Þe Emperour nom þis swete Rode· and al a fote him beer;
Þat folk suwede him wiþ gret pres· gret Ioye and blisse was þer,
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Anon þer com so swete a smul· as þei hit from heuene were,
Þat al hit smulde wiþ gret Ioye· þat in þe cuntre weren þere;
¶ Þe Emperour bar þis swete crois· in-to þe temple an heih,
He gon singe þis newe song· bi-foren alle þat weore þer neih:
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"ÞE Crois briȝtore to þis world· þen Alle þe sterres beo,
Þou art to honoure of alle men· and muche to loue of alle treo;
Holiore þou art þen al þat is· for þou one worþiore were,
Þat þou þe tresor of al þis world· al one vppe þe bere;
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Þow swete treo· þat bere on þe· þe swete Nayles also,
Þe swete burþene· of Godus sone· þat on þe was i-do,
Saue nou al þis cumpanye· þat i-gederet her is,
And here to-day to-gedere i-brouht· in þin heryinge i|wis":
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¶ Þis song soong þe Emperour· þat wel is vnderstonde,
For ȝit me hit singeþ in holichirche· whon me bereþ þat crois an honde;
Al þat folk honurede ek· þat Crois· so feire so heo mihten do,
Wiþ offringes· and wiþ song· and wiþ oþure melodyes also;
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¶ Þis was þe holi Rode day· þat in Septembre is
Þerfore me honoureþ in holichirche· þulke day ȝit i-wis:
