The PurveyProject

In Die Pasche

Par Élodie MONTEAU
Publication en ligne le 26 janvier 2013

1/298r/ Good men and women ȝe schal haue the worchipfull day of Cristis resurreccion that is a tyme of grete joye to al mankynde, whiche tyme that Criste ros withe flessche and bloode owte of þe stone þer he was beryed in. And truly this day is a grete helpe and recover to all cristen soulis, ffor Seynt Austen seythe it had profytid ful litill þat Crist had ben borne of a maydyn, but if he had dyed for vs and resyn aȝene frome dethe to lyfe. For Cristis byrthe myȝte not haue bowȝt manis sowle owte of hel, but if he had dyed for vs and resyn aȝene to lyfe. Wherfore þis blissed resurreccion owythe well to be honowrd, ffor it browȝt soulis þat longe had ben in peyne to blysse. Of þe whiche resurreccion there ben vj poyntis þat I schall schewe ȝow schortly. The first poynt is why Crist rose not anon as he was beryed. The secunde poynt is how he ... herfore he rose. The therde poynt is <why he> ... bode not tyll all men scholde ryse. The iiijth poynt is how oft tymes he aperyd when he was resyn.

2/298v/ The vth tyme is how he sett his frendis frome hell and what he dyd ther. Of eche of þese I schall schewe ȝow a worde o<r> two shortly to ȝowre lernyng. Firste poynt I sey is why he rose not anon but abode to þe þerde day. For the two nyȝtis and þe hole day þat he ley in his grave scholde bere witnes þat he was verely ded. And for to schewe his myȝte that all þe worlde myȝte knowe þat he myȝte put his sowle frome hym and take his sowle to hym ayene when he wolde, the whiche poynt men scholde not haue levyd if he had resyn aȝene anon when he dyed. The secunde ‘I sey’ is how he rose myȝtily for he ros be his grete vertu. Also he ros profitably for he toke þem owte of sorow all that were þerin. Also he ros wonderfully for þe grave þat he ley in was close beforn and after. As owre Lady Seynt Mary was maydyn beforn þe byrthe of owre Lorde and after þe byrthe. So <on> many dyver<s> ... schewyd þat he was verely <dead> ?? be þe Aungellis to the thre Marys wyll not lyen, and be his owne aperyng to moche pepill.

3/299r/ And schewyd his blissed woundis and ete and dranke withe his apostyllis after he ros, þat provyd þat he ros withe þe same flessche and bloode þat he dyed withe for al mankynde. Also he ros blyssedly for he passyd frome all maner wrechednesse and enterde into endles joye and clennes, and never more to dey, as the holy Apostil Paule witnessithe in his pistil and seythe: “Criste is resyn frome dethe þat schall no more dye.” The therd poynt is why he bode not till all men scholde ryse at þe generall resurreccion at þe day of dome. And þese ben þe skyllis, for his body þat was worthiest of all þing, and bothe God and man schall not lye so long in þe erthe but ryse vp to joye and blisse. Also he ros for stedfastnes of owre beleve, ffor if Crist had not þen resyn all owre beleve schold haue ben loste. And in this, every man scholde beleve that he is very God. For in his blissed passion all his dissipyllis lost þe beleve save owre Lady Seynt Mary, but when they knew þat he was resyn, they were ful of beleve. And also he rose to schewe vs ensampyll þat dede men schall ryse, ffor had not

4/299v/ Criste resyn þer wolde fewe men or els non have belevyd in rysyng of bodyes into blisse. The fowrt poynt is wherfore he ros to bryng owre kynde to blisse, and for to ȝefe vs holynes for owre lyvyng and for to draw all cristen sowlis frome the devyls bondis, þat were dampned to endles peyne be owre formest faders synne. The vth poynt is how ofte tymes he aperyd when he was resyn. On þe fyrste day þat he ros he aperyd v tymes. Firste to Mary Mawdelyn and þat was for sondry skyllis, ffor sche lovid hym tenderly and for Criste wolde schewe þat he dyed for synfull man. And ryȝte as a woman, Eve, was messangere of dethe, ryȝt so a woman, Magdalene, scholde be messangere of lyfe. Anoþer tyme he aperyd to the Maryes when they come to þe sepulcre wepyng. The therde tyme he aperyd to Petur when John and Petur come to þe graue and John ran beforn and Peter came after. The fowrte tyme he aperyd to the two dissypillis Lucas and Cleophas. And when þei went to þe Castel of Emaus and tolde þem of holy writt, as the gospell witnessithe. And þere þei knewe hym be his brede brekyng and anon he vanyssched awey.

5/300r/ The vth tyme he aperyd to all dissipyllis save Thomas þer þei were togeder. And Criste cam amongis þem when all þe dorys were schitt, and seyd “pes be amongis ȝow, my frendys, for I am Criste. Be not adrede.” And þere he schewyd his hondis and his fete and all his blissed woundys blody. These v tymes he aperid on þe Ester day. The vith tyme he aperid on the viijth day to all þe discipillis when Thomas was wythe hem, that seyd he wolde not beleve but if he saw his woundis blody. The vi<j>th <tyme> he aperid to his discipyls as they fastid as þe gospell of Seynt John berythe witnes. The viij<th> tyme he aperyd to his dissipyls in þe Mownt of Tabar. The ixth <tyme> he aperyd to his dissipillis þere þei were in a chamber. And he reprevid þer mysbeleve and tawȝte hem of þe feythe. The xth tyme he aperyd in þe Mownt of Olyvete there he styed vp into þe blisse of heven. Therfore every man may well wytt þat soche a worthi childe wolde not let soche a dere moder ben vnvisited. For sche was ‘best’ worþi to be comfortyd in his rysyng þat beforne all other was soryfullest in his diyng.

6/300v/ Another tyme he aperyd to Jamys þe les þat was cosyn to hym, and calde hym his owne brother becawse of grete likenes þat they had. The xj tyme he aperid to Josep of Armathy þat toke hym of þe rode and beryed hym worschipfully in a new grave. They were wrothe and toke hym and schitt hym in an howse withe lokys and sellys, and thowȝt afterwarde to haue done hym to dethe but, þat same nyȝt þat Crist ros, he cam into þe howse where Josep was, and ‘breke’ þe lokis ‘and’ þe sellys and browȝt hem home in to þer ??? owne cuntre frome þe Iewis powere. The vith poynt and the laste is þis: how he fett owte of hell his frendis and what he dyd there. We rede in þe boke of Nichodeme, and also Seynt Austen berithe witnes, þat Carinus and Levicius, þat were Symonys sons, that toke Criste in his armys on Candilmesse day how they rysyn withe Criste, and were conmawndyd of Anna and Cayphas and Josep and of Nichodeme that they scholde sey þe sothe what Criste dyd at hell. They answerd on þis wyse and seyd: “when we were withe

7/301r/ owre former faders in hell, there came sodenly a lyȝte amongis vs bryȝtter þen the sonne beme.” And then, ‘seyd’ Adam owre forme fader “þis is the lyȝte of Criste that he behyȝt vs.” And Ysaie acordyd thereto and seyde: “þis is the Faders lyȝte Godis sonne þat I prophesyed of when I was in erthe.” Then cam Symeon owre fader and made myrthe of that lyȝt. Afterward cam John þe Baptist and seyde: “loo now commys Cristis lomb that takythe vs frome synne, and visitythe vs in the derkenes of hell as I told ȝow before.” Then all patriarkis and prophettis made moche myrthe and joye. Of þis þe fende of hell had moche mervell. H[e] was so herdy to done soche dedis. And after þat herd a voyce that downdyd as the thundyr: “vndo ȝowre gatis ȝe devyls for here schall enter þe kyng of heven.” And withe þat worde þe barris brastyn and þe gatis openyd. Then cam in owre Lord Ihesu Criste withe a grete lyȝte and toke Adam be þe honde, and seyd “pes to ȝow my leve ‘dere’ childern: “come withe me in to my blysse.” Then toke Criste all þe sowllis vn to

8/301v/ Michaell þe Archangell and led hem in to þe blisse of paradyse. And þer þei fonde Ennok and Hely þat scholde preche aȝenste Antecriste in þe worldis ende. And þer þey fonde also the thevys þat hang be Criste in his passion and askyd mercy. And when these two men Carinus and Levicius had þus told þis talle, they vanyssched awey þat no man saw hem no more. And þus þis grete Lorde Ihesus browȝt owte of peyne all his frendis, and ros at þis tyme for vs withe flessche and bloode frome dethe to lyfe. Wherfore ȝe schall honor þis hyȝe fest of Cristis resurreccion withe clene sowle and hole mynde, that ȝe may have grace to ryse withe hym frome woo and synne into endlesse blisse that ever schall last. Also good men, this holy day of Ester ȝe schall honour worschipfully as good cristen men and women owythe to done, ffor þe blissed sacrament of Cristis body in forme of brede þat as thys day fedythe and fulfyllythe all cristen sowlis. Of the whiche sacrament ȝe owythe to beleve verely þat it is very Godis body in forme of brede, þat toke flessche and bloode of þe blissed virgyn maydyn Mary, and dyed on Good

9/302r/ Fryday for synfull manys sake and on Ester morow ros frome dethe to lyfe, and on Holy Thursday steyed vp in to heven withe owre kynde. And whoso belevythe not on þese poyntis, he is an heretyke and owte of þe beleve of holy chyrche. And ȝe schall vnderstonde þat when a prest makethe Goddis body on þe awtur, he visitythe þe same wordis þat Criste seyd himselfe, when he ȝafe his body to his discipillis. And bythe well ware, whoso resceyvithe þat body in clene lyfe and owte of dedly synne, he reseyvithe his salvacion, and whoso reseyvithe that blissed body in dedly synne he reseyvithe his dampnacion. And þerfore loke þat ȝe beleve verely in þe blissed sacrament þat is Goddis body þat ȝe receyve of þe prest hondis in forme of brede. And he that belevithe not, he schall be dampnyd. For he þat made all þing may make his body to reste in forme of brede and therfore every cristen creature is ordende onys in þe ȝere to resceyve þe blissed body of Criste. After þat he comythe to certen ȝers of age and of discrecion and vnderstondyng while þat he resceyvithe Goddis body, hym behovithe to be clene of al maner of synnes, and never in wyl to turne

10/302v/ to his synne aȝene. Frendys beware; for it is better not be schreven þen be schreven and asoyled for a tyme. And þerfor if þer be eny of ȝow þat haþe ben withe synne betyn and in will neuer to turne to synne aȝene. But make amendis to Criste withe teeris of good prayers and crye God mercy for þine offence. Then herdely þu maiste resceyve þe blyssed body in forme of brede. And it schall be to ȝowre saluacion. And but if a man be in ful purpose to forsake his synne, it behovithe not hym to resceyve Goddis body. For he þat takythe it vnworthily he resceyvithe his dampnacion, and also he lesithe þe blisse of heven and getythe þe peynes of hell. And hym behovithe also to haue stedfaste feythe and very beleve in Goddis sonne þat sufferde dethe for owre sake, and is ȝeven to vs in forme of brede taken of þe prest hondis. And <hym> behovithe allso to luf Criste abovyn all þing and worschipe hym, that thorow þat blissed body he schall haue forȝefnes of all his synnes. For Criste seythe hymselfe: “he þat etiþe my flessche and my bloode worthily, he dwellythe in me and I in hym, and he þat

11/303r/ etiþe it vnworthily, he etiþ his dome and his dampnacion.” And þerfor we commawnde ȝow on holy chirche behalfe þat no man be so herdy þis day to come to Goddis borde but if he know hymselfe clene and owte of dedly synne. For ȝe schall vnderstonde þat noþer parsone ne vicary ne peryssche prest owythe to ȝife þis sacrament to no creature, but if he know þat he ben clene schrevyn and sorowfull for his synnes. All thowȝe he be of his owne parisschen ne to non oþer man of a noþer paryssche. But if it be so þat ‘he’ be a pilgrym or lettiþe be eny other lawfull cawse or ellis be in perrell of dethe. And þerfore we commawnde ȝow on holy chirche behalfe þat no man come þis day to Goddis borde, but he þat is clene schrevyn ne no man of non oþer paryssche for frawde or for hate of his parson or of his parissche preste. Also we forbyddyn on holy chirche behalfe þat no man, lernyd ne vnlernyd, dispute of þe sacrament, where thorow lewyd men myȝte falle in errour aȝens the beleue of holy chirche. Forthermore we commawnde ȝow þat þis holy sacrament be takyne worschipfully and kepe it wythe grete

12/303v/ reuerens, ffor þer may no þing be worthier þen Cristis owne body. And as it passiþe all þing in goodness, so it owythe withe grete worschipe in clene consciens to be taken. For þer is noþing more dredfull to man þen to be departyd frome Cristis werkis. For if þu be departid frome Criste be synne, þu schall be non of Cristis membris. Anf if þu be non of Cristis membris, þu schall not be quekyd of Cristis ȝeft ne of the Holy Goste. And whi þat Cristis body is more resevyd in þe likenes of brede þen eny oþer þing, I schall tell ȝow. For ryȝt as brede is foode þat sustenythe and qwekenythe þe body, ryȝt so is Cristis body a foode þat moste norysschethe and qwekenythe þe sowle. And as brede holdythe a mans hert in state, ryȝte so þe blissed body of our Lorde holdythe þe soule in state of all goodnesse. And ȝe schall vnderstonde þat the lycour þat is mynysterde to ȝow afterwarde in þe chalys is no sacrament but a licour ȝevyn to ȝow to rensyn þe sacrament in to ȝowre sowlis. And wyttiþ well þat in þe lest perte of þe oste þat is sakyrde on þe awter is holy Goddys body, flessche and bloode. Also when bellis ar rongyn on dayes to þe masse or to þe sacre, men þat ben in þe felde or in oþer

13/304r/ place þat may not come to þe chyrche scholde þat tyme knele downe and crye “God mercy,” and do reverence to þat worþi sacrament. And then schall they haue grace and grete perdone þat is grawnted of dyvers popys and bysschoppis. And therfore when ȝe seene that blissed body in chirche or witheowte chyrche, as when þe preste gothe withe þe howsyll to eny seke creature, ȝe scholde knele downe and do grete reuerence to þat blissed body þat on the bode bowȝte all mankynde. For wyttythe well it is very Goddis body, his flessche and bloode, all thowȝe it be but brede to þi syȝte, as I may schewe be a myrakyll þat I fynde in þe lyfe of Seynt Gregori. Neverþelesse all witheowte myrakyll schewyng whoso belevythe not on þis poynt he may not be saved. And also for þe more stedfastnesse of ȝour herttis I schall tell ȝow þis myrakyll. We rede in þe lyffe of Seynt Gregory þat þer was onys a good woman in Rome, that aȝenst every Sonday sche made a certen of obleys and browȝte hem to Seynt Gregori in maner of an offeryng, of the whiche Seynt Gregori made Goddis body on the awtur. Then it befell on a day þis woman

14/304v/ wolde be howselyd after masse among oþer pepill. So when Seynt Gregory cam to hyr withe Goddis body and seyde þese wordis: “Goddis body myȝte kepe þi body and þi sowle in to þe lyfe þat ever schall last,” and sodenly this woman lowȝe þat all þe pepyll herde. Anon Seynt Gregori toke þe sacrament frome hyr mowþe and leyd it aȝene on þe awter, and askyd þe woman whi sche lowȝe þat tyme. “For ȝe callyd Goddys body þe same brede þat I made withe myne hondis.” Then Seynt Gregory, for hir mysbeleve, made a prayer to almyȝti God to schewe some myrakyll. And anon þe ost, as it ley on þe paten, turnyd into the likenes of a crucyfix all blody. And so he turned þis woman in to þe riȝt beleve and moche other pepyll. Seyng all þe pepyll þat, Seynt Gregori prayed aȝene, and it turned aȝene into the likenes of brede as it was before. And then þis woman withe grete reuerence reseyvid this blissed body into hyr sowle; as echon of ȝow schall do at þis holy tyme. And þerfore beleve verely in þat blissed sacrament and loke þat ȝe resceyve it in clene consciens into ȝour soulis and it schall bryng ȝow to þe blisse. Et cetera. Amen.

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