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Religious Lyrics of the XVth Century


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DIALOGUES BETWEEN THE BLESSED VIRGIN AND CHILD.
 1. 
1. Dear Son, Leave Thy Weeping
 2. 
2. Here I Sit Alone, Alas! Alone
 3. 
3. It is my Father's Will
 4. 
4. He said Ba-Bay, she said Lullay
 5. 
5. She Sang, Dear Son, Lullay
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MARIAN LAMENTS.
 6. 
6. Filius Regis Mortuus Est
 7. 
7. An Appeal to all Mothers
 8. 
8. O Thou, with Heart of Stone
 9. 
9. Who cannot Weep come Learn of me
 10. 
10. Our Lady's Imprecation
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SONGS AND PRAYERS TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN.
 11. 
11. Stabat Mater Dolorosa
 12. 
12. Hail, Mother and Virgin Immaculate
 13. 
13. High Empress and Queen Celestial
 14. 
14. Thou shalt Bear the Fruit of Life
 15. 
15. A Salutation to the Virgin
 16. 
16. Mary, Pray thy Son for us
 17. 
17. Enixa Est Puerpera
 18. 
18. Ave Maris Stella
 19. 
19. Hail, Star of the Sea
 20. 
20. Mary, Bright Star of Heaven and Holy Church
 21. 
21. Hail, Queen of Heaven
 22. 
22. Ave Gloriosa
 23. 
23. Ave Regina Celorum, I
 24. 
24. Ave Regina Celorum, II
 25. 
25. Salve Regina
 26. 
26. An Expansion of Salve Regina
 27. 
27. Regina Celi Letare, I
 28. 
28. Regina Celi Letare, II
 29. 
29. Regina Celi Letare, III
 30. 
30. The Five Joys of Our Lady
 31. 
31. The Five Joys of Our Lady, with Acrostic
 32. 
32. An Orison to Our Lady by the Seven Joys
 33. 
33. A Salutation by the Heavenly Joys
 34. 
34. The Seven Joys of the Virgin in Heaven, I
 35. 
35. The Seven Joys of the Virgin in Heaven, II
 36. 
36. The Seven Joys of the Virgin in Heaven, III
 37. 
37. A Song of the Assumption
 38. 
38. The Coronation of the Virgin, I
 39. 
39. The Coronation of the Virgin, II
 40. 
40. Fresh Flower of Womanhood
 41. 
41. Mary, Be our Succour and Help
 42. 
42. Keep Us a Place in Paradise
 43. 
43. Our Lady and all the Angels, Pray for Me
 44. 
44. Mary, Remember Me at my Last Day
 45. 
45. I Have now Set my Heart so High
 46. 
46. A Love Message to My Lady
 47. 
47. I will Serve my Lady until Death
 48. 
48. I Will Have No Other Spouse
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HYMNS TO THE TRINITY.
 49. 
49. God in Trinity, Give Me Grace
 50. 
50. A Petition to Father and Son and Holy Ghost
 51. 
51. A Prayer to the Three Persons in the Trinity
 52. 
52. In One is All
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HYMNS TO GOD THE FATHER, CREATOR.
 53. 
53. The Pater Noster
 54. 
54. Our Father, Have Pity on Me
 55. 
55. Salvum me fac, Domine
 56. 
56. God Guides All Things
 57. 
57. God Governs for the Best
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HYMNS AND PRAYERS TO CHRIST.
 58. 
58. The Seven O's of Christ
 59. 
59. Jesus, My Lord and Protector
 60. 
60. Christ, Defend Me from My Enemies
 61. 
61. Jesus of Nazareth, Have Mercy on Me
 62. 
62. A Prayer by the Wounds against the Deadly Sins
 63. 
63. Let not the Fiend Overcome Me
 64. 
64. Richard de Caistre's Hymn
 65. 
65. Make Me Loathe Earthly Likings
 66. 
66. Grant Peace to Thy True Lovers
 67. 
67. Close in My Breast Thy Perfect Love
 68. 
68. Lord, I long after Thee
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SONGS OF THE ANNUNCIATION.
 69. 
69. Ave Gracia Plena
 70. 
70. Ecce! Ancilla Domini
 71. 
71. Gabriel Came Down with Light
 72. 
72. My Thought Was on a Maid so Bright
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SONGS OF THE NATIVITY
 73. 
73. Sapiencia Sent to Redeem Man
 74. 
74. Honour to Him Who Descended from Heaven
 75. 
75. Mary Bore Both God and Man
 76. 
76. Born is Our God Emanuel
 77. 
77. A Maid Hath Borne the King of Kings
 78. 
78. Verbum Caro Factum Est
 79. 
79. Make Ye Merry for Him that is Come
 80. 
80. The Lord that Lay in Asses' Stall
 81. 
81. The Maiden Makeles
 82. 
82. Her Son Recovers Us from Adam's Fall
 83. 
83. Bless the Time the Apple was Taken!
 84. 
84. A New-Year Song of the Nativity
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SONGS FOR THE EPIPHANY.
 85. 
85. A Song for the Epiphany
 86. 
86. Angels, Star, and Magi
 87. 
87. The Journey of the Three Kings
 88. 
88. Balthazer, Melchior and Jasper
 89. 
89. The Three Kings and Herod
 90. 
90. Hostis Herodes Impie
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HYMNS AND SONGS OF THE PASSION.
 91. 
91. The Story of the Passion
 92. 
92. Thy Blood Thou Shed for Me
 93. 
93. The Hours of the Cross
 94. 
94. The Dolours of Our Lady
 95. 
95. Behold Jesus on the Cross
 96. 
96. The Seven Words from the Cross
 97. 
97. The Mourners at the Cross
 98. 
98. For Thy Sake Let the World Call Me Fool
 99. 
99. The Child that Died for Us
 100. 
100. The Wounds, as Wells of Life
 101. 
101. An Alphabetical Devotion to the Cross
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APPEALS TO MAN FROM THE CROSS.
 102. 
102. ‘Thou Sinful Man that by Me Goes’
 103. 
103. Woefully Arrayed
 104. 
104. ‘Unkind Man, Take Heed of Me’
 105. 
105. ‘Why Art Thou, Man, Unkind?’
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COMPLAINTS OF CHRIST.
 106. 
106. What More Could Christ Have Done?
 107. 
107. A Dialogue Between Natura Hominis and Bonitas Dei
 108. 
108. Querela Divina: Responsio Humana
 109. 
109. Brother, Abide
 110. 
110. ‘Have All My Heart and Be in Peace’
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EASTER SONGS.
 111. 
111. Christ Triumphant
 112. 
112. Aloft is Risen the Great Illuminer
 113. 
113. The Lord is Risen from Death to Life
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SONGS OF THE EUCHARIST.
 114. 
114. The Bread Come from Heaven
 115. 
115. An Orison of the Sacrament and Creed
 116. 
116. By a Chapel as I Came
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THE MYSTERIES OF THE FAITH.
 118. 
118. Three Things Against Nature
 119. 
119. Faith is Above Reason
 120. 
120. The Divine Paradox
 121. 
121. God Bids Us Use Reason and Evidence
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OCCASIONAL PRAYERS AND SONGS.
 122. 
122. An Orison to St. John the Baptist
 123. 
123. The Martyrdom of St. Thomas
 124. 
124. Prayer to Mary and All Saints
 125. 
125. A Prayer of the Holy Name
 126. 
126. Keep Me To-day from Shame and Sin
 127. 
127. An Evening Prayer, I
 128. 
128. An Evening Prayer, II
 129. 
129. A Morning Prayer
 130. 
130. Speed Our King on His Journey
 131. 
131. Mary, Take in Your Hand this Dread Voyage
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PRAYERS TO THE GUARDIAN ANGEL.
 132. 
132. Lovely Angel, Keep Me Day and Night
 133. 
133. My Keeper so Sweet
 134. 
134. O Sweet Angel, Bring Me to Bliss
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TWO PRAYERS BY LYDGATE AGAINST THE PESTILENCE.
 135. 
135. O Heavenly Star, Most Comfortable of Light
 136. 
136. Stella Celi Extirpavit
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SONGS OF PENITENCE.
 137. 
137. Parce Mihi, Domine
 138. 
138. All Ten Commandments I Have Broken
 139. 
139. I Have Lived After My Lust
 140. 
140. Out of Sin My Soul Unbind
 141. 
141. Thy Gifts I Have Expended Unprofitably
 142. 
142. Though I Have Been a Wretch, I Hope of Mercy
 143. 
143. O Redeemer, Purge Me of My Vices
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144. Jesu, Mercy for My Misdeeds
  
Incipit oracio deuota ad dominum Ihesum Orō.
  
Alia Oracio Deuota
 145. 
145. Our Three Foes Make Us Mis-speak, Mis-think, Mis-do
 146. 
146. A Song of ‘Sins’
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SONGS OF OLD AGE.
 147. 
147. The Day of Life—Night Comes Soon!
 148. 
148. God Send Us Patience in Our Old Age
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SONGS OF MORTALITY.
 149. 
149. Farewell, this World is but a Cherry Fair
 150. 
150. Man Begins and Ends in Wretchedness
 151. 
151. Vanitas Vanitatum
 152. 
152. A Mirror for Young Ladies at Their Toilet
 153. 
153. On the Untimely Death of a Fair Lady
 154. 
154. The Mirror of Mortality
 155. 
155. Three Lessons to Make Ready for Death
 156. 
156. Against Death Is no Defence
 157. 
157. Devouring Death Makes All Unbold
 158. 
158. Knight, King, Clerk Wend to Death
 159. 
159. The Lament of the Soul of Edward IV
 160. 
160. The Rich Man's Farewell to the World
 161. 
161. Beware the Pains of Purgatory
 162. 
162. The Testament of a Christian
 163. 
163. Death, the Soul's Friend
 164. 
164. Death, the Port of Peace
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SONGS AGAINST FORTUNE.
 165. 
165. Fortune Will Have Her Way
 166. 
166. Fortune Rules Both High and Low
 167. 
167. Worldly Joy is only Fantasy
 168. 
168. Who Trusteth Fortune Will Have a Fall
 169. 
169. Fortune Has Cast Me from Weal to Woe
 170. 
170. Fortune, Be My Friend Again
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SONGS OF THE DECADENCE OF VIRTUE.
 171. 
171. A Balade by Squire Halsham
 172. 
172. Good Rule Is Out of Remembrance
 173. 
173. The Rancour of this Wicked World
 174. 
174. If One Only Knew Whom to Trust
 175. 
175. Perversities of the Age
 176. 
176. Virtues Exiled—Vices Enthroned
 177. 
177. A Series of Triads
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SONGS AGAINST VICES.
 178. 
178. Medicines to Cure the Deadly Sins
 179. 
179. On Chattering in Church
 180. 
180. Against Traducers
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PROVERBS AND MORAL SENTENCES.
 181. 
181. See Much, Say Little, and Learn to Suffer in Time
 182. 
182. Think Before You Speak
 183. 
183. Counsels of Prudence and Patience
 184. 
184. Every One Finds His Match
 185. 
185. Neither Too Humble Nor Too Proud
 186. 
186. Measure is Best of All Things
 187. 
187. Inordinate Love Defined
 188. 
188. What Profiteth this World's Labour?
 189. 
189. A Song of ‘Goods’
 190. 
190. The Law of Kind
 191. 
191. For Each Inch God Will Requite Thee a Span
 192. 
192. The Summum Bonum

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182. Think Before You Speak

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Trinity Coll. Camb. MS. 1450

What euer thowe saye A-vyse the well.
Almyȝty godde, conserue vs fram care!
Where ys thys worle A-way y-wente?
A mane that schold speke had nede to be ware,
ffor lytyl thynge he may be schente;
Tonggys beth y-turne to lyther entente,
Hertys they beth bothe fykel and felle.
Man, be-ware leste thow repente,
Whate euer thow sey, A-vyse the welle!
A-vyse the, mane, yn whate place and whare
A woord of conseyl thow doyst seyne;
Sum mane may ley there-to hys ere—
Thow wenyst he be thy frend; he ys thy foo certeyne—
Paraventor aftyr A ȝere or tweyne—
Thow trowyst as tru as eny stele,—
Thys woord yn wreth thow schalt hyre A-gayne,
Whate euer thow sey A-vyse the welle!
281

Meny mane spekyth yn hastenys,
Hyt hyndryth hym and eke hys frende;
Hym were well beter hys tonge to sese
Than they both there-for be schende.
Suche wordys beth not to be had yn meynde,
Hyt makyȝt comforte with care to kele:
Man, yn the begynnynge thenk on þe eynde;
Whate euer thow sey, A-vyse the welle!
To sum mane thow mayste tel a pryuy tale:
When he fro the ys wente A-way,
ffor a drawȝt of wyne other ale,
He woll the wrey, by my fay,
And make hyt worse—hyt ys noo nay—
Than euer hyt was, A thowsend dele.
Thys us my songe both nyȝt & day,
Whate euer thow sey, A-vyse the welle!
Be ware of bagbytynge, y the rede;
ley flaterynge vndyr thy foote,
Deme the beste of euery dede
Tyll trowth haue serchyd truly þe roote;
Rrefrayne malyce, cruell & hoote;
Dyscretly and wysly speende thy spelle;
Boost ne brage ys worth a Ioote;
Whate euer thow sey, A-vyse the welle!
Dysese, wharre, sorowe and debate,
ys causyd ofte by venemys tonge;
Haddywyst comyth euer to late
Whan lewyd woordis beth owte y-spronge,
282

The kocke seyth wysly on hys songe,
‘Hyre and see and hold the stylle!’
And euer kepe thys lessoun A-monge,
Whate euer thow sey, A-vyse the welle!
y dere well swery by the sonne,
Yf euery mane had thys woord yn thowȝt,
Meny thynggis had neuer be by-gunne
That ofte yn Ingelond hath be y-wroȝt.
The wyse mane hath hys sone y-tawȝtte:
‘Yn ryches, poorte, woo and welle,
Thys worthy reson for-ȝete thow noȝt,
Whate euer thow sey, A-vyse the welle!’
Yf that thow wolte speke A-ryȝt,
Ssyx thynggis thow moste obserue then:
What thow spekyst, & of what wyȝt,
Whare, to wham, whye and whenne.
Thow noost how soone thow schalt go henne;
As lome be meke, as serpent felle;
In euery place, A-monge all men,
Whate euer thow sey, A-vyse the welle!
Almyȝty god yn personys thre,
With herte mylde, mekly y praye,
Graunte me grace thy seruant to be
Yn woorde and dede euer and aye!
Mary, modere, blessyd maye,
Quene of hevyn, Imperes of helle,
Sende me grace both nyȝt and daye—
Whate euer thow sey, A-vyse the welle!
Explicit.
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