Fifteenth Century Prose and Verse

by Unknown

Over this, I believe that, through counsel of this most blessed Trinity (in most convenient time, before ordained), for the salvation of mankind, the second Person of this Trinity was ordained to take the form of Man, that is the Kind of man. And I believe that this second Person, our Lord Jesu Christ was conceived, through the HOLY GHOST, into the womb of the most blessed Virgin Mary without any man's seed. And I believe that after nine months, Christ was born of this most blessed Virgin without any pain or breaking of the closter of her womb, and without filth of her virginity.

And I believe that Christ our Saviour was circumcised in the eighth day after his birth, in fulfilment of the Law; and his name was called Jesus, which was called of the angel before he was conceived in the womb of Mary his mother.

And I believe that Christ, as he was about thirty years old, was baptized in the flood of Jordan of John [the] Baptist, and in likeness of a dove the HOLY GHOST descended there upon him; and a voice was heard from heaven, saying, Thou art my well beloved Son! In Thee, I am full pleased!

And I believe that Christ was moved then by the HOLY GHOST for to go into [the] desert, and there he fasted forty days and forty nights without bodily meat and drink. And I believe that by and by, after his fasting, when the manhood of Christ hungered, the Fiend came to him and tempted him in gluttony, in vainglory, and in covetise: but in all those temptations Christ concluded [confounded] the Fiend and withstood him.

And then, without tarrying, Jesu began to preach, and to say unto the people, Do ye penance! for the Realm of Heaven is now at hand!

And I believe that Christ, in all his time here, lived most holily; and taught the Will of his Father most truly: and I believe that he suffered therefore most wrongfully, greatest reproofs and despisings.

And after this, when Christ would make an end here, of his temporal life, I believe that, in the day next before that he would suffer passion on the morn, in form of bread and wine, he ordained the Sacrament of his flesh and blood, that is his own precious body, and gave it to his Apostles for to eat, commanding them, and by them all their after-comers, that they should do it, in this form that he shewed to them, use themselves and teach and common forth to other men and women this most worshipful holiest Sacrament; in mindfulness of his holiest Living and of his most true Teaching, and of his wilful and patient Suffering of the most painful Passion.

And I believe that thus, Christ our Saviour, after that he had ordained this most worthy Sacrament of his own precious body, he went forth wilfully against his enemies, and he suffered them most patiently to lay their hands most violently upon him, and to bind him, and to lead him forth as a thief, and to scorn and buffet him, and all to blow or [de]file him with their spittings.

Over this, I believe that Christ suffered, most meekly and patiently, his enemies for to ding [beat] out with sharp scourges, the blood that was between his skin and his flesh: yea, without grudging, Christ suffered wicked Jews to crown him with most sharp thorns, and to strike him with a reed. And, after, Christ suffered wicked Jews to draw [lay] him out upon the Cross, and for to nail him there, upon foot and hand; and so, through this pitiful nailing, Christ shed out wilfully, for man's life, the blood that was in his veins: and then, Christ gave wilfully his spirit into the hands or power of his Father. And so, as he would, and when he would, Christ died wilfully, for man's sake, upon the Cross. And notwithstanding that Christ was wilfully, painfully, and most shamefully put to death as to the world, there was left blood and water in his heart, as he before ordained that he would shed out this blood and this water for man's salvation. And therefore he suffered the Jews to make a blind [ignorant] Knight to thrust him into the heart with a spear; and this the blood and water that was in his heart, Christ would shed out for man's love.

And, after this, I believe that Christ was taken down from the Cross, and buried.