Companion to the English prose works of Richard Rolle : a selection / from the edition by Carl Horstman.

Contemplacion before Matynes.

BI-fforen Matynes, þow schalt þenken enterliche þe tyme, þe stude, and þe houre whonne god was born. Þe tyme was in [mid-]wynter, whon hit was caldest. Þe houre was at Midniht, þe hardeste houre þat is. Þe stude was in-middes þe wey; in an hous wiþ-outen walles I-wounden in cloutes and bounden wiþ a lyste, bi-foren an Oxe and an Asse was [he] leid in a Cracche, for þei hedde non oþer place. Þou schalt þenken of þe bisynesse þat Marie hedde of hire child; of Ioseph, hire spouse, þou schalt þenken, hou þat he hedde gret Ioye. Þenk of þe schepherdes deuocion, and of þe swete cumpaygnye of þe Angeles: and hef vp þin herte and synge wiþ heom Gloria in excelsis deo. / Of þe passion, þou schalt þenken how þat tyme of þe niht he was bi-trayet of his disciple, and taken as a traytor, and bounden as a þef, and lad as a feloun. And þenk how he proferede him-self to his enemys, and custe him þat trayede him, and callede him his frende; and how he defendede his disciples to drawen eny wepne, and how he helede þe Ere of his enemy. And how his disciples flowen for fere and laften him one wiþ his enemys. And hou þei bounden him and ladden him bifore Anne, and þere he was examynet & boffeted; and for he

onswerde not after heore wille, he was lad bi-foren Caiphas; and þer forsok seynt Peter him þrie.