<County: Buckinghamshire>
<Code: L6700>
<MS reference: Oxford, University College 123>
<Text: Mirror of the Life of Christ>


<Tranche 1>

<fol. 5r>he conquered man be wicked slei3t and false wisdome . so he be ouer-comen and wenkesched be gode
slei3t and trewe wisdom . / . . And when Resoun seide þis verdite : þe fader seide it was his wille
þat it schulde be so . þe sonne 3af gladly his assente þerto . and þe holy gost seide he wolde wirche
þer-to also . And þane fallinge doune alle þe Spiritis of heuene & souerenly þankinge þe trinite .
þe foure sistris afore-seide weren kissed and maade acorde . and so was fulfillid þat þe prophete
Dauid seide . Mercy and Soþefastnes metten lowly to-gedere . Rightwisnesse & pees haue kyssed .
And þus was termyned & endid þe gret counsel in heuene for þe restorynge of man & his sauacioun
. þe wiche processe schal be taken as in lickenes & onliche as a+maner of a+perabel & deuoute
ymaginacioun stiringe man to loue god souerenly for his grete mercy to man and his endeles godenes
. Also to honoure & worschipe þe blesside aunglis of heuene . for here gode wille to man . and
for his sauacioun hauynge contynuele bisines . and also to loue vertues & hate synne þt brou3te
man to so grette wrechidnesse . and þus mikel & in þis manere . may be seide & þou3te be deuoute
contemplacioun of þat þat was donne aboue in heuene before þe incarnacioun of ihesu . nowe
go we doune to erþe : and þenke we how it stoode wiþ his blessid moder Marie . & wat was
hir lyuynge here be-fore þe incarnacioun of ihesu þt foloweþ aftur ; /
Off þe manere of lyuynge of þe blessid virgine marie . ; /
AS it is writen in þe life of oure lady sent marie : whan sche was iij . 3ere olde . sche
was offered in þe temple of hir fader & moder . and þer sche abode & dwellide into þe xiij
3ere . And what sche dide . and howe sche lyued þer in þat tyme we mowen knowe be þe reuelaciouns
made of hir : to a+deuoute woman wiche men trowen was Sent Eli3abeth . Jn þe wiche reuelaciones
is contunede amounge oþer . þt oure lady tolde to þe same woman & seide in þis maner / / /
whane my fader & moder laftene me in þe temple J propˆ[o]sside and sette stabily in my herte to haue
god in-to my fader . and ofte ˆ [siþis] wiþ grete deuocioun J þou3t what J mi3t do plesinge to god . so þt
he wolde wische-saue to sende me his grace . and her-wiþ J was tau3te . & J lerned þe lawe of my
god . in þe wiche lawe of alle þe hestis & biddingis principaly J kept þre in my herte . þe first is þu
schalt loue þi lorde god wiþ alle þine herte . wiþ alle þi soule wiþ alle þi mynde & wiþ alle þi mi3ttes
þe secounde þou schalt loue þi+nei3tbore as þi self . And þe þrede is þou schalt hate þin ennemye . þes J
kepte truly in herte & anone J conceyued and tooke alle þe vertues þat ben contunede in hem . For þer may
no soule haue any vertu but it loue god wt alle þe herte : for of þis loue comeþ alle þe plente of grace . & aftur
it is comen it abideþ not in soule but reineþ oute as watur . but it so be þat he hate ennemyes . þat is
to sey vices & synnes . wherfore he þat wole haue grace & kepe it : it behoueþ þat he dispose and ordeyne
his herte to loue . and to hate as it is seide . and so J wole þat þou do in manere as J dide . J rose vp al-gatis
at middeny3t & wente forþe be-fore þe auter of þe temple & þer wiþ als grete desire & wille & affecioun
as J koude and mi3t . J asked grace of almi3ty god to kepe þoo þre hestis . & alle oþer biddingis of þe lawe .
and so standyg~ to-fore þe auter J made seuene peticiouns to god . þe wiche bene þes . First J asked grace
of god þour þe wiche J mi3t fulfille þe he<ill><a smudge></ill> loue . þt is to seie for to loue him wiþ alle my herte . þe secounde
<fol. 5v>J askid þat J mi3t loue my nei3tbore as my-self aftur his wille & aftur his likinge : & þat he wolde make
me to loue alle þat he loueþ . þe þrede þat he wolde make me to hate & to eschewe alle þinge þat he hatiþ .
þe fourþe J asked mekenes pacience benignite swetnesse : & alle oþer vertues be þe wiche J mi3t be gracious
and plesinge to goddis si3t . þe fifte peticioun J made to god : þt he wolde lette me see þe tyme in þe wiche
þt blesside maiden schulde be borne þat schulde conceyue & bere goddis sonne . & þt he wolde kepe my eyene
þt J mi3t see hir . Myn eres þat J mi3t here hir . speike . My tonge þt J mi3t praise hir . My handes þat
J mi3t serue hir wt . My feete þat J mi3t go to hir seruice . & my knees wt þe wiche þt J mi3t honoure
hir and worchepe godis sone in hir barme . þe sixte peticioun J asked grace to be obediente to þe biddynges
and þe ordinaunces of þe bischope of þe temple . And in þe seuenete peticioun J praide god to kepe alle
þe pupel to his seruice . and whane þe forseide <exp>s</exp> cristes seruant hade herde þes wordis she seid a3ene
A+swete lady were not ful of grace & of alle vertues . and þe blesside maiden marie answered . witte þou
wel for certayne þat J helde my-self als gilty moste abiecte & vnworþi þe grace of god as þu . & more-
ouere trowest þu dou3tur þat alle þe grace þat J hadde wtoute trauele . Nay not so . Bm J telle þe & do þe
to witte þat J hadde no grace 3ifte nor vertue of god wiþ-oute grete trauele . continuel praier~ . ardente desire
. profounde deuocioun . & wiþ many teers & miche affleccioun . Speikinge þenkynge & doinge alweye
as J knouþe and mi3te . þat was plesinge to god . þat is to seie outetake þe hooly grace þorow þe
wiche J was halouede in my moders wombe / / . And fourþermore our lady seide witte þu we <?> in+certa<?>
ne þat þer comeþ no grace in to mannes soule but be praier & bodily aff[l]eccion~ . and aftur þat we haue 3eue
to god þo þingis þat we mowen . þou3 þei ben litel and fewe : þane comeþ he into þe soule . bryngginge
wt him so grete & so hi3e 3iftis . of grace . þat it semeþ to þe soule . þat sche failiþ in hir self &
leseþ mynde and þenkeþ þat euere she seide or dide any þinge plesinge to god . & þane she symiþ in
hir owne si3t more foule & more werschede þane she was euere afore . Alle þis sentence is contuned
in þe forseide reuelaciouns . also sent Jerom writinge of hir lijf seiþ in þis manere . þt þe blesside maiden
Marie ordeyneþ to hir self þis manere of rewle in lyuynge þat fro þe morowe tide . in-to þe tierce of
þe day : sche 3affe hir al to praiers . & fro þe tierce in-to none sche occupied hir bodily wiþ wonynge
werke . and efte fro none she wente not fro praieris til þe angel of god came . & appered to hir . of
whos hande she toke mete to þe bodily sustinance . and so she profitid algatis bettur & bettur in þe
werke & þe loue of gode . and so it befelle þat she was founden in wakinge þe first in þe wisdom
of godis lawe most knouynge . in mekekenes most lowe . in þe songe of þe psalmis of dauid ; moste
conuenient & semely in charite moste gracious . in clennes most clene & in alle manere vertue most perfite .
She was sadde & inuariabel so ferforþe . þat as she profitid al day better & better . so was þer none . þt
euer saw3he or herde hir wroþe . Alle hir speche was so ful of grace : þat god was knowen be hir
tounge. She was contynuelly dwellinge in praier~ & in þe lore of goddis lawe . & algatis bisi aboute
hir felawes þat none of hem schulde trespace or synne in any worde . & þt none schulde lawh dissolutly
. & also þat none of hem schulde offende oþer þour pride or any wronge . and euere wtout failynge
she blessid god . and left perchaunse be any gretinge or preisinge sche schulde be lettid fro þe louynge


<Tranche 2>

<fol. 57v><line 28> þere was nye þt place of þe crosse þe space of two stones caste a+newe graue wher-inne none bodye
was biriede afore . & þer-inne wiþ reurence knelinge þei leiden him wiþ grete sihhingis sobbingis &
wepingis . & aftur þat he was so biriede & his moder hadde 3euen him hir blessinge ; þei leiden a grete
stone at þe dore of þe graue & went her weye towarde þe cite þat is to seie . Joseph & his felowchipe
. But Joseph at his goinge spake to oure lady & seide . my lady J praie 3ow for godis loue & for
þe loue of 3oure sone our maistir þat 3e wischesafe to come & take 3oure herborowe in myne house
For J wotte welle þt 3e haue none hous of 3our owne . wherfore takeþ myne as 3our . for alle my ben 3ours .
& in þe same manere . nichodeme praied on his side . & she louely enclynyng to hem & þankinge hem
answerede & seide þt she was comittide to þe gouurnayle of Jon . wherfore þane þei praide Jon þe
<fol. 58r>same . & he answerede þat he wolde lede hir in-to mount Syon . wher here maistir somede on þe day afore .
at euone wiþ his discipulis & þere wolde he abide wiþ hir . and so þei lowely saluynge oure lady and
worchipinge þe sepulcour 3eden forþe on her weye
what was done of oure lady & oþer aftur þe biriynge of ihesu
Whane it drewe to ny3t Jon spake to oure lady & seide it is not honeste for to dwelle lenger
and for to come in-to þe cite in þe ny3t . wher-fore if it be 3oure wille : go we hense & turne
we a3eyne . & þer-wt oure lady risiþ vp & wiþ alle hem knelinge blesside & kisside þe sepulcur & seide My
sone J may no lenger stande here wiþ þee . but J comende þe to þi fader . & þane liftinge vp hir eyne
in-to heuene wiþ teres & in-warde affeccioun & seide . Euerelastinge fader J recomende to 3o3w my sone
& my soule þe wiche J leue here wiþ him . & þer-wt þei be-gonne al+to go her weye . and whane þei comen
to þe crosse ; þer she knelede doune & honourede þe crosse & seide her~ made my sonne his ende ; & here is his
preciouse blode & so+diden alle þe toþer For þou maist þenke & vnderstande þat she was þe first þt honourrede
þe crosse . as she was þe firste þat honourrede hir sone borne . and aftur fro þens þei toke þe weye
towarde þe cite . & ofte be þe weye she lokede a3eyne towarde hir sone . and whane þei comen þer as
þei mi3t no more see þe crosse : oure lady & alle oþer knelide & honoured it wepinge . & whane þe comen
nye the cite oure lady sisteris hilede her face in manere of a+mornynge widowe . & þei 3eden afore : & oure lady
folowede aftur betwixe mawdeleyne & Jon so keuerede þe face . þane mawdeleyne at þe entre of
þe citee . desiringe to haue oure lady to hir house before þe takinge of þe weie þat ladde þiderwarde
she spake to oure lady & seide . My lady J praie 3ou for þe loue of my maistir 3oure sone . þt 3e wolde
lette vs go to oure house in-to betanye þer we mowe beste abide . For as 3e knowen wele my maistir
louede wele þat place & came gladly ofte siþis þerto . & þat house is 3ouris wiþ alle þat J haue
wherfore J praie 3ow þat 3e wole come . & here þane þei begonnen to wepe . But oure lady haldinge
hir pes & makinge signe to Jon for to answere & mawdeleyne prainge him for þe same mater .
he answeride and seide . it is more semely þat we go to þe mount syon . namely for so we answerede
and seide . to oure frendes . wherfore come þou raþer wt hir to þat place . þane seide mawdeleyne
to Jon . þou woste wele þat J wole go wiþ hir whiþer so euere she goþe & þat J shal neuer leue
hir . aftur whane þei comen in-to þe cite . þere comene on alle sidis maidens & good matrones to hir
goinge wiþ hir & sorowynge & confortinge in hir maner . & also goode men þat þer went by hadde
grete compassioun of hir & weren stiride to wepinge & seiden . Soþely þis day is done a gret wronge
be oure princis to þe sone of þis lady : & god haþ schewede grette tokenes & wonderes by him . auise
hem what þei haue done . & whane þei comen nye þe place þere þei wolde reste : oure lady bowinge
lowly to þe ladyes þat comen wiþ hir & þankinge hem & þei a3eyne warde to hir . tokene her
leue of oþer makinge grete lamentacioun & sorowe . & þane oure lady & mawdeleyne & þe oþer sisters
of oure lady 3eden inne to þat house & Jon aftur þat he hadde counget þter women & þankede
hem . stake þe dore aftur hem . þane þei beinge so alle hem selfe to-geder . oure lady lokinge
aboute þe house & missinge hir louede sone ihesu . wiþ grete sorowe of herte compleynede hir &
<fol. 58v>seide . oo Jon where is nowe my dere sone þat so hie speciale affeccioun hade to þe . O mawdeleyne wherre
is þi maistir þat so tenderly loued þe . & þou so gladly seruidest him . O my dere sisters where is nowe
my sone . Soþely he is gone awey fro vs . he þat was alle oure ioye & oure comforte & þe li3th of oure eiene
3ei soþely he is gone & þat wiþ so grete anguysche & peyne as 3e alle seene . and þat is þat encressiþ
my sorowe . þat in alle his peynes we mi3t not helpe him . hise discipulis forsoken him . his fader
almi3tty god wolde not socure him . and howe sone alle þes þingis a3ens him were done ; 3e knewen
& sawen . was þere ˆ [euer] any þeffe or worste doinge man so sone dampned & putte so disspituoly to deþ .
For loo þe laste ni3t he was taken as a+þefe : & erely on þe morowe brou3te afore þe iustice . at tierce
dampnede . at þe sexte on þe crosse hanged . at none dede . & nowe biriede . O my dere sone a+bittir
partinge was þis . & a soroweful mynde is þis of þine foulest & horibelist deþ . þane Jon praiede hir to
stinte of suche sorowe-ful wordes . & to cesse of wepinge & comfortide hir in þe beste manere he koweþ
and þou also be deuoute ymaginacioun as þu were þer bodily present comfort our lady & þt felowschipe prainge
hem to ete sumwhat . for 3ut þei ben fastinge & aftur to slepe . but J trowe was ful litil . & so takinge
hir blessinge go þi weie at þis tyme .
What oure lady & oþer wt hir dide vpon þe seturday .
Erly at þe morowe vpon þe saturday stoden in þe forseide hous þe 3ates Sperde . oure lady
Jon & oþer wymen afore-namede in grete mornynge & sorowe hauynge in mynde þe grete tribulaciouns
& anguish of þe day afore not speikinge but be tymes lokynge eche on oþere . Jn maner
as þei donne þat bene ouer-leide wiþ grete mischef & sorowe . & knowen none comforde ne no socour .
and þer-wiþ herden one knockinge at þe 3ate : & þane þei dreden sore . For alle þinge in þat tyme
þei dreden because þat her sikernesse and counfort was awey . naþeles Jon went to þe dore
& vnderstandinge þat it was petur comynge in wiþ grete shame wepinge & sobbinge . Saluede
oure lady : & oþer but nou3t spake . & þer-wiþ þei alle be-gunnen to wepe & mi3t not speike for sorowe
A litil while aftur comen oþer discipulis one aftur anoþer in þe same manere at þe bigynnynge makinge
sorowe & wepinge . But at þe laste whanne þei cessiden of wepinge & begonnne to speike of her
lorde . Petur seide in þis wise . J am aschamede & confoundede in my self & J shulde not be resoun
speike in 3oure presence or appere in þe si3te of men . for als miche as J lafte so kowardly & forsoke
so vntrewly my lorde þat louede me so miche . and in þe same manere alle oþer smyten her handis
& so wepinge a-couside & reprehendide hem self þat þei hadde so lafte here lorde . þan oure
lady comfortinge hem seide . Oure gode maistir & oure trewe herde-man is gone fro vs . & we bene
lafte nowe as faderles childerene . But J hope trewly þat we schal sone haue him a3eyne . & 3e
knowene wele þat my sone is benigne & merciful blesside mote he be . for he louede 3ow welle
& þer-fore dou3teþ not but þat he schal be wille reconcilide to 3ou . and gladly he schal for3eue alle
tresspacis & alle offencis . for soþely be sufferance of þe fader þe malice a3ens him was so grete
& þe woddenes of his enemys so stronge & mi3ty ; þat 3e my3te not haue socurede him þou3 3e hadde
abiden stille wiþ him . & þer-fore dredeþ not alle schal be wele . þane answerede petur & seide .
soþely as 3e seyne : so it is . for J þat sauh a+litil of þe bygynnynge was wiþ so grete drede .