A Stanzaic Life of Christ Compiled from Higden's Polychronicon and the Legenda Aurea |
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Quare circumcisio data fuerat.
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 | A Stanzaic Life of Christ |  |
Quare circumcisio data fuerat.
Now ȝe shyn wit þe cause qvy
Circumcisioun ȝyuen was,
takes hede al þis company,
hit may do gode ȝif ȝe haue gras.
Circumcisioun ȝyuen was,
takes hede al þis company,
hit may do gode ȝif ȝe haue gras.
ffor mony causes þat sacrament
to Abraham first ȝyuen was,
As God hym-self wel to hym kent,
he did first nothing amys.
to Abraham first ȝyuen was,
As God hym-self wel to hym kent,
he did first nothing amys.
One cause, as clercus sayn verrayment,
Imong oþer may wel be þis,
sithen Adam was inobedient
And thurgh hit lost þat grete blys,
Imong oþer may wel be þis,
sithen Adam was inobedient
And thurgh hit lost þat grete blys,
Abraham, þat obedient was
to God fully in alle thing,
shuld plese hym & gete his gras
to fulfille wel his biddyng.
to God fully in alle thing,
shuld plese hym & gete his gras
to fulfille wel his biddyng.
ffor sad bileue eke also
that Abraham hade in Goddes hest,
quen he a son biheght hym tho,
the lif of quych shuld ay lest
that Abraham hade in Goddes hest,
quen he a son biheght hym tho,
the lif of quych shuld ay lest
Til Crist come to keuer mon-kynde,
and that Crist born be of his blode
the deules bonde forto vnbynde
and turne monkynde to mich gode,
and that Crist born be of his blode
the deules bonde forto vnbynde
and turne monkynde to mich gode,
By quich barn shuld blesside be
Alle naciouns, þat nys no nay,—
ffor Abraham leuet þis, der was he
to God al after his lif-day.
Alle naciouns, þat nys no nay,—
ffor Abraham leuet þis, der was he
to God al after his lif-day.
49
Alia causa quare circumcisio data fuit.
Anoþer cause assignet is
qvy circumcisioun ordeynt was,
to know þat folk fully for his
ffrom peple of alle oþer plas.
qvy circumcisioun ordeynt was,
to know þat folk fully for his
ffrom peple of alle oþer plas.
In þat stid of þe flesch also
God bede þat sacrament don shuld be,
for God wold mon shuld suffre wo
ther-as temptacioun most hade he,
God bede þat sacrament don shuld be,
for God wold mon shuld suffre wo
ther-as temptacioun most hade he,
And als for Adams grete offens,
quen he trespast to God almyȝt
by so grete inobedience
his biddyng noȝt to do oright
quen he trespast to God almyȝt
by so grete inobedience
his biddyng noȝt to do oright
In that membre, leue ȝe me,
he felide first temptacioun
quen he hade eten of that tre
thurgh þe deul & his tresoun,
he felide first temptacioun
quen he hade eten of that tre
thurgh þe deul & his tresoun,
Therfore thagh mon so pynet be
In þat membre, hit is resoun,
sithen in þat membre first knewe he
syn & þerto sone was boun.
In þat membre, hit is resoun,
sithen in þat membre first knewe he
syn & þerto sone was boun.
ffor sithen Adam vnbuxum was
And did agaynus Goddes wille,
Abraham ful of buxumnesse
ffor his defaut most nede fulfille
And did agaynus Goddes wille,
Abraham ful of buxumnesse
ffor his defaut most nede fulfille
Al maner poyntes of meknes
Goddes wrath so forto stille,
And in þat plas ber signe expres
that first greuet hit forto grille.
Goddes wrath so forto stille,
And in þat plas ber signe expres
that first greuet hit forto grille.
Quare circumcisio fuit octauo die petrino cultro.
The sacrament don was þe aght day.
And also with a swaret stone,
ffor in þe aght eld, in gode fay,
shyn rise fro deth to lyue ichone.
And also with a swaret stone,
ffor in þe aght eld, in gode fay,
shyn rise fro deth to lyue ichone.
50
And then thurȝe Crist þat callide is
A stone in bokes of holy writt,
Al syn þat mon has don amys
that stone Crist away shuld kytt,
A stone in bokes of holy writt,
Al syn þat mon has don amys
that stone Crist away shuld kytt,
And make alle sauet men so clene
that þer com no corrupcioun,
then may that callid be, as I mene,
the secounde circumcisioun.
that þer com no corrupcioun,
then may that callid be, as I mene,
the secounde circumcisioun.
But takes hede now I ȝou pray
one certayn poynt til I declare,
þat I speke of bifore in fay,
And ȝet þat speche nyl I not spar.
one certayn poynt til I declare,
þat I speke of bifore in fay,
And ȝet þat speche nyl I not spar.
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