The Metrical Life of St. Robert of Knaresborough Together with the other middle English pieces in British Museum MS. Egerton 3143 |
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ORACIO AD BEATUM ROBERTUM |
 | The Metrical Life of St. Robert of Knaresborough |  |
ORACIO AD BEATUM ROBERTUM
Hayle! heremete mast þat ys of myghtFray way to were the wafull wyght.
Hayle! in care þat comforthes all
That hertely her wyll on the call.
Hayle! man þat was wythowten make,
I beseke the, for hys sake
Here þat nathinge the denied
Þat þoue aftur craued or cryed,
For this grett prerogatyff
Fray langor lese me; of my lyffe
I beseke the saue me sound,
Whider or whare or when I found,
On land or water wheder yt be;
Fra all greuaunce of aduersite,
Saintt Robertt, kepe me I the pray,
Fra thonour and leuenyng ylka day,
Fray sodann ded and dremes,
And fray all dishesse þat es
Of fier, of water or of wound,
Or any greuaunce of this ground,
Fray fendes fals and fell
And men þat keyn ar and crowell,
Fray wyld bestes and enposynnyng
And vermyn and all vther thyng,
Fra bytyng, thretyng, and fray theffys,
And all maner of myscheffys
That outher may me greff or skath
In saule, in body or in bath;
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Fray noye and ned and angers sere,
Fray tribulacion, traye and teyne,
An destany of cares keyn;
Fray way and wandreth of þis werld—
Or wyth myscomforth to be merred—
Fray plyghtes and pareles manyfalde
Of hongyr, threst, myst or calde;
Fray pouerte and perplexite
And combraunce of all catyefte;
Fray dole of passion and of pyne,
Fray fautes and all enseging syne,
Fray syte and fray all seknes here,
Fray mournyng and all sorowes sere,
Fray dett and fray all dedely syn
Off trispas, wikkednes I am in;
Fray vengeaunce, wreth and wrechednes,
And fray all pereles mare and lesse
Þat was or ys or may befall.
Sayntt Robertt, kepe me fray thaym all,
And grauntt me, for thi charite,
When I am ded þat I may se
Thiselff wyth aungels stand me by
My countes to cast, and to reply
Off my trispas ylkay playntte,
That I be noght tane wyth tayntte;
Bott fray þat bytter bayle gar brynge
My saule to se my semely Kynge
And euer to belde wyth hym in blysse—
I beseke the grauntte me this.
Amen.
Explicit.
| The Metrical Life of St. Robert of Knaresborough | |