| [Poems from the Vernon MS] | ||
God þat art of miȝtes most,
ffader and Sone and holigost,
Þow graunte hem alle þi blessyng
Þat herken wel to þis talkyng.
ffor, lewed and lered, more and lesse,
Hit wol ow teche holynesse;
To loue God wiþ fyn chere
Hit wol ou teche, my leoue and dere.
ffor mony a tyme ȝe cone me preye
Þer-of a lesson ow to seye;
Ȝoure dulnesse sum what to scharpe
Ȝe han me preyed for to carpe.
ffor bisynes of wordli þing
To monye hit is a gret lettyng,
And eke ȝor owne frelete,
Þat makeþ ow ȝeore heui to be
Of or-self and ȝoure liuinge,
Þorw þe ffendes entysynge.
Þerfore þis bok to ow I make
Ȝoure discumfort for to slake,
Þat is cald “þe spore of loue,”
Þat stureþ or loue to god aboue.
Riht as þe spore makeþ hors to renne,
So schal þis bok sone god ou kenne,
Þat is souereyn holynesse.
Ȝe schul fynde heer-in swetnesse:
Loke ȝe take herto good hede!
ffor I schal telle ȝou, as I rede.
Þis may be ȝor halyday werk,
Hit wol a-vayle boþe lewed and clerk.
ffader and Sone and holigost,
Þow graunte hem alle þi blessyng
Þat herken wel to þis talkyng.
ffor, lewed and lered, more and lesse,
Hit wol ow teche holynesse;
To loue God wiþ fyn chere
Hit wol ou teche, my leoue and dere.
269
Þer-of a lesson ow to seye;
Ȝoure dulnesse sum what to scharpe
Ȝe han me preyed for to carpe.
ffor bisynes of wordli þing
To monye hit is a gret lettyng,
And eke ȝor owne frelete,
Þat makeþ ow ȝeore heui to be
Of or-self and ȝoure liuinge,
Þorw þe ffendes entysynge.
Þerfore þis bok to ow I make
Ȝoure discumfort for to slake,
Þat is cald “þe spore of loue,”
Þat stureþ or loue to god aboue.
Riht as þe spore makeþ hors to renne,
So schal þis bok sone god ou kenne,
Þat is souereyn holynesse.
Ȝe schul fynde heer-in swetnesse:
Loke ȝe take herto good hede!
ffor I schal telle ȝou, as I rede.
Þis may be ȝor halyday werk,
Hit wol a-vayle boþe lewed and clerk.
| [Poems from the Vernon MS] | ||