The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin

Publication Statement:

This file is part of the facsimile-edition of the Auchinleck Manuscript was co-edited by Professor David Burnley and Dr Alison Wiggins. The HTML versions of the resource are freely available at http://www.nls.uk/auchinleck/

Notes:

This manuscript file was originally supplied as assumpt.html and the header file was located in heads/assumpt_head.html both of which were converted to TEI XML by Dr James Cummings of the Oxford Text Archive. The notes below were taken from the header file and each HTML paragraph placed in a separate note.

Scribe 3

6-line stanzas rhyming aabccb. 756 lines excluding fragments. Begins imperfect (with fragmentary line-ends). Unique stanzaic version, although the material is used in many other manuscript versions.

Edition:
M. Schwarz, `Kleine Publicationen aus der Auchinleck-hs', Englische Studien, 8 (1885): 448-457.

Manual II, 450; 642. Index *75. Suppl. 4119.5.

Source:

The Auchinleck Manuscript (NLS Adv MS 19.2.1) is one of the National Library of Scotland’s greatest treasures. Produced in London in the 1330s, it provides a unique insight into the English language and literature that Chaucer and his generation grew up with and were influenced by. It acquired its name from its first known owner, Lord Auchinleck, who discovered the manuscript in 1740 and donated it to the precursor of the National Library in 1744.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin


Who so bereȝ palm, þe tokne is þis, [f.73ra] [Image]
Þat in clene lif he is;
Þat is to vnderstonde
Hit is tokning of loue,
Þat God him haueȝ wraththe forȝoue,[5]
Þat bereȝ palm on honde.
Þis is þe þridde þing
Þat palm bitokneȝ, wiȝouten lesing:
Whan man had palm inome,
Þat man haueȝ in his riȝt[10]
Þourgh þe vertu of Godes miȝt
Hise enemis ouercome.
Þe ferthe þing is to wite,
Ase Godes clerkes findeȝ iwrite,
No lesing hit ne is:[15]
Þe man þat bereȝ palm aboute,
Alle hise enemis him sschulle doute,
Godes baner hit is.
Þat bitokneȝ, wiȝouten nay,
Þe palm on palmes Sonenday,[20]
Þat man is al aboue;
ȝif a man is clene ishriue
And halt penaunce him is iȝiue,
Þan haueȝ he Godes loue.
ȝif þi palm is riȝt inome,[25]
Þan hauest þou ouercome
Þe fend þourgh flessches fiȝt;
Þanne beȝ þin enemis ouercome,
And here miȝt hem is binome,
And þou bere palm ariȝt.[30]
Forsothe, we here clerkes telle
Alle þe fendes þat beȝ in helle
Beȝ in werre and wrake,
Whan a Cristeneman in londe
Bereȝ trewliche palm on honde[35]
And haueȝ hise sinnes forsake.
And Ihesu and his moder Marie
And alle here swete compaignie [f.73rb] [Image]
Þat beȝ in heuene iset
Beȝ glade whan we beȝ idiȝt[40]
For to beren oure palm ariȝt,
And habben oure sennes bet.
For palm of alle flour is pris
Of rose rode, of flour de lis,
Þat to oure leuedi was sent;[45]
Þat oure leuedi was clene of lif,
Clene maiden and clene wif,
Bitokneȝ verraiment.
And clene virgine ȝhe was also,
Þat is heiere þan þe two:[50]
Wif oþer maidenhede.
For womman mai lese virginite
Wiȝ wille and þout, so mot ic þe,
Wiȝouten flesschlich dede.
But maidenhod mai non bi lorn[55]
Of no womman þat is iborn,
Wiȝouten mannes mone,
Ne no maiden wiȝ childe gon,
Ne neuer ȝite ne dede non,
Saue oure leuedi al one.[60]
ȝe was maiden and virgine
And bar a child wiȝouten pine,
Þat men clepeȝ Ihesus,
Þat in erthe man bicam
And bataille vndernam[65]
Aȝen þe fend for ous.
Þise beȝ þe toknes, wiȝouten lesing,
Whi Ihesu, heuene-king,
Sente here palm into erthe;
For þere nas neuere womman bore,[70]
Neiþer after ne bifore,
Þat was so mochel wurthe.
Oure swete leuedi milde and fre –
Ihered and heghed mote ȝhe be –
ȝhe makeȝ oure blisses newe; [f.73va] [Image] [75]
ȝhe tok þe palm þat God here sente,
And into here chaumbre anon ȝhe wente
And dede on cloþes newe.
Oure swete leuedi, maiden briȝt,
Knelede adoun anonriȝt[80]
And seide here bileue,
And bad a bone to God in heuene,
For hise dereworhte names seuene
Þat no fend sscholde hire greue.
Wel owghte þanne al mankenne,[85]
Þat habben ilein in dedli senne
Boþe dai and nyȝt,
Of þe fend to ben adrad,
Whan ȝhe swich a bone bad
Þat bar þe king of miȝt.[90]
Þo ȝhe hadde bede þat bede,
ȝhe wente anon in þe stede
To sibbe and fremde ek,
And made hem come togedere anon,
And to hem alle made here mon,[95]
And doelfulliche ȝhe spek.
ȝhe saide ‘Ihesu, mi swete sone,
Nelle no lengere ich here wone,
Swich sonde he haueȝ me sent
Bi an aungel þat cam fram heuene[100]
Wiȝ a ful milde steuene,
And aȝen is went.
And ich biseche ȝou par charite
Alle þat hider beȝ comen to me,
Boþe heghe and lowe,[105]
ȝif ich habbe don vnriȝt,
Let me amenden be mi miȝt
And be mi geltes aknowe.’
Alle þat stouden here bi [f.73vb] [Image]
Of þo wordes were sori,[110]
For ȝhe was so hende,
And seide ‘Leuedi, what is þi þowt?
Haue merci on vs and leue vs nowt.
Whi wiltou fram vs wende?
In muchel sorewe and muchel wo[115]
Sschulle we liue whan þou art go,
Boþe dai and niȝt.
Iblessed be þou, swete leuedi,
To vs þou hauest be ful redi
To seruen vs day and niȝt.’[120]
Þous þai saiden alle wiȝ tonge,
Þai wepen sore and honden wronge;
In herte hem was ful wo,
Þe poure þinges þat seke weren,
Þo þai herden wiȝ here heren,[125]
Þat ȝhe wolde go.
Þanne saide oure swete leuedi
To alle þo þat stoden hire bi,
Þat wopen and wrongen
‘Ne wepeȝ nowt. Holde ȝou stille.[130]
Ich mot do mi sones wille.
I ne mai hit nowt wiȝstonde.’
Hire herte armede oure leuedi briȝt
And gan to wepe anonriȝt
For pite þat ȝhe seghȝ.[135]
Þo made þai alle reuliche mone
And bigonne to wepe ech one,
Alle þat stoden hire neghȝ.
Þo kam sone seint Jon
And seghȝ oure leuedi make hire mon[140]
And seide ‘Mi leuedi dere,
Tel me, leuedi milde of mod,
Who haueȝ seid þe ouwt bote god? [f.74ra] [Image]
Whi makest þou swuche chere?’
Marie answerede wiȝ milde steuene[145]
‘John, me kam a sonde fram heuene
Bi an aungel briȝt;
Mi sone, þat bowghte man so dere,
Nelle no lengere þat ich be here –
Iblessed be his miȝt.[150]
Þerfore ich wepe and mai nowt blinne;
For we sschullen parten atwinne,
Min herte armeȝ sore;
And wel fawe ich wolde see
Mi sone – iblessed mote he be –[155]
I ne saughȝ him nowt wel ȝore.’
Þo John herde hou hit was,
He siȝte sore and saide ‘Allas,
Hou goȝ þis worldes winne!
Leuedi, what sschal be mi red?[160]
Certes, nou ich wolde bi ded,
Nou we sschulle parten atwinne.
Mi louerd, þat deide on rode tre,
Into heuene is went fram me,
Þat i ne mai wiȝ him speke,[165]
And þou wult, leuedi, wende me fro?
Allas, allas, what me is wo,
Whi nelle myn herte breke?’
‘John’ quad oure leuedi þo,
‘Þerfore be þou no þing wo,[170]
To heuene ȝif ich am nome.
Ich wille biseche mi sone dere.
Þat þou ne sschalt nowt longe dwellen here;
To me þou sschalt come.’
Þous oure leuedi and saint John[175]
Either to oþer maden here mon,
Als ȝhe stonden ifere. [f.74rb] [Image]
Hou aiþer vpon oþer wep,
Who so tok þerof kep,
Pite hit was to here.[180]
Alle þe apostles weren went to preche,
In diuerse stedes þe poeple to teche,
In bok als ȝhe moun here;
And alle hem cam toknyng
Fram swete Ihesu, heuene-kyng[185]
Þat þere þai comen ifere.
Als God hit wolde for þe nones,
Alle þai comen þider at ones,
Ase manie als þere were,
Sauue seint Thomas of Ynde –[190]
Wo was him, he was bihinde –
He ne was nowt þere.
Anon ase þe apostles seghen,
Seint John wep wiȝ his eghen,
Þai weren amaid alle.[195]
‘John’ quad Peter ‘leue fere,
Whi makst þous foule chere,
What is þe bifalle?’
‘Peter’ quad John ‘iwis,
Formest þou sschalt telle me þis:[200]
Hou be ȝhe hider ilad?
Hou was ȝoure counseil inome,
Þat ȝhe beȝ alle hider icome,
Þat were so wide isprad?’
Peter and hise felawes echon[205]
Answereden seint John,
Ase manie ase þere were;
Þai saiden þai hadde wonder alle
Of þe kas þat was bifalle,
Hou þei comen þere.[210]
‘Nou wolle ich telle’ quad seint John, [f.74va] [Image]
‘Wharfore ich make mi mon
And whi ich wepe so sore:
An aungel cam fram swete Ihesus
And to oure leuedi seide þous:[215]
ȝhe ne sschal ben here nammore.
For no þing þat mai bitide
ȝhe ne mot here no lengere abide
Ne libbe but daies þre.
Swich tiding haueȝ þe aungel brout[220]
Fram him þat al þe werld had wrout –
Iblessed mote he be.
Þerfore ȝhe beȝ hider isent,
To ben at here enterement,
Mi leuedi milde and fre.[225]
Nou mowe ȝhe counforte me in þis kare,
Whan mi leuedi is fram me fare;
Welcome mote ȝe be.’
Þo wiste þai Ihesu sente hem þider,
And wenten forht alle togider[230]
To oure leuedi, and seiden þous:
‘We beȝ at þi comaundement,
Hider to þe ous haueȝ isent
Þi sone swete Ihesus.’
Þanne seide maiden Marie[235]
To Peter and to his compaignie
‘Welcome mote ȝe be.
Iblessed wurht he dai and niȝt,
Mi sone Ihesu ful of miȝt,
Þat sente ȝhou hider to me.[240]
And ich biseche ȝhou for his loue,
Mi sone þat sit vs alle aboue
Þat hider ȝou had isent,
Ne leteȝ no Iwes ful of enuye
Do mi bodi no vilainye, [f.74vb] [Image] [245]
Whan þe soule is went.’
Þo oure leuedi þous hadde iseid,
In a bed ȝhe was ileid
And held hire þere ful stille;
Alle þe apostles seten hire bi[250]
And lokeden oure swete leuedi,
To abide Godes wille.
Alle fillen aslepe echone,
Sauue oure swete leuedi alone.
No slep wiȝ here þer nas;[255]
Drede of deȝ was in here þout,
Þerfore ȝhe ne slep nowt,
And no wonder hit nas.
Of deȝ ȝhe moste ben adrad;
God þat on þe rode was sprad,[260]
Als telleȝ þe profetie,
Aȝens deȝ þat was to come,
Er he was wiȝ Jues nome,
He was afered to die.
Holi writ telleȝ þous,[265]
Þat oure louerd, swete Ihesus,
Þat is so milde of mod,
For al his power and his miȝt
Of deȝ he was so sore afriȝt,
Þat he swatte blod.[270]
Þerfore Ihesu, ful of miȝt,
Sente adoun an aungel briȝt
To his moder þer ȝe lai;
For he wiste wel þourgh his miȝt, [ he: MS ȝhe.]
Þat ȝhe wolde ben afriȝt[275]
Aȝen here deȝdai.
Þe aungle liȝt doun bi here bed
And saide ‘Marie, be nowt adred
Of deht, þat is neghȝ, [f.75ra] [Image]
For nowt þat þou sschalt here se.[280]
Þous sente þi sone word bi me,
In heuene þat sit on heghȝ.’
Quad oure leuedi milde and fre
‘Iblessed mote mi sone be,
Þat me þat sonde sente.’[285]
And þe aungel þat was so briȝt
Tok his leue anon ariȝt
And into heuene wente.
Aȝhens oure leuedi sscholde bi ded,
Al þe erthe quok for dred[290]
And after cam a þonder;
But oure leuedi dradde nowt,
For tiding þat þe aungel had browt
Of al þat grete wonder.
Sone after þat anon[295]
Þe apostles woken euerichon;
Þanne seide oure leuedi briȝt
‘Mi time comeȝ þat i sschal fare
Into blisse out of þis kare.
Wakeȝ a litel whiȝt.[300]
Bi toknes þat ich habbe iherd and sein,
On slepe while ȝhe habben lein,
Iich wot mi deȝ is neghȝ.
Iheried and heighed mot he worthe,
Swich tokne mi sone sente nouþe[305]
Out of heuene on hegh.’
Boþe niȝt and eke dai
Oure leuedi in here chaumbre lai,
To bide here sones wille;
And þe apostles were ful hende,[310]
Nolde neuer on fram here wende,
But helden hem þere al stille.
Ihesu, þat þolede deȝ on tre, [f.75rb] [Image]
For to maken vs alle fre,
Vpon gode Fridai,[315]
A compaignie wiȝ him he nam,
And to his swete moder he cam
In chaumbre þer ȝe lai.
Þo swete Ihesu ful of miȝte
Was comen wiȝ his angles briȝte.[320]
Þanne seide oure leuedi fre
‘Sone, blessed be þat stounde,
Þat ich ȝede wiȝ þe ibounde,
And welcome mote þou be.’
‘Moder’ quad swet Ihesu þo,[325]
‘Wiȝ me to heuene þou most go
Wiȝ al þis compaignie,
And wone þere wiȝouten ende
In þe blisse þat haueȝ non ende,
But formest þou most die.’[330]
Þanne seide oure leuedi Marie
‘Leue sone, let me nowt die,
Ich beseche þe.
Leue sone, for mi loue
Let mi deȝ be forȝoue.[335]
ȝif hit mai so be.’
‘Leue moder’ quad swete Ihesus,
‘For sothe, hit mot nede be þous,
Þi deȝ maist þou nowt fle,
For al þat liueȝ, al sschal die,[340]
Oþer elles, moder, ich moste lie,
And þat ne mai nowt be.’
‘Sone’ quad oure leuedi þo,
‘Ase þou wult, ich wille also;
But ich biseche þe,[345]
Let me neuere be so afriȝt,
Of þe fend to habbe no siȝt, [f.75va] [Image]
For þe loue of me.’
‘Moder’ quad Ihesu ‘ne doute þe nowt,
Hit ne cam neuer in mi þout,[350]
Þat þou sscholdest habben a siȝt
Of no fend, ȝif ich mai,
But joie and murthe þat lesteȝ ay,
Boþe dai and niȝt.’
Oure swete leuedi was glad þerfore[355]
And blessed þe time, þat he was bore
And in hire bodi liȝte;
And mildeliche, wiȝouten pine,
Anon ȝe deide, þat swete virgine,
Þat bar þe king of miȝt.[360]
And as hit telleȝ in þe bok,
Þe soule out of here bodi he tok,
Ihesu ful of miȝte,
And wiȝ murthe of aungeles steuene
Hit was ibore to þe blisse of heuene,[365]
Þere alle murthes be diȝte.
Þo þe soule of maide Marie
Wiȝ al þat faire compaignie
To heuene was iwent,
Alle þe apostles þat þere were[370]
Leiden þe bodi vppon a bere
Þourgh Godes comaundement.
Þanne seide Ihesu anon
‘Peter, tak þine felawes echon,
And nimeȝ vp þe bere,[375]
And ȝe sschulle finde a redi pahtȝ
Into þe val of Josephahtȝ,
And burieȝ mi moder þere.
And a palm þat ich here sente
Bi an aungel þat to here wente, [f.75vb] [Image] [380]
To warn here ȝe sscholde die,
John, þat palm þou sschalt bere,
Mi moderes bodi for to were
Fram Iwes ful of enuye.’
Þo Ihesu þous hadde iseid,[385]
Þe bodi þat on þe bere was leid,
Þere hit lai al stille;
Ihesu ȝaf hit his blessing
And steghȝ to heuene þer he was king,
As hit was his wille.[390]
Wel oughte we þat ben in erthe,
Were þai neuere so litel wurthe,
For to worsschipen louerd oure,
Whan swete Ihesu ful of miȝt
Cam into erthe fram heuene-liȝt,[395]
His moder for to onoure.
And whoso nelle nowt be war,
To honoure þe moder þat him bar,
And his fader at nede,
Swete Ihesu, heuene-kyng,[400]
Haueȝ graunted hem luther ending
And sschort life to mede.
And whoso honureȝ be his miȝt
His fader and his moder ariȝt,
Als he sscholde do,[405]
He sschal habbe ate byginning
Long lif and god endyng
And heuene-blisse þerto.
Þo Ihesu was to heuene went
And þe soule þider was sent,[410]
Þanne seide seint John
‘Ga we don as God vs het,
Ga we forhtȝ vpon oure fet [f.76ra] [Image]
Wiȝ þis cors anon.’
Foure apostles þat þar were.[415]
Token vp anon þe bere,
Þei nolde no lengere dwelle;
Þei wenten þourghhout þe toun
Wiȝ a fair processioun
Amang þo Iwes felle.[420]
Þe Iwes þat weren Godes fon
Herden þe apostles singen echon
And senten for to enquere
Of þe noise þat þai herde,
Wuche manere hit ferde,[425]
And wat noise hit were.
Men tolde þe Iwes ful of enuie
Þat hit was houre leuedi Marie
Þat was boren þourgh þe toun
To buriing, richeliche idiȝt[430]
And wiȝ mani torches liȝt,
Wiȝ fair processioun.
Þan seide þe Iwes – ful mote hem falle –
‘Þis is a gret despit wihtalle,
Þat ani man sschal here.[435]
Marie, þat bar þat foule traitour,
Sschal be bore wiȝ swich honur
Among vs alle here.
Ga we don hem sschame inow
And caste þe bere amiddes þe slow.’[440]
And anonriȝt
A Jw laide hond vpon þe bare,
And al fast he cleuede þare
Þourgh vertu of Godes miȝt.
Oþer þat comen to don hire sschame,[445]
Wexen boþe blinde and lame – [f.76rb] [Image]
Foule mote hem falle.
Blessed be þe king of miȝt,
Þat so sauede his moder riȝt
Amang þe Jwes alle.[450]
Þe apostles hadde god game.
Þat þai ȝede so to sschame,
Al was here plei.
Þei nere no þing agaste,
But songen euere iliche faste[455]
And wenten forht here way.
Þe Jw þat cleuede vpon þe bere,
Knew Peter, þat was þere,
And seide wiȝinne a stonde
‘Bid þi lord þat is so hende[460]
Deliure me vt of þis bende
Þat ich am inne ibounde.’
Peter answerede þo
To him þat was ibounden so
And in sorewe browt[465]
‘Þat Ihesu, mi louerd, is ful of miȝt,
Nou þou miȝt se bi siȝt,
Þat þi bileue nis nowt.’
ȝif þou wilt bileue þis,
Þat Ihesu almiȝti is,[470]
Þat deide vpon þe tre,
Is Ihesu þat oure leuedi bar,
Ich wille bidden him, als i dar,
Habbe mercy on þe.’
Þe Jw þat hangede on þe bere[475]
Amang alle þat þere were
Turnede anon his þought
And seide ‘Ich bileue þis,
Þat Ihesu almiȝti is, [f.76va] [Image]
And al þe werld made of nowt,[480]
And was boren of Marie,
And for þe poeple wolde die,
For me and oþer mo;
And bidde him, ȝif his wille be,
Þat he habbe pite of me[485]
And bringe me vt of wo.’
Anonri[ȝ]t in þat stede
Swete Ihesus herde his bede
And liured him of bondes;
And he held hise hondes vpri[ȝ]t[490]
And þonked Ihesu ful of miȝt
Alle hise swete sondes.
Alle þe Jwes þat þere were
On him þat hangede on þe bere,
In weie þer he ȝede, [495] [ he: MS ȝe.]
Spatten on him anonriȝt,
For he leuede on Godes miȝt,
And he ne tok non hede.
Peter bad him gon and preche,
And þat he sscholde þe Jwes teche,[500]
Which was Godes miȝt;
And he wente and was ful glad
To do þat seinte Peter bad,
And bileued ariȝt.
His bileue was trist and god,[505]
And ful wel he vnderstod,
Who browte him out of wo,
And prechede þat er þe þridde dai
He made leuen on Godes lay
An hondred Jwes and mo.[510]
Lete we nou þis miracle be
And of oure leuedi telle we
And of þe apostles echon,
Hou þai wenten bi a pahtȝ
Into þe val of Josephahtȝ[515]
An[d] buriede oure leuedi anon.
Þo oure leuedi was buried þere, [f.76vb] [Image]
Alle þe apostles þat þere were
To þe cite þai ȝede;
And in þai wenten anon,[520]
And were ful sori euerichon,
To murthe ȝhe toke non hede.
For er ȝhe passe(n)den fram þe ston,
Þer cam to hem an aungel anon
In þilke selue stede[525]
And bad hem wende forht to preche
And þe poeple for to teche,
Als ȝhe ere dede.
Litel mete þat dai ȝhe eten,
But at þe mete longe þai seten[530]
And maden mourninde chere;
Euerich to oþer made his mone,
Þat oure leuedi was fram hem gone,
Þat was hem lef and dere.
While ȝhe seten in þat place,[535]
Swete Ihesu ful of grace
Kam þilke selue dai
Wiȝ cumpaignie of aungeles briȝte,
And into Josephahtȝ he liȝte,
Þere oure leuedi lai.[540]
Iblessed be hise names seuene.
He browte here soule vt of heuene
Into erthe amang mankenne;
Ihesu, as hit was his wille,
Wente to þe bodi al stille[545]
And putte þe soule þerinne.
Þous swete Ihesus wis of red
Suffred his moder to be ded,
To fulfulle þe profecie,
For in þe bok hit is told,[550]
Þat al þe world, ȝong and hold,
Al þat liueȝ, sschal die.
Þerfore Ihesu ful of miȝt
Brouwte here soule fram heue[ne] liȝt
Whiȝ murthe of aungles steuene; [f.77ra] [Image] [555]
And soule and bodi and flessch and bon
ȝhe was boren vp anon
Into þe blisse of heuene.
Þough a man miȝte dwelle,
Þer nis no man þat mai telle[560]
Þe ioie in heuene was diȝt
Aȝenes oure leuedi briȝt and sschene,
And þere ȝhe was corouned qwene
Wiȝ Ihesu ful of miȝt.
On of þe apostles þer was,[565]
Þat was ihoten seint Thomas
And was boren in Hynde,
Kam to þe buriingward
And brak his felawes foreward –
He was to longe bihinde.[570]
And bi þe weie als he ȝhede
To Josephahtȝ, Thomas tok hede,
And wiȝ is eghen he seghȝ
Oure swete leuedi, seinte Marie,
Wiȝ Ihesu and his compaignie,[575]
To heuene where ȝhe steghȝ.
Seint Thomas was agast anon
Of hise felawes echon,
For he nas nowt þare;
He was asschamed, seint Thomas,[580]
And ful sori þerfore he was
And in muchele care.
‘Swete leuedi’ quad seint Thomas,
‘At þi buriing nowt i nas,
As ich sscholde habbe be;[585]
Þat ich bodiliche telle mai,
Þat ich saugh þe here todai,
Som tokne send þou me.
But þou sende me som tokning,
Mine felawes wille leue no þing,[590]
Þat ich saugh þe here.
Help me, leuedi, leue lif,
Leste þer wexe bitwene vs strif,
Whan we comen ifere.’
Oure leuedi – blessed mote ȝhe be. [f.77rb] [Image] [595]
Of Thomas hadde gret pite,
In kare þat was ibounde;
Þe gerdel of hire middel smal,
Nowt a gobet þerof but al,
ȝhe let falle to grounde.[600]
And Thomas was war of þat,
Vpon knowes þere he sat,
And þe gurdel he tok;
And oure leuedi steghȝ,
And nammore of hire he ne seghȝ,[605]
As witnesseȝ holi bok.
Seint Thomas ne reste neuere on gronde,
Her he hadde hise felawes founden,
Þer þei seten on rowe;
And anon as ȝhe were mette,[610]
Wiȝ feire wordes he hem grette
And mekede him to hem lowe.
Þe god apostel, seint John,
He spak to Thomas anon,
Þo he tok of him hede,[615]
And seide to him ‘Thomas of Hinde,
Euere more þou art bihinde.
Where were þou at þis nede?’
Þous þe apostel, seint John,
Blamede seint Thomas anon[620]
For he nas nowt þere,
And echon þat euer þer was,
Alle blamede seint Thomas,
Ase manie als þer were.
Thomas of Hinde stod al stille[625]
And let hem habben al here wille
And seggen al here þout;
‘Felawes’ quad Thomas ‘so mot ich þe.
I saugh oure [leuedi] latter þan ȝhe,
Þerfore ne chideȝ me nowt.’[630]
‘Thomas, Thomas’ quad seint John,
‘We laiden hire in a þrough of ston,
And þere we here lete.
Which manere miȝt hit be
Þat þou here seghe latter þan we? [f.77va] [Image] [635]
We ne dede seththen but ete.’
‘Felawes’ quad Thomas þo,
‘Forsothe, ȝhe is þenne igo
And went ellesware.
Iich warne ȝhe wel, so mot ich þriue,[640]
Þough ȝhe highen neuere so bliue,
ȝhe ne sschulle nowt finde hire þare.’
‘Þous þou ferdest’ quad Peter þo,
‘Þo swete Ihesus was ago
And risen þourgh his miȝt:[645]
Er þou haddest þiself ifounde
Wiȝ þin hond his bitter wonde,
Þou noldest nowt leuen hit riȝt.’
‘Peter’ quad Thomas ‘so mot ich þe,
Ich leue miself bet þan þe;[650]
Ich knowe oure leuedi ful wel.
Wiȝ boþe myn eghen ich hit seghȝ.
Into heuene where ȝhe steghȝ,
Boþe fle[s]ch and fel.
And ich or trowede in mi þought,[655]
Þat ȝe nolden leue me nowt,
And ich bad hire a bone:
ȝhe sscholde sende me som toknyngh,
Þat ich was toward here burying.
And ȝhe graunted me sone.[660]
Þer i sat vpon mi kne,
Leuedi, blessed mote ȝhe be,
Flour of wommen alle,
Þe gerdel þat ȝhe werede in herthe –
Ihered and heghed mote ȝhe werthe –[665]
Bifore me ȝhe let falle.
And ȝif ȝhe nelleȝ nowt leue me,
Here ȝhe sschulleȝ sone ise,
I ne segge nowt amis.
Þe gerdel þat ȝhe werede hereselue[670]
ȝhe sente tokne to ȝou twelue,
And, lo, here hit is.’
Þo seint John þe gerdel seghȝ,
He held vp boþe honden on heghȝ
And knelede adoun ful lowe, [f.77vb] [Image] [675]
And kuste þe gerdel anonriȝt,
Þo he hadde þeroffe a siȝt,
And seide ‘þis gerdel ich knowe.
Mi god felawes’ quad seint John,
‘In Josephaht in þe ston,[680]
Boþe were buried ifere;
Þo þe þrough was ischut,
Þe gerdel was aboute here knut.
Hou hit euere kam here?
I rede we wenden and enquere[685]
Wheþer þe swete bodi be þere
Þat bar swete Ihesus,
Oþer ȝhe is out of monument
Irisen and to heuene went,
Als Thomas telleȝ vs.[690]
Wende we þider alle twelue
And se we þe sothe oure selue.
Þanne mowe we be ful bold.
ȝif ȝhe nis nowt in þe ston,
Þanne hit is lesing non,[695]
Þat Thomas haueȝ vs told.’
Alle twelue were at on
And wenten to þe þrough of ston
Þere oure leuedi was leid.
No þing in þe ston þer nas.[700]
Þo wiste þai wel þat soht hit was
Þat Thomas hadde iseid.
‘Lo! felawes’ quad Thomas þo,
‘Þe swete bodi is ago
Þat hider was ibrowt;[705]
For ȝe nolde nowt leue me,
Nou ȝe mowen ȝoureseluen se
Þat ich ne gabbed nowt.’
Þo wenten alle þe apostles anon,
Alle abouten þe ston[710]
And knouledyn adoun,
To honoure þer þe bodi lai;
Al an houre of a dai
Þei leien in oreisoun.
And anon Ihesu Crist [f.78ra] [Image] [715]
Sente a swithe gret mist
Aboute þe apostles twelue.
And echon in diuerse stede,
To prechen, ase þai here deden,
Was boren bi himselue.[720]
Alle were awondred in here þowt,
Hou sone ȝhe were atwinne ibrowt,
And no wonder hit nas;
But swete Ihesu ful of miȝt,
Þat made boþe dai and niȝt,[725]
Ase he wolde, also hit was.
Iblessed be he, swete Ihesus,
Þat swich a loue had kud vs
Þour[gh] his mochel miȝt,
To crownen a womman of oure kinde[730]
Qwene in heuene – habbeȝ hit in minde,
And serueȝ God ariȝt.
A gret loue he kudde vs anoþer:
He bicam in erthe oure broþer,
And oure fader he is[735]
And bowte vs out of seruage
And ȝaf ous to oure heritage
Heuenriches blis.
Wel owte we be blithe of mod:
Heuene is oure þourgh kinde of blod,[740]
Oure and oure childre;
Swete Ihesu deide þerfore
And bowte hit þo hit was lore
Þourgh trespas of oure eldre.
He were a fol þat miȝte chese[745]
And wolde þat heritage lese
For loue of worldes winne.
Ech man, ase forht as he mai,
Þenk vpon domesdai
And sschome dedli sinne.[750]
Nou habbe ȝe herd þe resoun
Of þe swete assumpsioun
Of oure leuedi hende.
Ihesu, þat is here swete sone,
ȝiue ous grace for to wone[755]
In ioie þat neuere schal ende.