A Stanzaic Life of Christ :: :: University of Virginia Library

Testamentum Christi in cruce, Augustinus: Auctor ipse pietatis in cruce pendens in secularibus negociis pietatis officia diuidebat, persecucionem apostolis, pacem discipulis, corpus Iudeis, patri spiritum, virgini paranimphum, latroni paradisum, peccatoribus infernum, crucem christianis penitentibus commendabat.

Crist, Auctor & prince of pite,

Nota bene testamentum Christi.

hengyng on croice for monnus syn,
for hor nedis þus ordeynt he
his testament, quen he wold twyn.

Apostles persecucioun,
disciples pes assignet he,
his body þer al redy boun
to Iewes that nailed hym on tre;

184

His gost to his fadir he sent,
And to his moder, swete Mary,
A loker forto take entent
to hir then in that gret any;

To þe thef þat þer was lent
That mercy asket mekely
to Paradise he con present,
that oþer to helle went in hy;

And helle to synful men ȝaf he,
that to amende wer not in wille,
With-out ende þer forto be,
His hest for thay wold not fulfille;

To Cristen þat repentaunt wer
his croys he ȝaf with gode entent,
thus at his deth diuiset her
Ihesu Crist his testament.

But to expoun apertly
qvy he his croys assignet so,
hit was forto gete mon mercy,
And for trespas to suffre wo.

For as Bede beres wittenesse,
a cr[os]ce ys penaunce, leue ȝe me,

Crux apte a cruciatu dicitur.

for what thing that may synne restresse,
a verray crosce may callet be.

Secundo in eo, quod passio eius fuit iniusta.

The secunde cause, I may wel say,
qwhi that hys payne more noyuse was,
for of thre poyntes false in faye
thay accuseden hym in that case.

One was thay sayden that he forbede
ȝelde tribute to the emperour,
to the secunde thay token hede
that he vsurpet kenges honour,

185

The thridde for thay herden hym say
that he was God sone almight,
thus in thre poynntes that ilke day
thay accuset hym whit vnright.

Therfore agayn þes poyntes thre
that thai accuset hym to be shent,
opon Gode Friday syngen we
thre excusaciouns hym present.

Popule meus quid feci tibi aut quis.

In quich excusaciouns thre
Crist vmbraides hom openly
of thre gode dedis þat don hade he
byfore to hom in gret any.

The first upbraideng he hom mas,
was how þat he of Egypt londe
deliueret hom from al manas,
ther-as bifore þai wer in bonde.

Vt patet in versibus: Quia eduxi te de terra Egipti, parasti crucem saluatori tuo.

The secunde repref hit was
hou þat he fed hom fourti ȝer
In desert & vncouth plas
with manna in meruelouse maner,

And also did hom sich gras
to lede hom out of alle daunger
to hor cuntre, for any cas,
As men that wer to hym ful der.

Quia eduxi vos per desertum quadragynta Annis &c.

The thrid upbraide is hou þat he
plauntide hom for his viner,
‘hou miȝt thai then so bitter be
to ordeyn croice so for me her?’

186

Quid vltra &c. Ego plantaui te &c.

Therfore first, þer-as thai sayn
that pay tribut wold he noȝt,
he vpbraides hom agayn
of tribute ȝift hou he hom broȝt.

Ther-as thay sayn he cald hym kyng,
thai shuld haue thonkid hym his gode dede,
that as kyng in myslikyng
In desert fed hom in gret nede.

Als thai repreuet hym that he saide
that verray Goddis son was he,
mich he miȝt better hom vpbraide
that he ȝaf hom londe in gret lee,

And his vineȝerd made hom i-wys,
quich vineȝerd I may vnderstonde
is Ierusalem, that flour is,
I-myddes þe worlde most esy londe.

Tercio quia ab amicis dampnatus est.

The thrid cause is, sithen he was
dampnet of hom þat shuld haue bene
his frendes kyndlie in that cas
And not sich sorowe on hym sene;

For las wonder had ben i-wys
ȝif he of enmys suffride hade
to quych he done hade er amys,
sich manas thaȝe he hade made,

Or of aliens & straungers
that had not knowen hym bifore,
but of his frendes & verray feres
he tholet that greuet mich þe more,

And of his frende als suffride he
that of on rote comen wer,
therfore þe Sauter ȝe shyn se
to hor dede wel acordes her.

187

Amici mei & proximi mei, aduersum me appropinquauerunt & steterunt. Item Iob xxxo capitulo: Noti mei quasi Alieni recesserunt A me.

‘Frendes & neghburs in gret nede
Aȝayn me stoden ful stifly,’
And frendis flowen, as Iob con rede,
As vncouth men in most any.

Of sich men also suffrid he
that he had don ful mich fore,
As sayn Ion writes, ȝe moun se,
the verray gospel ow bifore.

Iohannes viijo: Multa bona opera operatus sum vobis, propter quod opus vultis me occidere.

And Bede in is meditacioun
spekes to Crist in this maner
with ful gret deuocioun,
As in Latyn is writen her,—

ffor write Latyn may I not spar
to sich as han vnderstondyng,
but after þe Latyn I wil declar
In Englisch, lewide to haue likyng.

Beda: O bone Ihesu, quam dulciter cum hominibus conuersatus es, quam magna & abundantissima largitus es eis, quam dura & Aspera pro eis passus es, dura verba, duriora verbera, durissima crucis tormenta.

‘Swete Ihesu,’ sais sayn Bede,
‘how swetely to monnus likyng
with mon to help hym in gret nede
thi-self mon was with hom wonyng!

‘Hou mich gode & quat plente
ȝyuen hom graciously þou has,
hard & sharp with hert fre
suffret forto gete hom gras,

188

‘Harde wordes, harder betyng,
And, that hardest of alle was,
gret tourment on croice hongyng
after al this gret manas!’

Quarto ratione teneritudinis corporis.

The furth cause is, in gode fay,
qvy that his passioun greuet more
then any oþer monnus may,—
And I shal say ȝou skil qverfore.

ffor, as we reden in holi writte,
Boke of Kynges þat calde is,
In liknes as to monnus witt
bi Crist to Dauid was saide þis:

Regum penultimo: Ipse est quasi tenerimus ligni vermiculus.

‘Most tender worm,’ he sais, ‘is he’;
for more tendre thing ther nys
thenne worme that bredes in a tre,
therfore he likenet hym so i-wys.

And Crist most nedely tendre be
that was not geten by monnes seed,
but of a wommon flesche toke he,
therfor tendre he most be nede.

The[r]-fore to Iewes whit hert fre
spekes the gode clerk sayn Bede
these Latyn wordes, that ȝe schun se,
good ys to hom ȝe take hede.

Beda: O Iudei, lapides estis, set lapidem percutitis molliorem, de quo resonat tynnitus pietatis & ebullit oleum caritatis.

‘Ȝe Iewes,’ says sayn Bede the clerke,
‘stones ȝe ben, I may wel say,
as wel is sene by our werke,
for harde hertes ȝe han to-day,

189

‘ffor a softer stone thenne ȝe
ȝe beten opon ful bytterly,
of whiche sounes soune of pite
and oyle of charite largely.’

[Quint]o ex eo, quod fuit eius penav niuersalis, quia per omnes partes & per omnes sensus, primo per visum.

The fift maner hit greuet sore,
for his pyne was in vche place
from hede to hele, bihinde, bifore,
and alle his wittes he pynet was.

ffurst sorow he had as in his sight,
Thurgh teres that of hys eghen went,
and Poule epistel speke oright
to the Ebrues that he sent.

Ther-to acordes Bede i-wys,
that teres opon the croice sched he,
for mon, that muche hade done amys,
might haue compassion hym to se.

Beda: Ascendit in altum, vt longius audiretur, fortiter clamauit, vt nullus excuseretur, clamor lacrimas addidit, vt homo compateretur.

Bede says that he went on hegh
opon the harde rode tre,
forto be herd bothe fer and neght
wordes that ther-on speke he.

Stifly he cryet that no mon tho
schuld fynde an excusacion,
wihit crye sched teres bothe two
of hym to haue compassioun.

Other teres I fynde also
he sched twye, as men rede moun,
to Ierusalem pronouncyng wo,
an Laȝeres resureccioun.

190

So that I may wel say that [þ]rye
God sched teres her lyuyng;
the furst for loue sched tendre-ly
to se Laȝere ther deed lyyng;

The secunde teres, leue ȝe me,
wheren sched for grete compasion
that he had for that fayre cite
that he wyste schulde be dr[i]uen don;

The thriddes teres as this day
for sorow weren sched, men may wel se,
when tha[t] he opon Good Friday
sched teres opon the rode tre.

That the furst teres of loue wer,
I may preue by autorite,
by mennes wordes that wer ner,
and sayden, ‘he louet hym, ȝe moun se.’

Ecce qualiter amabat eum.

The secunde teres, as sayde I,
wheren for grete compasioun
that he had for the muche any
that was comyng toward that toun;

ffor he told ther in prophecy
that hyt schuld be driuen doun,
for thay kenewe not God al-mighty
and tyme of hor saluacioun.

Cum apropinquasset Ihesus Ierusalem, fleuit super illam &c. Et infra in eodem capitulo: Non relinquetur lapis super lapidem, eo quod non cognoueris tempus visitacionis tue.

But teres that he sched thys day
weren for sorowe that had he
and penaunce, no tung telle may,
so henging opon rode tre.

191

ijo in auditu, cum ei obprobria & blasfemie irrogate sunt.

The secunde maner, by hering

Obprobria Christi & blasfemie.

pynet he was ful pitousely,
when he herd Iewes fast crying
that he wolde Moyses lawe destruye.

And als in mony an-other thing
thay fondet to do hym any,
but four prerogatiues had that keng
to maister hom whit, as tel wol I.

Habuit primo excellentissimam nobilitatem.

ffirst he hade excellent nobelte,
forto godhede ȝif we shyn go,
verray Goddes sone was he,
And heȝest heuen he com fro.

As to þe monhede, I may say
that he was comen of kynges blode,
therfore both God & kyng verray
I may preue hym, that was so gode,

And in-as-mich as he was mon
And comen of kynges kyndly,
kyng in erth I calle hym con,
And keng of heuen als verrayly.

Thus preue his noblete,
kyng of kenges men may hym calle,
And lord of lordes, non sich as he,
ffor of al wele he is þe walle.

Prope est rex regum & dominus dominancium.

Agayn quich noblay speken þai
repreuyng vnresonably
hym, that was Goddes son verray,
smyth sone calde hym hokerly.

192

Matheus xiijo: Nonne iste est filius fabri? Nonne mater eius dicitur Maria? Secundo habuit ineffabilem veritatem.

Sothnes he hade in hym also,
As hym-self saide in erth her
that he was way to wayue our wo,
sothnes, and lif all thre in fer.

Ego sum, via veritas & vita.

Aȝayn þat sothnes speken thay,
As writes þe gode sayn Ion i-wys,
repreuyng hym that he shuld say
thing that wer fals & al amys.

Iohannes viijo: Tu de te ipso testimonium perhibes, testimonium tuum non est verum.

‘Lo her,’ þai saiden, ‘he was fals,’
that was walle of al sothnes,
way & lif in hym was als,
As I saide bifore expres.

But sich sothnes had not Pilate,
quen Ihesu Crist bifore hym come,
that of sothnes laft þe riȝt gate
And for hym falsly ordeynt dome.

for he bigan his iugement
with sothnes, as I shal ȝou say,
but from þat way ful sone he went
for wordly dede that ilk day.

ffor quen he hade first tenderly
examinet hou þe cause stode,
he fonde gret malys & enuy
In hom, & in Ihesu but gode,

And saide, ‘in hym cause fynde I none.’
then wer þai ferd lest he shuld wende,
And saiden, ‘ȝif þou let þis mon gone,
thou nart not þe emperoures frende.’

193

Si hunc dimittis, non es amicus Cesaris.

Then dred he indignacioun
of þe emperour time comyng,
And delyueret aȝayn resoun
Ihesu to deth bout tarying.

Tercio habuit insuperabilem potestatem.

Also Crist hade, leuen we,
So fulle miȝt & eke power
that miȝt no way ouer-comen be,
As Ion þe euangelist witnes her:

Omnia per ipsum facta sunt & sine ipso factum est nihil.

‘Alle thing,’ he saide, ‘by hym ben made,
And bout hym is made no thing,’
Ȝet aȝayn þis þe Iewes hade
Agayn resoun aȝayn-pittyng.

Mattheus xiio: Hic non eicit demonia nisi in Belzebub principe demoniorum.

Thai saide quen he hade helide one
that with an eul gost nyet was,
that he by oþer power none
then deulis power wroȝt so has.

Item Mattheus xxviio: Alios saluos fecit, seipsum non potest &c.

Also þai saide that holpen hade he
mony bifore out of hor tene,
but saue hym-self from rode tre
myȝt he not then, as wel was sene.

‘lo her,’ þai saide, ‘he hade no myȝt,’
of quych þe contrary preue I may,
As schowide was ryȝt in hor siȝt
quen he was taken þe selue day;

For alle that wer at his takyng
with his voice he drof hom doun,
ffor as thai to hym wer comyng
And forto sese hym redy boun,

194

he asket hom qvo þai soȝt so.
‘Ihesu of Naȝareth,’ saide þay,
And fellen doun onon riȝt tho
the first worde that he con say.

Quem queritis? Ihesum Nazarenum, & continuo ceciderunt in terram.

opon this spekes saynt Austyn,
And sais ful wel & witterly
that I shal first say in Latyn
And in Englisch openly:

Augustinus: Vna vox turbam odiis ferocem, armis terribilem sine vllo telo percussit, reppulit, strauit virtute latentis diuinitatis. Quid iudicaturus faciet, qui iudicandus hoc fecit? Quid regnaturus poterit, qui moriturus hoc fecit?

‘One voice,’ sais Austyn, ‘drof al doun
long-straȝt laide & put aȝayn
wode peple & to bataile boun
wel armet & of mich mayn;

‘With-out weppen, saue voys i-wys
And hudde godhede hym with-in,
so maistride he that diden omys,
on his myȝt that þai shuld myn.

‘How hope ȝe sich a kyng con do,
qven he shal sitt on iugement,
That so his iugement goyng to
with voice his enmys shamely shent?

‘Quat hope ȝe that he be of myȝt
to do in his revme quen he is,
that to þe deth goyng that nyȝt
so foule feride hom as in this?’

195

Quarto habuit singularem bonitatem, quia nemo bonus nisi solus Deus.

the furth vertu þat hade he,
to quich þai putten obiectioun,
that was excellent bounte,
As I may preue ȝow by resoun.

ffor, as is writen in holy writt,
nomon is gode with-outen vice,
saue only God, leues wel hit,
to wayue al syn may be so wys;

ffor seuen sith in one day,
I fynde, a riȝtwis mon shal falle,
but Cristis godnes in gode fay
Appair myȝt not þe Iewes alle.

Sepcies in die cadit iustus.

Ȝet aȝaynus his gret godnes
putten þe Iewes apertly,
And saiden a synful mon he wes,
As sayn Ion mas mynde witerly.

Iohannes vio: Nos scimus, quia hic homo peccator est, quia seductor est in sermone.

‘We knowen,’ saide þe Iewes tho,
‘that this mon ful synful is,
And fondes by worde to do vs wo,
And bigile vs alle omys.’

Lucas: Commouit populum docens per vniuersam Iudeam incipiens a Galilea vsque huc.

Also þai saiden þer þat he
meuet þe peple wonderly
thurȝe-out Iude & Galile
And taght hom so apertely.

196

Also thai saide with al his myȝt
Moyses laȝe he wold destrye,
As ȝe moun se her in ore siȝt,
Ion witnes hit apertly.

Iohannes ixo: Non est hic homo a Deo, qui Sabbatum non custodit.

‘this mon’, þai saide, ‘þat is her
nys not on Goddis bihalue i-wys,
that kepis not in gode maner
his hali-day, as þe laȝe is.’

Tercio fuit eius dolor [in] odoratu.

the third sorow þat he hade
was of sauour al vnswete,
And gret stynk þer was made
with mennus carayns forto mete.

for on that mount of Caluarie
wer men punyscht for hor syn,
And stynkyng bodies mony by
And wiccut air that plas with-in.

ffor Caluarie is as mich to say
As balletship of hedes bar
of men quen flesch is al away,
And sich wer mony lying thar

Of men gyrd of þe hede bifore,
And lying þer al opunly;
And therfore þat mount thurȝe clercus lore
was callide mount of Caluary,

so that in smellyng Crist had gret tene
quen he was comen to þat plas,
thus in thre wittes, with-out wene,
wonderly he pynet was.

197

Quarto in gustu.

The furth penauns was in tastyng,
for quen he criet, ‘I am thirsty,’
Aisel & myrre thai con hym bryng
with atter medelide hastily,

That he thurȝe aisel drynkyng
to þe deth myȝt soner hy,
And thay that wer to hym kepyng
Soner shutt of hor baly.

ffor hit was Iewes opinioun
Aisel shuld bryng hym sone to deth,
And mirre shuld sone dryue doun
forto suffre of hit þe breth,

And of atter þe bitternes
In tastyng hit shuld do hym tene,
And poysoun hym sone in that destres,
this was hor thoȝt, as wel was sene.

Quinto in tactu.

The fift sorow was in touchyng,
for al þe places of his body
ffrom hede to hele, bout lesyng,
al was to-torne dispitusly.

And that alle wittes nyet wer,
Bernarde preues apertly,
As I shal rehers ȝou her,
leret & lewide to lerne þer-by.

Bernardus: Caput angelicis tremebundum spiritibus densitate spinarum pungitur, facies pulcra pre filiis hominum sputis Iudeorum deturpatur, oculi lucidiores sole caligantur in morte, aures, que audiunt angelicos cantus, audiunt peccatorum insultus, os, quod docet angelos, felle & aceto potatur, pedes, quorum scabellum adoratur, quoniam sanctum est,

198

cruci clauo affiguntur, manus, que formauerunt celos, cruce, sunt extense & clauis affixe, corpus verberatur, latus lancea perforatur, et quid plura? Non remansit in eo nisi lingua, vt pro peccatoribus exoraret & matrem discipulo commendaret.

Sayn Bernard first at Cristes hede
bygynnes forto speke expres,
And al þe body nothing is lede
that he ne tellis ich distres

That he tholet, as was sene,
In body & wittes two.
for first hys hede with thornus kene
ful bitterly was stongen tho.

The fairest face þat euer had mon
that time for vs was shamly shent
with sputyng hokerly þer-on,
for monnus hele sich harm he hent.

His eȝen þat wer more cler
then þe sone is in his kynde,
wiht delful dethe made thester wer,
that dele hit ys to haue in mynde.

His eres, that heren angel song,
herden the sinful men gladyng;
that mouthe, that tagh aungeles ymong,
atter and aysel had to drynke.

The fete that so worthy wer
mon cusse the stole thay stonden on
for holines, as he says her,
wiht nayle wer fechet the rode opon.

The hondes, that mad heuen blisse,
on croice wer sprad dyspitouesly
and wihit nayles ficchit amys,
to bryng mon-kynd out of anye.

199

His body was beten her and ther,
no place laft on hit vntorne,
hys syde was perset wiht a sper,
to releue that wer forlorne.

So nothing laft saue tong onely,
thas he for synful men might pray,
and to bytake hys moder Mary
to hys disciple to kepe that day.

Secundo fuit eius passio illusione despecta, vt patet infra.

The secunde principal poynt is thys
of Ihesu Cristes passioun,
that of scornes hit was iwys
despitouse and aȝayn resoun.

Prima illusio in domo Anne.

ffor four sithe foule he scornet was,
As I sale tel apertely,
the furst in byschopes hous Annas
when he was taken anone in hy,

Ther tholet he buffetes and spyttyng
and despites mony moo,
and ouer hys eghen also hulyng,
he suld not se thay diden so.

Ther-fore withe grete deuocioun
Bernarde spekes to Crist expresse,
hauyng of hym compassioun

Bernardus.

and thinking how he pynet was:

Wltum tuum, domine bone Ihesu, desiderabilem, in quem desiderant angeli prosp[i]cere, sputys inquinauerunt, manibus percusserunt, velo pro derisione operuerunt, nec amaris uulneribus pepercerunt.

‘Thi semblaunt,’ he says, ‘lord Ihesu,
that aungeles wilnen forto se,
harmet was bothe huyde and hew
whit sputtyng that was cast on the,

200

‘Wiht hor hondes smytten thi face
and hilden it wit a vaile a-boue,
and bitter woundis þe ȝiuen was,
al þis þou tholid lord for me loue.’

Secundo fuit illusus in domo Herodis.

The secunde hokur þat Ihesu hade
was in Herodes house þo kyng,
þat as a fole & madde hym made
to clethe hym so in quite clethyng;

ffor, as þo gospel makus mynde,
quen Pilate send oure lord Ihesu
to Heroude forto bete & bynde
and deme after þat he knewe,

Heroude sende hym sone aȝayn
scornefully in quite clethyng,
ffor to hym wold he nothyng sayn
ne onsware after his wilnyng.

Therfore touchyng þis mater
spekus Bernard opunly,
in Cristis nome riȝt as it wer,
To Iheues þat diden þis any:

Bernardus: Tu homo es & habes sertum de floribus & ego Deus habeo coronam spineam.

‘Thow mon,’ sais he, ‘garlond þou has
of flouris faire & bryȝt schynyng,
and for me, God, a crowne þou mas
of thornes strong & scharp stingyng.

Item Bernardus in persona Christi: Tu habes cyrotecas in manibus & ego clauos ferreos.

Also Bernard in Cristis nome
sais, ‘gloues þou hast, mon, on þi honde,
& I þurgh myne with mikul schome
haue nailis driuen wit bittir bonde.

201

Item Bernardus: Tu in albis vestibus tripudias & ego pro te derisus ab Herode fui in veste alba, tu tripudias cum pedibus & ego & cum pedibus laboraui pro te.

‘Thow daunces aboute in quite clethyng,
and I in quite aȝayn was sent
ffrom Heroude to Pilate in hethyng,
siche harmes for þi hele I hent.

‘Þou daunces wit fete in gret likyng,
And my feete arm schomely schent
for tene on rode tre trauelyng,
to vntegh þe is myn entent.

Item Bernardus: Tu in choreis brachia extendis in modum crucis in gaudium & ego ea in cruceex tensa habui in obprobrium, ego in cruce dolui & tu in cruce exultas.

‘Thow in þo ryng of carolyng
spredis þin armes furth from the,
And I on croice have hom spredyng
schamely, as men movn see.

‘Þus on croice I was sorowyng
of thraldam, mon, to make þe fre,
And þou in croice gret mirth makyng,
I mynde on þe, þou noon on me.

Item Bernardus: Tu habes latus apertum signum vane glorie & ego latus fossum habui pro te. Tamen reuertere ad me & ego suscipiam te.

‘Thow has side opon for vayn-glorie,
And I side stongen, sene it is,
neuer-þe-latter to me þou hie
and I wil take þe to my blis.’

Tres cause notantur quare Christus tacuit coram Herode, Pilato & Iudeis.

Thre causis þer ben quy þat Ihesu
was stille so in examinyng
of Pilate, Heroude, & Iewes vntrewe,
þat fondede[n] hym in mony a thyng.

202

The first cause was witturly
for Cristis onsware forto here
alle þo men were vnworthy
þat te[m]pt hym in þat manere.

The secunde cause was Eues offense,
for ho in speche synnet sore,
þerfore Ihesu by silence
most mende þat ho so did before.

Tho thrid cause was witterly,
for alle þyng þat vnswaret he,
þai dispisiden hokurly
And fonden chalange, leue ȝe me.

Tercio fuit illusus in domo Pilati.

The thrid dispite þat had Ihesu
was in Pilate house i-wis,
þer in a mantil of purpur hew
þo knyȝtis cladden hym al a-mys,

And a rede putten in his honde
And thornen crowne opon his hede,
ffor, as thay sayden, keng of that londe
he claymet al aȝayne hor rede;

and thenne thay gretten hym kneling,
as he sat in that aray,
al in hoker and hething,
‘hayl keyng of Iewes,’ sayden thay.

Aue rex Iudiorum. Nota de corona.

That coroun of thornes, as leuet is,
of se-rusches maad hit was,
that as scharpe ben, leue wel this,
as thornes and as muche scharp has;

So scharp thai wirne and so biting
that to the brayne thay ficchit we[r],
as Bernard telles in his teching,
and as in Latyn is writen her:

203

Bernardus: Capud illud divinum multiplici spinarum densitate vsque ad cerebrum confixum est.

sayn Bernard sais þat Cristes hede
with thik thornus sharp & kene
riȝt to þe brayn til he was dede
was thrast thurȝe-out, as wel was sene.

De anima tres sunt opiniones, vt infra.

now is to wit in qvat plas
his saule hade principal wonyng,
ffor in thre stides soȝt hit was
In hert & hede & blode rennyng.

first þat þe saule shuld haue his se
in monnus hert principaly,
that preues this autorite,
Goddes word of þe euangely:—

De corde exeunt cogitaciones.

God sais þat thoȝtes ay ben boun
out of þe hert to be comyng,
þerfore bi sum opinioun
ther shuld þe saule haue his wonyng.

or in þe blode hit may wel be,
As wel witnes holi writ
that monnus & bestes soule has se
In þe blode & þer is hitt.

Vnde habetur in Leuitico: Anima omnis carnis in sanguine est.

or ellis in the hede it is
bi force of this autorite,
for quen Crist deȝet, ȝe knowen þis,
boȝyng his hede þe gost ȝeld he.

Et inclinato capite emisit spiritum.

but forto preue bi gode assay
And dede qver þat his soule miȝt be.
the Iewes soȝten as this day
his saule in alle þes places thre,

204

ffor in þe hede with al hor mayn
thai soȝt his saule, as was wel sene,
with croun of thornus to þe brayn,
to loke þer-in ȝif hit had bene.

In blode þai soȝten hit also
quen thai openet his vaynus wide,
In fete & honde both two
with nailes sharp on ich side.

In hert þai soȝten with gret wo
when þai percet hit with a sper
so that out nedelyngis hit most go,
thay soȝten hit so wide qver.

And for thes ilk despites thre
that Crist hade imong oþer wo,
on Gode Friday syngen we
thre honourynges aȝaynes tho;

Agyos with deuocioun
thrye knelyng deuoutly,
for thrie for our saluacioun
scornet he was dispitously.

Tercio fuit eius passio multiplici vtilitate fructuosa.

The thrid principal poynt of alle,
As I saide at bigynnyng,
was that his passioun wold wel falle
to be nedful in mony a thing,

And frutful also in gode fay
In thre maners ȝe shyn se,
thaȝe hit [f]ul delful wer þat day,
nedful hit was as in thes thre.

205

Triplex vtilitas, id est peccatorum remissio, gracie collacio & glorie exhibicio.

ffor mon-kynde bi his passioun
of Adam syn vnbounden was,
that calle I of syn remissioun,
the secunde poynt was gift of gras,

The thrid is ioy with-out endyng
that by his deth [h]e wonen has,
qven that we of this world shul wende
And mendet be of our trespas.

Therfore saynt Austyn wel con say
that Ihesu Crist our saueour
with his deth wesch syn away
that was & is & als comyng.

Augustinus: Culpam deleuit Christus presentem, preteritam & futuram.

ffor syn that was don bifore
he forgaf at his deȝyng,
And syn þat then was greuyng sore
he droȝe men fro with his prechyng,

And grace he grantide to las & more
forto wayue syn comyng,
to alle men that in wille wore
to seche þat gras & hyt suyng.

ffour skilles I fynde, in gode fay,
that his passioun nedful was,
As I shal expresly say,
And as saynt Austyn mynde mas.

Augustinus: Modus nostre redempcionis fuit acceptissimus ad placandum Deum, congruentissimus ad curandum morbum, efficacissimus ad extrahendum

206

genus humanum & prudentissimus ad expugnandum generis humani inimicum.

ffor to grete God it was i-wys
most acceptable & likyng,
And forto hele þat ferd amys
most couenable of any thyng,

And forto bryng into blis
hit was most of power tho,
And most sleȝe way, leue wel this,
to ouer-come the deul our fo.

ffirst to preue his passioun
to God most acceptable was,
ȝe shyn se bi gode resoun
As saynt Ancelme mynde mas.

Anselmus: Nichil asperius & difficilius potest homo pati ad honorem Dei sponte & non ex debito quam mortem.

‘No thing’, he sais, ‘so bitter is
ne non so heuy to go tille,
As mon for God & heuen blis
to suffre deth with gode wille.

‘Ne more may nomon to God do
to plese hym with deuoutly,
then forto offir his lif hym to
And deth to suffir bodily.’

Therfore Paule sais bi Ihesu,
hym-self to God then offrid he
In sacrifyce his wille to sewe,
that swetly sauouret, leue ȝe me.

207

Ad. Ephesios iiijo: Tradidit semet ipsum oblacionem & hostiam Deo in odorem suauitatis.

But how þat Crist was sacrifise
to make his fader monnus frende,
& restoret vs to be hys,
I schal declare ow er I wende.

Augustinus de Trinitate: Quid tam grate suscipi posset, quam caro sacrificii nostri corpus effectum sacerdotis nostri Christi? Vt qu[oniam] quatuor considerantur in omni sacrificio: videlicet cui offoratur & quid offeratur, pro quibus offeratur & quis offerat, exponitur in lingua materna.

‘what maner thing’, sais saynt Austyne,
‘more derworth may taken be
then Cristis body to suffre pyne,
that verray preste is, leue ȝe me?

‘And hauyng consideracioun
to four poyntes þat he con say,
I may preue þat his passioun
vnkyntt þe deulis bonde to-day.

‘ffor mon þat offres he mot se
to qvom he offres, & quat thing,
for qvom that offrande eke shal be,
And qvo als makes that offryng.

‘As towchinge offring maad this day,
Ihesu Crist that offring was,
offrer al-so in good faye,
for offering of hym-self he maas.

‘To restore vs as he may
to his fader, that offering taas;
thus offring, offrer, sothe to say,
and offring-taker eke towe has.

208

‘the furthe was mon he offret fore
to make in hym as one to be,
to wone wihit hym for euermore
in heuen blisse, right as dose he.’

Also how and in quat maner
by Crist reconcilet so ben we,
saynt Austyn says, as ȝe schun here,
that Crist these four most nedely be.

Augustinus: Christus est sacerdos, sacrificium, Deus & templum. Sacerdos, per quem sumus reconciliati, sacrificium quo sumus reconciliati, templum, quo sumus reconciliati.

ffor prest he was, I may wel say,
thurgh whom reconcilet we wer tho,
and sacrafice calle hym I may
that for vs suffert suche wo,

God also, that nys no nay,
to whom reconselet so wer we,
and temple hit was done in that day
withouten drede also was he.

For a gode mon of lyuyng
Goddes temple callet is,
therfore to calle hym so, methynke
I may say wel and not amys.

Secundo passio Christi fuit congruentissima ad curandum morbum.

As to the secund nedeful thing
that come of Cristesse passion,
medicyn moost acordyng
hit was to bring vs of baundoun.

209

The wichche acording medicyn
had thre poyntes, ȝe schun se,
tyme and place to do hit inne,
and maner of doyng, ther ben thre.

Primo ex parte temporis.

As to the tyme, I may wel say
hyt was done resonably,
for Adam made was that ilke day
that Crist deghet vs to for-by,

On a Fryday, in gode fay,
and Marche mone als, as rede I,
ther-fore our synne to put away
thay wel semet witerly.

And that selue day iwys
conceyuet was he of may Mary,
and that day wanne aȝayne that blisse
that Adam lost vnhappily.

so that tyme of hys passioun
for these causes rekenet her,
I may preue by gode reson,
was ordenyt in ful gode maner.

Tercio ex parte loci.

as to the place hyt was done inne,
skylful hit was fo[r] causes thre
aȝayne our wele so forto wynne
inmyddes the world, as reden we.

ffor Ierusalem, clerke[s] sayn,
in-myddes the worlde ys set iwys,
therfore to wynne ther-aȝayne
skilful hit was and not amys

210

That vertu of hys passion
on vche syde might bote be,
ffor by Sathanas treson
schent was vche side, leue ȝe me.

and þat londe commune I may calle,
Ierusalem, þer-as suffurt he.
Bot þo place was specialle
of Caluary, as ȝe schun se.

The croice he deghet on that day
for hym was ordenyt and no moo,
therfore the croice wel calle I may
Hys one place s[peci]al to hym tho.

But to de-clare wel to our wit
these thre places apertely,
I pray ow takes hede to hit
and I wol telle ow sone in hye.

Thre places I haue nomet her,
commune, special, and onely,
and what in hom bifore done wer
to ow declare now wol I.

In commune place, lond of Iude,
our forme fader formet was,
in a felde, as reden we,
that felde is calle[t] of Damas.

also buriet was he
in a ful special place
ther-as Crist deghet opon rode tre,
As Grekes story mynde mas,

Auttentike thagh hit ne be,
suche opinion that folke has;
but after the boke of Iosue
in Ebron Adam buriet was.

211

Also by place that was onely
Adam bygylet was i-wys,

in loco singulari

by a tre that did hym ny
to ete of hit when he did mys;

And right as he willesfully
by a tre lost suche a blisse,
Crist on a tre thoght skylfully
to forby that er was his.

Tercio ex parte modo [cu]randi.

the thrid was maner of hys doyng
that nedet greetly good to be,
forto hele whit suche a thing,
now ȝe moun here that wel did he.

ffor that harme so forto hele

per contraria & similia.

in tow maner bote he soght,
by lykly thing withe forto dele,
And eke contrarius was his thoght.

That he helet by lykly way
wytnesses Austyn witerly,
as her in Latyn ys verray,
And Englische als, as schowe wol I.

Augustinus: Homo homines, mortalis mortales, morte mo[r]tuos liberauit.

Saynt Austyn says, as ȝe schun her,
that mon forboght men that wer lorn,
that dedely was maad dedely der,
and wiht deth maad fre thral biforn.

Ambrosius: Ex terra virgine Adam, Christus ex virgine Per mulierem stulticia, per mulierem sapiencia, nudus Adam, nudus Christus, mors per lingnum, uita per lingnum, in deserto Adam, in deserto Christus.

Also saynt Ambrose, ‘mon was made
of clene erthe bout corupcioun,
Criste of a virgine his flesche hade
to make acorde by gode reson.

212

‘By wommon foly furst bigan
When al mon-kynde thurgh hyr was lorne,
wommon aȝayn that wele wel wanne
thurgh Crist al of hir body born.

‘Adam was naket after his synne
and Crist naket on rode tre,
thus worthily our wele to wynne
thing wel acording vset he.

‘By a tre deth was in broght
and by a tre coom lif aȝayne,
in desert was Adam wroght
and in deserte Criste fast ful fayn.’

Thus by way wel a-cording
for-boght worthily we wer,
and als by medicyn discordyng
helet we wer, as ȝe schun her.

Per contraria. Gregorius.

ffor, as sayn Gregory beres witnesse,
Adam synnet in synnes thre,
pruyde, glotery, vnbuxumnesse,
thurght whiche harmet so was he.

ffor to Goddes worthynesse
he coueytet likly forto be
when he willenet that cunnyngnesse
that goddes haden in hor degre;

for when the deuel hym so bihight
that thay as goddes sulden be slegh,
pruyde was in his hert pight
in hope to be heuen on hegh;

And in vnbuxumnesse also
He synnet, as ȝe schun wel se,
when God bad hym bifore tho
to ete none appul of that tre,

213

Aȝaynes his biddyng willesfully
he fraistet of hyt and did offense,
and so synnet horribly
in this synne in-obedience.

Also he synnet in gloteri
to tast that fruyt so fayr in sight,
whiche th[re] synnes sotily
helet Ihesu ful of might.

And vset ys most communely
contrarius medicyn forto dight
in fi[s]ik and in surgery,
who-ser wol hele a sore oright.

Contraria contrariis curantur.

And to hele prouyde he toke mekenesse
and schewet hit, as I preue may,
and forto hele vnbuxumnesse
hys fader wille fulfullet ay,

and forto hele glotery
fourty days he fast in fere,
thus by contrarius surgery
he helet these thre synnes her.

Therto acordes Paule oright
by thys worde that I sal say,
he meket hymself that lorde of might
maad buxum to the deth that day.

Ad Philippenses ijo: Humiliauit semet ipsum, factus obediens, vsque ad mortem.

As to the forme worde of the clause,
ther-as he sayes he meket hym so,
the[r] helet he pruyde by skylful cause
contrariouse medicyn taking tho.

214

Humiliauit semet ipsum proprius.

Ther-as he says that Crist was made
obedient as his fader bidding,
aȝaynes unbuxumnesse he hade
buxumnesse medicyn discordyng.

Ther-as he says right to the deth
he helet that tyme glotery,
for when he put out dethes breth
he says, ‘me thur[s]tes wonderly.’

And als I fynde al his lif-day
whil that he on erthe went,
in abstinence he liuet ay
of mete and drynke wher he wer lent.

Thus by medicyn acording
and discording bothe in fere
helet vs thene our heuen keng
Whil that he was erthe her.

Tertius modus nostre redempcionis fuit efficacissimus ad attrahendum genus humanum.

The thrid maner of his doyng,
when that Crist vs so for-boght,
was most might-ful in al thing
to drawe mon to hym that he wroght.

Better might he not witerly
haue done thenne, as he did that day,
to make mon loue hym tenderly
and turst in hym with hert verray.

how he drogh vs to hys loue
Bernarde telles, as ȝe schun se,
speking to hym in heuen aboue,
in grete deuocioun that hade he.

215

Bernardus: Super omnia reddit te amabilem, bone Ihesu, calix, quem bibisti, opus nostre redempcionis. Hoc omnino amorem nostrum facile totum sibi vendicat, hoc est, quod nostram deuocionem et blandius allicit & iustus exigit & arcius stringit & vehementius afficit.

‘Ouer al thing, swete Ihesu,
the penaunce that thow toke for me
mas the louet in hert trewe,
for with that wo for-boght wer we.

‘And that werke chalenget witerly
vs to loue hym of dewete,
and our deuocioun kyndly
drawes in hert ay to-ward te.

‘also hit chalanges skilfully
and distreynes vs gode to be,
wiht ful hert and feruently
to loue the ay with hert fre.’

And how he drogh vs with his dede
in hym to hawe effectioun,
the appostel, as I rede,
preues hit by good resoun.

Qui eciam proprio filio suo non Pepercit, set pro nobis omnibus tradidit illum.

Paule says, ‘the hegh keng of blisse
his owen sone ne sparet noght,
but for vs alle that deden amys
send hym doun and vs forb[o]ght;

‘and when he send hym adoun so,
With hym he ȝaf vs al thing;’
therfore to truste hym and nomoo
mater we han at our likyng.

216

Quarto fuit prudentissimus ad expugnandum generis humani inimicum.

The furthe mater, in gode fay,
that he vs of bale broght,
was bi good sleght he con assay
our enemy forto bryng to noght.

And to that sleght wel acordyng
spekes Iob these wordes her,
‘his wys sleght’, he says, ‘doun con bring
our foo to make vs to hym der.’

Job xxvio: Prudencia eius percussit superbum. Item capitulo vltimo: Numquid poterat cap[er]e Leuiathan hamo? Leuiathan est serpens & assimilatur diabolo.

Also Iob askes a questioun,
whether the nedder Leuiathan,
that to the deuel we liken moun,
With a hook may not be tan.

Thenne says the glose that Criste had sette
a hud hook by his deite
to cacche the deuel in mennes dette,
as to mon bifore did he.

And that mete that he with mette
was Crist al in his humanite,
but mon-hede was to goddehede sette
to priue the deuel of his pouste.

Thenne come the deul that mete to fette,
whiche mete monnes flesche may be,
And that was thenne, as God byhette,
the deuel with hook that so sette he.

Takyng mete that ther was lede
of mon-kynde, that he made do mys,
with the hook of hys godhede
caght he was right wel iwys.

217

Of whiche sleght and eke taking
spekes Austyn, the grete doctour,
and says at Cristes don-comyng
ouer-comen was Sathan and our traytour.

Augustinus: Venit redemptor & victus est deceptor. Item Gregorius: Quid fecit redemptor captiuatori nostro? Tetendit muscipulam cru[c]em suam, posuit in ea escam sanguinem suum.

‘what did God’, says Gregory,
‘to hym that vs in bondage broght,
but dight his engyne to destruy
that aȝayn mon-kynde had wroght.

‘The holy croice was his engyne,
the mete his body opon hit pight
to put our eneme into pyne
and make monkyndes languour light.’

Criste wold also his blode ther schede
to breke the chartre that Eue made,
as says Austyn, good ys to hede,
wordes that I wol say ful rade.

Cirographum Eue, Augustinus: Eva peccatum a diabolo mutuauit, cirographum scripsit, fideiussorem dedit & vsura posteritati creuit.

Eue borowet synne at Sathanas
and wrote a chartre to hym of wo,
founden hym a borogh also ho has,
and to hir ospring after tho

Al that meschef lafte ho has
that alwa sprong to one and mo,
As I schal, and I may haue grace,
say more clerele er I go.

ffurste I say ho borowet synne
at the deul and schewet in dede,
when that ho wold not hertly mynne
on Goddes bidding that he bede.

218

But to his foule suggestioun
enclinet sone and was asent
noght withstonding temptacion,
but breke al hys commaundement.

A chartre ho wrote als wyterly
when ho putte hir hond to that tre
to touche that appul willesfully
that God forbede hir done schuld be.

Borgh ho fonde, als sone in hy,
making Adam to synne assent,
so broght ho al hir progeny
in seruage after and schamely schent,

Thil Crist coome and with Mary mette
And for synne that ho borowet hade,
sched his blode and whit hir dette
and suche a manumissioun made.

Manumissio est litera acquietancie quando natiuus redimitur.

That chartre he breke that ho wrote so
when he to helle ȝates come,
And took hom oute bothe one and mo
after his dethe by rightwys dome.

The borgh h[e] broght als of daunger,
when that he rose the thridde day
and to his brether con apper
and made hom knowe hym God verray.

And right as one made Adam to falle
by hyr foule excitacioun,
so Crist comfortes vs one and alle
at his resurectioun,

And made vs by that victori
to vayue synne in our entent,
and Eue of borghode to forbye
at bigynnyng when h[o] was blent.

219

Now for wengaunce of that dede
that Iudas did for coueytise,
Pilate also for grete drede,
the Iewes for en[u]y alle vnwise,

To alle these felle vengaunce i-wys,
as I wol tel er I go away,
but of Pilate that did mys
furst sum-what I wol say.

De natiuetate Pilati.

Sum tyme I rede ther was a keng,
Tirus was that kenges name,
lay by a wenche was fayr and ȝeng,
Pila callet was that dame.

A mulwardes doghter ho was,
on whiche the keng so lyyng by
a sone that tyme geten has
in synne of auoutery.

When hit was born this wommon thoght,
for hit was geten of a keng,
hir fader name vp schuld be broght
and hir one to be lestyng;

And of hir faderes name i-wis,
that Atus heght, and hires also
one name ho made, nothing amys,
and Pilate callet that childe tho.

when that child was thre ȝer old,
Pila sent hym to the keng,
the keng was glad thenne, [be] ȝe bolde,
and receyuet hym at likyng.

Thenne had the keng a sone ful der,
and by hys wyf geten was he
and born also the selue ȝer
that Pilate was, as rede we.

220

These two wer norischet bothe in fere
til thay wer in monnes degre,
and as ȝouthe askes kyndele here
preuedyn of maistryes, leue ȝe me.

But ay the trewele geten chylde
in iustyng and in tournament
And other gamenes that wer wylde,
alway he whit the worschip went.

When that Pilate soght this thing
to his brother he had enuye,
and waytet hym tyme at hys liking
forto sle hym priueli.

When the keng herd of this caas,
that one sone that other had slayne,
of wo and sorowe ful he was,
but when he segh hit wold not gayne,

After his conseile sone he sent
to witte what best wer forto do;
alle thay demet by one assent
that Pilate the deth schuld go to.

But ȝet the keng tho hym bithoght
euel after euel ful hard hit wer,
double his sorowe wold he noght
to sle his sone in that maner,

But forto put hym sone away
hym thoght in that cas was the best,
for when he mynnet of that a-fraye
his hert was alway in unrest,

And sent hym to Rome anone
in ostage ther for to be,
for he aght tribut ȝore agone
for to ȝiue to that cite.

221

One cause was to be gultelesse
of hys sones deth by dome,
and to be schut his cause wes
of tribut he schuld ȝiue to Rome.

Thenne [w]as that tyme in Rome also
in ostage right as Pilate was
the kenges sone of Fraunce tho,
and thay wer putte in one place.

but when that Pilate segh that he
was reuerencet for his worthynesse
and more then Pilate of degre
of maneres and of dughtynesse,

Pilate sles hym preueley,
as he his brother did byfore.
thenne wer the Romaynes in any
and in hertes greuet sore,

And conseileden what best wer
to do with Pilate in that caas,
And thoghten suche a mon was der
to maister schrewes as hymself was.

Thenne was ther an ile negh
Rome myght not maister in no maner,
And for Pilate was schrew and slegh
hom thoght hit best that he ther wer,

That auther by hys wikkettnesse
he might maister hom vchone,
or be slayne in that distresse,
and thus theder thay let hym gone.

But Pilate had a ful insight
whi that he was so theder sent,
and thoght to saue al that he might
his lif of hom that he ner schent.

222

And what whit prayer, ȝiftes eke,
And distresse ther he segh nede,
this cruel folke he mad right meke
And monly maistret, as I rede.

ffor he so maistret wikket men
And of hom gete the victori,
to his nome wel he caght thenne
Pilate of Pounce ful worthily.

Thenne herd Heroud keng of Iude
his stoutenesse and his sleght also,
send after hym thenne thoght he
to rule the lawe in his londe tho,

And heght hym ȝiftes largeli
to be in Iudee hegh iustice;
he segh auauntage ther wold ly,
and theder come for couetise.

When he had ben ther a gode while
and gederet siluer grete plente,
he thoght Heroud for to bigyle,
And to Rome a-none gose he,

And purchacet that ilk office
to terme of liue wiht-out letting,
and of Iude to be iustice
aȝaynes the wille of Heroud keng.

And this was one cause witerly
that Heroud was wrothe with Pilate,
to purchace in his lond maistri
aȝaynes his wille to hawe astate.

So tho two neuer saght wer
til Ihesu Cristes passion,
when that Pilate in meke maner
sent Ihesu, as ȝe rede moun,

223

To Heroud in clethyng al white;
thenne wex thay frendes for that dede,
for Heroud had ful grete delite
to se Ihesu Crist, as I rede.

So Pilate, as ȝe knowen alle,
sat opon Crist in iuggement,
and demet that lord of wele the walle
to deth and eke to hard tourment.

Thenne was hit tolde the emperour
that he had demet gultlesly
Ihesu Crist our saueour;
thenne send Pilate anone in hy

To excuse hym of that trespas
that to the emperour was tolde,
of Crist that thurgh hym dampnet was,
for ful ferd he was, be ȝe bolde.

So in this tyme felle a sekenesse
opon the emperour wonderly,
that to bring hym of destresse
halp no fi[s]ik ne surgery.

Then was hit told hym of Ihesu
that helet mesel, halt and blinde
onely whit word, that men wel knewe,
and in Iude mon schud hym fynde.

But he that told had ne knowing
that Ihesu so bifore was slayne,
but hopet that he had ben liuing
and to hawe helit hym in ful mayn.

Thenne spake the emperour anone
to Volusian, his priue,
and bad hym forthe that he schud gone
to seche that leche al in Iude,

224

And that he schuld comounde Pilate
to send that leche to hym in hie,
for he wold haue hym algate
to he[l]pe hym oute of hys any.

When Volusian comen was
to Pilate from the emperoure,
his ernde he schewes with manace,
thenne was Pilate in grete langour,

And asket dayes ful fourtene
to seche Ihesu wer that he wer,
excuset if he might haue bene
by any sleght that he might ler.

So hit bifel in-wit this space
of fourte[en]e dayes, as sayde I,
Volusian a speche has
with a gode vommen priualy,—

Wiche wommon by-fore was
louet with Ihesu derworthely,
and in hym fonde godenesse and grace,
Veronica heght ho weterly,—

And asket hir of swete Ihesu.
thenne criet ho, ‘alas! alas!’
and sayd that lord ful wel ho kn[e]w
that Pilate slogh witheouten trespas.

Wen Volusian herd of this,
that Crist was slayne that he so soht
woo he was forsothe i-wis
and thoght his gate ther seruet of noȝght.

Thenne sayd Veronica to the knight
and bad hym be of god comford,
and sayde ho cowthe schew hym a sight
that schuld fully hele his lorde.

225

‘ffor when my lorde,’ sayde this wommon,
‘swete Ihesu, was her preching,
forto loke my lord opon
I hade a wonder grete likyng,

‘That what tyme so he wer away
that I might haue of hym no sight,
heuy I was that ilke day
and my hert might no-way be light.

‘So to a payntour forthe I went
hys ymage to paynt apertely,
that wat tyme Ihesu wer absent
I might haue a comfort therbi.

‘And as I went so theder-ward
to seche the payntour, sothe to say,
my lorde Ihesu come me to-warde
and asket whider I was in way.

‘When that I told hym myn entent
that to the payntour I wolde goo,
my keuerchaf of my hede he hent
and layde hit on hys visage tho.

‘Anone his liknesse verrayli
schowet hym on my waile oright,
glad and ioyful thenne was I
and thenket God with al my might.

Ther-fore ȝif that thi lord may se
that ymage and that fayre lickenesse,
trowely therto trust may he
to be clene schwt of his sekenesse.’

Thenne was Volusian swithe glad
And asket whether hit might be boght
for any gold the emperour had,
and ho says, ‘nay, that might hit noght,

226

‘Saue onely with deuocion
And gode beleue in God al-might,
but to go with the I am boune
that ymage forto schew in sight.’

So Veronica forthe went
to Rome with that worthi knight
forto schewe with gode entent
that ymage, as ho had bihight.

When thay to Rome comen wer
the knyght went to the emp[er]our
and told his ernde fully enter,
of Ihesu Crist our sauiour,

How that Pilate hym had slayne
and the Iewes vnright-wisly,
but ȝet one thyng to make hym fayne
he sayd he had ther al-redy.

‘With me is comen a matroun
that his ymage withe hir has broght,
thurgh seght of wicheche saluacioun
wold falle, ȝif ȝe wer trw of thoght.’

When the emperour herd of this,
silken clothis he made to lay
and with grete worschyp eke i-wys
schowet that ymage ther verray.

Anone as he had sight
hole he was of hys sekenesse
and thonket Ihesu ful of might
that so had broght hym of distresse.

And that ymage in-to thys day
in Rome I rede men to se,
and after that wommon, in gode fay,
Veronica callet as rede we.

227

Then send the emperour in hy
after Pilate in to Iude,
and swere he schuld haue no mercy
but schomful dethe that men schud se.

When he to Rome was broght i-wys
the emperour with wonder tene
sayde for that he had done mys
wroken opon hym wold he bene,

ffor he so foule Ihesu had slayne
no deth to hym might ordenyt be
so lodly, nys not forto layne,
as deseruet thenne had he.

But when Pilate forthe was broght
in-to the emperoures sight,
A sotil sleght he had soght
As I to telle now haue i-tight.

ffor opon hym that cote he hade
that Ihesu bifore on hym were,
the wiche Mary hys moder hym made,
and seemles was al weuen entere.

When the emperour had a sight
on Pilate so in that aray,
haue wille to harme hym he ne might,
but al his angur went away,

And in his egh had al grace;
on this ther merueilet mony one
but from hym when he passet was,
wode wrothe withe hym he was anone,

And swere his othe he schulde be dede,
made eft to calle hym hym byforne,
on liue schuld he not be lede
his othe he has apertyly sworn.

228

But wen he was comen aȝayn
and the emperour seght hym,
of hys come he was fayne
And grawntet hym bothe lif and lym,

And saluet hym al louelily,
on whiche men merweilet mony one,
so did tho emperour witerly
how that his wrathe away was gone.

When he thus was seruit thrye,
come Veronica anone,
that Pilates sleght con wel aspye
on whiche ther was perceyuet none,

And sayd, ‘sir keng, by hys coyntyse
ȝe bene bighilet sotyly,
thys faste thefe that now her ys
weres one clothe vn-worthily,

‘He has that wede on hym i-wys
that wroght our lady swete Mary
to Ihesu my lord ful of blisse,
hyr sone that he so con destrye.

‘And whil he hit opon hym has,
this thef [þ]of he vnworthi be,
in our egh he has that grace
that al thing likes ȝow that dos he.

‘But wolde ȝe spoile hym of that wede
by wiche that grace ys geten amys,
that grace schuld schamely from hym schede
and he be knewn as he is.’

When the emperour herd this thing,
he maad to spoile hym hastily
and after come by-fore the keng,
thenne was he fully his enemy.

229

Men tolden then the emperour
that merwailet meche in hys maner,
that Mary moder and frely flour
had wroght that wede that he so wer.

Thenne comondet he in hy
to putte Pilate in presoun
til he had ordenit wittily
bi consel his damnacioun,

ffor by doom to hym ȝiuen was
most horible dethe that might be,
therfore the emperour toke hym space
the worst to ordine, leue ȝe me.

When Pilate herd hit schuld be so
that by no way ascape he might,
with his knif in prison tho
he slogh hym-selfe anone in hight.

When the emperour hym by-thoght
what dethe Pilate deghet on,
he sayd, ‘for-sothe his dethe was noght
but clene aȝayne the kynde of mon.

‘ffor that mon deghet wrecchedly
that slogh hym-self in that maner,
and sparet not hys one body
that kindely schuld be more der.’

Thenne teghet thay to hym a stone
that weyet muche and wonderly,
and kesten into Tiber anone,
a reuer rennyng Rome by.

Anone as he in Tibur was,
deueles gedereden hym aboute
and raysede tempest in that place
that steret bothe stif and stoute,

230

Now vp now doun the deueles hym bar,
& openly þat men might se
day and night in foule maner,
that nyet was al that cite.

When men of Rome seghen this
that thay for hym might hawe no rest,
thay droghen hym anone i-wys,
and in-to Rone thay hym kest,

Bysyde Viegne that water ys,
ther thay hopet he schuld be lest,
and for thing he had done amys
to kest hym ther thay thoght hit best;

ffor tha haden this opinioun,
that Viegne was the way to helle;
and a place of malesoun
acording for hym ther forto dwelle.

Viegna, quasi via Iehenne, quia tunc erat locus maledictionis.

But anoon as he was ther,
deuelis diden as bifore,
and al that cite conen fere
as Rome with mescheues, and wel more.

When that men of that cite
seghen that vengaunce was for hym,
thay beren hym thethen, leue ȝe me,
to cite of Losan vche lym,

And ther thay buryet hy[s] body.
then ferden deueles as by-fore,
rayseden tempestes horibly,
that greut al that cite sore,

231

And beren hym thethen to a pitte,
ther hulles wer on vche syde,
of that scherwe so wer thay schutte
for ther he might best a-byde.

And that place was out of the way
mony a myle from vche toun,
And ȝet arn deueles ther this day
to trouble men al rede boun,

That nomon dar come to that place
for ferd of deueles fantasy,
suche his lif and endyng was
as I fynd in sum story.

De origine Iude traditoris Dei.

Nowe of bygynnyng of Iudas
and endyng eke ȝe schun her,
how he born and geten was,
as I haue red I sal ow ler.

In Ierusalem was wonyng
a mon heght Ruben, as rede I,
had a wyfe to his likyng,
Teborea callet was witterly.

So hit bifel opon a night,
as thay bothe in bed lay,
thay dalten to-geder as was right
and afte slepeden bothe thay.

Thenne was the wommon sore affright
for sweuenes that ho met er day,
and to hir husbont sone in hight
wat ho met ho con hym say.

232

‘Methoght,’ ho sayd, ‘that I had born
a wikket child, for sothe i-wys,
thurgh wiche our nacioun suld be lorne,
for that chilt muche schal do amys.’

When he herd his wyf so telle,
he bad in hit haue no l[e]uyng,
and sayd sum wykket gost of helle
had temptet hir as in that thing.

and ho sayde sekerly not so,
but if that ho conseyuet hade,
that child suld be grete cause of wo,
and muche moon ther-fore ho mad.

So afte a sone this womon bere
that fered was fader and moder eke,
and in grete langour als thay wer
a gode conseile for to seke;

ffor hor sone ther ȝif thay had slayne,
horible dede hit had ibene,
and forto noriche wer thay not fayne
a chylde to bryng hom alle in tene.

But in a basket pryuely
thay putten thys boy when he was borne,
and on a warthe the water by
thay layden hym ther to be forlorne.

That ilke basket he was inne
of rusches made hit was i-wys
that no water might in wynne
of one hole, as a tale ys.

So with se-wawes broght was he
to an ile that Scarioth hight,
and after that ile, as rede we,
nomet he was and by right.

233

So causely to se the flode
the whene come to the water-syde,
and se waggyng ther ho stode
that basket, as ho con a-byde,

And made hir men goo after hit,
a knawe schylde thai fond ther-inne
thenne siket ho in hir wytte,
wischet that ho might suchon wynne,

ffor childe hir-selfe then had ho noon,
wher-fore ho was ful miselyking,
and hit was fayr of blode and bone
that ho fond in that lepe lyyng.

Thenne the whene hir vmbethoght
by slegh way forto plese the keng,
and that childe by-fore hym broght,
sayd hyt was hires of hys getyng.

The keng when he segh that sight,
supposet sothe that the whene sayde,
thenne was hys hert ful wonder light
and al hys loue opon his lady.

So [in] al the reume grete word was
that the whene a sone had born,
and vche mon grete lykyng has
to se an ayre ther hom byforne.

So fel after a li[t]til space
the whene conceyuet of the keng
and bare a sone, none fayrer of face
ny of alle lymmes more likyng.

When these childer waxen were
that thay couthen speke and go,
thay fughten ofte tyme in fere,
And Iudas dyd hym muche wo,

234

And hys brother ofte to reme;
ther-of the wene was nothyng payde,
for in hyr hert ho couthe wel deme
hir sone was he not as men sayde.

And ofte tyme ho bete Iudas
and sparet hir one sone al-way,
that atte last knowen hit was
the verray sothe by suche afraye,

And that Iudas ther bifore
was founden the se-syde by.
thenne was Iudas schomet sore,
and slegh hys brother priuely,

And flagh away in-to Iudee,
when he had done felony.
to Pilates court sone come he,
and was receyuet hastyly;

ffor ofte tyme a mon may se
and is vset communely,
thing that is like withe like wol be
and to hit coueite kyndely,

And for Iudas and Pilate als
of maneres weren wel acording,
screw to screw and fals to fals,
Iudas to Pilate was likyng.

So in-with a littel space
that Iudas with hym was dwellyng,
most maister of his hous he was
and dispendour of al his thing.

So hit by-felle opon a day
Pilate in his palays stode
and loke[t] aboute hym vche way
on orchardes as hym thoght gode.

235

Thenne was ther an orchard by
in wiche were appele grete plente,
and Pilate wilnet wonderly
to ete of hom that ther segh he.

Thenne that orchard that thay wer inne
was Iudas fadur ȝorde i-wys,
and of tho appul forto wynne
Iudas kest hym al amys.

But that that ȝorde hys faderes was
Iudas had thenne no knowing,
and Ruben hopet hys sone Iudas
had ben ded and noght lyuyng.

So Iudas for to plese Pilate
and to fulfil hys foule delite,
in-to that ȝorde he tase his gate
forto gete Pilate of that fruyte.

Wil that he was that fruyte geting
come Ruben, hys fader, segh hym there
of hys appeles fast eting,
and boun of hom away to bere,

And chalanges Iudas of this thing
ffor hys defaute hym for to fere;
so after chiding was feghting,
in wrathe th[a]y to-geder wer,

So that, schortly for to say,
Iudas slogh Ruben with a stone,
and from that ȝort he tas the way
withe appele[s] to Pilate anone,

And told hym fully of thys caas,
suche a mon how he had slayn;
Pilate sayde syn hit so was,
that wrecchednesse wer gode to layn.

236

Sone when hit drogh toward night
Ruben was soght witht his meisne,
thenne was he fonden sone in hight
lyyng dede vnder a tre,

And thay supposeden fullyly
on sodeyn dethe then dethet he,
for at hys de[ȝ]t was nomon by
how he was slayne that might se.

Thenne Pilate, that had ful power
to mare wodowos wher he wold,
Rubenes godes and wyf in fer
he ȝaf hom Iudas, be ȝe bolde.

Thus Iudas has hys fadur slayne,
weddet hys one moder in hy,
so schope hyt for this schrewet swayne
on vche syde vn-happily.

ffer after thys opon a day
Tyborea syket wonder sore,
and Iudas wilnet by alway
witte why ho syket and wher-fore.

And ho sayde, ‘sir, alas! alas!
vnhappy wommon most am I,
for furst myne owen sone drowenet was
that I bar of my body,

‘And sithen my husbonde in a caas
deghet I not how sodeynly,
wommon I hope more bowte grace
nys noon lyuyng witterly.’

When thay had talket bothe in fere,
Iudas vmbythoght hym inwardly
and by the wordes that spoken were
knew hit wel and certaynely,

237

Hys owen fader he had slayne
and weddit hys moder eke as so,
thenne wer thay nauther of hom fayne
but in grete sorow bothe two.

And by grete excitacioun
of his moder, thenne went he
to Ihesu and asket remissioun
of his misdede, as reden we.

Ȝette Crist for his grete trespas
made hym hys desciple tho,
and after he apostel was
and one of twelue about to go.

And purueour in vche place
he sches Iudas ymonges mo,
but ay in his hert lafte a trace
of couetyse that dyd hym wo.

ffor purs-berer thenne was he,
and what-ser gyuen was to Ihesu
he receyuet hit, leue ȝe me,
and stele ther-of as Crist wel knew.

So byfore Cristes passioun
when Magdaleyne Ihesu anont
withe riche vnement of renoun,
Iudas displesit with that poynt,

And sayd that vnement was worthy
thre hu[n]dret penyes to be solde,
and so riche thyng to destruye
hym thoght hit euel done, be ȝe bolde;

ffor in his hert he fully keste
to haue stolne the waleu of hyt,
ther-fore hym thoght that clene lest
ffor in hys purs hit was not putte.

238

And that malice enduring,
to the Iewes he went in hy
and sold Ihesu our heuen keng
for thrette pe[ny]es by enuy.

& ffor he vset had by-fore
of Cristes gode the tethe to stele,
ther-fore hym greuet wonder sore
that he with hy[t] might not dele,

And euen for als muche mony
as teithe of hit wold come to,
Ihesu Crist to hom sold he
for hym thoght hyt was forto do.

And this dede, as clerkes sayn,
was opon next Wednesday
by-fore that Ihesu suffert payne,
and is one gode skyl sothe to say

Why Wednesday men done penance
more then other dayes by-fore,
for that day Iudas hade meschaunce
that greuet hym and soule sore.

ffor when he had his lord by-trayde
in wanhope he felle sone in hye,
to hong hym-self sone he assayet,
and had no grace to aske mercy.

Thus endit this ilk schrewe Iudas
and lyuet, as byfore sayde we,
as mon that hade no might ne grace
for his grate synne to sauet be.