A Stanzaic Life of Christ Compiled from Higden's Polychronicon and the Legenda Aurea |
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Secundo passio Christi fuit congruentissima ad curandum morbum.
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 | A Stanzaic Life of Christ |  |
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.
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.
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,
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 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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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,
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.
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,
by a tre that did hym ny
to ete of hit when he did mys;
Adam bygylet was i-wys,
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.
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.
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
in tow maner bote he soght,
by lykly thing withe forto dele,
And eke contrarius was his thoght.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.’
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.
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.
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;
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;
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,
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.’
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.
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.
and discording bothe in fere
helet vs thene our heuen keng
Whil that he was erthe her.
| A Stanzaic Life of Christ | |