The Life of Saint Werburge of Chester By Henry Bradshaw. Englisht. A.D. 1513, printed by Pynson A.D. 1521, and now re-edited by Carl Horstmann |
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Of the meke answere saynt Werburge gaue to her father whan
she was moeued to maryage. Ca. xiiii.
The Life of Saint Werburge of Chester |  |
Of the meke answere saynt Werburge gaue to her father whan she was moeued to maryage. Ca. xiiii.
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The holi mayd / whan she knewe her fathers mynde,Her soule was replete / with woo & pensyuenesse,
And sore began to wepe / after cours of kynde—
The salte teeres dystylled / for payne and heuynesse
By her ruddy chekes shynynge / full fayre, doubtelesse,
Pyteous to beholde. / but whan the foresayd mayde
Ceased of her sorowe / thus to hym she sayde:
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‘Moost beest byloued father / nexte to god almyght,your kynde gentyll mocyon / wolde moeue inwardely
The mynde of any creature / to folowe you ryght,
Or any stony stomake / to relent and apply,
And resolue eche harde herte / to waylynge dolefully,
Consyderynge on euery parte / with good dyscrecyon
To accepte or refuse / this harde eleccyon.
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‘Father, I haue ben to you / meke and obedyentEuer syth I had / yeres of dyscrecyon,
Gladde to obserue / your hye commaundyment
With loue interyor / and humble intencyon—
And so wyll contynue / with lowly submyssyon,
In this present lyfe / whyle I do endure;
Of my loue and prayer / euer ye shalbe sure.
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‘But, moost louely father / I pray you hertfullyTake no dysplesure / pardon what I shall say.
My soule / my herte / and mynde / is set stydfastly
To serue my lorde god / nyght and also day,
Neuer to be maryed / by no maner of way:
For sothly I haue vowed / my true vyrgynyte
Vnto Ihesu / the seconde persone in trynyte.
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‘That is my spouse / and blessed sauyour,For whose loue refused / in certaynte haue I
All worldely pleasures / welth / ryches and honour,
With all voyde busynesse / and cures transytory;
My loue on hym is sette / so sure and feruently,
That nothynge shall separate / my hert hym fro,
Sekenes nor helthe / pleasure / peyne / ne wo.
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‘Also my full entent / was neuer otherwyseThan to be handmayde / to my lorde Ihesu
And of my soule and body / to make hym sacryfyce,
For my ghostly welthe / all vyces to subdue.
He is my dere spouse / solace / helthe moost true,
On hym is all my herte / and hase ben set alway,
And euer shalbe / vnto my endynge day.
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‘In this wretched worlde / we can not longe endureAnd of this present lyfe / we are in no suerte;
As we haue deserued / so we shalbe sure
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For mercy and grace / therfore mekely call we
Whyle we haue tyme and space— / for than it is to late
Whan dethe with his darte / sayth to vs chekemate.
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‘Wherfore, dere father / I shewe you now agayneAll my hole herte / desyre and entent,
Whiche euer hath ben / and so shalbe, certayne,
For to be relygyous / chast / and obedyent,
Namely at Ely / for theyr vertue excellent.
Father, I requyre you / for chrystes loue and charyte,
My meke supplycacyon / now graunte it vnto me.’
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The kynge well consydered / his doughters desyre,Her constaunte true mynde / and pure deuocyon:
Graunted her petycyon / with synguler loue entyre,
Trustynge by her prayer / and dayly supplycacyon
Vnto heuen-blysse / the rather for to come.
Her mother Ermenylde / was gladde of this tydynge
And lauded full lowly / our lorde and heuen kynge.
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Of the meke answere saynt Werburge gaue to her father whan
she was moeued to maryage. Ca. xiiii.
The Life of Saint Werburge of Chester | |