Jussit Jhesus discipulos suos ascen∣dere (Math. 14, 22-33).
Jhesu, vppon a tyme he bad
his disciplus, as þei weore stad,
Go vp a luytel schip into,
ffrom þat tempest (!) to passe so,
whil he lafte (þat) pepul strong [ 5]
whuche he was þer among.
Soone he lafte þe folk þer stille
And wente him-self vp to an hulle;
To preye, þider was he gon.
Euen com, he was þer al-on. [ 10]
þat luitel schip a-middes was
Of þat séé in þat cas,
þe schip was hogely I-þrowe
wiþ grete flodus heiȝe and lowe:
fforsoþe, þe wynd was risen heiȝ, [ 15]
Contrarie to al þe cumpany.
þe ffeorþe vre of þat niht
Jhesu com to hem ful riht,
wondurliche to hem com he:
Goinge abouen vppon þe se. [ 20]
whon þei him seiȝe wiþ-oute lesynge
So vppon þe séé goynge,
Aferd þei weore, sikerli,
And seiden hit nas but fantasi.
And for puire fere and drede [ 25]
Alle þei criede anon god spede.
Jhesu com, hem to saue,
And seide: "feiþ loke ȝe haue:
I hit am, witeþ hit wel,
þerfore doute ȝe neuer a del." [ 30]
Petur onswerde sone anon,
þus to seiȝe he bigon:
"Mi lord god, ȝif þou beo he,
Let me come on þeos watres to þe."
Jhesu seide in þat stede: [ 35]
"Cum on nou, as þou hast bede.
Petur of þat schip went doun
And eode vppon þe watres broun;
ffor to go was his entent
To Jhesu, þer he was present. [ 40]
he sayh þe wynt hoge anon,
ffor fere he miht no forþur gon:
whon he bigon forte droune,
he cried wiþ a loud soune:
"Lor", he seide, "mak me saf". [ 45]
And Jhesus sone his hond him ȝaf
And vp anon he him tok,
As witnesseþ holy Bok.
"Whi", he seide, "artou in doute,
Luitel of ffeiþ al aboute?" [ 50]
Whon Jhesus wente, as was his wille,
vp in to þat schip ful stille,
Anon sesed þat hoge wynde
And com aȝeyn in to his kynde.
þei þat in þe schip were, [ 55]
Come and worschiped him in-fere,
Seiȝinge al wiþ o cri:
"þou art godus sone on hiȝ."
þis is þe strengþe of vre gospel,
As Mon in Englisch tonge mai tel. [ 60]
Crist, þat euere is so hende,
In to þe schip he made hem wende,
whil he laft þat pepul al,
þat wiþ him was, gret and smal,
And went vp so In to þe hulle [ 65]
ffor to preye al his fulle.
þe goode gospeller Jon
Declareþ openly her anon:
Jhesus alle þing wel kneuh
Of his owne grete vertu: [ 70]
whon he þat Noumbur of pepul
hedde I-fed wel and ful
wiþ so luytel biginnyng,
To hem hit was a gret wondring;
þei come, and chese him þei wolde [ 75]
ffor to beo heore kyng bolde:
And he from þat profre fleyh,
And so in to þe hul he steih.
here ensaumple may we take
worldly worschupe to forsake. [ 80]
whil crist in þat hul abod,
þe schip a-midde þe séé rod,
þe wynt wox þo contrarious,
þe séé aros anon ful crous;
þo þat in þe schip were, [ 85]
In poynt were to perissche in-fere.
So longe as þei Jhesu hedde left,
So longe laste þe tempest,
As heore schip (wolde) to-breke
And neuer a pece wiþ oþur steke. [ 90]
þis is to mene, as we rede,
þe trauayl of þe disciples dede.
þe Rouwyng in Contrariusnesse
Of þeose wyndes more and lesse
Bitokneþ diuers trauayle [ 95]
Of holi churche, wiþ-outen fayle,
whuche þat þe Apostles goode
hedden among þe worldus flode.
Ofte þei wente þe blastes among
Of vnclene spiritus, ful of wrong; [ 100]
Bisiliche þei trauaylede heer
men to bringe to heuene cler [102 Ms. hem st. men.]
And to þe feiþ hem to redresse
Of euer-lastynge rihtwysnesse.