And this couenant betwix vs sal be made ful fast."
Then the fend him to the dede as for his prison toke,
And choked on the godhede as fisch dos on the hoke.
¶ Of cristes passion.
BEhald now the passion of cristes manhede,
Line 605
How he gaf al him-self to socour the at nede,
Both body & saul, & his lymes alle
Lete punysch for the, when that thou was thrall.
Line 608
[609-624 added.] Thre & thirty ȝere for the, to bye thi forfete,
He suffred cold, hungur & thrist, & trauail wonder grete.
Befor that he for synne of man til his passion ȝode,
He prayed so hertly til his fader that he swette blode.
He was tane as a thef, & bounden wonder fast,
Line 613
& bette with hard knotty stringes whil thei wold last;
ffro the croun of the hed to the fote-sole
No pece of his skyn myȝt be founden hole.
Line 616
ffete & hande were drawen out & nayled to the tre,
As straitly, for more penaunce, as euer thai myȝt be;
He was lifted vpon hegh & leten doun so fast
That all the vaynes & the synnues in his body brast.
All that blissed body stremed doun of blode,
Line 621
ffor to wasch synne—ther was a noble flode!
His saule [was] ful drery agayn the deyng,
To make asseth for thi saule wikked likyng.
Line 624
The sharpe croun of thornes crouned him so fast
That the sharpnes of thaim in to the brayn brast,
And then he henged doun his heued with mekel meknes,
ffor to make asseth for mannes proudnes. [al. Fr.]
Line 628
His eghen wex fade & dym & lost al thaire myȝt,
ffor to make asseth alway for synne of mannes siȝt.
His eres hard fals reproues with gret scornyng,
ffor to make asseth fully for synne of oure hering.
Line 632
His neys smelled of the Iewes snot & foul spitting
That thei cast vpon his face to blode & sweting:
This suffrance of ihesu crist that lord is of al thing
May make asseth for all synne of oure smelling.
Line 636
Bitter aisel and galle, when he was thristy, [folio 11]
Drank he, to make fully asseth for mannes glotony.
