Hymns to the Virgin & Christ, the Parliament of devils, and other religious poems.

Se what oure Lord Suffride for oure Sake.

[Pages 117-120, written without breaks.]

BOthe ȝonge & oolde, wheþir ȝe be, in cristis name good cheer ȝe make, and liftiþ up ȝoure hertis, & se What oure lord suffride for oure sake. Line 4 as meeke as ony lombe was he, ensaumple of him weel mowe we take, & to suffre also in oure degre, & in his seruice euere to wake. Line 8

And if oure freendis forsake us heere so þat we be left al aloone, Þinke on ihesus þat bouȝt us dere, & to him make we al oure moone; Line 12 ¶ For of þat lord weel may we leere What wrong he suffride among hise foon; Whanne hise disciplis fledden for feer, Þer bood no mo but marie & iohne. Line 16

If ony wrong to us be wrouȝt, Be it in word eiþer in dede, Be of good hope ȝit in þi þouȝt How god may us helpe alle at neede, [page 118] Line 20 And þinke we how ihesus crist us bouȝt, & for oure synnis hise blood wolde blede; for his owne gilt was it nouȝt, for he dide neuere synful dede. Line 24

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¶ If wickid men do us defame, þinke how crist was bouȝt & solde; to suffre for him is no schame, but him to serue loke we be boold. Line 28 And if men hurte us in oure name, We must forȝeue, boþe ȝonge & olde, For þouȝ we suffre myche blame, crist suffride moore a þousand foold. Line 32

And of pouert þouȝ we wolde playne, for þat we wanten worldli good, Þinke we on ihesu, þat lord souereyn, how pore he heng upon þe roode, Line 36 ¶ And how he stryued not ageyn, but euere was meeke & mylde of mood. to folewe þat lord we schulden be fayn, in what degre þat euere we stood. Line 40

& þouȝ we haue sorowe on ech side, & al aboute wrong & woo, Ȝit suffre meekeli, & a-bide, And þinke on ihesu þat suffride also, [page 119] Line 44 and how he was in ful greet drede, Vnto hise peynis whanne he schulde go; he suffride moore in hise manhede Þan euere dide man, or euere schal do. Line 48

¶ Þouȝ we with wrong to deeþ be brouȝt, ȝit suffraunce is a sikir way For þe loue of ihesu þat us dere bouȝt & deide for us on good friday; Line 52 Wherfore us þinkiþ in oure þouȝt Þat we oure lord schulde please & pay, And we to sette þis world at nouȝt, And suffre we wickid men to say. Line 56

In ihesu crist was meekenes moost, And þerfore he þe maistrie hadde,

And boond þe feend for al his boost Þat he was neuere so sore adradde. Line 60 ¶ Al aȝens his wil & al his oost Adam & eue with him he ladde, And many moo out of þat coost þat weren in prisoun ful hard bistadde. Line 64

And if þou in ihesu haue delite, Þouȝ al þe world do þee assaile, Do aftir þis, & þou schalt wite Þat meekenes [page 120] Wole þee moost availe; Line 68 For who þat suffriþ heere dispite, And meekeli a-bidiþ in þat bataile, it wole turne hem to greet profite & eendlees ioie for her trauaile. Line 72

¶ If ony man do to us a mys, Or wole in ony wise to us offende, for þe loue of ihesu haue mynde on þis, & lete meekenes þi mood ameende Line 76 wiþ ihesu crist, as oon of his, And suffre meekeli what god wole sende, þanne schal we be with him in blis þat euereschal laste wiþouten eende. [["How mankinde dooþ bigynne," pp. 58-78 of this Text, follows here.]] Line 80

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