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77. A Maid Hath Borne the King of Kings

[_]

A. MS. Ashmole 189 (Sum. Catal. No. 6777)

Regem regum A mayde hath borne,
To Sawe mankynde that was forlorne;
And ȝyt ys sche as sche was be-forne,
Res miranda.
113

Angelus consilij
Was borne of þis blessyd ladye,
Virilis ignara consorcii
Sol de stella.
Cedrus Alta libani,
þat grewe on þis hylle so hye,
Yne oure valey he doyth Aplye
Carne Sumpta.
Verbum ens Altissimi,
Persawynge mischefe so nye,
ffor our synnes he cam to dye
Valle nostra. amen.
Ysayas cecinit
þat a chylde schalle be borne,
Synagoga meminit
þerof longe tyme beforne;
Set non suis vatibus
þer-of þay take no Affiawns,
Sibiliniis versibus
þat borne was of oure Aliawns.
Infelix propera te, þe y saye,
Leste þu be dampned a domys daye;
þane shalt þu synge welawaye,
but þu belyve hec predicta.
[_]

B. MS. Arch. Selden B. 26 (Sum. Catal. No. 3340)


Glad & blithe mote ȝe be,
All that euer y here nowe se,
Alleluya!
114

Kynge of kyngys, lorde of alle,
borne he is in oxe stalle,
Res miranda.
The angel of consel, now borne he is
of a maide ful clene y-wys,
Sol de stella—
The sunne þat euer shyneþ bryȝt,
the sterre þat euer ȝeueth his lyȝt
Semper clara.
Ryȝt as þe sterre bryngth forth his beme,
So þe maide here barn teme,
pari forma.
Nother þe sterre for his beme,
noþer þe maide for here barne-teme,
ffit corrupta.
The cedur of liban, þat growyth so hye,
vnto þe ysope is made lye
Valle nostra.
Godys sone of heuen bryȝt,
vn-tyl a maide is he lyȝt,
Carne Sumpta.
Ysaye saide by prophecie,
the Sinagoge hath hit in memorye,
ȝyt neuer he lynneth maliciusly
esse ceca.
Yf they leue not here profetys,
þen lete hem leue ethen metrys,
In Sibylinys versiculys
hec predicta.
Un-happy iewe, come þu nere,
By-leue ellys thyne eldere.
Why wolt þu, wrecche, y-dampned be
115

Whomme techeth þe letter?
By-holde the childe þe better—
Hym bare a maide, moder, marye.
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