FRAGMENTS OF EARLY ENGLISH POEMS ON THE PASSION.
Reading edition
Warton, in his History of English Poetry, has published a few fragments of poems on the Passion, which he ascribes to the reigns of Henry III. and Edward I. There is a harmony in the versification of the following that one scarcely looks for at so early a date:
“Jhesu for thi muckle might Thou gif us of thi grace, That we may day and night Thinken of thi face: In myn herte it doth me gode Whan y thinke on Jhesu blod, That ran down bi ys side; Fro ys herte dou to ys fot, For us he spradde ys hertis blod, His wondes wer so wyde.” ***** “Ever and aye he haveth us in thought, He will not lose that he so dearly bought.”
One fragment more, which is taken from a sort of dialogue between our Lord on the Cross and the devout soul:
“Behold mi side, Mi woundes spred so wide, Restless I ride, Lok on me, and put fro ye pride: Dear man, mi love, For mi love sinne no more.” “Jhesu Christe, mi lemman swete, That for me deyedis on rood tree With al myn herte I the biseke For thi woundes two and thre: That so fast in mi herte Thi love rooted might be, As was the spere in thi side When thou suffredst deth for me.” —Christian Schools and Scholars.