[leaf 49 a.]
The prolog in-to the laste boke.
(258)
Osunne off grace, that fro the heuynly trone
Line 1779
Descendyst in-to this world! alle off thi benygnyte,
Line 1780
Becomyng man, alle thise errourys to fordone;
Line 1781
The qwyche illumynyst synderesys off mannys sensualyte;
Line 1782
Namyd be ryght oryens sol iustycye;
Line 1783
Incomprehensybyl thi wysdam and domys be fynally,
Line 1783
That doyst and fordoyst, dysposyng alle to that ys necessary;
Line 1784
(259)
The bemys off thi wysdam yeuyng to thi chylder dere;
Line 1785
Withdrawyng them, qwere that may noght schyne,
Line 1786
As fro the hertys off them that worldely wyse appere;
Line 1787
That eke off thi inffynyte godenes fully to fyne
Line 1788
The thralle bond off adamyrgyk thi mageste bydyst enclyne,
Line 1789
In seruisabyl forme apperyng, vs to geyn by
Line 1790
Sofferyng the most schamffull deth vp-on the cros woldst dye.
Line 1791
(260)
And that the world schuld knowe the to be sauyd endelesly,
Line 1792
Wondyrrys thow wroutyst meruulusly in oure nature,
Line 1793
Alle sekenes releuyng; and yit more wonderffully
Line 1794
Ded bodyis makyng to lyue, that yche creature
Line 1795
Schuld wurchyp the for god with hert pure ;
Line 1796
And to thi trw seruaunts yeuyng power, more specyally,
Line 1797
For strenght off thi doctryne to reyse many a ded body.
Line 1798
(261)
Qwerffore, O eternal god! alle wurchyp and preysyng be to the
Line 1799
Off heuynly, erthly, and eke inffernall;
Line 1800
And yche creature in hys nature, bothe on erth and in see,
Line 1801
Qwedyr yt lyuyth with spyryte or grennes, in generalle;
Line 1802
And eke alle thi handywerkys, bothe gret and smale,
Line 1803
Myght yeue the preysyng; and I now off thi hynes
Line 1804
Beseche the vp this story to redres.
Line 1805