1
Atween mydnyht and the fressh morwe gray
Nat yore ago, in herte ful pensiff,
Of thoughtful sihes my peyne to put away,
Caused by the trouble of this vnstabil liff,
Vnclosyd a book, that was contemplatiff;
Of fortune turnyng the book, I fond
A meditacioun which first cam to myn hond,
2
Tofor which was sett out in picture
Of Marie an ymage ful notable,
Lyke a pyte depeynt was the figure
With weepyng eyen, and cheer most lamentable:
Thouh the proporcioun by crafft was agreable,
Hir look doun cast with teerys al bereyned,—
Of hertly sorwe so soore she was constreyned.
3
Vpon the said meditacioun,
Of aventure, so as I took heed,
By diligent and cleer inspeccioun,
I sauh Rubrisshis, departyd blak and Reed,
Of ech Chapitle a paraf in the heed,
Remembryd first Fifteene of her gladynessys,
And next in ordre were set hyr hevynessys.
4
Off ech of them the noumbre was Fifteene,
Bothe of hir Ioyes and her adversitees,
Ech after othir, and to that hevenlie queene
I sauh Oon kneele deuoutly on his knees;
A Pater-noster and ten tyme Auees
In ordre he sayde [at thende] of ech ballade
Cessyd nat, tyl he an eende made.
5
Folwyng the Ordre, as the picture stood,
By and by in that hooly place,
To beholde it did myn herte good;
Of affeccioun turnyd nat my face,
But of entent, leiseer cauht and space,
Took a penne, and wroot in my maneere
The said balladys, as they stondyn heere.
Explicit prologus.
