live all through with keen, sweet,
spiritual life, the voice telling of the Passion, of the victory, of the
glory. Cynewulf heard the Rood tell how long ago it was hewn down,
ordained to lift up the evil-doers, to bear the law-breakers.

They bore me on their shoulders then, on hill they set me high,
And made me fast, a many foes. Then mankind's Lord drew nigh,
With Mighty courage hasting Him to mount on me and die.
Though all earth shook, I durst not bend or break without His word;
Firm I must stand, nor fall and crush the gazing foes abhorred.
Then the young Hero dighted Him: Almighty God was He:
Steadfast and very stout of heart mounted the shameful tree,
Brave in the sight of many there, when man He fain would free.
I trembled when He clasped me round, yet groundward durst not bend,
I must not fall to lap of earth, but stand fast to the end.

We notice the obedience of the Cross. In its absolute sympathy with its
Creator's agony, its indignation at the horrible crime of His enemies,
it would fain have fallen and crushed the gazing foes abhorred. But this
was not to be, any more than fire was to come down from heaven at the
Boanerges' call when they were fain to avenge the insult put upon their
Master, whom the people of the Samaritan city would not receive (Luke
ix, 52, etc.).

The Great King is lifted up, and the Rood dare not even stoop: the dark
nails pierce the Cross, and it stands, companion of its Maker's agony
and shame.

Oh, many were the grievous things upon that hill I bare:
I saw the God of Hosts Himself stretched in His anguish there:
The darkness veiled its Maker's corpse with clouds; the shades did weigh
The bright light down with evil weight, wan under sky that day.
Then did the whole creation weep and the King's death bemoan;
Christ was upon the Rood.

How great is the poet's insight! How deeply must he have entered into
the fellowship of that supreme suffering! He knows that throughout
creation that cup is being drunk from, as even yet it is in the groaning
and travailing of every creature, waiting for the adoption of the sons
of God, to wit, the redemption of the body (Romans viii, 22, 3).

The Descent from the Cross and the Burial come next. Tenderly, after the
telling of the anguish, comes the telling of the rest.

They lifted down Almighty God, after that torment dread,
They left me standing, drenched with blood, wit