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3. An ABC Poem on the Passion

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Caius Coll., 174/95, p. 482.

Cryste crosse me spede & seynt nycolas
A.b.c. A doth sygnifye
The anguysch that he suffyrd in grete duras
B the blode that he bled so plentyffully
Out of euery parte of hys deid body
C ys the crosse that Judas so tratorly
D ys the dolefull deth of hym so to dye
E eggyng of hys enmyes betokynnyth
ff the fals wytnes of the juys is .
And the gryntyng & the gnascyng þat ys G .
Hij frenduerunt me super dentibus suis
H . ys the harme that they dyd onto hym
J is the Justice that demyd hym to dye
K cowardys of hys dyscypylys fleyng a weye
When a yong mayde stode in batayle
Oure lady on whom stode the beleve of the
Chyrch yn tyme of passion lo such a vayle .
And prerogatyfe women sche dyd wyrch
Sche to an oke but a branche of byrch
Dyd stand & abyde in that grete affray
When that olde berdyd men dyd fle a way
ȝyt more prerogatyf fell to man
When god and man dyed on tre
ffor all mankynde out of hell he wan
Onto the place of hye souereynte
. L . is the loth lyden in sondre degre
That they made on hym all & some
Saying crucifige crucifige eum
. M . the mewys that they made with mockys
Mouentes super eum capita sua

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N . hys nakyd body with woundes & knockys
O . the opynnyng of hys hert cum lancia
P . the prykkyng of the naylys scharpe & thra
Q . the quakyng of hys body for fere & sory
Quia ex humanite timit mori
R . the rubbyng of hys blody clothis
S . the scornes that he dyd thole
T is the tre that hys fals foyes
Dyd hym on to suffer woe
Hys passion hys prayer to the pole
Onto hys fader that we myȝt rene
With hym the x. y z. and eft Amen
Explicit alphabetum ffisshar