Bot for mekylle of þe here ofte in dowte [þe = þo?]
Line 25
Of þe precius blode þat in Hayles is, [is aus es corr.]
To knaw how it was broght abowte,
Take hede & rede owre þis, [Ms. hete st. hede. owre = over, wie 35.]
Þat owre holy fadyr, pope Vrbane þe ferth,
Made & ordan to af in mynde
Line 30
For þis holy blode þat here es in herth —
How? ȝe salle þe trewthe þere fynde.
Bot for latyn endytyng cumburus is
For dyuerce pylgrymes þat may not dwelle, [Dieser Vers ist durchstrichen v. a. H.]
Rede owre þat here in ynglys es,
Line 35
For playnely þis þe trewthe wyll telle.
Fyrst at þe pope I wylle be-gynne,
To schew hys story wyt-owtyn fayle,
And aftyre how Erylle Edmunde gunne it wynne
And broght it to þe abbay of Hayle;
Line 40
Prayyng alle þe reders for godys sake
Þat þis lettyre be not refusede,
And, if any worde be mys-take,
My reclenes ȝe af excusyde. — [l. reclesnes.]
Here begyns þe popes story.
Line 45
In þe tyme of Cristes passyon
Emong þe Iues þat were so sory
Was a Iue as of þer nacyone, [Dieser Jude ist Joseph v. Arimathia, dessen Namen der Dichter verschweigt]
Bot of þer perfyte he was not so, [Ms. perfyte = perfidy od. st. perversite verschr.]
Wylk þe dede can aftyr schew;
Line 50
He was enspyred wyt god also,
And, thofe he spak bot wordys few,
Hys hart was on hym bothe day & nyght:
And I sulde þe sothe telle,
Þat sawyd hym fra þat fowle wyght
Line 55
Þat men calles þe dewelle of helle —
For as saynt Paule in hys boke can telle:
"Of all nacyons he þat werkys godys wylle, [a. R.: In omni gente quicunque fecerit voluntatem dei e. c.]
He es accepte wyt hym to dwelle
In hewen & þer to abyde stylle".
Line 60
Þis Iue, þat I spake of be-fore,
Wyls oure lorde hang opon þe cros,
To þe body he come rynnyg sore,
Bot wyt þe mowthe he made no noys;
Sum of þat swete blode to af he toght, [toght = thoght.]
Line 65
Ware-fore he myght af hym in mynde:
A wessyll þer-fore wyt hym he broght.
Þer-in full fare he gane it wynde —
As Ysaie þe prophete says in hys spelle:
How he sulde blode draw drope-mele [a. R.: Sanguinem sensim et guttatim hauriet de fontibus e. c.]
Line 70
Rennyg owte of oure saueours welle,
& kepe it for cristyn mennes hele.
Where-fore þe Iues of mys-beleue
Wyt-outen þe cete made a howse of stone;
For he sulde þam no more grewe,
Line 75
To preson þer þai pute hym o-none,
Þer to abyde perpetually,
And þis holy blode to be hys fode;
Þe dore þai stoppyd full sekyrly,
And went away, as (þai) were wode. [þai fehlt im Ms.]
Line 80
Þer-in he was two & fowrty ȝere
Aftyr oure lorde dyed opon þe tre,
Wyt þat blode fayre & clere,
Þat hym sustened wele in euere degre. [euere = euery (vgl. Herre 185).]
To þe tyme þat god wyld wengement take
Line 85
Opon þe Iues, þat were so proude:
Where-fore þe Emperours of Rome gan wake,
Þai seget Jehrusalem all-abowte:
Whylke were called Tytus and Vaspa|siane,
Þat in þer tyme þai gouernyd þe empyre.
Line 90
In þat sege þai slo many a mane
And stroyd þe cete wyt stre(n)gh & yre — [Ms. stregh.]
As god prophesyd in hys gospell:
"Þi enmys sal a-bowte þe gone [a. R.: Circumdabunt te inimici tui vallo et coangustabunt te.]
& sal dystroy bothe flesche & fell
Line 95
& leue no howse nor stone opo stone". [opo st. opon.]
