Medieval Bestiary : Encyclopedia : Speculum Humanae Salvationis

Texts : Speculum Humanae Salvationis

Excerpts from the Latin and Middle English Versions

The Latin text is from Jules Lutz, Paul Perdrizet, Speculum Humanae Salvationis. The Middle English text is from Alfred Henry Huth, The miroure of mans saluacionne.

Chapter 2: Noah releases a raven and a dove from the ark

Latin

Eramus enim inimici Dei et perpetuo carceri adjudicati,
Sed per suam misericordiam sumus misericorditer liberati:
Oportebat enim nos omnes carcerem inlcrni ingredi.
De quo non poteramus alieujus adjutorio eripi.
Tandem Pater misericordiarum et Deus totius consolationis
Clementer respexit statum nostrae damnationis
Et decrevit nos per semet ipsum Iiberare,
Super quo placuit sibi signum nobis per olivam dare.
Quam columba inclusis in arcam deferebat,
Quod misericordiam Dei futuram inclusis in limho praetendebat,
Quae non solum hiis qui erant in arca promittebatur,
Sed et toti mundo signum salutis in oliva dabatur.

Middle English

ffor we were gods Enemys / dampned perpetuelly
And he has vs delyvred / be his innoumbrable mercy
There myght noman eschu / til entre helles prisonne
ffro whilk fortil eschape / suffized no mans resonne
To whills god of mercy / and of comfort at alle
Of his benigne grace / behelde oure forsaide falle
And thoght vs to delyvre / be his sonne god olyve
Gyving hire of takenyng / be a braunche of olyve
Broght to folk be a dowue / in Noe shippe encloos
ffor sawles fro helles Lymbe / shuld passe maugre thaire foos
And thus noght to thenclosed / in Archa Noe oonely
Bot als til all this werld / takenyd that olyve mercy

Chapter 9: Lions surround the throne of king Solomon

Latin

Thronus veri Salomonis est Beatissima Virgo Maria,
In quo residebat Jesus Christus, vera Sophia.
Thronus iste factus erat de nobilissimo thesauro,
De ebore videlicet candido et fulvus nimis auro.
Ebur propter sui candorem et frigiditatem
Designat virginalem munditiam et castitatem.
Ebur antiquum capit colorem rubeum
Sic antiqua et longa castitas reputatur martyrium.
Aurum, quia in valore suo praecellit omne metallum,
Significat caritatem, quae mater est omnium virtutum.
Maria ergo dicitur eburnea propter virginalem castitatem
Et auro vestita propter perfectissimam caritatem.
Et pulchrt virginitati conjungitur caritas,
Quia sine caritate coram Deo nihil reputatur virginitas;
Et sicut fur non timet lampadem nisi ardentem,
Sic diabolus non timet virginem caritatem non habentem.
Thronus Salomonis super sex gradus erat exaltatus,
Et Maria superexcellit beatorum sex status:
Superexcellit enim statum patriarcharum, prophetarum et apostolorum,
Statum quoque martyrum, confessorum atque virginum.
Vel sex gradus Salomonis thronus habebat,
Quia post sex aetates mundi Maria nata erat.
Duodecim leoneuli super sex gradus thronum exornabant,
Quia duodecim apostoli Mariae tanquam reginae coeli ministrabant.
Vel duodecim leoneuli thronum decoraverunt,
Quia duodecim patriarchae progenitores Mariae exstiterunt.
Duos leones magjios thronus habebat,
Quia duas tabulas praeceptorum Maria corde et ope retinebat.
Summitas ipsius throni erat rotunda,
Quia Maria erat sine angulo sordium et tota munda.
Duae manus sedile hinc inde tenebant,
Quia Pater et Spiritus Sanctus a matre Filii nunquam recedebant.
Hic est thronus quem verus rex Salomon sibi ipsi fecerat.
Et in universis regnis mundi opus tale non erat.

Middle English

The Throne of Salomon verray / is the blissed mayden marye
In whilk satt Jhesus crist / eterne verray Sophie
This reuerent Throne was made / of alle there ffynest trezore
That is of fynest gold / and aldere whittest yvore
The yvore for his candoure / and his coldnesse witt ?e
Takenes virgenele clennesse / of hevenysh chaystytee
Yvore a red coloure / takes vpp when it is olde
Right so longe chastitee / ffor martirdome is tolde
And for golde in valoure / passes euery metalle
It takenes charitee / the modere of virtues alle
Thus marie is cald yvoire / for virginele chastitee
And ouer cledde alle with golde / for perfitest charite
Lord gudely to maydenhede / conioignes charitee
With out whilk pleses nothing / to god virginitee
ffor als the vnbrynnyng laumpe / a thef dredes nothing
No mare the devil maydenhode / charitee in it failling
Salomones Throne was with / sex greces exaltate
And marie superexcellis / of all seints the state
Of patriarkes and Prophetes / and Posteles Dignitee
Of martirs and confessoures / and virgines in Degree
Or Salomones throne had greces / sex als I saide toforne
ffor after the sex eages / of the warlde was marie borne
Twelve leonnceux ouer sex greces / Salomones throne exourned
And marie als hevens qwhene / the twelue Aposteles anourned
Or twelue Leonnceux of the throne / whare notable Embelissours
ffor yt the patriarks twelve / ware maries progenitours
And two grete lyonns the throne / of king Salomon vp bare
Two tables of the commandements / dowbly in oure lady sawle ware
Two handes stablisshid the throne / one on othere parte
ffor the fadere and the haly gast / fro marie shalle neure departe
This throne verray Salomon / made til hym self so clene
Yt neure in no kynges aght / was swilk ane oyr werke sene

Chapter 13a: Daniel kills a dragon without using weapons

Latin

Ibidem etiam quidam draco in spelunca latitabat,
Quem tota gens illa tanquam deum aestimabat
Et statutis horis sacerdos suus cibum suum sibi offerebat,
Quem ille gratanter accipiens, semper ibi permanebat.
Daniel autem massam de pice et adipe et pilis confecit,
Et de licentia regis eam in os draconis projecit.
Quam cum comedisset, statim est ruptus,
Et sie uterque devorator per Danielem est destruetus.
Daniel ergo, qui istos voratores et gulosos annihilavit,
Christum, qui tentationem gulae vicit, praefiguravit.

Middle English

In a caverne also / lay there a grete dragon
Wham alle that landes folk / held god and thare mahon
And certein tymes the prest / gaf mete the dragon tille
The whilk yr of was gladde / and in the cave dwelt ay stille
Daniel a masse of pikke / and grees mellid with hare
Kest in the dragons mouthe / be the kinges leve & thare
Thilk feend swalowing the lompe / anone he alle to brast
And thus slewe Daniel bothe / thes gluttons at the last
Now Daniel whilk this two gulows / deuouratours wyried
Crist yt the tempting ouercome / of glutterie prefigured

Chapter 13b: David kills a bear and a lion

Latin

Christus diabolum in tentatione avaritiae superavit
Hoc etiam David in nece leonis et ursi praefiguravit.
Leo et ursus convenienter avaritiam figurabant,
Quia auferendo sibi ovem suam, rapinam perpetrabant.
David autem ovem suam eripiens, raptores interfecit,
Et Christus, superata tentatione avaritiae, Satanam a se dejecit.

Middle English

And crist ouercome the feend / in his auarousTemptacionne
This ffigured Dauid sleyng / a bere and a lyonne
ffor thas two beestis betakened / auarice nowe takes kepe
In thaire gredy ravynne / reving Dauid his shepe
Dauid rescoving his shepe / the bere and lyonne slewe
And this thredde fanding ouercomen / crist than the feend ouerthrewe

Chapter 24a: Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a tree sheltering many animals

Latin

Rex Nabuchodonosor per somnium arborem magnam videbat,
Quae in coelum se extendens, ramos per mundum extendebat;
Haec arbor ipsum regem Nabuchodonosor designabat,
Sed mystice Christum regem in mundum futurum praefigurabat.
Cujus potestas super omnes coelos exaltatur
Et per totum orbem super omnes potestates mundi dilatatur.
Omnes bestiae et volucres in ea morabantur,
Et omnes de fructibus ejus vescebantur et nutriebantur.
Per hoc satis convenienter innuebatur,
Quod omnis creatura per gratiam Christi sustentatur.
Et ecce angelus adveniens, jussit arborem succidi.
Per quod figurabatur quod Christus debuit crucifigi,
Dixitque quod omnes rami ejus essent amputandi,
Innuens quod omnes apostoli a Christo essent separandi;
Addidit etiam omnia folia arboris esse excutienda,
Innuens omnia Christi documenta a Judaeis esse contemnenda;
Adjecit insuper quod omnes fruetus arboris deberent dispergi,
Innuens quod omnia opera Christi a Judaeis deberent vilipendi;
Item dixit quod omnes bestiae et volucres ab ea fugere deberent,
Quia nec homines nec angeli Christo auxilium praeberent;
Addiditque quod, licet arbor illa esset succidenda.
Tarnen radix ejus ad regerminandum in terra esset dimittenda;
Per quod innuebatur quod, licet Christus esset moriturus,
Tarnen non esset in morte permansurus, sed resurrecturus

Middle English

King Nabugodonosor / a grete tree se dremyng
The whilk tree of the same king / bare verray signifying
Bot crist to come to this werld / betaknyd it mistikly
Yt king of kinges and lord / of lords shuld be sothly
Whas pouwere ouer alle the hevens / is raised fulle hiegh on hieght
And spredes ouer alle this werld / above alle erthly myght
Alle beestis vndere it and briddes / in it hadde thaire dwelling
And of the fruytes of yt tree / ete and hadde norisshing
The whilk fulle conueniently / gaf verray signifiaunce
Yt euery creature be the grace / of crist takes sustenaunce
Bot loo ane aungell commyng / commanded kit doune yt tree
Whilk thing figured yt crist / done on the crosse shuld be
He saide yt all the braunches / of the tree shuld be kitted
Takenyng yt cristis disciples / shuld alle be fro hym seueryd
And saide more yt alle the leves / shuld be shaken of the tree
Takenyng yt alle cristis lare / of the Jewes shuld dispisid be
He commanded the fruytes of the tree / to be scatred the king thoght
Takenyng yt alle cristis werkes / the Jewes shuld sett at noght
He saide the beestis and briddes / shuld alle flee fro the tree
ffor noythere aungels nor men / to crist in help shuld bee
The aungel saide more yt thogh / the tree warre kitted doune
Neure the laccere the rote shuld leve / in erth forto burgeonne
Als so say alle thogh crist hadde / of deth to thole the payne
?it shuld noght deth hym hold / yt he ne shuld rise agayne

Chapter 24b: Eleazar Avaran and the elephant

Latin

Sic Christus nos dilexit, ut se in mortem sponte daret,
Ut nos a daemonum obsidione liberaret;
Induit autem se carne humana quasi veste servili,
Quia in veste regali, id est in deitate, non posset occidi.
Si etiam ipsum Regem gloriae esse cognovissent,
Nunquam cum sie delusissent nec occidissent.
Et non solum Christus obsidionem nostrae captivitatis dissipavit,
Sed etiam morte sua mortem nostram destruxirt et necavit.
Et hoc fuit olim per Eleazar Machabacum praefiguratum,
Qui se morti exposuit, ut perimeret elephantem loricatum.
Cum enim exercitus gentilium contra filios Israel bellavit,
Eleazar occurrens, elephantem eorum lancea perforavit,
Qui sauciatus vulnere mortifero cecidit.
Et super occisorem suum cadens, ipsum oppressit:
Fortis impegit in fortem, et ambo corruerunt;
Sic Eleazar in elephantem, et ambo mortui fuerunt.
Ita Christus fortis mortem invasit fortem
Et per mortem suam nostram mortifieavit mortem.

Middle English

And crist brakke noght the one siege / of oure
Captivitee Bot oure deth also with his / for euremore destruyed he
And this be Eleazare was ones / the machabe prefigurid
Disposing hym self to deth / to slee Olyphaunt armyd
The hethen oost come on the Jewes / yt hadde of thaym hoege fere
And Eleazare bare thorgh / thaire Olyphaunt with a spere
The beest wounded to the deth / felle on this Eleazare
And his sleere slogh he / with his grete sweght right thare
The stronge asaylled the stronge / and both felle in the stede
And thus Eleazare and the beest / in this wise ware both dede
Thus stronge crist the stronge deth / assailled chyvalerously
And with his deth slewe oures / blissid be he eendelesly

Chapter 25: Evilmerodach cuts up his father's corpse and feeds it to 300 vultures

Latin

Hoc modo omnes voluntarii peccatores invadunt Christum,
Qui sponte peccando, iterato crueifigunt ipsum.
Isti olim praefigurati fucrunt per Evilmerodach regem,
Qui desaevierat in suum mortuum et sepultum patrem;
Corpus patris de sepulcro effossum in trecentas partes divisit
Et trecentis vulturibus ad devorandum distribuit;
Ita mali Christiani in Patrem suum Christum pro eis mortuum desaeviunt,
Quando voluntarie peccando, ipsum iterato crueifigunt
Plus peccant, qui offendunt Christum regnantem in divinitatc,
Quam qui crueifixerunt eum conversantem in humanitate.

Middle English

Thus alle wilfulle synners / assailles crist on like wise
Resydynaunt and also in thaym / crist eft sones crucifise
King Evilmeredach of swilk / some tyme gaf for lyknesse
When he in his dede fadere / exercised his wodenesse
Whas body dolven out of the grave / in thre hondreth gobets he kitte
And to thre hondreth voltoures / forto devoure dalte itte
So in thaire fadere crist for thaym dede / haves fals cristen thaym wodely
When thay wilfully synnyng / hym eft sones crucifye
And thay synne more wreching / crist in his deitee

Chapter 27: Jonah is swallowed by a whale

Latin

Sepulturam etiam Christi olim Jonas praefiguravit
Quem projectum de navi in mare cetus devoravit.
Jonas fuit per tres dies et noctes in ceto;
Ita Christus erat usque ad triduum in monumento.
Quomodo autem historia Jonae Salvatori appropriatur.
In capitulo de resurrectione manifestatur.
O bone Jesu, da nobis tuam sepulturam ita venerari,
Ut a te nunquam mereamur in perpetuum separari!

Middle English

And Jhu¯ crists sepulture / be Jonas prefigured myght be
Whayme a whalle swalowed casten / out of a shippe vnto the see
Thre dayes and als the thre nyghtes / with inne the whalle was Jonas
So crist vnto the thredde day / in his grave closid was
And how this storye to crist / resonably is appropred
In the Chapitle of the resurrexcionne / more openly is declared
Thi sepulture gif vs here / to luf so swete Jhu¯
That we dwelle eure with the / in heven whare joye is newe

Chapter 28a: Daniel in the lion's den

Latin

Istud etiam praefiguratum fuit per Danielem in lacu leonum,
Cui Dominus misit per Habacuc prandium.
Daniel missus erat in lacum leonum a Babylonicis,
Ut consumeretur a Septem leonibus famelicis;
Dominus autem illum illaesum a leonibus custodivit
Et per angelum suum refectionem sibi misit:
Sic Deus patres in limbo diu a daemonihus defensavit,
Et tandem ipse veniens. divina refectione ipsos pavit.
Lacus Babylonis designat inlernum,
Septem autem leones numerum universorum daemonum:
Numerus daemonum solet describi per Septem daemonia,
Quia daemones inpugnant homines per Septem peccata mortaiia:
Horum peccatorum mortalium nomina sunt : superbia et invidia,
Ira et acedia, avaritia, gula et luxuria;
Ista sunt tela daemonum et arma diabolica,
Quibus insidiantur hominibus et muniunt castra infernalia.

Middle English

Be Daniel in the lake of Lyonns / oure lord prefigured this thing.
Daniel vjto] With Abacuk and his sherers mete / wonderfully to the lake carying
The folk of the lande of Babiloigne / in to the lake hadde puttid Daniel
In thaire entent forto bene devoured / of seven lyons hongry & cruwelle
Bot godde of thas fiers beestis / kept hym fro illeusionne
And sent hym ffulle merveillously / be his Aungelle refectionne
So godde oure faders in the Lymbe / kept fro feendes and yvel pyne
And commyng hym self fedde thayme / with his refectionne dyvine
The Lake of Babiloigne til helle / may men likne or it calle
The seven Lyons takenyng / the noumbre of feendes alle
The noumbre of feendes ere wonte / be discrived be dyvels seven
Whilk be seven dedely synnes / lettis men the way til heven
Of whilk synnes dedely the names / ere thire pride and Envye
Ire Acide Auarice / glutterye and leicherye
Of fendes ere thire the wapenes / and armures of the Dyvel
Warusture of the Castels of helle / of whilk man takes oft yvel

Chapter 28b: Ostrich freeing its chick with the aid of a thamur worm

Latin

Quamvis autem infernus mullis armis et daemonibus munitus erat,
Tarnen cum Christus sanguine suo faciliter confringebat.
Istud olim in struthione Salomonis praefiguratum fuerat,
Cujus pullum rex Salomon in vase vitreo incluscrat;
Struthio, cupiens liberare de inclusione suum pullum,
Abiit in desertum et attulit inde quendam vermiculum,
Quem comprimens, supra vitrum sanguinem exprimehat,
Et ad tactum illius vitrum per medium scindebat:
Sic cum sanguis Christi in patibulo crucis est expressus,
Infernus tanquam vitrum est confractus, et homo liber egressus.

Middle English

This was prefigured some tyme / be afowghel hight Structone
Whas bridde in a vesselle of glasse / didde close vp kyng Salomon
The Structone to delyvre hire bridde / out of the glasse desyring
fflowgh vnto desert and broght / a littel worme hat Thamere retournyng
With whas blode the vesselle touching / of glasse, it alto brast
And so the bridde of the Structone / freely come forth at the last
Thus when crist tholid in the crosse / his blode passid out to be
Helle als glasse brast & man / went out both qwhit and free

Chapter 29a: Benaiah kills a lion in a cave

Latin

Illud olim Banaias per figuram praemonstravit,
Qui ad leonem in cisternam veniens, cum virga sua ipsum prostravit:
Sic Christus intravit ad diabolum in cisternam, id est in infernum,
Et per virgam et baculum, id est per sanctam crucem, prostravit ipsum;
Et hoc est, quod verba prophetae olim in psalmo praetenderunt:
"Virga tua et baculus tuus ipsa me consolata sunt."
Virga hoc loco sumitur pro baculo, quod homo ambulans manu portat,
Ut per cum sustentetur et a canibus se defendat.
Crux ergo Christi est baculus, per quem sustentamur, ne cadamus,
Per quem etiam canes infernales a nobis depellamus;
Per hunc baculum Christus leonem infernalem prostravit
Et eundem baculum nobis ad resistendum diabolo donavit.

Middle English

Here of Bananias the stronge / gafe prefiguracione
Yt entrid a Cisterne with his ?erde / and slewe there inne a Lyonn
So to the feende in the Cistern / of helle entrid Jhu¯
With ?erde and staffe of his crosse / and thilk lyonn ouerthrewe
Off this the prophete Dauide / thus in the Savtiere saide he
Thi ?erde and staffe thas thinges / ere grete comfort to me
The ?erde menes here a staffe / in a mans hande walking
To holde hym vppe in the waye / and fro hondes defending
So cristis croice is a staffe / sustenyng yt we ne falle
And ?erde be whilk helle houndes / we may fere fro vs alle
Be this staffe crist the Lyonn / of helle nobly ouercome
And forto withstande thilk feende / has takne til vs the same

Chapter 29b: Samson kills a lion with his bare hands

Latin

Victoria Christi olim praefigurata fuit per Samsonem,
Qui in vincis Engaddi dilaceravit leonem.
Per fortissimum Samsonen fortissimus Christus designatur,
A quo infernalis leo, id est diabolus, potentia sua privabatur.
Samson perrexit, ut desponsaret sibi uxorem,
Et in iteinere interfecit occurrentem sibi leonem;
Sic Filius Dei descendit de coelo in hunc mundum,
Ut cum humana natura contraheret matrimonium.
Samson duxit in uxorem mulierem Thamnatheam;
Filius Dei intcr omnes nationes elegit sibi Judaeam.
Uxor Thamnatea Samsonem dolose defraudavit;
Sic etiam Judaea Christum fraudulenter tractavit.
Samson segetes et vineas hostium suorum succendit,
Et contra eos pugnans, ab omnibus se defendit;
Sic Christus de Judaeis se postremo vindicavit,
Quando per exercitum Romanorum Judaeam vastavit.
Samson igitur praefiguravit Christum fortissimum,
Qui superavit leonem infernalem, nostrum inimicum.

Middle English

And cristis victorie some tymes / was figured be Sampson
In the vignes of Engaddi / whilk to rent a lyon
Be strongest Sampson is crist / strongest of alle taknyd
Of whame the hellysh Lyonn / is of his myght depryved
Sampson to take a wif / weending out on a daye
He slewgh a cruwelle lyonn / metyng hym on the way
So crist gods son fro heven / to this werld descending
Contracte a matrimoigne / with mankynde desiring
Sampson weddid a wif / a womman of Thamnataa
And crist in alle naciones / chase hym the lande Juda
This womman of Thamnataa / deceyved sampson sleghly
Right so the contree of Juda / tretid crist fraudulently
Sampson his enemys cornes / and thaire vignes sette in fire
And defendid hym nobly / maugre thaire allere ire
So crist of the Jewes at the last / vengid hym for alle thayre boost
When he the lande of Judee / destruyed with the Romayns oost
Thus Sampson alderestrongest crist / takned prefiguratifly
Whilk the infernale lyonn / ouercome the fende oure enemy.

Chapter 32: Jonah escapes from the whale that had swallowed him

Latin

Christus etiam resurrectionem suam per Jonam praefiguravit.
Quem in ventre ceti per triduutn vivum conservavit.
Jonas erat in navi, quae tempestatibus jactabatur
Kt interitum omnium, qui in ipsa erant, minabatur
Tunc dixit Jonas nautis, ut ipsum in mare jactarent,
Et sic tempestates maris et pericula cessarent;
Quem cum jactassent, statim cetus eum deglutivit
Et post triduum ipsum de ore vivum in terram emisit.
Per periculosum mare mundus iste designatur,
In quo homo periculum aeternae mortis patiebatur;
Christus autem sponte in cruce fecit se mortificari,
Ut posset homo a periculo aeternae mortis liberari.
Deus autem cum incorruptum conservavit
Et tertio die ipsum a mortuis resuscitavit.

Middle English

Also his Resurexionne / prefigured crist be Jonas
Whilk in the whallis wombe / thre dayes conserued was
Jonas was in a shippe / casten with tempest hoegely
In whilk none othere hope was / bot euery man forto dye
Jonas the mariners / badde cast hym in to the see
And so alle the tempestis / and perils cessid shuld be
Wham when thay hadde casten out / anone a whalle hym swalowed
And on the thredde day yrafter / on the lande hym evomed
Be the perilles of the See / has this werld betaknyng
In whilk mankynde perille / tholid of deth eurelasting
Wharefore crist on the crosse tholid / to dye willfully
To qwite man fro thilk deth / thorgh his ineffable mercy
Bot the fadere godde kept hym / fro alle Corrupcionne
And ordeynd the thredde day after / his gloriouse Resurexionne.

Chapter 33: Man rescues one of his sheep that had been lost

Latin

Hanc etiam ascensionem in coelum Christus praeiiotavit,
Quando parabolam de ove perdita et reinventa praedieavit:
Dixit enim de quodam, qui de ceiitum ovibus unam amisit,
Et dimittens nonaginta novem in deserto, ad quaerendam illam ivit;
Quam cum invenisset, multum exsultabat.
Et in humeris suis ipsam ponens, in domum suam reportabat,
Et vocatis amicis suis, gaudium suum illis indieavit
Et eos ad congaudendum sibi sollicite incitavit.
Per istum hominem Deus est designatus,
Quia pro nostra salute homo fieri vere est dignatus.
Centum oves faciunt unam et nonaginta novem:
Per hoc debemus intelligere novem choros angelorum et hominem.
Ex his una ovis perdita est et periit,
Quando homo. mandatum Dei transgressus, aeterna morte interiit.
Deus autem novem choros angelorum in coclo dimisit,
Et veniens in hunc mundum, hominem perditum quaesivit;
Per triginta tres annos quaesivit et in tantum se tatigavit
Quod de toto corpore suo sudor sanguineus emanavit.
Vide, homo, quantum te inveiiire cupiebat,
Qui cum tanto labore et tarn longo tempore te quaerebat!
Inventam autem ovem super humeros suos posuit et portavit,
Quando crucem pro neccatis nostris propriis humeris bajulavit.
Attende, homo, quod non solum habuit fatigationem in quaerendo,
Sed etiam usque ad mortem laboravit, te in coelum referendo.

Middle English

And this Ascensionne til heven / crist in a parable techid
When he the folk of a shepe lost / and a?ein fonden prechid
A man ane hundreth shepe hadde / and for one of thaym lesyng
Soght it, the iiijxx [Four score.] and xix / in desert meen tyme leving
Whilk fonden, this gude man / in alle his hert joyous
Laide it in his shuldres / and broght it home til his hous
And his freendis callid togidere / told thaym of his gladnesse
And to reioie with hym als / prayed thaym with bisynesse
Be this man toforsaide / is oure lorde godde takenyd
The whilk for mankynde hele / to become man deynyd
Ane hundreth shepe makes onej / and nyentenexix and foure score
Be whilk vnderstand nyenix ordres / of aungels and men yrfore
O shepe perist no dout / of this faire company
When man gods maundement broken / disseruyd deth eendlesly
And godde left ordres nyen / of his aungels in heven
And soght man lost in erth / this is trewe sothe fulle even
He soght and labourde so sore / ?eres here thre and thretty
Whils swete blody ranne doune / on alle his precious body
Loo nowe o man howe mykel / gods awen son of the roght
When he with swilk laboure / and so lange tyme the soght
The fonden shepe on his shuldres / laid he & broght to flokke
When on his bakke for oure synne / of the crosse he bare the stokke
Loke man yt noght onely / crist weryed hym the sekeing
Bot laboured als to the deth / til heven the forto bring