XLI. THE ASSUMPTION OF THE VIRGIN.
Ad mea facta pater assit Deus et sua mater!
Doctor. Ryhte worchepful sovereynes, liketh yow to here
Of the assumpcion of the gloryous moder Mary?
That seynt Jhon the evangelist wrot and tauht, as I lere,
In a book clepid Apocriphun, wythowtyn dyswary.
At fourten yer sche conseyved Cryste in hire matere clere,
And in the fiftene yer sche chyldyd, this avowe dare I;
Here lyvyng wyth that swete sone thre and thretty yere,
And after his deth in erthe xij. yer dede sche tary.
Now acounte me thise yeris wysely,
And I sey the age was of this maide Marye,
When sche assumpte above the Ierarchye,
Thre score yer, as Scripture dothe specyfye,
Legenda Sanctorum autorysyth this trewely.
She was inhabith in Juré by the mounte of Syon,
After the assencion of hir sone conseyved in spoused,
Alle the holy placys in erthe that Criste duellyd on,
Devouthly sche went hem honoryng the Godhed;
fferste to the place there Criste cristenyd was clepid fflum Jordone,
There he fastyd and takyn was by malicious falshed,
There he beryed was and roos victoryously alon,
There he assendid alle hevenys God in his manned;
Thus was sche occupyed I rede.
And meche sche was in the temple preyand.
Now blissid mot sche be! we owe to be seyand,
