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Reflective (Exegetical) Poems
38. On the “Leaps” Which Christ Took
Quare velociter ascendit Ihesus tantum spacium in momento . . . .Also crist steȝ vp hastely . In on stonde so fer to go
Os dauid in his prophecy . told be fore hit schuld be so
Exultauit ut gigas ad quendam viam &c
But how fer he lepe ȝe schyn se . As þe philosophur says here
Raby moyses leue ȝe me . þat writes of hit in þis maner
He says Vij heuenes þer ben . & Vij planetes eke al so
& vche planet & heuen be twene . as myche space as mon schuld go
Of playne way in .V. hundret ȝere. & space bytwen vchon of þo
Os myche space as vche heuon þat is clere. on wydnes beþ boþe two
So þat þe space þat by twene is . fro heuon to heuon as says he
Of as gret wydnes I wys . As is vche of quantyte
þen Vij heuones to akount . & Vij spaces hem bytwene
And for to rekon wel aryȝt . from myddes of þe vrþe here
to þe hyȝschip & hyȝt of þe seuenþe heuon Iii were
þe whyche saturnus called is. Vii þousand hundred & vii space
Os myche as mon schild go I wis . in so long while & he had grace
Ond to acount vche jorney to fourty myle of euon way
Os vche myle leue ȝe me . two þousant cubytes soþe to say
Ond put al so to vche ȝere iij . hundred days & syxty
þus haue I acounted here. how crist lepte þorow his mercy
to Vij. þousand hit wyl amounte . ȝif þay truly metun ben
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39. On the Value of Prayer and Meditation
ffor I wend when any foly me felte
In þought or speche or any gylte/
þat I sulde in sundyre all ryuen be.
And kaste from ierusalem my cuntree./
þat es from heuene þat ilke ricche place.
where is all worþe of Ihesu cristes solace
In þought or speche or any gylte/
þat I sulde in sundyre all ryuen be.
And kaste from ierusalem my cuntree./
þat es from heuene þat ilke ricche place.
where is all worþe of Ihesu cristes solace
I turned me þan vnto my saule euer ilke deele./
And some comforth I began to fele./
Alle my synnes þai came ryght vnto my þought
And some comforth I began to fele./
Alle my synnes þai came ryght vnto my þought
wylke hadd before tyme caried me to nought
Of tyme sore þanne I grete and was sorye./
And to a prest of þanne I me schrofe hastelye./
And þan vnto suet Ihesu I cryede on hie./
A my lorde Ihesu on me þou haue pite and mersye.
þat for me on þe rode gan dolefully dye./
Vnto oure lady þan sayde I þus./
þou praie for me marie to suete Ihesus/
þat he will me graceȝ gyue to whiles þat y liffe heere./
To syghe and soroughe for my synnes seere/
So þat þorough his mersie þat y mote wynne
And þan vnto suet Ihesu I cryede on hie./
A my lorde Ihesu on me þou haue pite and mersye.
þat for me on þe rode gan dolefully dye./
Vnto oure lady þan sayde I þus./
þou praie for me marie to suete Ihesus/
þat he will me graceȝ gyue to whiles þat y liffe heere./
To syghe and soroughe for my synnes seere/
So þat þorough his mersie þat y mote wynne
Onto hym þat sittes abouen cherubyn./
And now man þis praiere þat feloughes heere./
Saye it or þinke it in þi saule þe matere to leere/
ffor whi hym alle tyme þat þe dere bought/
Suld þou in þi mynde haue and in þi þought/
And þan salte þou haue forgyfnes of þi foule synne/
And full grete graceȝ salte þou fynde þere in
Wylke grace þorough his grete myght/
Sall þe saue bothe day and nyght./
And now man þis praiere þat feloughes heere./
Saye it or þinke it in þi saule þe matere to leere/
ffor whi hym alle tyme þat þe dere bought/
Suld þou in þi mynde haue and in þi þought/
And þan salte þou haue forgyfnes of þi foule synne/
And full grete graceȝ salte þou fynde þere in
Wylke grace þorough his grete myght/
Sall þe saue bothe day and nyght./
Amen.
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