.
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De septimo principali, propter quid missus est, quod propter sex causas missus est: primo ad consolandam mestos, Secundo ad viuificandum mortuos, Tercio ad mundandum & sanctificandum immundos, Quarto ad confirmandum Amorem inter discordes, Quinto ad saluandum iustos, Sexto Ad docendum ignaros.

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357

Item habet vim concordatiuam

The thrid vertue þat luf has
Euen & euen he brennes in fer,
thogh wrath be & manas,
luf maystres hom in meke maner.

Inclinatiuam, quia inclinat superiora inferioribus, Eleuatiuam, quia eleuat inferiores superioribus, concordatiuam, quia concordat equalia equalibus. Dionisius.

Thes thre maners of strenght luf has
In seche men as the Holy Gost
fulfilles þrugh his grace,
ffyrst he abates all hor bost.
To wynne hom to grete mekenes
& forsakyng of hor wille,
Noȝt takyng honour ne heghnes
bot Goddes plesaunce to fulfille.
Also þe Holy Gost is Aye
vp-hevyng as fir is in kynd,
& also, as I con say
A litell befor as ȝe mone fynd,
ffor þe Holy Gost vp-heues
Mennes hertes forto dys[yr]e
heuenly blis, þer-by hit preues
þat verray luf is heuenly fir.
All men þat entres with-inne,
ichon to oþer he mas der,
trew to be & neuer mor twynne,
As by ensaumple men may ler
Of maters þat men movn mynne,
þat all tourment with hert enter
Sufferd, er þai wolden synne,
ffull stydfastly in this world her,
And þat suffrauns most nede be
by vertue of þe Holy Gost,
þat with so stabull charite
In myschef to luf hym most.
358

Quare spiritus sanctus pocius apparuit in lingua quam in alio membro iijx est ratio, vnde patet vt supra.

de iijo.
Now whi þe Holy Gost to-day
Appert in tonges helder her
þen in oþer membres, I shall say
thre causes conable & cler.
The fyrst, for monnus tong is ay
As helle fir cruell & fere,
fflaumyng for to make Afray,
non othre membre in þat maner,
fful hard for to rule oryȝt
þer monnes hert wer oght vnstable,
& hit maystret is thurgh myȝt
A membre wonder prophetabull.
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