(57)
¶ "Whi woldist þou, lord, be slayn for me,
Þat am þin enemy moost vnhende?
Siþen no man haþ more charite,
Þan deeþ to suffre for his freende,
Line 496
What skile is þou schuldist só slayn be,
Siþen y made þee þral to þe feend?
I trespaside, lord; whi smoot þou not me?
Now, blessid be þou wiþ-outen eende!
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(58)
¶ "I se weel, lord, þat þou louest us [page 212]
For oure profite, & not for þine;
For what were þou þee werse, ihesus,
þouȝ alle we weren in eendelees peyne.
Line 504
Alas, whi ben we so vi[ci]ouse,
And so vnkyndeli from þee declynne
þat oure god art so gracïous,
And so looþ art, mannis soule to tyne?
Line 508
(59)
¶ "But, sweete lord, as þou hast bigunne,
So lete þi mercy forþ extende:
Putte þi crosse & þi passioun
Bitweene my werkis worþi to be brende,
Line 512
And þi doom þat y may not schounne,
Þat þe boondis of helle come me not hende.
Who but þe fadir schoulde helpe þe sonne?
Merciful ihesu, y wole amende."
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(60)
(Christ's Eighth Complaint.)
"MAn, if þou wolt my mercy gete [God.]
Þoruȝ my passioun of myche vertu,
Whi leuest þou not of me to bete?
Eche day on crosse þou doist me newe
Line 520
With deedli synne, at morn, at meete, [page 213]
As a turmentour to me vntrewe,
And nameli, with þin oþis greete,
To swerë þou wolt not eschewe.
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