sweete birthens, saue this present cumpanie gaderid to gidere now this dai in to thi preisingis. ["O crux splendidior cunctis astris, mundo celebris, hominibus multum amabilis, sanctior univer|sis! quæ sola fuisti digna portare talentum mundi: dulce lignum, dulces clavos, dulcia ferens pon|dera! salva præsentem catervam in tuis hodie laudibus congrega|tam."—Id. It occurs also in the Roman Breviary, May 3.] In which speche is open ynouȝ that to the creature is preied forto do what he may not do, but what oonli God mai do. Wherfore the ije. premisse in the xiije. argu|ment is trewe.
Also in the anteme Crux fidelis et cætera, which is sungun at the ije. euensong in the Feeste of the Crossis Hiȝing, it is seid in lijk wise thus: O sweete stok, bering sweete nailis and bering sweete birthens, (that is to seie, the bodi of Crist and hise parties,) be thou to us a ward aȝens the dartis of the enemy: [This hymn occurs in the Salis|bury Breviary, Sept. 14, but the last and most important part is not found in it, nor in Mone's Lat. Hymn., vol. i. p. 131. It begins thus:"Crux fidelis, inter omnesArbor una nobilis,Nulla silva talem profertFronde, flore, germine;Dulce lignum, dulces clavos,Dulce pondus sustinens."
In another hymn, however, be|ginning "O lignum venerabile," (Mone, l. c. p. 138,) we have:"Contra Satanæ jaculumSis mihi, crux, obstaculum."
] which speche can not be dressid treuli saue to a creature, and for that he is a creature; and ȝit of the same creature it is askid, that he do what he mai not do, and what oonli God mai do. And so eftsoone the seid ije. premysse is schewid to be trewe.
Also in the prose clepid a sequence, [Beginning "Laudes crucis at|tollamus."] which is sun|gun in the Feeste of the Crossis Hiȝing, aftir that manye spechis there ben mad to the cros, it is seid toward the eende in a vers therof thus: O Cristen medicyn, saue thou hool men, and hele thou sike men! And what mannis myȝte mai not, be it doon
