poynte than anone gan she To loke on hym that was so fayr to see And his feturis consideryd by and by And in her armes wonder womanly She took hym vp prayed hym be stylle As of moderis is playnly the manere And he in al obeyeth to hir wylle Though he were yoÌ„ge gan to chaunge his cherâ— And with hâ—r kerchyeâ— she made his eyen clere On his chekys in al that euer she may Ful moderly the trerys wypte awaye How in four maner of wyses cryst was circumcisid capitulo lxj and like of alquyn as it is deuysid That crist Ihesu who so list to see In foure maners was trewly circumcisid Fyrst of his fader at his natyuyte With the knyf of wylful pouerte And now this day whiche is not feyned Eke wyth a knyf by the lawe ordeyned The thyrd maner ye may eke consyder How with the knyf of grete aduersite That he was kyt first whan he cam hyder Takyng for vs oure humanyte And alther last with ful cruelte For vs he suffrid circumcision Vpon the crosse duryng his passyon How crist suffryd circumcision in his chosen peple capitulo lxij eKe in four maner who so can take hede Cryst in is chosen by good Inspeccion Here in this world withouten ony drede Of newe he suffrid circumcision The first is made by false detraccion That kytteth aweye bothe frende and fame And the shynyng of her goode name The second is by false tyrannye Of suche that haue no conscience at alle But taketh aweye by cursid robberyâ— Vnrightfully her goodes temporalle And the thyrd sothely is most mortallâ— Of heretykes that falsely dysobeye To holy chirche to our fayth vareye The fourth is made by effusion of bloode Of tyrauntes that the body sleeth Whan they of malice ageyn the fayth stoode To execute her venym vp by deeth To make marters to yelde vp the breeth Whom crist Ihesu eternally in glorye Ordayned hath a palme of victorye Eke fyue tymes cryst in his manhede Shad his blood by effusion And alther first whan he dyd blede Vpon the day of circumcision And next in soth tofore his passyon Vpon the hylle for anguysshe whan he swette The rede blood whiche al his body wette The thyrd tyme his blood most vertuous Gan renne out by many a cruel wounde Whan that he was this kyng most gracious Of the Iewes to a pyler bounde The fourth tyme eke as it is founde He spent his blood for our alther good Whan he was naylyd hygh vpon the rood And alther last whan longeus a fere Thorugh his herte playnly as I fynde On caluere hym percyd with a spere That blood water as bookes make mynde Gan streme doun to his eyen blynde By whos vertu anone this paynym knyght Onely of gâ—â—ce recouerd hath his sight And in bookes eke as it is tolde How the pyâ—ce of his Incision Was by an aungel in an vrne of golde To charks brought in a vysion And be anone of grete affeccion Of this myracle for the excellence Made hit be kept for grete reuerence And at Aâ—on but yf bookes lye Ful many yere by reuolucion In a chirche sothely of marye But clerkys haue an opynyon That the day of resurrexyon Whan cryst Ihesu rose from deth to lyue The same pyâ—ce retorned as blyue To the place where that it cam fro Sythen that it was sothely as I fynde Of his manhode parteynyng therto And a party longyng to his kynde Though hit be so that bookes make mynde That in rome it is yet preseruyd And yere by yere whan this feste is seruyd In a chirche whiche men of custome calle Sancta sanctorum of olde foundacion The same day there the prestys alle Solemâ—nely make a stacion Whan al the peple goon on processyon Fully in hâ—pe better for to spede From yere to yere there they synge rede And ferthermore the storye doth deuyse The same day right forthwyth anone In the temple as they hym circumcise He namyd was Ihe of echone The which name longe or that agone Was of the aungel tolde sayd afore To his moder or that he were bore How the peple of god that our Iosue had in gouernaunce weren sauyd by the stedfast beleue of the name of Ihesus capitulo lxiij aNd to reherce the grete worthynesse Of this name whiche may not be described My wyttes ben so dulle with rudenesse And in the chayne of ygnoraunce guyded That I alas of konnyng am depryâ—ed Thorow lacke of wytte in ony maner wyse To vnderfonge so passyng hygh empryse For this is the name who so can discerne Most excellent and most of dygnyte The name of namys sacrid from eterne As sayth bernard who so list to see Fygurid first vnto Iosue Thorugh his knyghthode whan he shold lede The peple of god to saue hem in her nede For this is the name that hertis most desyre For therin is so passyng swetenesse For it may best hem with grace enspyre And with plente of al goodely rychesse It is comforte socoure in sekenesse Refuyte also reste and remedye To al tho that felen maladye Ayenst langour the best medecyne In al this world that o where may be founde For this name is so heuenly and deuyne That hertes seke hit doth with he le habounde It curith soris it heâ—ith euery wounde And sauyth man fro many a swerde spere Where euer they ryden in londe ferre oâ— nere It is first writen in the book of lyf For worthyest and moste of reuerence And it is eke best preseruatyf Ageyn the assent of the vyolence Of wicked eyre to voyde pestelence And from the deth hem that playnen sore Of his vertu to helthe it doth restore It is also sothfast sauacion To al that be in pouerte and in nede It is deffence it is proteccion In eche parille in euery drede It is also the guerdon and the mede In them that ben in exyle of oultrage Repeyre fynal of hir pylgrymage This is the welle with the foure stremys Wherof writeth bernard in his sentence That thorugh the world refresshith al royames It is so holsom of suche excellence The first be callyth the streme of sapyence Of whiche the flood most Inly is habounde And rightwysnesse he namyth the secounde And the thyrd be callyth holynesse For hit excellyth in perfeccion The fourth also as I can expresse Is the flode of our redempcion And of the first in conclusion Of whiche the stremes ben so fressh and fyne Who so loketh a right is hoole our doctryne And of his right to make mencion The holsom welle euer doth flowe flete With mercy medlid and remyssyon Tofore his dome his yre for to lete And of the thyrd the water is so swete By good ensaumple who so can dyscerne In vertu ay how we shullen vs gouerne And of the fourth to speke in specialle Is al our helthe and sauacion For therin is our remedy fynall Ageynst deth and ful proteccion
they that be mortal foone By the helpe of the to accorde in to one And also lorde as holy writte can telle That of thy pees there may none ende be And eke thy pees doth euety wyght excelle And art thy self of very duete Callyd the prynce of pees and vnyte And yet byhotest wretchis to releue That is mankynde shal neuâ—r fro hem meue And Ioob recordeth the holsomest fruyte Of al thys world spryngeth out of pees Now lord sithen I am maad to be refuyte And to the wooful comfort and encrees Graunte of thy grace now a ful relees That I and mercy may the â—oon confounde Of thylke caytyf that lyeth in pryson bounde So that he may haue lyberte To goo at large and haue remyssyon Of this thraldom and captyuyte And be delyuerd out of this pryson So that there may be made redempsion For his seruage and fynal paye Lord of thy mercy without more delaye And whan they had her mater ful purposid Mercy and pees with ful hygh sentence Touchyng man with synne so enclosid The Iuge gaf benygne audyence And whan he had kept long scilence For al the skilles to hym that they layde Yet at the last to hem thus he sayde How god the fader of heuyn answerd to mercy and pees capitulo xiij Myn owne doughter next to myn alye Though your request come of tendyr herte Ye must consyder with a prudent eye Of rightwysnes it may not me asterte Lyke your axyng by fauour to aduerte Vnto the cause that ye represent But right and trouth fully wold assente Withouten whom I may not procede To execute ony maner Iugement Wherfore let calle hyr in this grete nede For I mote worche by hir auysement And when they weren come and present Than trouth anone touchyng this matere Sayd opynly that al myghten here Yf hit so be this man that trespaced Ne be not dede for his Inyquyte Though vtterly the fraunchesse is defaced Bothe of my suster rightwysnes and me And fynally our bothe lyberte Goeth vnto nought of our Iurisdiccion But he be punysshed for his transgressyon The word of god that playnly may not erre Tolde hym afore withouten ony drede The grete parelle of this mortal warre Etyng the appyl that he must be dede But he of slouth took therto none hede Wherfore he must as right lust prouyde Withouten mercy the dome of deth abyde And though that pees be of pyte meuyd Man to delyuer with a zeel of routh Rightwysnes wold than be agreuyd With me to consente that am callyd trouthe And as me semyth it were to grete a slouthe Dome or cause plee or ony sute Withouten vs tweyne to be execute Me semyth eke my suster pees doth wronge To foster a man holde agaynst vs twayne That hath ben conuersaunt so longe Amonge vs discorde to restrayne Therfore quod pees now wyl I not fayne To doo myn offyce right to modefye That she of rygour cause hym not to dye Than quod right of necessyte Hit must folowe though he were my brother That he must deye by dome of equyte Or in his name mote be dede soÌ„me other So of my shyppe guyed is the rother That ne may erre for wawe ner for wynâ—e More than the anker of trouth wyl me bynde Certes quod mercy so it not dysplese Vnto your noble and wyse prouydence His deth to you may be lityl ese For holy writte rehercith in sentence Yf you consydere in your aduertence That deth of synners the hygh god to quenâ—e Is werst of dethis yf ye of right list demâ— For synful blood is no sacrefyse To god aboue that euery thyng may sene Than must ye the deth of one deuyse That is of synne Innocent and clene And is I trowe vnder the sonne shene Thorow the world to reherce al mankynde It were ful hard suche one for to fynde For rust wyth rust may not scouryd be Ne foule wyth fylth may be purefyed But who is soylâ—d with dyshoneste To wasshe another it is not aplyed Blacke vnto white may not be dyed Ne blood enfect wyth corrupcion To god for synne is none oblacion Fygure herof ye may beholde and see As the byble makyth mencion How that a lambe of spotte fylthe fere Somtyme was take by eleccion And offryd vp in satisfaccion To god for synne for to signefye Who shold for mannys raunsom dye Must be clene pure and Innocent Right as a lambe from euery spotte blame And trewly vnder the firmamente There was none suche sithen adam dyd atame The frute to ete for eyther halte or lame In souerayn vertu is al the kynde of man Wherfore qd mercy the best rede that I can That pees my sister cese this discorde And al the stryf that is vs bytwene And that we praye our Iuge myghty lord To this mater benygnely to seen And of his grace to shape suche a mene For trouth right so prudently ordeygne That pees ne I haue no cause to pleyne And this request is nought agaynst right Ne vnto trouth playnly none offence Yf that our Iuge of his grete myght Ordeyne so in his prouydence To scare aweye thorow his sapyence That trouth and right be not displesid Thorow pees me though man be holpe easid How the fader of heuyn accordyd the foure systren capitulo xiiij aNd whan that she by reson had fyned That groundyd was playnly vpon skylle The hygh Iuge by mercy is enclyned To condescende of grace to hir wylle And in suche wyse her axyng to fulfille That right be seruyd trouthe not dysmayed That pees she shullen eke be wel apayed And by sentence anone diffynyt yf The Iuge sayd for conclusion In Innocent pure and clene of lyf Shal mekely dye to paye the raunson For mannys gylt and transgressyon And he so frely shal the deth abeye In al his payne that he no word shal seye And thus shal right in al maner thynge Haue hir desyre and trouth shal not fayle But agreably in theyr worchyng To execute fully to stynte this bataylâ— And for that pees in moche may auayle And mercy eke shal not be agreuyd Hir broder axyng also shal be achyeuyd To fynde a man that shal vndertake This myghty quarel of mercy and pyte To suffre deth onely for mannys sake Vncompellyd frely and of volunte That is a lamle withouten spotte shal be And with his blood shal wesshe vndefouled The gylt of man with rust of synne y mouled How his sone shold take mankynde capitulo xv bVt for to wete of what stocke be shal spryng Of what kynrede and of what estate My sothfast word eternally lyuyng Myn owne sone with me Increaâ—e Shal doun be sent to be Incarnate And wrappe hym self in the mortal kynde Of man for loue so that he may fynde A clene grounde his palayce vnto bylde In al the erthe neither of lyme ne stone But in a mayde debonayr and mylde The humble doughter of Iuda and syon And vnto
maner to hym they vnfolde From poynt to poynt as mathew maketh mynde Redith his gospel and there ye shal hit fynde How kyng herode sent for the thre kynges capitulo lxx aNd than herode gan the kynges calle And of this mater entrid pryuely And coriously how that it was falle He gan enquere axyd besyly And of the sterre also by and by He axyd hem and in wordes fewe How what wyse it gan first shewe And whan they had tolde hym euery delâ— They departed out of his presence But first he â—ade hem to enquere Of the childe with al her dylygence And whan they had doon hym reuerence He charged hem vnder wordes fayre Homwardes by hym al gates to repayre To yeue hym clerely Informacion Of her exploite of the chylde also Surely affermyng by false collucion That he hym self wold sone after goo Vnto the chylde and his deuoyr do To worshyp hym al vnder coloures As the worme or serpent vnder floures Daâ—â—th ful ofte kepith hym couertly Of kyâ—de malice tyl they a tyme see To shede her venym than sodaynly Al attones whan they vnwarest be They styngen and shewyn her cruelte And her venym vnder floures fayre Ful ofte is hyd tyl they may appayre Right so thou serpent ful of Inyquyte False tygre ful of doublenesse Vnder fayr colour of humylite Thy venym darith also thy falsenesse O thou tyraunt o rote of cursidnesse Thou herode of malice most mortalle What wenyst thou hym that knoweth al To dysseyue with thy slyly wyle What can suger vnder galle fayne What wenyst thou the kynges to begyle And of malice brynge hem in a trayne Of whos comyng though that thou dysdayne It may not helpe playnly ne â—ayle For of thy purpoos playnly thou shalt fayle For by grace they shullen in quyeâ—â— Maugre thy myght al the daunger passe For though that thou with wordes hony swete Malyciously vpon her deth compasse They shullen scape despyte of thy face For al the coniecte of thy prynces wyse As the story shal anoue deuyse And so wtth venym in his herte y loke He yaue hem leue passe thorugh his reme In her repayre hym castyng to â—e wroke Yf they retorne ageyn by Iherusaleme And so the sterre hem brought to bethleme And lyne right the chyldes hede aboue Where as he laye stylle gan to houe Of the ioye that the kynges had when they found cryst capitulo lxxij bVt who the ioye coude telle or endyte Or with his mowthe the myrthe expresse Or who can playnly with his penne write The grete blysse or the gladnesse Whiche they made in sothfastnesse After her iourney her longe weye Aboue the how 's whan they the sterre seye That gan to hem clerely certefye Without more the chyldes dwellyng place And they anone fast gan hem hye With lusty herte glad of chere and faâ—â— To alyght doun in a lytyl space They made hem redy with reuerence They entryn in came in to presence Where as the chylde most worthy of degree Was with marye in an oxes stalle And humbly the kynges al thre Forth they went toward the stalle And brought her tresoure her yeftes alle As reuerently as they coude deuyse And hym presented in al her best wyse Lyke as her astate eueriche after other Makyng theyr present with al humylite Lyke her age as brother after other Gold franke myrre they yaue hym al thre After custome of perce and caldee For of that londe whan kynges present make The custome is suche yeftes for to take And this was doon with foyson and plentee In veray soth and grete habundaunce For in her present was no scarsete For of richesse they had al suffysaunce Wherfore they cast with deuoute obeysaunce Of due right with the chylde to parte Of her tresoure or that they departe And for golde is payed for tribute As hit is founde of antyquyte Therfore the kynges for a maner sute That they hym ought of veray dewte They brought hym golde out of her contree And yaue it hym withouten repentaunce Hooly of herte for a recognysaunce And franke also as clerkis can deuyse Ordeyned is in conclusion To god onely to make sacrefyse With contrite herte and deuocion Therfore to hym for oblacion They brought franke to signefye than That he was bothe sothfast god and man And for they wold in al thyng obeye To his hyghnes with al her besy cure In token he shold for mankynde deye They brought myrre to his sepulture For like a man deth he most endure And with his blood shed in his passyon For our trespace for to make redempcion In franke also who that can disserne Is vnderstonde the hygh mageste Of his power whiche that is eterne And eke also his hygh deyte The gold betokeneth his hygh dygnyte And myrre declareth vnto vs at alle Of his manhode that he was mortalle And golde betokeneth of loue the feruence That he to man had of affeccion And franke betokeneth the souerayn excellence In holynesse his conuersacion And myrre betokeneth the tribulacion That he suffrid and al the grete penaunce For vs in erthe by contynuaunce In gold he was knowe as a kynge In franke a preest who so can take hede Of myrre also this day the offerynge Was longyng onely to his manhede And thus he was withouten ony drede Bothe kyng preest as I discryue can And for our sake in erthe a mortal man In golde also most glorious metalle Fygurid was his hygh deytee In franke also that is so cordyalle The sowle also of cryst most parfyte of degree And myrre betokeneth thorow his dygnyte His flessh the whiche by disposicion May neuer suffre no corrupcion And of thise yeftes passyng reuerente Ful of mysterye heuenly pryuyte And whan they had made theyr presente Vnto the chylde ay sittyng on hir knee And with grete auyse they began beholde see Tofore that they remoue from that place His godely chere his fayr face Consyderyng his feturis by and by With grete Insight and humble entencion And ay the more they loke besely The more they thynke in her Inspeccion And thoughten alwey as in her reason Though kynde god hath sette in one fygure The beaute hooly of euery creature It myght not in sothenes â—euen ben liche To his fayrnes neyther peregall For he that is aboue nature riche Hath made this chyld fayrest in speciall For in his face they be holden alle The hole beaute fayrnesse eke also Of heuen erthe to gyder bothe two Wherfore no wonder though they hem delyte Most passyngly vpon hym to see For they in herte reioycen hem not alyte On hym to looke that they haue lyberte For ay the more playnly that they be In his presence the parfyâ—e hote fyre Of hertely ioye hem brent in desyre And of one thyng good hede they took How that the chyld demurely cast his sight Toward hem godely gan to loke