 | Religious Lyrics of the XVth Century |  |
136. Stella Celi Extirpavit
Stella Celi extirpavit que lactavit Dnm Ipsa(?).
1
Thow hevenly quene, of grace owre loode sterre,With thy Chaste mylke plentyvous of plesaunce
Gave Ihesu sowke, puttyst Away the werre
Off Pestylence to Appese owre grevaunce,
Owre well of Mercy, owre Ioy, owre suffysaunce,
fflowre of vyrgynyte, Moodyr of moste Pryce,
Racedyst vppe all surfetis of myschaunce,
That owre forne fader plantyd In paradyce.
209
2
[Thow] same sterre—of sterrys noon so bryght!—Celestyall sterre, of bewte most souereyne,
To the we pray, on vs Cast downe thy syght
Oonly of Mercy, that thow not disdeyne
Of Infecte Eyres the Mystes to Restreyne,
That be thy Gracyous most holsome Influence,
We have no Cause on hasty deth to pleyne,
Which sleyth the people be swerd of pestyl[ence].
3
Owre trust Is fully, and owre ConfidenceVndespeyryd, In owre Opynyoun
Ageyn all wedrys of Corrupte Pestilence:
Be thy Requeste and Medyacyoun,
And be thy soonys gloryous passyoun
And Remembraunce of thy Ioyes all,
Gayne frowarde Eyres Causyng Infeccyoun,
Diffend vs, lady, when we to the Call.
4
ffor, as Phebus Enchasith Mystis BlakeToward Midmorowe with his beemys Cleere,
Lucifeere byddyth sluggy folke Awake
In the Oryent, fyrst when he doth Apeere.
Ryght so mayst thow, In thy Celestyall speere,
O sterre, of sterrys most of excellence,
Mayd & moder, be Meene of thy prayere,
Save all thy servauntis fro strooke of pestylence.
5
On vs wrecchis, of Mercy to Recorde,Emperesse of the hevynly Consystory,
Callyd ffons & well of Myserycorde,
The Goldene Crone, bastell of owre Victory,
210
Gladdest Aurora of most Magnificence,
Mayde & Moder, have one thy Men memory!
And them preserue from strooke of Pestylence.
6
Grounde & begynnyng, honowre of owre kynrede,Temple of the Trynyte, most blessid & most benygne,
Where the hooly goste his golde dewe lyst down shed,
In-to thy Closette moste Competent & condigne,
With sevyn sealys, thy Breste he lyste Consigne
Paraclitus to have ther Residence.
As thow were born vnder the vyrgynall sygne,
Save all thy servauntis fro stroke of pestylence!
7
O blessid Ihesu, for thy Moders sake,lyke as thow lyste, of Mercyfull Pyte,
Sent from thy ffader, owre Nature for to take
In her þat flowryd In Pure Vyrgynyte—
ffor mayde & Mooder was nevyr noon but she,
Gayn all Infeccyoun she Is owre Cheef dyffence—
O lorde Above, Callyd oon & two & thre,
ffor her Meryte, save vs fro Pestylence!
Amen & Explicit scdm lydgate
| Religious Lyrics of the XVth Century | |