[Poems from the Vernon MS]

Ȝong & olde, More and lasse,
fful god hit is to here a Masse,
Þat Cristendam haþ tan.
Hit was mad for soule-hele,
Þe Pater noster wiþ bedes fele,
And de profundis Is on.
Þe Pater noster Is pris preyere,
Wiþ oþer orisons mony and sere.
Holdeþ ow stille as ston:
And ȝe schul here þe beste þing
Þat euer ȝe herde of Olde or ȝyng
As wyde as mon haþ gon.

494

Lustneþ here, & ȝe wol lyþe:
Of a talkyng I wol ȝou kiþe,
Cumfort to al Mon-kynde:
Þat is þe Meedes of þe Masse.
Eueri mon boþe more and lasse
Schulde haue hit in his mynde,
Hou þat ȝe scholde ȝor seruise seye
And priueliche ȝor preyers preye
To him þat may vn-bynde,
In saluyng of ȝor synnes seuene,
To þe mihtful kyng of heuene,
Vr ffader þat we schal fynde.

And hou vr ffader schal be founde
To vche a mon þat is I-bounde
In sunne, as I ow say.
His suffrance we may se,
Hou þat he suffreþ þe and me
Wiþ miht al þat he may,
And euere is redi vr bales to bete,
To loke what tyme þat we wol leete,
In-to vr laste day;
Ȝif we ben in wille to leue vr synne,
He techeþ vs wel hou we schal wynne
To heuene þe heiȝe way.

What mon wolde now suffre so
His sone I-slayen, and hedde no mo,
But ȝif he miȝte lyue a-ȝeyn;
Ȝif he for traytrie weore take,
Sone he schulde be forsake
Or elles soþli slayn.
Whon þou dost a dedly synne,
Al þe while þat þou dwellest þer-Inne
Þou puttest to his payn;
Þe same he suffred for vr sake,
Þen most merci a-mendes make
Boþe wiþ miht and mayn.

Þorw his Merci and his miht
He reweþ of vs, a-ȝeynes þe riht,
As Rihtwysnes wol rede.

495

Rihtwysnes wolde, assone
As we dedly synne haue done,
To dampne vs to þe dede:
Þen most Merci be Mayster most
Þorw þe miht of þe holy gost,
And stonde wiþ vs in stede;
And lenge wiþ vs in leo and lede,
Til we beo don out of þat dede
Þorw bone of holy bede.

Wiþ ȝor leue, I wol be-gynne
Of a Mater for to mynne,
A good þing for to make,
On þe hexte þing hit is
Þat euer was mad: þat is þe Mes,
Monnes sunnes to slake.
Eueri day þou maiȝt se
Þe same bodi þat diȝed for þe,
Tent ȝif þou wolt take,
In figure and in fourme of Bred,
Þat Ihesu dalte, er he weore ded,
ffor his disciples sake.

On þe hexte þing to here,
And þe lihtest for to lere,
ffor lewed men In lare,
Hou þat ȝe schul ȝor seruise say,
And priueliche ȝor preyers pray,
In churche whon þat ȝe are.
I do ow wel to witen wiþ-outen drede,
Þe Masse was mad for monnes nede,
ffor al folk lasse and mare.
As þe prest seiþ his preyere,
So schulde vche mon þat him gon here,
And þei wuste what hit ware.

Ȝif I seide þis word wiþ my wit,
Wiþ-outen witnesse of holi writ
Wisdam weore hit non;
Þerfore I wole þat ȝe hit witen,
Hou þat we fynde hit writen
Wiþ Auctours mony on.

496

Of Austin, Ambrose, Bernard, and Bede,
Ȝit heore Resons wol I rede
A-Mong ȝow euerichon.
Þei make muynde of mony a mede
Þat we schul haue for vre good dede,
To churche whon þat we gon.

What tyme þat þow biginnest to go
Ouþer to þe churche or fro,
To here a Masse ȝif þou may,
Eueri fote þat þou gas,
Þyn Angel poynteþ hit vch a pas,
Þe Prince of heuene to pay.
Þat day schalt þou elde nouȝt,
Ȝif þou beo studefast in þi þouht
On God þat is verray;
Not Blynt þat day schalt þou not be
Þat þou þi sauiour hast se,
Þorw him þat mihtes may.

A ffair grace God haþ þe ȝiuen,
Of þi sunnes and þou be schriuen
Þat day þou hast god se:
Ȝif þou be ded þe same day,
Þou schalt be founden I þe fay,
Hoseled as þou hed be.
Baldely maiȝt þou swete and swynke
ffor to wynne þe Mete and drinke
Wiþ-outen tray or tene;
And ȝif þou be in eny drede,
Al þe better schalt þou spede
To keuere of cares kene.

Ȝif þou haue eny wey to wende,
I rede þou here a masse to ende
In þe Morennynge ȝif þow may;
And ȝif þou may not do so,
I rede, beo vnderne ar þou go,
Or elles be heiȝ midday.
Serteynliche wiþ-outen fayle
Þou schalt not leose of þi trauayle
Not half a foote of way;

497

O þi bodi þou schalt be lihtore,
And þi weyes wende þe Rihtore,
Þorwh him þat mihtes may.

Þouh he be nouȝt at þi lykynge,
Þe prest þat schal þy masse synge,
Þerfore lette þou nouht:
His Masse schal be as good to heere
As Monk, Chanoun, Hermyte or ffrere,—
Þus þenk hit in þy þouht,—
Þauȝ his preyere and his bone
Bi-fore God come not so sone
As he þat neuer synne wrouȝt:
Ihesu crist, souereyn of al,
He may deeme boþe gret and smal,
Þus Doctours han I-souht.

Seynt Ambrose seiþ, hose redeþ riht:
Þe Masse Is of so muche miht,
Þer nys no mon þat May,
Wheþer þat he be old or ȝonge,
Þe tenþe part telle wiþ tonge,
Þeiȝ he schulde liue for ay.
Þe Exposission is so expres,
Wiþ al þe priuete of þe Mes,
Serteyn wiþ-oute delay,
Þat, couþe a mon neuere so muche of art,
He mihte not telle þe tenþe part,
Þauȝ he hedde þouȝt to say.

Seynt Ierom seiþ: for soules sere,
Þauh a Mon wolde a þousent ȝere
Do a Masse for to synge,
Hit is nouþer more ne las
But vch a soule schal haue a mas—
Hit is so heiȝ a þinge.
Ȝit I Rede ow go to chirche,
Godes werkes for to worche,
In-to vr laste endynge:
Haue we no doute of vr dole,
Vch soule schal haue a masse al hole,
Þorw help of heuene-kynge.

498

fful hard hit were to vre bi-houe
Vch a prouerbe for to proue
Of þeos Auctours alle;
Serteynliche wiþ-outen lees
Of sum of hem þen wol I sees
ffor þing þat may be-falle;
Ȝif I drouȝ hem on lengþe,
I trou no mon schulde haue þe strengþe
To stonde and heere hem alle.
Lewed men, and ȝe wol list,
fful fayn I wolde þat ȝe hit wist
On Crist whon ȝe schulde calle.

To calle on Crist wiþ mylde chere,
Lewed Men, I schal ȝou lere.
Whon þat þe prest bi-ginnes,
Whon he seiþ his Confiteore,
ffeire he louteþ þe Auter bi-fore,
To schriue him of his synnes.
Serteynly, wiþ-oute delay
And ȝe for þe prest pray,
And he atte Masse ȝou mynne,
Sikerli I dar wel say,
Þer nis no tonge þat telle may
What Mede þat ȝe may wynne.

But ȝit I telle ȝou, sikerly:
And ȝe preye but only
ffor ȝor owne hele,
I do ȝow to witen wiþ-outen drede
Ȝe beo not worþ so muche meede,
Not be þe haluendele,
As þi kuynde puttes þe to
To don vuele he biddes þe do.
Ȝif þou wol wone in weole,
Prey for þe prest, and he for þe:
Þat Is a preyere of charite,
Þen maiȝt þou synge of loue lele.

Loue is trewe in vche a leede;
Ȝif þou do ille, vuel schalt þou spede
ffor al þe craftes þat þou con.

499

Whon þat þou comest þe chirche with-Inne
And þou sest þe prest bi-gynne,
Take his vestimens on:
Loke þou do as I sey þe,
Knele a-doun vppon þi kne,
Noyse þat þow make non;
Seþþe stond vp at þi seruise,
And serue god on þis wyse,
Al folk euerichon:

Þou schalt say: “þi drihten
And deore god almihten,
And In Marie I me a-seure,
Þat heo saue vs alle,
Boþe grete and smalle,
Of sunnes we beþ vn-pure;
And þat I may me schriue
Of al my wikked lyue
To Prest þat bereþ þe cure,
Þat I haue I-wrouȝt
And in herte I-þouȝt
As vnkuynde creature.

“I was vn-kuynde,
And was þenne blynde,
To worche a-ȝeynes his wille
Þat fust me wrouȝt,
And seþþe me bouȝt
ffro peynes he was put to ille.
Þer-fore we pray
To þe to-day,
Þat knowes boþe good and ille:
Graunt vs lyue,
We may vs schriue,
Vr penaunce to folfille.”

We schal preyȝe Ihesus
Þat he forȝiue vs
Vr sunnes, þat we may synge,
Þat we may pray
Þe Prince to-day,
Schop eorþe and alle þinge,

500

Þat in Clannesse
We may þe Messe
Þorw miht of heuene-kynge,
So deorliche to do,
To torne þe to
Vs alle to good endynge.

Certes, sires, ful good hit is
To stonde stille at þe Mes,
Sum good word for to say;
Whuche þat ȝe wole preye fore,
Þauh ȝe do for mony a score,
At a Masse ȝe may;
Alle þo þat ȝe nempne nouȝt,
But only þenke in ȝor þouȝt
Þat ȝe wolde fore pray,
I do ow to wite wiþ-outen doute,
Þer nis no soule a Masse wiþ-oute,
But he haue helle for ay.

Wust I my ffader in flesch and felle
Weore holliche I-holden in helle,
Þer weore non hope of hele,
To preye for him I couþe no Red,
No more þen for a Dogge were ded,
But let hem wiþ him dele.
Ȝit I rede we go to chirche,
Godes werkes for to worche,
Ȝif we wole wone in wele;
Seþþe hit is vnknowe to vs,
We schul preye for alle ffidelibus
To Rewe soules þat beþ lele.

Ȝit I bidde ȝou takeþ good tent
Þat ȝe holde no parlyment
Wiþ no cristen mon,
Whon ȝe come þe Churche with-Inne,
And ȝe seo þe prest bi-ginne
Take þe vestimens on:
Þe foule fend so fel is,
He writ ȝor wordes I-wis
On a Rolle euerichon.

501

Also witnesseþ seynt Austine,
Þat furst wit in Engelond gan lene,
And preche þe treuþe bi-gon.

Ar seynt Austin In Engelond come,
Wiþ pope Gregori of Rome
fful long tyme gon he dwelle.
Vppon a day for worschupefulnesse
Þe Pope wolde synge a Messe
As him ful fayre bi-felle:
He made a signe to seynt Austyne,
ffor he schulde ben his dekne digne
To Rede þe gospelle.
And as he radde, þen sauh he þen
Two wyues, as ȝe may witen,
Tales þen gonne þei telle.

Seynt Austin herde þis wordes alle;
In A wyndow on þe walle
Þer bi-fore his face
A foul fend he sauȝ þer-In,
Wiþ penne & enke & parchemin,
As God ȝaf him þe grace;
He wrot so faste til þat he want,
ffor his parchemyn-skin was so scant,
To speken þei hedde such space;
Wiþ his teeþ he gon hit togge,
And so radli he gon hit Rogge
Þat al þe Rolle gon race.

So harde raced he þat Rolle,
Þat he chopped his Cholle
Aȝeyn þe Marbel-ston.
Al þe folk I þe chirche About
Was a-stoneid of þat clout
And herden hit euerichone.
Seynt Austin seiȝ hou faste he drouh:
He barst on lauhtre, and loude louh.
Þe Pope ful sore gon grone,
ffor serwe neiȝ þe Pope wept.
After masse, Austyn he met,
And Mekely made his mone.

502

He made his mone wiþ mylde mod:
“Whi weore þou so wikked and wod
ffor to do þat dede?
A worse dede miht þou neuer done.”
Austin onswerde him ful sone—
Þerof he hedde gret drede:
“Lord, greue ȝe nouȝt til þat ȝe wite.
A foul fend I say site—
Serwe mot ben his mede!—
Two wyues sat ȝonder langare,
Alle heore wordes wrot he þare
Vppon a Rolle to rede.

“Þei tok no tent til heore Mas:
Al heore wordes more and las,
He wrot hem euerichon;
ffor to speke þei hedde such space,
Þe fend wrot wiþ a foul face
Til his Parchemyn was al gon.
Whon his parchemyn was al spende,
He rauhte þe Rolle bi þe ende,
Wiþ his teth a-non
He logged, þat al in-synder gon lasch,
And wiþ his hed he ȝaf a dasch
Aȝeyn þe Marbel-ston.

“Lord, greue ȝe not for þat dunt!
He stoneyd me, and made me stunt
Stille out of my steuene.
I wol sigge as I seȝe,
ffor a word wol I not lyȝe,
Be Mihtful kyng of heuene.”
He ladde him forþ, as I trowe,
Til he com to þe wynt-douwe
Þat I be-fore gon nemene:
ffoul þei fond þer I-sched,
As blac as pich was I-spred
Vppon þe Aschelers euene.

Þis is wonder þing wiþ-outen drede;
Þer was neuer fend blod mihte blede,
He haþ nouþer flesch ne bon;

503

But god wolde þat hit were so,
To chastise hem and oþer mo
Þat to churche gun gon.
Til a Masse was seid to ende,
A Mon schulde talke with fo nor frende,
But holde him stille as ston;
Þat hous was mad for preyere
To Ihesu and to his Moder dere,
To þonke hem al heore lon.

At þe wyues gon þei witen
What þei seiden whon þei siten
Seynt Austyn hem bi-syde,
Bi heore onswere þei wuste ful wel
Þat þei hedde spoken muchel vncel,
And in heore hertes gun hyde.
Þerfore, sires, I rede ȝe loke,
God tent I wolde ȝe toke,
ffor þing þat may bi-tyde,
Þat ȝe mesure ȝou þe mare,
Of speche þat ȝe ow spare,
At Masse whon þat ȝe byde.

Þe Pope greued him wel þe lasse;
He let comaunden at þe Masse
Of þat Miracle to mynne,
And also bad wiþ ful good wille
Þat eueri Mon schulde stonde stille
Whon he comeþ þe churche with-Inne;
And þenke hou wel þat god may wreke
Euerich a word þat we speke;
We do ful muche synne:
A Prest miȝt be let of his mes,
Al þis world miȝt fare þe wers,
Vs alle to wo to wynne.—

“Vr ffader vre al-weldyng is,
God let vs neuere his murþes mis.
Lord, halwed be þi name.
In heuene and eorþe þi wille
Be don, and þat is skille,
Or elles we ben to blame.

504

Vr vche-dayes bred ȝif vs to-day.
Þat we may trustily whon we schul away
To come to þi kyndame.
God kepe vs to vre laste endynge,
Let neuer þe fend wiþ fals fondynge
Cumbre vs in no schame.”

Þis pater noster schulde ben vsed
And for non orison beo refused,
I schal ȝow telle for whi:
Of his Mouþ hit was maad,
Þat al þis world long and braad
Out of Bale gan buyȝe.
Leeue hit wel, and not wene hit,
Þe pater noster contened
Alle þing hollye
Þat vs neodeþ, and non oþer,
Boþe for þis world and þat oþer,
Quik whon we schal dye.

At þe gospel, were ful good
Studefastliche þat ȝe stod,
ffor no þing þat ȝe stured hit;
Al ȝor lykyng þer-on leiþ
To wite what þe prest seiþ,
Holliche þat ȝe here hit.
Þauȝ ȝe vnderstonde hit nouȝt,
Ȝe may wel wite þat god hit wrouȝt,
And þerfore wisdam were hit
ffor to worschupe al godes werkes,
To lewed men þat ben none clerkes.
Þis lesson, now go lere it.

And whi ȝe schulde þis lessun lere,
Herkneþ alle and ȝe may here.
Þer a Neddre hauntes,
Ȝe may wel fynde, and ȝe wol seche,
He vnderstond noþing þi speche
Whon þou hire enchauntes,
Neuerþeles heo wot ful wel
What is þi menynge eueri-del
Whon þat þou hire endauntes.

505

So fareþ þer vnderstondyng fayles,
Þe verrey vertu ȝow alle a-vayles
Þorw grace þat god ȝow grauntes.

Whon þe gospel is I-don,
Ȝit wolde I, gode men euerichon,
Þat ȝe couþe ȝor crede;
What tyme þat þe prest say
Þat ȝe miȝte ȝor-self pray,
fforsoþe hit were gret nede;
And seþþe trewely trouwe þer-Inne,
And fulliche out of ȝor mouþ hit mynne,
Þer-to liht muche mede.
And ȝif ȝe trowe and wol not telle,
So dude þe fend þat from heuene felle,
And doþ hit nouht in dede,

Þouȝ þou neuere so trewely trowe,
Wiþ-oute dede ful luytel hit douwe,
So doþ þe deuel þat dredes.
But seynt Iacob, Iosepes broþer,
Seiþ þat we schal don non oþer,
In his pistel whose redes.
Such þing as þou seyst and doos,
Þi Neiȝebor wol þerof make Roos
What lyf þat þow lede.
Wiþ-In a storie in þat stede
He seiþ þat trouþe is but dede
But hit be don in dede.

Ȝit beo þer mo men lyuing in lede
Þat I wolde couþe heore crede,
And whon þei couþe ken hit.
I haue I-seid as I con:
Ȝif þer beo euer eny mon
Þat seiþ he con a-mende hit,
ffaute þer-Inne ȝif þat he fynde,
Mak no scornynge me be-hynde
But aȝeyn to me he sende hit,
Or elles help þat I may here hit.
Þus an Englisch as I lernde hit
I haue I-þouht to ende hit. . . .

506

A Resun I schal reden ow riht
Whi þe day bi-fore þe niht
Was ordeynt for to be.
ffor Adam of þe Appel eete,
Ihesu Crist vr bales con beete,
Þat dyed vppon þe Tre;
Out of liht þat he was Inne,
In-to helle for his sinne,
Holliche þer was he;
He was banischt out of blis
In-to helle, boþe he and his,
Bi-foren þat was so fre.

Ȝit a Resun I schal ȝou say:
Whi þe niht bi-fore þe day
Was ordeynt, I schal ȝou telle:
ffor Ihesus suffred woundes fyue,
And siþþe a-Ros fro deþ to lyue,
And after herwede helle;
Out of þesternes þorw his miht
Aȝeyn he put him to þe liht
Whuch þat he fro felle,
And dude him aȝeyn in paradis
Þat he hedde lost boþe he & his,
Wiþ speche as I ow spelle.

A luytel bi-fore þe prest wasch
Let him not his offryng asch
Ȝif þou þenke for to offre;
Whon he torneþ a-non þe tille,
Go vp to him with ful good wille
And þi peny him profre.
Þauȝ þou be not þer-to in dette,
Þou schalt þinke hit ful wel bi-set,
I swere bi seynt Cristofre;
Of sinnes hit wol make þe to sese,
And þi catel also encrese
Of seluer in þi Cofre.

But fayn I wolde þat þou þus seide
Whon þou in his hond hit leide,
Or þenk hit in þi þouht:

507

“God, þat was In Bethleem bore,
Þreo kynges kneled þe beo-fore,
And heore offryng brouȝt;
Þou tok heore offryng of alle þre:
So receyue þis of me,
And forȝete me nouȝt,
Þat I may euere wiþ þe wone,
And kuyndelich clepe þe godes sone,
On þe Roode as þou me bouȝt.”

Whon he haþ waschen, þen he walkes,
Priueliche and stille he stalkes
To his Auter aȝeyn.
Þe furste þing he doþ, wiþ-oute doute,
To his weuede þen wol he loute,
Þe soþe is nouȝt to leyn;
Seþþe he stondeþ vp-riht,
His hondes heueþ vppon hiht
Him-self for to sayn,
Þenne he torneþ him to ȝow.
Cristene men, herkeneþ now
And preyeþ wiþ al ȝor mayn . . .

Þen he biginnes his secre;
Adoun þenne knele ȝe
A luyte while way,
Til þat he seþ per omnia,
And seþþe Sursum corda.
What is þat to say?
Hit is a nedful note to nemen:
“Hef vp ȝor hertes in to heuen
To him þat al mihtes may.”
Seþþe schul ȝe þonke him þus
Of bodi and soule has ȝiuen vs,
And þus-maner schul ȝe pray . . .

Lustneþ alle to þis þing.
Bi-twene þe sanctus and þe sakeryng
Ȝe schal preye stondynge—
Hit semes wel in þat whyle
Þat god in his Exyle
In þis world was wonynge.

508

Seþþe schul ȝe knele a-doun
And þenke vppon his passioun
Þat he hedde heer suffrande,
Hou þat he suffrede woundes fyue,
And seþþe he ros from deþe to lyue
And nou has heuene in hande.

Ȝit schul ȝe preye for eny þing
Bi-twene þe sanctus and þe sakeryng
Til þat þe belle knelle.
Ȝif eny mon haþ scorn to here hit,
Be my trouþe, wisdam weore hit
Þat he heolde him stille;
Þe same mon ȝe lauȝwhe to scorn
Was of a Mayden in Bethleem born,
Me þinke ȝe don ful ille.
Whose has hoker gas hame;
To telle hit ȝou me þinkes no schame,
I preue hit bi a Bille.

Godes fflesch he reiseth o lofte
And his blod feir and softe
In þe chalis wiþ-Inne:
Þen schul ȝe knele a-doun
And sey a luyte orisoun,
ffor no þing þat ȝe blynne.
God þat on þe Rode was slon,
Þo two and he beoþ boþe on,
Þat dyed for al monnes synne.
After þe prest his Armes spredeþ he,
In toknynge he dyed vppon þe tre
ffor me and al mon-kunne.

Whon þe pater noster is don,
To þe Agnus dei he goþ ful son—
Herkneþ hende in halle—
“Godes lomb” hit is to sei,
“Þis worldes sinne to don a-wey
And haue merci on vs alle.
Þe same lomb hit is to minne,
To don a-wei þis worldes synne,
To þe we crie and calle,

509

Ihesu, for þi miht and grace
A-bate vr synnes In vch a place,
Þi pes mot on vs falle.”

Whon he haþ vsed, he walkeþ riht
To Lauatorie þer hit is diht,
ffor to wassche his hende.
So gostly he comes a-geyn,
Vn-to god for to preyen
Sum special grace hym sende,
ffor al þe folk þat þer wore
Whuch þat he haþ preyed fore
Þat a Masse may mende.
Þen to knele hit is best,
Til hit cum to Ite Missa est
Be seid in to þe ende.

Þenne schul ȝe knele a-doun
And sei a luytel Orisoun
Riht on þis Maneere—
Þe Orisoun is of seynt Ambrose,
Þat he properly in prose
Made in his preyere;
Þen to preye is ful good tyme.
I con not wonder wel ryme
On latin ȝou to lere,
But noþeles I wol assay
As neiȝ þe text as euer I may—
Herkne and ȝe may heere.

“God þat diȝed vppon þe tre,
Þat þe prest receyuede bodile
Vppon þe Auter-ston,
Graunt vs grace, whon we hennes go,
Þat we may worþily don al so,
In vre concience al-on.
After vr dedes & we be demed,
ffrom his blisse we schal be flemed,
Out of þat worþli won.
God graunt vs grace In wille & word
We may be worþi to his bord,
Vr lord leue vs þat lon.”

510

Ȝit prei vr ladi, as I ow telle,
Þat ȝe forȝete not þe god-spelle,
ffor no þing þat may bi-falle;
Tac a good entent þer-to:
Hit is þe In principio
On latin þat men calle.
A ȝer and fourti dayes atte lest
ffor verbum caro factum est
To pardoun haue ȝe schalle;
Mon or wommon schul haue þis
Þat kneles doun þe eorþe to kis—
ffor-þi þenk on hit alle!

Now haue I endet so as is
Þe Maner and þe Mede of þe Mes,
Þerof I am ful bliþe,
Ne more þerof to mele wiþ mouþe,
I haue seid as I couþe,
I þonke god fele siþe.
Of my trauayle is me nouȝt;
Wolde ȝe þenke hit in ȝor þouȝt
And in þe chirche hit kiþe,
Þen were hit lykynge of ȝor mynde,
And gret cumfort to al Monkynde,
Hose wol lusten and lyþe.

Ȝit is þer þreo þinges on þe Bok,
Sikerly þat I out tok
And neuer dar make in Mynde;
Hit was wel þouȝt at my likynge
I ches hit out bi heuene-kynge,
Þe toþer is ȝit bi-hynde.
But better þing þen I haue told,
Herde ȝe neuere of ȝong ne old,
On ground þat men may fynde;
Saue fyue wordes, wiþ-outen drede,
Þat no mon but a prest schulde rede
Is comen of cristen kynde.

God þat dyȝed vppon þe Roode,
Þat bouȝt vs wiþ his blessed blode
Vp-on þe harde tre,

511

Ȝiue vs grace, boþe more and lasse,
Þorw þe vertu of þe Masse
Vr soules mai saued be.
ffader & Sone and Holigost,
As þou art lord of mihtes most
And sittes In Trinite,
Whon we schal dye, no lengor dwelle,
Kep vs from þe pyne of helle,
AMEN ffor charite.

University of Virginia Library

[XLVII. How to hear Mass.]