Page:The Sources of Standard English.djvu/239

210 Iche ne schewe nou&#x0293;t this for to have mede, Bot for God almi&#x0293;tties drede.

BEDFORDSHIRE (?).

(About A.D. 1340.)

Godys sone þat was so fre, Into þis world he cam, And let hym naylyn upon a tre, Al for þe love of man; His fayre blod þat was so fre, Out of his body it ran, A dwelful sy&#x0293;te it was to se; His body heng blak and wan, Wiþ an O and an I. .. . . . . His coroune was mad of þorn And prikkede into his panne, Bothe by hinde and a-forn; To a piler y-bowndyn Jhesu was swiþe sore, And suffrede many a wownde Þat scharp and betere wore. He hadde us evere in mynde, In al his harde þrowe, And we ben so unkynde, We nelyn hym nat yknowe, Wif an O and an I.