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| II. |
 | [Poems from the Vernon MS] |  |
Þenne him spac þe Aungel fre:
“Marie, nouht ne dreed þou þe!
A child schal beo boren of þe,
Iesus schal his nome be.
“Marie, nouht ne dreed þou þe!
A child schal beo boren of þe,
Iesus schal his nome be.
He schal þe ffader of heuene qweme,
In Dauid sete sitte and deeme,
Þe folk of Israel he schal ȝeme
And heore fon from hem fleme.”
In Dauid sete sitte and deeme,
Þe folk of Israel he schal ȝeme
And heore fon from hem fleme.”
Þenne onswerde þat swete Mayde
To þe Aungel Gabriel and sayde:
“Hou schal þis be? nouȝwher I ne leide
Mi þouht to luste of mon vpbreide.”
To þe Aungel Gabriel and sayde:
“Hou schal þis be? nouȝwher I ne leide
Mi þouht to luste of mon vpbreide.”
Þen þe Aungel hire herte dihte,
And of þis gretynge hedde in-sihte:
“Þe holy gost (he seide) schal in þe alihte
And in þe worche wiþ his mihte.
And of þis gretynge hedde in-sihte:
“Þe holy gost (he seide) schal in þe alihte
And in þe worche wiþ his mihte.
Þe chyld þat of þe schal beo bore,
Godus sone he schal beon i-core;
He schal þe folk, þat herbi-fore,
To blisse bringe, þat heo hedden forlore.
Godus sone he schal beon i-core;
He schal þe folk, þat herbi-fore,
To blisse bringe, þat heo hedden forlore.
And þat þou þe soþe lere,
Þi nece Eliȝabeþ, lo here,
Þit is in elde feole ȝere,
Heo haþ chyld take of hire feere.
Þi nece Eliȝabeþ, lo here,
Þit is in elde feole ȝere,
Heo haþ chyld take of hire feere.
Þe sixte Moneþ now is anon
Þat heo haþ wiþ chylde igon—
ffor to God of heuene, þat is on,
Nis word of vnmihte non.”
Þat heo haþ wiþ chylde igon—
ffor to God of heuene, þat is on,
Nis word of vnmihte non.”
Nolde Marie no lengore plede,
Þis wordes in hire herte heo sede:
“Lo me her Godus Mayde,
Wiþ me do God as þou hast sayde!”
Þis wordes in hire herte heo sede:
5
Wiþ me do God as þou hast sayde!”
As sone as þis was in hire þouht,
In hire was Monnes kuynde i-wrouht
And soþfast God was þerto i-brouht—
Mon, þer-of ne dred þe nouht!
In hire was Monnes kuynde i-wrouht
And soþfast God was þerto i-brouht—
Mon, þer-of ne dred þe nouht!
Þe Aungel Marie God bi-kende
And to him eode þat him sende.
And sone aftur þat mayde wende
To Eliȝabeþ, hire kuynde frende.
And to him eode þat him sende.
And sone aftur þat mayde wende
To Eliȝabeþ, hire kuynde frende.
Sone so þe Mayde Marie
Entrede þe hous of Ȝakarie,
Eliȝabeth In prophecie
Þe Maide custe and þus gon crie:
Entrede þe hous of Ȝakarie,
Eliȝabeth In prophecie
Þe Maide custe and þus gon crie:
“A,” heo seide, “how may þis be
Þat my lordus modur comeþ to me?
As sone as ich herde þe steuene of þe,
Þe Child in my wombe makede gle.
A-Mong wymmen I-blessed þou be,
And blessed beo þe fruyt of þe!”
Þat my lordus modur comeþ to me?
As sone as ich herde þe steuene of þe,
Þe Child in my wombe makede gle.
A-Mong wymmen I-blessed þou be,
And blessed beo þe fruyt of þe!”
Þer bilafte þat swete may
Wiþ Eliȝabeth wel moni a day—
Ne louede heo no foles play,
Bote louede God and þonked ay.
Wiþ Eliȝabeth wel moni a day—
Ne louede heo no foles play,
Bote louede God and þonked ay.
| [Poems from the Vernon MS] | |