fol. 192r Tractatus quidam

LouerdCrist, ich the grete; Thu art so mylde and swete. From heovene, Louerd, thu hider come, And of the swete mayde thu fleys nome;line5 And hw hit ferde, mon may esche: Thi goddede wes ihud in fleysse; Of the mayde thu were ibore God and mon, so wel icore; Tho thu hire to come, heo mayde wes,line10 And mayde heo wes after, wemmeles.

Jhesu, ich the grete, as ich er seyde. Thu were ibore, Louerd, of the swete mayde; Thu undervenge al ure wowe Withute sunne, that riht wule knowe.line15 As other childre, thu eodest and speke; Hunger and thurst thu tholedest eke. Buhsum and poure thu were, iwis; Forbysne thu us yeve, and nouht amys.

Jhesu, ich the grete, Cryst Louerd min,line20 That for us tholedest so swithe muchel pyn. Wunderliche, thurh wacche and fast Thi swete lychome thu teonedestfol. 192v God to donne and uvel to byleve; Ful gode vorbysne thu us yeve.line25 No more luve ne may mon cheosen Thane deth to tholyen for other to alesen.

Jhesu, ich the grete, that were thar harde ibunde — With scurges thu tholedest mony blodi wunde; Bivore the hethene men thu stode,line30 Naked and bylaved myd blode; Buffetes thu tholedest inowe; Bispat thu were, and al myd wowe; Mid on red mantel thu were byweved; Crune of thornes thu hevedest on heued.line35 Ne myhte the mixes tho wurse the don Bute, among theoves, on rode anhon. Al thu tholdest for ure sake — Al the seorewe that heo the myhte make!

Jhesu Crist, that so luvedest mon,line40 Ich the grete al so ich best con, That tholedest that thi swete lich Of hethene todreved wes sullych: Ithurled weren myd nayles threo Honden and fet, faste to the treo;line45 That cold iren thu tholedest in thi syde, Of the spere kene to thin heorte glyde. As thu tholedest theos fyf wunde, Of seorewe and sunne wite us myd isunde.

Jhesu, ich the grete, and that is wel ryht,line50 And tharto to don bothe mayn and myht For the muchel tholeburnesse That thu schawedest monkunne tho thu tholedest deth, After alle the pyne, that the runnen a blode, Tholedest, Louerd Crist, that me the dude on rode.fol. 193r Hwoso hit ileveth myd gode wille,line56 Ne may nouht the Feond his saule aspille.

Jhesu, ich the grete so wysslych As thu deth tholedest myldelich. Ich the bidde, Louerd, thurh the ilke rodeline60 Thar thu myd blodie wunde stode, On thine werkes, so my lif leade, And so do by thine rede, That my saule habbe lysse, That myn ende come to eche blysse. Amen.

fol. 192r Another treatise

Lord Christ, I greet you; You are so mild and sweet. From heaven, Lord, you’ve come here, And of the blessed maid you took flesh;line5 And how it went, men may witness: Your godhead was concealed in flesh; Of the maid you were born God and man, so well chosen; When you entered her, she was a maid,line10 And a maid she was after, unstained.

Jesus, I greet you, as I said before. You were born, Lord, of the blessed maid; You took on all our woe Without sin, as is truly affirmed.line15 Like other children, you walked and spoke; Hunger and thirst you also suffered. Humble and poor you were, indeed; An example you gave to us, nothing amiss.

Jesus, I greet you, Christ my Lord,line20 Who for us suffered such intense pain. Incredibly, by staying awake and fasting You mortified your precious body fol. 192v To perform good and forsake evil; A fine example you gave to us.line25 No greater love may one choose Than to suffer death to redeem another.

Jesus, I greet you, who were tightly bound — With scourges you suffered many bloody wounds; Before heathen men you stood,line30 Naked and washed with streams of blood; You suffered buffets to an extreme; You were spat upon, surrounded in misery; In a red mantle you were clothed; A crown of thorns you had on head.line35 The filthy scum couldn’t treat you any worse Than hang you, among thieves, on a cross. You suffered everything for our sake — Every sorrow they could inflict on you!

Jesus Christ, who so loved mankind,line40 You I greet as best I can, Who suffered such that your precious body Was tormented horrifically by heathens: Pierced through with three nails Were hands and feet, fastened to the tree;line45 That cold iron stabbed you in your side, From the sharp spear entering your heart. Just as you suffered these five wounds, Keep us bodily whole against sorrow and sin.

Jesus, I greet you, as is very fitting,line50 And to that end exert both strength and might Because of the profound submissiveness That you showed mankind when suffering death, After all the pain, streaking you with blood, That you suffered, Lord Christ, when they crucified you.fol. 193r Whoever sincerely believes it,line56 The Fiend may not destroy his soul.

Jesus, I greet you as certainly As you suffered death mildly. I pray to you, Lord, by the very crossline60 That you endured with bloody wounds, By your works, so lead my life, And do so by your counsel, That my soul may have comfort, That my end may achieve every bliss. Amen.