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Art. 91, La destinccioun de la estature Jesu Crist Nostre Seigneur

ART. 91, LA DESTINCCIOUN DE LA ESTATURE JESU CRIST NOSTRE SEIGNEUR:: EXPLANATORY NOTES


Abbreviations: AND: Anglo-Norman Dictionary; ANL: Anglo-Norman Literature: A Guide to Texts and Manuscripts (R. Dean and Boulton); BL: British Library (London); Bodl.: Bodleian Library (Oxford); CT: Chaucer, Canterbury Tales; CUL: Cambridge University Library (Cambridge); DOML: Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library; FDT: French Devotional Texts of the Middle Ages (Sinclair 1979); FDT-1French Devotional Texts of the Middle Ages, . . . First Supplement (Sinclair 1982); IMEV: The Index of Middle English Verse (Brown and Robbins); MED: Middle English Dictionary; MWME: A Manual of the Writings in Middle English, 1050–1500 (Severs et al.); NIMEV: A New Index of Middle English Verse (Boffey and Edwards); NLS: National Library of Scotland (Edinburgh).

6 Grye né. “Greek nose.” 

13 MS resle has been emended to reulé, “temperate, calm, ordered.”


ART. 91, LA DESTINCCIOUN DE LA ESTATURE JESU CRIST NOSTRE SEIGNEUR:: TEXTUAL NOTES


ABBREVIATIONS: As: Aspin; : Böddeker; Br: Brook; BS: Bennett and Smithers; BZ: Brandl and Zippel; B13: Brown 1937; Dea: J. M. Dean; Do: Dove 1969; Fl: Flood; : Förster; Fu: Furnivall; HB: Hunt and Bliss; Kem: Kemble; Ken: Kennedy; Mi: Millett; Mo: Morris and Skeat; MS: MS Harley 2253; Mu1: H. J. R. Murray; Mu2: J. A. H. Murray; NB: Noomen and van den Boogard; Pa: Patterson; Rev: Revard 2005a; Ri: Ritson 1877; Ro: Robbins 1959; SP: Short and Pearcy; Si: Silverstein; St: Stemmler 1970; Tu: Turville-Petre 1989; Ul: Ulrich; W1: Wright 1839; W2: Wright 1841; W3: Wright 1842; WH: Wright and Halliwell.

13 reulé. MS: resle.

 
127va]   


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¶ C’est la destinccioun de la estature Jesu Crist Nostre Seigneur.


¶ Trouvee est en auncien estoire de Rome de Jesu Crist que dit fust de la gent
prophetes veritables, qu’il estoit menement de haut estature e voutable a regarder.
Le volt avoit honorable, si que ceux que ly vyrent amer le poeyent e doter. Cheveus     
avoit de la colour de menue noys, c’est a dyre, de auke rouses, desque as oreilles
vers val crespé, auke jaunes e lusauntz, e as espaudles pendauntz. Grye né avoit a
la gyse de Nazarenz, frount pleyn e cler, la face sauntz frounte e tecche, e colour
auke vermail, que molt bien le enbelist. De nees ne de bouche ne avoit que
reprendre. Barbe | avoit yl, jeovene mes a plenté, de la colour de ces chevels, ne
pas longe mes al mentoun fourché; simple e de meure regardure; lé oyls neyres e
clers. En repernaunt, estoit espauntable; en amonestaunt, douz e amiable. Heyté
estoit menement. Ascune foiz plora, unqe ne rist. La estature du cors fust dreit a
lygne, bras e meynz deliciouz a regarder. Sa paroule estoit meure, reulé e sueve,
e plein de resoun. A bon droit dit le prophete David: “Speciosus forma pre filiis
hominum” [Psalm 44:3]. |
¶ These are the distinguishing features of the bodily form of Jesus Christ Our
Lord.

¶ It is recorded in the ancient history of Rome regarding Jesus Christ that he was
of the race of true prophets, that he was moderately tall in stature and fair in
appearance. He had an honorable face, so that those who saw him were able to love
and revere him. He had hair the color of a walnut, that is to say, somewhat red,
curling downward from the ears, somewhat yellow and gleaming, and hanging to
the shoulders. He had a Greek nose in the Nazarene manner, a forehead smooth
and fine, a face without wrinkle or blemish, reddish in color, which endowed him
with great beauty. Neither his nose nor his mouth had anything that might be
criticized. A beard | he had, youthful yet full, the color of his hair, not long but
forked at the chin; a look innocent and mature; eyes black and sparkling. When
reproaching, he was fearsome; when admonishing, sweet and amiable. He was
moderately happy. He cried sometimes, laughed never. His bodily stature was truly
straight, arms and hands delightful to behold. His voice was mature, temperate
and pleasant, and wise. Truly spoke the prophet David: “Thou art beautiful
beyond the sons of men” [Psalm 44:3]. |


Go To Art. 92, Lutel wot hit any mon hou love hym haveth ybounde, introduction
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