A Stanzaic Life of Christ Compiled from Higden's Polychronicon and the Legenda Aurea |
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Circa secundum, quare scilicet statim, vt resurrexit, non
ascendit, sed per quadraginta dies expectare voluit.
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 | A Stanzaic Life of Christ |  |
Circa secundum, quare scilicet statim, vt resurrexit, non ascendit, sed per quadraginta dies expectare voluit.
as to the secounde poynt go we,
and telle whi he went not to blis
anone after the dayes thre
when he was risen, nowe knowe we this;
and telle whi he went not to blis
anone after the dayes thre
when he was risen, nowe knowe we this;
But after that risen from deth was he,
fourty he abode i-wys,
thre skilles [nowe] ȝe schun se
that he did wel and not Amys.
fourty he abode i-wys,
thre skilles [nowe] ȝe schun se
that he did wel and not Amys.
Primo propter resurrectionis certificacionem.
the furst was for to certifie
his werray resurrectioun,
that he was risen bodely
the selue that suffert passioun,
his werray resurrectioun,
that he was risen bodely
the selue that suffert passioun,
295
and in his dede no fantasy
to blinde men whit aȝayn resoun.
he ete and dranke oft openly
[& to schow his body ofte was boun.]
to blinde men whit aȝayn resoun.
he ete and dranke oft openly
[& to schow his body ofte was boun.]
for ȝif that fantasy hade bien
in his dede be any way,
mon schuld nother haue feld ne sene
flesshe ne blode ne schewet aye:
in his dede be any way,
mon schuld nother haue feld ne sene
flesshe ne blode ne schewet aye:
Quia spiritus carnem & ossa non habet.
Als hit was mor difficulte
to preue his resurrectioun,
by werray whit ȝe mone wel se,
thenne for to preue his passioun,
to preue his resurrectioun,
by werray whit ȝe mone wel se,
thenne for to preue his passioun,
ffor passioun in dayes thre
might wel be preuet by resoun,
but mo dayes be[l]euet be
bytwene tha[t] and the ascensioun.
might wel be preuet by resoun,
but mo dayes be[l]euet be
bytwene tha[t] and the ascensioun.
Therfor Leo the Pope preching
thonkes Crist in his sermoun
off his nedeful tarying
that tyme for our saluacioun,
thonkes Crist in his sermoun
off his nedeful tarying
that tyme for our saluacioun,
‘for wel better,’ he sais, ‘hit was
that hese disciples haden drede
of his rising in that caas,
thenne we after for mor drede.’
that hese disciples haden drede
of his rising in that caas,
thenne we after for mor drede.’
Leo papam, Sermone de ascensione: Gratias Agimus diuine dispensacioni & sanctorum patrum necessarie tarditati. Dubitatum est ab illis, ne dubitaretur A nobis.
The secounde cause whi he abode
was for to comfort his meisne
and make hit knowen to hom Abrode
that risen verraily was he.
was for to comfort his meisne
and make hit knowen to hom Abrode
that risen verraily was he.
296
for thagh God wil men to hym der
sum time haue tribulacioun,
ȝet bout comfort in no maner
he may not leue hom by resoun,
sum time haue tribulacioun,
ȝet bout comfort in no maner
he may not leue hom by resoun,
And wel thai wist that dede was he
but of his risyng þai wer in drede,
therfore oft time hym to se
to comfort hom hit was gret nede.
but of his risyng þai wer in drede,
therfore oft time hym to se
to comfort hom hit was gret nede.
the thrid cause ful thester is,
but ȝet as negh as I con
declare I wil hit now I-wys,
sum sauour ȝou to haue þer-on.
but ȝet as negh as I con
declare I wil hit now I-wys,
sum sauour ȝou to haue þer-on.
ffor we shuld haue vnderstondyng
that Goddes comfort in gret nede
passes fer his chastisyng
And tribulacioun, as I rede,
that Goddes comfort in gret nede
passes fer his chastisyng
And tribulacioun, as I rede,
therfore his comfort is liknet her
As an hour is to a day,
And as a day is to a ȝer,
And in quat maner I shal say.
As an hour is to a day,
And as a day is to a ȝer,
And in quat maner I shal say.
ffor ȝif þat Goddes derlyng der,
And qvo-so serues hym any way,
suffer wo in any maner
for riȝtwysnes o[r] for gode fay,
And qvo-so serues hym any way,
suffer wo in any maner
for riȝtwysnes o[r] for gode fay,
the ioy that he shal haue þerfore
shal pas þe pyne hym forto pay,
for his godnes so mich more
As a ȝer is bi a day,
shal pas þe pyne hym forto pay,
for his godnes so mich more
As a ȝer is bi a day,
or as a day is by an hour,
that sich as rulen wel hor witt
moun knowe hor mede for that langour
fourty-folde forto be qvytt.
that sich as rulen wel hor witt
moun knowe hor mede for that langour
fourty-folde forto be qvytt.
297
therfore þe prophet Isaye
sais he wold preche one likyng ȝer
Aȝaynus one day of anye
to God that ȝeldes in that maner.
sais he wold preche one likyng ȝer
Aȝaynus one day of anye
to God that ȝeldes in that maner.
Isaie xvi: Predicarem annum placabilem domino, diem vlcionis Deo nostro.
her apertly ȝe moun se
one day of tribulacioun
Askes one ȝer whit to be
of comfort & remissioun.
one day of tribulacioun
Askes one ȝer whit to be
of comfort & remissioun.
so to conclude our first mater
And sett an hour to a day,
ffourty houres bout wer
Ihesus in his sepulcre lay,
And sett an hour to a day,
ffourty houres bout wer
Ihesus in his sepulcre lay,
And fourtie daies on erth he went
After his resurreccioun,
to comfort his brether he toke entent
In hor gret tribulacioun.
After his resurreccioun,
to comfort his brether he toke entent
In hor gret tribulacioun.
Vnde glossa: Quadraginta horis mortuus fuerat, propter hoc quadraginta diebus se viuere confirmabat.
Ensavmple by this we moun se,
that suffres for þe riȝt any
ffourty-fold qvit he shal be
And rewardet, as ere saide I.
that suffres for þe riȝt any
ffourty-fold qvit he shal be
And rewardet, as ere saide I.
| A Stanzaic Life of Christ | |