University of Virginia Library

V. [hou a man, for ache, cut of his foot, and was heled aȝeyn by vre lady.]

Iesu, God and Godus sone : Þat were a Babe I-boren
Of þe Mayden swete Marie : Kuynde Qween I-Coren:
As þou rayled on þe Roode : On Crois, I-Crouned of þorn,
To beete þe gultus of vre ffadres : Þat fer weren vs biforen;
And aftur þat þe þridde day : ffrom deþe þou vp a-Ros,
To leesen hem out þat weren I-punt : ffor synne in helle clos—
Þe soules, lord, þat weren in helle : Were glad of þin vp-Rys,
Wiþ þe þou laddest hem whon þou rise : To B[l]isse of Paradys;
Þe ffourtiþe day þerafturward : Þou steih to heuene an heih,
Þer þou sittest on his riht syde : Þi ffader swyþe neih;
Þeraftur þenne þe tenþe day : Þou sendest doun wiþ þi sonde
Þe holigost to þi disciples : To don hem vndurstonde
Wit and wisdam, resun and skil : To knowen þi godhede
And preche þe bileeue among þe folk : And hem to good lyf lede:

155

Wel ouhte we alle to þonke þe, lord : Of alle þi goodnes,
And eke þi Moder, swete Marie : Of whom com vre encres :
ffor riht as Eue, vre furste Moder : Of vre synnes was Roote,
Riht so of Marie, þi swete Moder : Sprong hele of al vr boote.
Þerfore we ouhten day and niht : To hauen þi Moder In Muynde,
To louen hire eke wiþ al vr miht : And seruen hire as þe kuynde.
For hose loueþ þat ladi wel : Heo gladeþ him in his greef,
Heo is solase in eueri serwe : And Medicyn in Mischeef,
In eueri serwe or seknesse ouþer : Heo is souereynest leche;
No Mon fayleþ þat studefastlych : Vre ladi wol bi-seche.
Þouȝ heo helpe nouȝt anon : Beo not þerof agast,
ffor ofte heo tarieþ of hir help : To Make Mon studefast.
Þouh heo graunte not þi bone anon : Beo þou not in despeir:
ffor, ȝif þou bidde hire studefastly : I fynde ensaumple feir,
What serwe or seknesse so þou soffre : Þorw hire þou schalt spede.
To schewe þe þat bi good ensaumple : A ffeir Miracle I Rede.
[I]n þe Cite of Viuari : A Munstre I-foundet was
In þe honour of vre ladi : Þer schewed was muchel gras:
Þer In muynde of vre ladi : Was a swete ymage,
To whuch þe peple of þat cuntre : Made gret Pilrymage:
ffor hose of serwe or seknesse hadde : Or eny oþur Mischeef,
Þorw help and socour of vre ladi : Þere he fond Releef.
Þidere come seke Mesels monye : Halte, Croked, and Blynde;
What-maner seknesse þat Mon soffred : Þer hele was wont to fynde.

156

Among al oþere þer com a Mon : I-bootned forte be,
His leg was brennyng as a fuir : ffrom fot vp to þe kne.
fful longe he dwelled in þat Cite : fforte a-byden grace,
And eueri day in hope of hele : He visited þat same place,
To Marie his boones he bed : His hele forte haue:
He felede no leggaunce of his peyne : ffor al þat he may craue;
Him þhouhte þat he died almost : ffor serwe and peyne and wo.
He was Counseyled hewe of his leg : Þen longe to suffre so.
Hym þhouȝte euere so leng so wors : While he haunted þat stude,
Þerfore riht as counseiled he was : So bi his leg he dude;
ffor al þe while he was so seek : He feled neuere lisse ne lith,
Þerfore hym þouȝte beter legles : Þen so to suffre þer-wyþ.
Whon his leg was smiten of : Þe kneo, þat was bi-laft,
He heled hit vp wiþ salues and drunches : And plastres of leche-craft.
Þerafturward whon he was hol : He haunted þe same stude,
He bad and offred to vre ladi : As he bi-fore þer dude.
But as he kneled þer on a day : His Bedes for to bidde,
Er he passet out of þe place : Þis feir Miracle bi-tidde:
[Wiþ] wepe and wringyng serufoly : To Marie he made his pleynt:
“Allas, Marie, Modur of grace : In sum synne I am Cleynt!
ffor alle þat soffren serwe and sor : Þe seke, þe Croked, þe blynde,
In eny Mischef hose preyeþ to þe : Sum grace þei may fynde,
Saue I sunful Caytyf out-cast : In þe may fynde non.”
Wiþ syk and serwe, swounyng al-most : To Marie he makeþ his mon.
And as he was in such serwyng : And mihte not stunte of wepe,

157

A-Middes alle his moste serwe : He fel riht [s]ofte on slepe.
Him þhouȝte in sweuene, a fe[i]r ladi : Hondelede hym bi þe kne
And drouh out þer-of a newe leg : As furst was wont to be.
Whon he a-wok, he groped his leg : He feled hit hol and sount,
In al his lyf neuer lihtore : Whon he wende on þe grount.
Þen alle Men mensken þe Mylde ladi : Þat seȝen þis open Miracle.
In alle Mischeues heo is Medecyn : Aȝeyn seknesse obstacle.
Þerfore good is þat eueri mon : Serue vre swete ladi;
In alle synnes and serwes eke : Heo geteþ to vs Merci.
Now, ladi Marie, qween of heuene : And Emperisse of helle,
Help vs þat we mowe wiþ þe : ffor euere In Ioye dwelle!