The Ascension

Here begins the Ascension of our Lord, with Mary, and eleven disciples, and two angels seated in albs; and Jesus says to his disciples etc.

JESUS

Pax vobis. Among you peace,
Both love, and rest, and charity.
Among all virtues let it not cease,
For among all virtues principal is she.

Ye be to blame, I may well prove,                               5
For to you I will use words plain
That you be so hard of hearts to believe
That from death to life I am risen again.
Notwithstanding as you know, certain,
To you seven times appeared have I                              10
By sundry times, the truth to say;
And this is the ninth time, truly,
Just this and no more.
But now some meat
Anon do get;                                                    15
For I will eat
With you and go.

My disciples, hear what I say,
And to my words give attention.
From Jerusalem look you go not away,                            20
But meekly await my father's permission,
Of which by my mouth you have had information
While bodily I with you I was dwelling.
For John, truly, for man's salvation
Only in water was me baptising.                                 25
But this promise I will set
Within  a few days that ye
In the Holy Ghost shall baptised be.
Therefore rise up and follow me
Unto the Mount of Olivet.                                       30

JAMES MAJOR

O Lord, vouchsafe us for to tell
If thou wilt now, without more delay,
Restore the kingdom of Israel
And give us the joy, Lord that lasteth aye.

JESUS

Sirs, the times and the months know ye not may                  35
Which my father hath put in his own power.
But ye shall take within a few days
Of the Holy Ghost the virtue clear,
Through which shall ye
In Jerusalem and Jewry.                                          40
And moreover also in Samaria,
And to the world's end utterly,
My witness only be.

Love no wrath nor no wrong,
But live in charity with dreams even.                           45
With mirth and melody, and angel-song,
Now I fly from you to heaven.

Here he ascends before their eyes, and in heaven there is singing etc.

ANGEL

Return again to your lodging,
To Jerusalem, for he wills it thus,
His promise meekly there abiding;                               50
For doubtless this foresaid Jesus,
Which from you is taken.
In a cloud, as ye have him seen
Flying up, so shall come again,
Of all mankind, this is certain,                                55
Judgment shall he make.

PETER

Oh ye brethren, attend to me,
And take good heed what I shall say:
It behoveth the scripture fulfilled to be
That of David was said with words plain                         60
Of Judas, who was the guide, certain,
Of  them that Christ slew cruelly;
Which afterwards, from death, rose up again,
And hath lived on earth full days forty.
And after all this,                                             65
Before our eye
In a bright sky
He did up fly
To heavenly bliss.

This said Judas was among us                                    70
Numbered an apostle, and had like dignity.
But when he betrayed our Lord Jesus,
He hung himself upon a tree;
In whose place must needs ordained be
Another, our number for to restore,                             75
One of those whom , as well know we,
Has been conversant here long before
In our company;
Which shall witness
Bearing express                                                 80
To more and less
Of Christ's resurrection steadfastly.

Here stand forth two, Joseph Justus and Matheus etc.

Oh sovereign Lord, which of every man
The hearts do know most inwardly,
With all the lowliness we may or can,                           85
To thee we pray full benignly
That thou vouchsafe through thy mercy
Us him to show which in this case
Thou likest to choose effectively
To occupy the lot of Judas' place.                              90

Here they cast lots, and it falls to Matheas, etc.

Now gramercy, Lord!
And to fulfil
Thy holy will,
As it is skill
We all accord.                                                  95

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