A Stanzaic Life of Christ Compiled from Higden's Polychronicon and the Legenda Aurea |
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Petre scisse sunt &c. Ex quinque vt patet passio
Christi fuit ex dolore amar[a], ex illusione despecta,
& vtilitate multiplici fructuosa, et dolor causabatur.
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 | A Stanzaic Life of Christ |  |
182
Petre scisse sunt &c. Ex quinque vt patet passio Christi fuit ex dolore amar[a], ex illusione despecta, & vtilitate multiplici fructuosa, et dolor causabatur.
Cristes passioun, heuen kyng,
of sorow bitter was & breme,
dispitouse also bi scornyng,
to deth quen thai hym so con deme,
of sorow bitter was & breme,
dispitouse also bi scornyng,
to deth quen thai hym so con deme,
but ȝet hit was for mony a thing
nedful, fruytful vs to wheme,
for his langour wan vs likyng,
And forto lagh þat er con reme.
nedful, fruytful vs to wheme,
for his langour wan vs likyng,
And forto lagh þat er con reme.
ffyue causes I fynde, in gode fay,
qvi Cristes sorowe more shuld be
then euer was any, soth to say,
the first of hom now ȝe shyn se.
qvi Cristes sorowe more shuld be
then euer was any, soth to say,
the first of hom now ȝe shyn se.
Prima causa doloris, quia ignominiosa.
ffor his passioun shameful was,
for shameful stid hit was don in,
At Caluarie, þer-as was plas
to punysch gulty for hor syn.
for shameful stid hit was don in,
At Caluarie, þer-as was plas
to punysch gulty for hor syn.
Also his deth was shameful eke
And sclaunderouse in cite & shire,
for hym þai dampnet that was so meke
to foulist deth thay miȝt conspir.
And sclaunderouse in cite & shire,
for hym þai dampnet that was so meke
to foulist deth thay miȝt conspir.
Quia morte turpissima condempnatus est.
ffor the croys was ordeynt then
to heng on thef & trespasour,
thaȝe hit to now be knelide on knen
And worshipide with so gret honour.
to heng on thef & trespasour,
thaȝe hit to now be knelide on knen
And worshipide with so gret honour.
Vnde Augustinus: Crux, que erat supplicium latronum, nunc transit ad frontes imperatorum.
Therfore Austyn witnes þis,
‘the croys that er was theues wo
on emperoures hedes sette is,
And in world now worshippide so.’
‘the croys that er was theues wo
on emperoures hedes sette is,
And in world now worshippide so.’
183
Sithen God ordeynt so þerfore
sich honour for he henget þer-on,
hit semus he ordeynt mich more
In heuen of ioy & blis for mon,
sich honour for he henget þer-on,
hit semus he ordeynt mich more
In heuen of ioy & blis for mon,
As he did for hym that was wys,
that thef þat leuet on his lore,
that he se[n]de first to Paradys
bifore alle sayntes þat wer bifore.
that thef þat leuet on his lore,
that he se[n]de first to Paradys
bifore alle sayntes þat wer bifore.
therfore sais þe prophecy
with wiccut men wo suffrid he,
And theues that diden gret any
honget by hym on rode tre.
with wiccut men wo suffrid he,
And theues that diden gret any
honget by hym on rode tre.
Et cum iniquis deputatus est.
But ȝet þat one þer sauet was
for his bileue & repentaunce,
that oþer of hom hade no gras
to ask mercy in his penaunce.
for his bileue & repentaunce,
that oþer of hom hade no gras
to ask mercy in his penaunce.
Therfore sais Austyn openly
quat testament made Crist on croys,
qvich word now reherce wil I,
that spoken wer with delful voys.
quat testament made Crist on croys,
qvich word now reherce wil I,
that spoken wer with delful voys.
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,
hengyng on croice for monnus syn,
for hor nedis þus ordeynt he
his testament, quen he wold twyn.
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;
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;
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;
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;
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.
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.
qvy he his croys assignet so,
hit was forto gete mon mercy,
And for trespas to suffre wo.
| A Stanzaic Life of Christ | |