 | Eine Mittelenglische Claudian-Übersetzung |  |
298
Mercy Jhesu miseris miserere maria
1
Thy maystyr Claudyan euyn as hys chyld . þou lytyll tretys swe.And wurshypp hym . wyth latyn tunge embelshyd hath with penne.
Preyse god in hym as in paynemys . whos doctryne whylom crewe
To good manerys and preconysyd vertu to heuen renne.
Loue not hys lawe / love weel hys word . þe thyk chyuse fro þe thenne.
Oure feyth and hys be not as oon þey goo in dyuers sutys.
Yet eche assentyth . þat pure honour merces est uirtutis.
2
Thys lesson breff & long also . Claudyan now hath tawght.In wordys thyrk . in sentens cleer . In whom as in a merour
Princys may se her owtward gestys / & yf hem vyce haue caught.
They owyn to leve yt hastly / gret ellys dyshonour.
Wyll sprynge þer off . thow par cas fortunys blynde fauour.
Seme to help / yet in thende euyr prouyd weel yt ys.
That wurshyppe as wyse men haue seyd / merces est uirtutis.
3
It may not be þat errour longe wyth vertu shuld compareNedys iustyce fro hevyn peyseth . What mete ys to þem bothe
Whos pacyens sumtyme may suffyr weell . vertu to mysfare
And wrechys lyff to be full swete / whom prudens techyth to lothe
When all ys doo / yett hedy pepull how be yt þey be wrothe
As fer fro wurshypp they shall be put / as lyght ys now fro hellys
To synne shame rewardyth . and honour merces est uirtutis
4
Desyre of wurshypp as a swre ankyr . in myddys of gret passyons.Kepyth pryncys lyff . þat yt flytte not vnsurly in the flood.
Whos cabyll ys vertu ther to weell fastnyd and tyed in here condycions.
Defyll vertu the cabyll ys broke . the ankyr boþe strong & good.
Ys lost in wawys here shypp seylyth forth / as man replesshyd with mood
Myscheuyth hymself vnprudently not seyng hys propyr mys.
Ne aduertyseth . how þat honour merces est virtutis.
299
5
Ruffynys rychesse and gooldyn dayes with corryous wytt mayntenyd.Rulyd londys and themprour himself aȝens him wold not do.
Hys worde as lawe receyuyd was / and as peplys wenyd.
Aboue all pryncys he durst presume . bothe to stond and go.
Tendyrly hys dedys gyyd . lachesys fatall also.
But whenne hys pott to the welle cam . þat erthe yt was iwys
The world weell knewe / for euyr honour merces est virtutis
6
In wyse contrarye / now stillico informyd be benygnyteBe feyth by othyr vertuys hygh whom peplys reuerensyd
And callyd to wurshypp . whych hym duwe was but he trowyng all vanyte
Off worldly blyss not tendure . humbylly hym defensyd.
Aȝens hyr wylle yett hys mekenesse in such wyse was encensyd
That gladly rome hym cowntyd pere vnto the wurthy brutys
To princys shewyng þat euyr honour merces est virtutis.
7
Souereyn god & verry good reward off perfyght meendeMake pryncys to love & othyr folk wurshyp for þe alone
Non nobis domine graunt them to seye & þat they lyst þe seende.
Thy godly omage syth grace hyrself descendyth fro thy trone
Leende pees off vertu bytuyx hem alle preserue hem fro her ffone
My lord off yorke most tendurly graunt good ihesu thys
Preeude in hys herte ; how euyr honor merces est virtutis.
Amen.
| Eine Mittelenglische Claudian-Übersetzung | |