Legends of the holy rood; Symbols of the passion and cross poems. In Old English of the eleventh, fourteenth, and fifteenth centuries. Edited from Mss. in the British Museum and Bodleian Libraries, with introduction, translations, and glossarial index, by Richard Morris.

APPENDIX.

I.

DISPUTE BETWEEN MARY AND THE CROSS.

I.

O litel whyle lesteneþ to me Ententyfly, so haue ȝe blys, Gode ensaumple here schul ȝe, Of noble Mater wrouȝt it is, Line 4 How Mary spak to þe rode tre, Whan her sone was in angvys; Þe Cros answeryd þat lady fre, Ful myldely seiȝe clerkys wys, Line 8 ¶ Þat þis tale haue made couþe; Þei haue expouned it by siȝt, A good ensaumple and a bryȝt; But Apocrifum þei holde it riȝt, Line 12 For tre spak neuere wiþ mouþe.

II.

¶ Oure lady fre, To þe rode tre, Sche made her mone, Line 16 And seyde, "on þee Is fruyt of me Full wo-bygone: With blody ble Line 20 My fruyt I gan see,

Among hys fone: Of Sorewe I see, Hys veynes fle Line 24 Fro blody bone: ¶ Tre, þou dost no treuþe, On pilory my fruyt to pynne, He haþ no spot of Adam synne, Line 28 Flessche and veynes fle atwynne, Wherfore I rede of reuþe.

III.

¶ Cros, þi bondes schul be blamed, My gode fruyt þou hast bigyled; Line 32 Þe fruytes modir was neuer famed, My wombe is faire founde vnfyle[d]: Child, why art þou noȝt aschamed On pilory to be I-pyled, Line 36 As grete þeuys þat were gramed, Þat deyeden þorouȝ her werkis wylde? ¶ Blode from hede is hayled, All to-fowled is my faire fruyte, Line 40 Þat neuer dyd treget ne truyte With þeuys þat loue ryot vnriȝte; Why schal my sone be nayled?

IV.

¶ Þe grete þevys galowes were greyd, Line 44 Þat euere to robbe ronnen ryfe; Why schal my sone þer-on be leyde? He noyȝed neuer man ne wyfe. A drynk of deeþ soþely seyde, Line 48 Cros, þou ȝeuyst þe lord of lyfe: Hys veynes breke with þi breyde, My fruyte stont in stroke and stryfe:

¶ The faire fruyte of my flessche, [folio 127] Line 52 My leue childe with-oute lak, For Adam goddis biddyng brak; Þe blood ran on my briddes bak, Droppynge as dewe on ryssche. Line 56

IV.

¶ The Iugement haue þei Ioyned To bere fooles full of synne: Ȝit scholde my sone fro þee be soyned, And neuer hys blood on þe rynne; Line 60 But now is truþe with tresoun twyned, With a þeef to henge fer in fenne; With fele nayles hys feet be pyned, A careful modir men may me kenne, Line 64 ¶ In balys I am bounde: Þe brid þat was of a mayde borne, On þis tree is all for-torne; A broche þorow hys breest was borne, Line 68 Hys hert now haþ a wounde.

V.

¶ Tre, þou art loked by lawe Þat a þeefe and a traytour on þe schal deye, Now is truþe with tresoun drawe, Line 72 Vertu is falle by vicys weye; Love and truþe and soþefast sawe, On a tre traytours do teye, Now is vertue with vyces slawe: Line 76 Of all vertues cryst is keye, ¶ Vertue is swetter þan spyces, In foote and honde he bereþ blody prykke, Þe heed is full of þornes þikke, Line 80 Þe goode hangeþ among þe wikke, Vertue þus deieþ wiþ vyces.

VI.

¶ Cros, vnkynde þou schalt be kyd, My sonys stepmodir I þe calle: Line 84 My bridde was borne with beeste on bedde, And by my Fleissche my fruyt gan fall[e], And with my breestys my brid I fedde; Cros, þou ȝyuest hym eysell and galle! Line 88 My white rose rede is spred, Þat floryssched was in fodders stalle; ¶ Feet and faire handes Þat now be croysed I kissed hem ofte, Line 92 I lulled hem and leyde hem softe: And þou Cros haldes hym hiȝe alofte Bounde in blody bandes!

VII.

¶ My love I lulled vppe in hys leir, [folio 127b] Line 96 With cradel-bande I gan hym bynde, Cros, he stikeþ vppon þi steir, Naked in þe wylde wynde: Fowles formen her nest in þe eyr, Line 100 Foxes in den rest þei fynde, But goddys sone and heuenys eir, Hys hede holdeþ on þornes tynde, ¶ Of moornyng I may mynne: Line 104 My sonys hed haþ reste none, But leneþ on þe schuldre bone; Þe þornes þorow þe panne is gone Thys woo I wyte synne. Line 108

VIII.

¶ Cros, to sle hym is þi sleiþe, My blody brid þou berest fro blysse; Cros, þou holdest hym hiȝe on heiþe, Hys faire feet I may not kysse: Line 112

Line 112 My mouþe I putte, my swere I strecche Hys feet to kys; Þe Iewes fro þe cros me kecche, And on me make her mowe amys, Line 116 ¶ Her game and her gawdes; Þe Iewes wrouȝt on me wo: Cros, I fynde þou art my fo, My brid þou berist beten blo; Line 120 Among þes folys frawdys."

IX.

¶ Cristys Cros þan ȝaf answere:— "Lady, to þe I owe honour, Þi bryȝt palme now I bere; Line 124 My schynyng scheweþ of þi flour, Thy trye fruyt I to-tere; Þi fruyt me florysschiþ in blood colour Þe worlde to wynne as þou mayst here; Line 128 Þis blossom blomed in þi bour, ¶ Not all for þe alone, But forto wynne all þis werd; Þat waltereþ vndir þe deueles swerd: Line 132 Þorowe foote and honde god lete hym gerd, To amende mannys mone.

X.

¶ Adam dyd full grete harmes, He bote a fruyt vnder a bowe, Line 136 Þerfore þi fruit spred hys armes, On tre þat is tiȝed with tyndes towe; Hys body is smyte ny þe þarmes, He swelt with a swemely swow; Line 140 Hys breest is bored with deeþis armes, And with hys deeþ fro deeþ vs drowe

¶ And all hys goode freendys, [folio 128] As Isayas spak in prophecye: Line 144 He seyde 'þi sone, seynt Marye, Hys deþe slowe deþe in Caluarye, And leueþ with-oute endys'.

XII.

¶ Lady, love doþe þe alegge Line 148 Fruite prikkyd with sperys orde: I Cros, with-oute knyues egge, I kerue fruit best of horde; All is rede, Ribbe and rigge, Line 152 Þe bak bledeþ aȝens þe borde; I am a pyler and bere a brigge, God is þe weye, witnesse one worde; ¶ God seiþ he is soþefast weye: Line 156 Many folk slode to hell slider, To heuene noman cowde þider, Til god deiȝed and tauȝt whider Men drawe whan þei deye: Line 160

XIII.

¶ And Moyses fourmed hys figour, A whyte lambe, and noon oþer beest He sacred so oure sauyour, To be mete of myȝtes meest, Line 164 And chosen cheef in honour, I bare fleissche to folkys feest; Iesu cryst oure creatour, Hys Flessche fedeþ leste and mest, Line 168 ¶ Rosted aȝens þe sonne; On me lay þe lambe of love, I was plater, hys body above, Whan flessche and veynes all to-clove, Line 172 With blood I was bironne.

XIV.

¶ Ȝit Moyses þis resoun rad, 'Ete ȝoure lambe with soure vergeous'; Sowre saws make þe sowle glad, Line 176 Sorowe for synnes oures; Þat vergeous makeþ þe fende a-drad, And fer fleþ fro goddis spous; And bere a staaf and stonde sadde, Line 180 Whan flessche þ^e fediþ in goddis hows, ¶ Þis staf is crystis crouche; Stonde þou styf by þis stake, Whan ȝe fonge ȝowre fleissche in take, Line 184 Þan may þe deuyll no maystryes make, Ȝoure sowles to touche.

XV.

¶ Whan pardoun is schewed with a scryne, [folio 128b] With boke on bord with nayles smyte, Line 188 With rede lettres wryten blyne, Blewe and blak among me pyte: My lorde I likne to þat signe, Þe body was bored and on borde bete, Line 192 In briȝt blode oure boke gan schyne; How woo he was no wiȝt may wyte, ¶ Ne rede in hys rode; Ȝoure pardoun boke fro top to too, Line 196 Wryten it was full wonder woo, Rede woundes and strokes bloo, Ȝoure boke was bounde in blode.

XXIII.

¶ In holy write þis tale I herde, Line 200 How riche ȝiftis god vs ȝaf; God seiþ hym-self a good scheperde, And euery herde byhoueþ a staf;

Þe cros I kalle þe heerdys ȝerde, Line 204 Þerwith þe deuyl a dent he ȝaf, With þat ȝerd þe wolfe he werid, With dyntes drofe hym all to draf." ¶ Þe Cros þis tale tolde, Line 208 How he was þe staf in herdis hande, Whan scheep borsten oute of bande, Þe wolfe he wered oute of lande Þat deuouride crystis folde. Line 212

XVIII.

¶ Oure ladye seyde, "Cros, of þi werk Wonder naȝt þei I be wroþe, Þus seyde Poule, crystes clerk, To þe fikell Iewes, with-oute oþe, Line 216 Iewes stone hard, with synnes merke, Þei bete a lambe with-oute loþe, Softer þan water vnder serk, Milk or mede melled boþe: Line 220 ¶ Þe Iewes were þe hard stonys. Softer þan water or mylk lycour, Or dew þat lithe on lily-flour Was cristes body in blode colour, Line 224 Þe Iewes brisseden hys bonys.

XX.

¶ Siþe mannys sone was so nedy, To be lad as a lamb so mylde, Why were gylours so gredy Line 228 To fowle so my faire chylde? And Cros, why were þou so redy My fruite to foule fer in felde?" Þe cros seyde, "to make þe deuyll dredy, Line 232 God schope me schelde schame to schelde,

¶ Siþe lombe of love dyede, [folio 129] And on me ȝelde hys goost with voys; Men chose me a relyk choys, Line 236 Þe signe of Iesu Crystis Croys, Þer dar no deuyl abyede:

XXI.

¶ Many folk, I defende fro her foos": Cristes cros þis sawe he seyde:— Line 240 "Heuene gate was keiyed clos Til lambe of love now he deyede, It is write in tixt and glos: For Cristis deeþ prophetes preyde: Line 244 Till lambe of love deyed and roos In hell pyne many folk was teyde: ¶ In þe houre of hiȝest noone, Þe lambe of love seide his þouȝt— Line 248 'All is fullfilled þat well was wrouȝt, Man is oute of bondys brouȝt And heuene dorys vndone':

XXXIII.

¶ And I was Cros and kepte þat ȝifte Line 252 Þat ȝeue was of fadres graunt, I was loked I schulde vp-lifte Goddis sone and Maydenes faunt, Noman had schelde of scrifte; Line 256 Þe deuyll stode as lyoun raumpaunt, Many folk he keighte to hell clifte, Till þe dyntes of þe cros gan hym adaunte; ¶ My dede is founde and boked, Line 260 All þe werke þat I haue wrouȝte It was in þe fadres forþouȝte, Louely lady, lak me nouȝte, I dyd as I was loked. Line 264

Line 264

XXXIV.

¶ In water and blood cristenyng was wrouȝt, Holy writ witnessiþ it well, And in þe well of worþi þouȝt, Man is cristened to soule hele; Line 268 Þe blood þat all þe world haþ bouȝt, A digne cristenyng he gan me dele; Cryst in cristenynge forȝat me nouȝt, Hy[s] fressche blood whan I gan fele: Line 272 ¶ Mayde modir and wyue! Crystis blood ȝaf me bapteme, Bystreke I was with rede streme, Whan Iesu bled vpon a beme, [folio 129b] Line 276 Of cipresse and Olyue.

XXXV.

¶ Iesu seyde to Nichodemus But a barn be twies born, Whan domesday schal blowe his bemys, Line 280 He schulde lye as man lorn, First bore of wombe where rewþe remys, Siþ with font synne is schorn: And I was cros to mannys quemys, Line 284 I baar þe fruyt þou bere aforn, ¶ For þi beryng alone; But I had born hym efte, Fro riche rest man had be refte Line 288 And in a lore logge lefte, Ay to grucche and grone.

XXXVI.

¶ Þou were crowned heuene queen, For þe birþen þat þou bere, Line 292 Þi garlond is of gracious greene, Of hell Emperesse and heuene Empere:

I am þe relyk þat schyneþ schene, Men wolde wyte where I were, Line 296 At þe pleyn parlement I schal been, At domesday prestly to pere; ¶ Whan god schal seye riȝt þere, 'Trewly on þee rode tre, Line 300 Man, I dyed for loue of þe; Man, what hast þou do for me To be my frendly fere?'

XXXVII.

¶ At parlement I wil put pleynyng, Line 304 How maydenes sone on me gan sterue, Spere and spounge and hard naylyng, Þe hard hede þe helme gan kerue: And I schal crye riȝtful kyng, Line 308 Ilk man haue as þe serue, Þe riȝt schul ryse to ryche reynynge, Truyt and treget to helle schal terve: ¶ Mayde meke and mylde! Line 312 God took in þ^e hy[s] flessch trewe, I bare þi fruyt lele and newe; It is riȝt þe rode to Eue helpe schewe Man, woman, and chylde". Line 316

XXXVIII.

¶ Þe queen þus acorded with þe Cros, [folio 130] Aȝens hym spak nomore speche; Þe lady ȝaf þe cros a cosse, Þe lady of love longe loue gan seche, Line 320 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Line 324

Line 324 ¶ Þe queen and þe cros acord: Þe queen bare first, þe cros aftirward, To fecche folk fro hellward, On holy steyres to styȝe vpward Line 328 And reigne with oure lord.

XXXIX.

¶ A clerk fourmed þis figour Of Maries sorwe to seiȝe summe, As he had see in scharp schour, Line 332 How cristes armes were rent and rune; Þe cros is a colde creatour And euer ȝit was deef and dum, Þis tale florissched with a faire flour, Line 336 Þis poynt I proue apocrifum; ¶ Witnesse was neuer founden Þat euere crystis cros spak, Ne oure lady leyde hym no lak, Line 340 But forto dryue þe deuyll a-bak, Men speke of Cristes wounden.

¶ A clerk fourmed þis fantasye, On cristes steruyng stok to stere; Line 344 Þat bare þe body all blody, Whan deþes dent gan hym dere, Þis Apocrifum is no foly: In swich a lay dar þe naȝt dere Line 348 Þat doþe man to seke mercy, Wikked werkes awey to were, ¶ In tixte ful well is write: A lombe haþ larged all þis glose, Line 352 Plenté speche þer-In to prose, Þe counseill of þe cros to vnclose Of Maryes woo to wite.

XL.

¶ In flesshly wede Line 356 God gan hym hede, Of mylde may Was born to blede, As cristes crede Line 360 Soþely to say; On stokky stede He roode, men rede, In rede aray. Line 364 Fro deuelis drede Þat duk vs lede At domesday, ¶ Whan pepil schal parte and passe [folio 130b] Line 368 To holy heuene and hell þe wode. Now Cristes crosse and crystes blode And Maries praier mylde and goode Graunte vs þe lyfe of grace. Amen. Line 372

FESTIVALS OF THE CHURCH. [Royal MS. 18 A x.]

¶ Deo nostro iocunda sit laudacio.

[folio 130b] ¶ Ioyeful preisyng to god oure lord Þe sawter book bereþ record.

I.

The lord þat is a howsholder, With faire festis folk he fat; Line 4 Ȝiueþ hem wedys hym self doþe were, On bolstre bed her balys bat; Tonge gyueþ talke and stere To preysen hym men taken gat; Line 8 Oure lord to preise is no ler, Þe same help man he byhat, With hym on bedde, man, þou sat ¶ On þe bolstre of heuene blisse. Line 12 With hys fleisshe he fediþ þ^e, þou wost wel þis, Þi sowle schal be clad as hys In lyfe þat neuermore lat.

II.

¶ Malachie witnesse haþ gunne Line 16 In hys rewle, as it is rad; He seiþ þat god is sooþfast sunne, And in þat same þi sowle is clad; ¶ Þi lordes wede þan hast þou wonne Line 20 And with hys fleisshe þi goost is fed; He let atame hys pyement tunne

To make his gode gestis glad, ¶ With a spere of grounden gad; Line 24 Þan was founde a fell fawset, In þe trie tunne it was sette, In cristes hert was piȝt and pette, Hys brest was al be-blad. Line 28

III.

¶ I haue ioye forto gest Of þe lambe of love with-oute oþe; Hys flessche is oure faire feest, And curteisly he ȝeueþ vs cloþe. Line 32

IV.

¶ Viij feestis oure lord gan dresse, [folio 131] And all be newe euery ȝere. Heuene quene and hell Emperesse, A blisful blosum þi bosum bere! Line 36 ¶ His fleissh fediþ more and lesse, And fendiþ vs from feendis fere; Þe kirnell sprang at Cristemasse Þat now is crist in a cake clere, Line 40 ¶ Þe preest drynkeþ blessyd bere, Goddis blood in sacrament. Almyȝty god omnipotent, Hys blessyd body haþ sent Line 44 To fede hys freendys here.

V.

¶ Cristemasse first is founde, Whan god was borne with beest in bynne. At newe ȝere cryst þoled wounde Line 48 And schadde hys blood for mannus synne. Þe Epiphanye is gret on grounde. On estre day welþes we wynne.

On holy þursday god stiȝe þat stounde. Line 52 On witsoneday god gan mynne ¶ To þenke on mannys kynne, He sent man þe holy goost. Þe Trinité feest haþ myȝtes moost. Line 56 In Corpus christi wel þou woost, Is ioyned oure Ioye with gynne.

VI.

¶ At Cristemasse mayde Mary, Þorowe helpe of þe holy goostis heste, Line 60 Þi brid was born and lay þe by, Aboute boþe bynne and beeste. Þe Aungels maden melody For ioye of cristis feeste; Line 64 A clere note þei sang in þe sky, Whan kyngis sone bare fleisshly creste. ¶ Scheperdes meest and leest, "Ioye to god full of love," Line 68 Herden þei Aungels synge above, "Pes to man, þe deuyll is drove Fro goddis trone in þe eest."

VII.

¶ Þan myȝt þe mylde may synge Line 72 Ysaye þe woord of þee; Þou seydest a ȝerd schulde sprynge Oute of þe rote of Ientill Iesse, ¶ And schulde floure with florisschyng, [folio 131b] Line 76 With primeroses greet plenté; In-to þe croppe schulde come a kyng, Þat is a lord of power and pyté, ¶ My swete sone I see. Line 80 I am þe ȝerde, þou art þe flour, My brid is borne by beest in boure,

My primerose my paramour, With love I lulle þee. Line 84

VIII.

¶ Ȝit myȝt þe mylde may among Her cradel trille to and fro, And syng, Osye, þi song!— "Deþe, my deþe schal þee slo." Line 88 Þe deþe of hell is full strong, Where spirites bren in blases blo; Þe flesshe schal dye þat my sone gan fong And sle þat deþe for euermo; Line 92 ¶ To helle my child schal go. As Osye bigan to speke, Þou schalt musell helle cheke And hell barre þi hand schal breke, Line 96 And fette frendes fro wo.

IX.

¶ Balaam tolde hys trewe entente, Of sooþfastnesse he schewed a signe— Of Iacob schulde a token be glente, Line 100 A sterre þat schulde schewe and schyne.

X.

¶ Moyses ffull well he spak Of þe lambe þat sprang of mayden clene, A white lambe, with senn blak Line 104 Spotty myȝt he neuere bene; ¶ He lyued with-oute lak, Till a spere hys loue gan spene, Whan lambes blood on breeste and bak, Line 108 No boon was broke with Iewes kene; ¶ Þe lambe schyned full schene,

Þat Mary lulled in louely place, As sche was ful full of grace, Line 112 To loke in þe lambes face, Þat siȝt god leue vs sene.

XI.

¶ Seint Iohan wroot wiþ penne, [folio 132] Ȝif þou lyuest in charyté, Line 116 Þe lombe of loue lyueþ with þe, And in god þi goost schal be, In welþe heuene to wynne.

XII.

¶ Make cristys cradell of þi herte, Line 120 In bonde of love bynde hym fast, On a poure begger put a scherte, And wollen wedys þat warm will last, To poure in prisoun þou schalt sterte, Line 124 And ȝeue þe wrecches of þe good þou hast. ¶ Þis seyle sette on þi mast And seyle in-to þe blisse of heuene; At domesday god schal full euene Line 128 Monewe þe dedis of mersy seuene To kaytyfes þat be cast.

XIII.

¶ Rokke þi cradell hiȝe and lowe, Mirþe and Mischeef haue in mynde, Line 132 In heuene is ioyned ioye Inow, In hell fyre and filþe þou schalt fynde; Whasshe þi sowle white as snowe, And in þat bed þis barn schal þe bynde; Line 136 In a cote, with-oute slow, Oure lady lolled þi leve frende. ¶ Man haue þis in mynde,

Rokke þi cradell aboue þe skye, Line 140 Þenk on þe Madenys melodye, Þenk on helle stynkyng stye, Where goostis bren in bynde.

XIV.

¶ In vitas patrum, a fader booke, Line 144 Swiche a tale þer is tolde; A sinfull womman crist forsooke, Putte in dispeir with deuelys bolde, Sche was hent on hard hoke, [folio 132b] Line 148 For hete of feiþ kepte sche colde, Till a wyse preest with hyr woke And seyde, "for þe Iesu was solde."

XV.

¶ Take ensaumple of a childe in towne, Line 152 With myshap his croune is craked, With brode lippys he bereþ boune, Þer is wepyng and deel awaked. ¶ Þe Norys with þe childe doþe roune, Line 156 A rede Appil sche haþ hym taked, And he forsakeþ hys sobbyng soune, And mochel myrþe þere is maked. ¶ Now sette þi will styf stakede Line 160 In fruyte swetter þan any mayde, Þow þi synne haue hym affrayede, Ȝyue hym þi hert and he is apayede Þat pere hys pees haþ makede. Line 164

XVI.

¶ Was neuer childe so sone stille With pere ne with appil swete, As Maydens sone þat dyed on hill And for þi loue blood gan swete; Line 168

Line 168 Ȝif hym þi herte, with good will, He will neþer grucche ne grete; Hys goost he ȝelde with schrikes schrylle, So loþe he was þi love to lete. Line 172 ¶ Oure lady her hede sche schette in a schete, And ȝit lay still doted and dased, As a womman mapped and mased, Fro riȝtfull resoun robbed and rased, Line 176 Till fele teres gan flete.

XVII.

¶ Þe boke seiþ god askeþ lyte With þee to make a loveday; Þi hert weyeþ not half a myte Line 180 Ageyn þe lyf þat lastiþ ay. Ȝif hym þat, he will not flyte, But flemon all þi foos away; He wil þe make chartre and skryte Line 184 In heuen hall to holde þi way. ¶ Vppon a blody bay A chartre of pees god made to a þef, [folio 133] To aske mercy he was leef; Line 188 God bad hym go with-oute greef, Into paradys forto play.

XVIII.

¶ Thys feest at freeste Godlyche gladed geste, Line 192 Mayden cryst keste, And rokked hym riȝt in her reste.

XIX.

¶ At neweȝere þe flour ful fressche, In holy writte I vndirstode Line 196

Line 196 Was corve in hys tendre flessche, For mannys loue he bledde hys blode. ¶ Þe blood droppyd as dew on ryssche Fro þe mylde membre of þat swete fode; Line 200 Synne was harde, hys blood was nessche, To defende folk fro feendys wode. ¶ The Iewes aboute ȝode The olde lawe to fulfille; Line 204 Þe childe suffride and lay stille To bigge vs all, and þat was skille, Whyle þe olde lawe stode.

XX.

¶ Þat day his first blood he bledde, Line 208 Þat ȝaf man griþe grace to haue, With a scharp flynt hys blood was schedde; Þat kyng was corve as a knaue, Þe briddes lymes were brode spradde. Line 212 ¶ On schort membre þe child was schaue, In lowenes was þat brid lad to haue To kepe men fro helle cave, Mannys sowle to save. Line 216 ¶ Lownesse lay byneþe þe sterres, To bye hys chaffare þe child payed erres, Dropes rede as ripe cherrees, [folio 133b] Þat fro his flesshe gan lave. Line 220

XXI.

¶ God cam not to fordo þe lawe, Ij lawes fulfill he wolde; Goddis sone was leyde ful lawe, Whan he was maydenys childe on molde. Line 224 ¶ Holy writte seiþ þis sawe, For mannys goost he ȝaf no golde;

Hys dere blood was oute-drawe To helpe vs to hys heuenes holde. Line 228 ¶ Þe childe lay flat vnfolde, Þe riche prince was þere aprised, He suffred to be circumcised; Euery man þat is well avised Line 232 Þis feest preyse he scholde.

XXII.

¶ Festyng vs fedde, Þe bloode riȝt þat a brid bledde, Lordys and ladde Line 236 Preyseþ þe lord þat vs ladde!

XXIII.

¶ The Epiphanye I preyse in prees, Whan þe kyngis clenly come, Þei made her hors rennen in rees, Line 240 To stonde stille þei had no tome. ¶ With dromedaryes þei droue fro dees, Many a hundred myle fro home, To seche a childe þat choisly chees Line 244 In maydenes blode to blome. ¶ Swych a rose roos neuere in Rome, As þan was clad in flesshli cloke; Goddis sone a mayden soke, Line 248 Milk ran by þe childys choke, Swetter þan hony on gome.

XXIV.

¶ Gold and myrre and frank ensens, [folio 134] Þei brouȝt to þe born brid, Line 252 Of riche gold one ȝaf hym pens, For richest kyng he scholde be kyd, Þer clerkis synge her sequens. Frank ensens þer is sone hid, Line 256

Line 256 Aȝens þe fende it is defens, And dryueþ hym vnder daunger lyd. ¶ And after it betyd Þat god was grettest preest, Line 260 Þan was frank ensens hym nest, And bitter mirre bote is brest, To deþe Iewes him chyd.

XXV.

¶ At þe feest of Architriclyn Line 264 Þe lord þat bouȝt vs oute of bonde, Turned water in-to wyn, Þorowe blessyng of hys holy honde; I hope þat blessyng schal be myn, Line 268 Whan I lete lyfe in londe; And gode man it schal be þine, To folwe god fast ȝif þou fonde. ¶ In writ I vndirstonde, Line 272 Foure feestis faire and fre, Epiphanye be set on þe. Epiphanye blessyd þou be, Þou kepest man fro schonde! Line 276

XXVI.

¶ Of fyue loves of barley greyn, And ij fyssches in rwle is rad, God made a feest faire and pleyn. V M^l folk þer-with he fad, Line 280 With v lovys and fysshes tweyn, Greet cumpany þer-with was glad; Þes woordys myȝt þou soþely seyn, Þe lord of plenté þe pepil fad; Line 284 ¶ Riche relef þei had, Xij baskettis full of broke mete; To preyse god we are depe in dete,

To preyse hym no man forȝete Line 288 With speches gode and glad.

XXVII.

¶ Foure festys in one be set, By diuers dayes it fell; But at þe feest of mesure met, Line 292 Wyn of water god wrouȝt well, Neuer festour fedde better. [folio 134b] V M^l folk þan crist gan fede, To flum Iordan þe kyng gan fle, Line 296 And Iohan baþed hym in þat stede. ¶ Iohan weissch his faire fell And crystened crist in water colde, Whan crist was xxx wynter olde; Line 300 Thus iiij feestis to-gedir folde, To stroye þe fende so fell.

XXVIII.

¶ Estren is oure ful fode, Whan cristis flesshe freendys schal fede; Line 304 All festis arn full gode, But þat is douȝtiest at nede; We ete þe duke þat died on rode, Þat all deueles in helle drede; Line 308 Forsake ȝoure synnes wrecches wode, Or mete of mercy ȝif ȝou no mede. ¶ God his blood gan schede, His riche ribbes weren rent all rede, Line 312 For mannys love he þoled dede; Now is hys body in forme of brede, To stroye þe prince of pride.

XXIX.

¶ Þe kyng haþ sent foure somouns, Line 316 Est and west in euery ende,

For clerkis with clere corounes, Þe mete of mercy haue in mynde; Þe godspelleres with benysouns, Line 320 To fest þei bid euery freende, As well beggers as barouns; To goddis borde þei bid hem bende ¶ Ihesus holt vp his ende, Line 324 To defende vs with a fowle (egle) in flyȝt, A dere oxe luk haþe diȝt. Mark a lyoun fell in fiȝt, Mathew a man ful kende. Line 328

XXX.

¶ Þe Egle is frikest fowle in flye, Ouer all fowles to wawe hys wenge; In þis ensaumple Iohan say eslye, As he slombrid in slepynge, Line 332 In goddis godhed he say full hyȝe, Þe heyȝtes of hys hyȝe kynge. With-oute any . . . . .

II.

HORAE DE CRUCE.

Hic incipiunt matutine de passione domini nostri ihesu cristi antiphona.

Patris sapiencia ueritas diuina deus [&c.] [folio 50] Versiculus. Adoramus te criste [&c.] DOmine ihesu criste filii dei uini pone passionem [folio 50b] crucem et mortem tuam [&c.] Amen.

Swete ihesu cryst goddis sone of lyue. [folio 51] Þin [folio 51b] passion þin croys þin ded þin wondes five. Beelde us houre sinful soules and þin iugement. Nou and in tyme of ded þat we ne be y-schent. Line 4 [D]eyne to ȝeue my[ȝ]t an[d] grace to hem þat moten lyuen. And to dare reste here sinnes þou for yyue. Mo holi chirche and [folio 52] kyndom loue and pes þou sende. And to vs wreche sinful. lif wyt-outen ende. Line 8 Þat leuest kyng god and man wyt-outin endingge. Fader and sone and holy gost to þulke bl[is]se us bringge.

Ad primam horam. [&c.] [folio 52b] HOra prima dominum ducunt ad pilatum. [&c.] Ado|ramus te. Domine ihesu criste. [folio 61]

At prime ihesus was y-lad pilatus byfore. [folio 61b] Many false witnesse on hym were i bore. Line 12

Line 12 Hiis schines were y beten hiis honden weren y bonden. Hiis face hy gonne on spete lyt of heuene þey fonde.

Ad terciam horam. amen Crucifige clamitant hora terciarum [&c.] Adoramus [te]. Domine ihesu criste. [folio 66] [folio 66b]

At hondren day on wde þe giwes gonne grede. In schorn he was i.-wonden in purpil palle wede. Line 16 On his schulder he bar þe crois to þe piningge

Sicut oculi ancille in manibus domine sue [&c.] [folio 67] Hora sexta ihesus est cruce conclauatus [&c.] Adoramus [te]. Domine ihesu criste filij. [folio 70b] [folio 71]

At midday was ihesus crist y-nailed to þe rode. Bitwixe tweye þeues he hongid for houre gode. For þuurst of stronge pine y-fuld he was wy[þ] galle. [folio 71b] Line 20 Ve holi louird so god y-wrout þer buiȝt houre sinnes alle.

DEus in adiutorium [&c.] Hora nona dominus ihesus expirauit [&c.] Adoramus. Domine ihesu criste filij. [folio 76b] [folio 77]

At none houre louerd crist of þysse lif he wende. He gradde hely þe holi gost to his fader he sende. A knyt wit a kene spere þerlede his syde. Line 24 Þe herye quakede þe sonne bi-com swart þat erer [folio 77b] schon wel wide.

Deus in adiutorium [&c.]. De cruce deponitur hora uespertina fortitudo [&c.] [folio 82] Adoramus te. Domine ihesu criste filij.

At euensong he was i-nome a doun þat dere us hadde ibouȝt. His mytte hys his stregþ^e lotede in heiȝe holi þout. [folio 82b] Swech deþ he under feng hele of alle wo. Line 28 Alas þe croune of worschepe to lowe hy leide þo.

COnuerte nos deus salutaris noster. [&c.]

HOra completorii. datur sepulture corpus [&c.] Ado|ramus [te]. Domine ihesu criste. [folio 89b] [folio 90]

He was y-ȝeue to beryyng ate laste tyde. Cristes body noble hope of liue to byde. In oynt he was wyt aromat holi writ to fulle. Line 32 Ȝoruful meynde of his deþ bee in myne wille. Amen.

DOmine ne in furore tuo [&c.]. [folio 91]

Notes

• The numbers are those of the corresponding stanzas in the text, pp. 131-149, the order being somewhat different.
• [Royal MS. 18 A 10, [folio 126b] ]
• MS. ȝeuyf.
• MS. hande.
• [Mari]a.
• MS. faint.
• ? clerk.
• MS. mainus.
• [Balaam.]
• [Moyses.]
• Circumcisio domini.
• MS. Circimcisio.
• [The rest is lacking.]
• Only the English parts are here given, with the beginnings of the Latin prayers, &c. preceding them.
• [MS Miscell. Liturg. 104. (Bodl. Libr.) temp. Edw. III. or Edw. II. and Isabella (?).]
• [A leaf is wanting here.]
• [Then follows]