University of Virginia Library

I.

[Lorde Ihesu Cryste, godd almyghty]

Lorde Ihesu Cryste, godd almyghty,
I thanke þe with all my herte hally
That me man schope and mad of noghte,
And of vile matere me furthe broghte,
And my body, swa made of vile matere,
Thow knyttide to-gedire in Ioyntes sere,
And my sawle made thurghe thyne Inspayre,
& gaffe me lymmes semly & faire.
Fra a myrke downgeone þou broghte me righte,
Þat es my modirs wambe, to þis lighte;
And Efte gate me as þi barne neweborne
Thurghe baptyme, þat was þe fendes childe lorne.
And fyve wittes of body þou has gyffene me,
And skyll ware-with þey sulde rewlyde bee.
And all-if I hafe done agayns þi lawe,
Thi gudes þou will noghte fra me drawe,
That a false traytoure aganes þe es ay
And trespas agayne the here ilke daye.
Thow sendes me here thurghe þi purueance
Ilke daye my nedefull sustenance,
That es to saye, met & clathe fre,
And all þat nedfull es to me.
Thow has tholede me & venged þe noghte
Of my syne þat I hafe agayne þe wroghte,
And ȝitt suffers, & gyffes me space
To turne me to þe & take þi grace.
And ay whene I hafe fallyne in the fendis bawndone,
þou has sauede me fra fynall dampnacyone
That I ware for my wikkidnes worthy;
Bot þou has couerde me with þi mercy,
And ay has sparede me, & ȝitt spares,
And kepes me fra þe deuyllis snares,
And agayne his darttes has bene my schelde.
And has sauede me bathe in ȝouthe & elde
Fra many perells in many sere stedis,
And fra myschance & sudayne dedes.
For all thes þat I hafe rehersede here,
And for all oþer gudes & benfettes sere
That thow till me synfull caytife
Hase gracyousely done in þis lyfe,
I thanke þe, lorde, with all louynge;
And prayes þe þou take me in thi kepynge,
And saue me forthewarde as þou has done,
And graunte me þi grace, whills I here wonne,
To mende my lyfe & lyfe in clennes,
þat I may wonne with þe in blisse Endlesse.