The Minor Poems of John Lydgate :: :: University of Virginia Library

The dignite of vertuous noblesse,
The gostly tresour, the heuynly gret rychesse,
Good incomparable, who can aryght conceyue,
Quaketh for drede, trembleth with mekenesse,
Lord of lordys when ye shall receyue.

2

Next remembreth on that other syde
Gayne hys goodnesse, youre gret iniquite,
Peyseth hys mekenesse ageyne your froward pryde,
Voydeth all rancour, thynke on his charyte,
Weyeth his pacience ayenst your cruelte,
Shryuen and contryte aforn with humble entent,
Seye, “Iesu Mercy,” knelyng on your kne,
Or ye receue that holy sacrament.

3

Bethe wysely ware, and taketh good heede,
Of no presumpsion nor wilfull hardynesse,
Take nat on yow that offyce but with drede,
With contryte hert your surfettes doth oppresse,
Late byttyr teares wasshe your wykydnesse,
With wepyng eyen scowre your conscience,
Than receyueth with spirituall gladnesse
The lord of lordes of most magnificence.

4

Ye byn eke holde to do your diligence
With wyt and mynde and all your gostly peyne
To pray for all, present and in absence,
Vnto that lord of lordes most souereyne,
Callyd chyef welle and condute, in certeyne,
Of grace and vertew, as clerkes can descryue,
And that ye may his mercy sone atteyne,
Goyng to masse, thynke on hys woundys fyue.

5

Ye shall also most louyngly remembre
Vppon hys most peynfull passyoun,
Howe he was hurt and bled in euery membre,
Suffryd dethe for your redempcioun,
Yeueth thanke to hym of humble affeccioun
Whyche for your sake was woundyd on hys syde,
Beseketh that lord of mercy and pardoun,
In parfyte charyte, long with yow to abyde.

6

Next, that ye haue a gostly appetyte,
By influence oonly of his grace,
In hym alone to set all youre delyte,
With feruent loue, your ioy and your solace,
In youre hert make hys dwellyng place
For your eternall consolacion,
Lat hym nat out of youre mynde pas,
Repast of aungelles in the heuynly mansyon.

Explicit.

Envoy
[_]

[Caius Coll. 174, p. 454.]

Go, lityll byll, with all humylite
Pray holy prestes that have devocion
To syng ther masse, of there benyngnite
Off this dyte to have inspeccion,
Mekely compylede vnder correccion,
Dyrecte of hert, both to more & lasse,
Of humble wyll & no presumpcion,
To prestes dysposyd ech day to syng þer masse.

Explicit.

II. The Interpretation and Virtues of the Mass.

[_]

[MS. Trin. Coll. Cam. R. 3. 21, leaves 205, back, to 214.]

1

y]E folkys all, whyche haue deuocioun
To here masse, furst do your besy cure
With all your inward contemplacion,
As in a myrrour presentyng in fygure
The morall menyng of that gostly armure,
When that a preest, with mynystres more & lasse,
Arayeth hymsylf, by record of scripture,
The same howre when he shall go to masse;

2

Furst, with your eyen verray contemplatyfe,
Calleth to mynde, of hoole affeccioun,
Howe the masse here in thys present lyfe
Of gostly gladnesse ys chyef direccioun,
To haue memory of Crystes passioun,
As doctors remembre in theyr doctryne,
Geyne gostly sekenesses oure restauracioun,
Our bawme, our tryacle, our helthe, our medycyne.

3

Of hygh dyscrecion, yef ye lyst consydre,
As ye Arn bound of verray trowthe and ryght,
Best preseruasioun that ye do nat slydre
In all that day for lak of goostly lyght,
Furst euery morow, or Phebus shyne bryght,
Lat pale Aurora condute yow and dresse
To holy churche, of Cryste to haue a syght,
For chyef preseruatyf gayne all goostly sykenesse.

4

Entryng the churche with all humylyte
To here masse a morow at your rysyng,
Dysposyth your self, knelyng on your kne,
For to be there at your begynnyng,
From the tyme of hys reuestyng
Departeth nat, tyll tyme that he haue do.
To all your werkes hit shalbe gret furtheryng
To Abyde the ende of In Principio.

5

Kepe yow from noyse and Ianglyng importune,
The howse of god ys ordeynyd for prayere,
With syght and sylence sadly doth contynew,
In your defaute that noman noyse here,
Gase nat abowte, demure of looke and chyere,
As I sayd erst, tyll tyme the preest haue do,
Your good, your catall shall encrese yfeere,
To abyde tyll In Principio.

6

In sacryfyces of the old[e] lawe
With the heede men offred vp the tayle,
From a good gynnyng men shuld nat withdrawe
Tyll hit were endyd, Moyses gafe counsayle.
A werke begon ys of more avayle
Yef a good ende accorde well therto,
For encrese of your goostly trauayle
Abyde at masse tyll In Principio.

Explicit Prologus.

Qui vult audire missam non debet abire
Donec dicatur & plene perficiatur
Principio si sis & et non in fine manebis
Pars sua parua datur que laus in fine probatur.

7

The holy man, Pope Celestyne,
Lyke as I fynde wrytyn in hys lyfe,
Of gret deuocion and grace whyche ys dyuyne,
By God inspyryd in hys ymagynatyfe,
To oppresse the power of feendes mortall stryfe,
Ageyn theyr malyce to make resistence,
Bad prestys shuld, with voyce contemplatyf,
To fore the Autere in Crystes hygh presence

Cause why Iudica me deus ys seyde before masse.

Sey furst thys Psalme, with looke erect to heuyn,
Iudica me deus, of hoole hert entyer,

Theyr conscience purge from the synnes seuyn
Or they presume to go to the Awtyer;
The same Psalme set in the sawtyer
For a memoriall of the captyuyte,
Howe Ierusalem stod in gret daungyer
At Babyloun, that froward fel cyte,

9

Thys Psalme compleyneth, as Lira doth recorde,
Theyr long abydyng withyn Babylon;
Songes of theyr exyle myght nat acorde
With the Cantyclys of Iuda and Syon.
Of hope dyspeyred, theyr comfort was nygh gon,
Lyke as thys Psalme sheweth a fygure,
But God by grace restoryd hem euerychon
Home to Ierusalem, by recorde of scripture.

10

Take of thys Psalme the moralyte,
Afore rehersyd on that other syde,
Be diligent with all humylyte,
Vppon the masse folowyng to abyde,
Have thys in custom, and god shalbe thy gyde,
All that day to gouerne thy passage,
In what peryle that thow go or ryde,
The forto defende fro trowbyll and all damage,

11

And for to yeue folk occasioun
To haue thys Psalme in more reuerence,

And here theyr masse with gret deuocioun,
As they ar bounde of trowthe and conscience,
I am full set to do my dylygence,
Aftyr my sympylnesse, this lytyll Psalme to translate,
With humble support of your pacience,
Where as I fayle, the defaute ys [in] Lydegate.

Iudica me deus & discerne causam meam de gente non sancta ab homine iniquo & doloso erue me.

O thow my lord most myghty and eterne,
O gracious Iesu, of mercy and pyte
Deme thow my quarell, my cause also dyscerne,
Among myne enemyes or I encombred be,
My dredfull foon, that byn in nombre thre,
The fende, the flesshe, brygauntes most mortall,
The false world, full of duplycyte,
O Iesu, helpe or they yeue me a fall.

Quia tu es deus fortitudo mea quare me repulisti quare tristis incedo dum affligit me inimicus.

For thow lord oonly, bothe in brede and leyngth,
Of ryght consyderyd, I dar ryght well expresse,
Thow art my support and my gostly streyngth;
Why wylt thow, lord, suffyr my sympylnesse
Forto procede in sorow and in trystesse,
Whyle my sayde enemyes prowdly me assayle?
O blyssed Iesu, of mercyfull goodnesse,
Graunt of thy grace that they may nat preuayle.

Emitte lucem tuam & veritatem tuam ipsa me deduxerunt & adduxerunt in montem sanctum tuum & in tabernacula tua.

Sende downe thy lyght, sende downe thy ryghtwysnesse,
Thy lyght of grace for consolacioun,
Thy ryghtwysnesse my passage for to dresse,
By parfyte prayer and deuocioun,
To reste in quyete, lord, sende thy grace downe,
Me to conuey that ther be noon obstacle,
Toward the hygh hilles of Sioun,
Withyn thyne holy celestiall tabernacle.

Et introibo ad altare dei ad deum qui letificat iuuentutem meam.

And I shall enter vp to thy Autere,
Made strong in spyryt, groundyd in sadnesse,
For as me semeth, corage, face, & chere
Reioysyd byn with spirituall gladnesse;
My yowthe ayene renewyd to hys fresshnesse,
Whyche of olde custome in vyces was apallyd,
Tyll thyne expert gracious goodnesse
Hath my last ende, Agein to mercy callyd.

Confitebor tibi in cithara deus deus meus.

I shall [be] shryue & confesse vnto the,
In that harpe whyche for owre alther goode
Was set and wrestyd on Caluary, on a tre,
When all thy senewys were streynyd on the roode.
Mary and Iohn, vndyr thy crosse they stoode,

With wepyng eyen, sownyng oft[e] tyme,
Tyll the repaste of our eternall foode
On Estyr morow rose vp afore pryme.

Quare tristis es anima mea & quare conturbas me.

O thow my soule, how mayst thow heuy be,
Syth Cryst hath bought the with hys passion?
What cause hast thow [for] to trobyll me?
Thy lord was sleyne for thy redempcion,
Gafe he nat also for thy refeccion,
On Sherethursday, in fourme of wyne & brede,
Hys blessyd body in consolacion,
And on Good Fryday he was for the dede.

Spera in deo quoniam adhuc confitebor illi salutare vultas mei & deus meus.

Trust in God, and be ryght well certayne,
Voyde of dyspeyre or ambiguyte,
For vnto hym I shall shryue agayne,
My gostly ioy gayne all aduersyte,
Whyche of my chere ys the felycyte,
Whyle he ys my socour, allas, whom shall I drede?
Gayne worldly perylles and infernall powste
He sparyd nat hys blood for me to blede.

The Moralysacion of hys Aray when he goth to Masse. [In Stow's hand] Iohn Lydgate.

Vppon hys heede An Amyte furst he leythe.
Whyche ys a sygne, a token, and a fygure,

Owtward a shewyng, groundyd on the feythe.
The large Awbe, by record of scripture,
Ys ryghtwysnesse, perpetually to indure.
The long gyrdyll, clennesse and chastyte,
Rounde on the arme, the fauon doth assure
All soburnesse, knyt with humylyte.

Cause why the stoole and Chesypyll ys.

The stoole also, strechyng fer in leyngth,
Ys of doctors the Angelyk doctryne,
Mawgre herytykes to stonde in his streyngth,
Fro Crystes law neuer to declyne.
Chesypyll aboue, with charyte shall shyne,
Bryght as Phebus in hys mydday spere,
Holde euer hys course in the ryght lyne,
To frende and foo streche out his beames clere.

21

A parfyte preste made strong with thys Armure,
Tofore the Auter as Crystes champioune,
Shall stond vpryght, & make a discomfyture,
All our .iij. enemyes venquysshe and bere downe,
The flesshe, the world, Satan that fell dragowne,
Furst to begynne or he further passe,
With contryte hert and lowe confessiowne,
And so procede deuoutly to the masse.

22

To God aboue, set hath hys desyre,
So that his charyte shyne clere and bryght,

Afore the gospell he nedys must haue fyre,
Torche, tapyr, or wex candyll lyght,
Token that Cryst, who consydyr aryght,
Ys verray bryghtnesse of lyght, whyche ys eterne,
To chase away all derkenes of the nyght,
In parfyte lyfe to guyde vs, and gouerne.

Gynnyng the offyce thre tymes rehersyd.

Begynnyng the Offyce, by trebyll rehersayle,
Of custom vsyd the repeticion,
Tokeneth the fuyre brennyng in the entrayle,
Of olde prophetes by inspiracion,
Whiche had a feythfull feruent inspeccion
Of Crystes commyng, by all theyr prophesyes,
Of hys byrthe and incarnacion,
For whyche the Offyce is rehersyd thryes.

Declaracion of the Kyrie.

Kyrie and Cryst, in nombre thryes thre,
Wordys of Greke, playnly to determyne,
Of mer[c]y callyng to the Trynyte
With gostly grace hys pepyll to enlumyne.
The nombre ys token of the ordres nyne,
Our orysons and prayers to present,
To Cryst Iesu most gracious & benygne
Goodly to accept the fyne of oure intent.

Gloria in excelsis.

Gloria in excelsis deo, next in ordyr song,
Tokyn of vnyte and parfyte pese,

At Crystes byrthe herde in Latyn tong,
Hygh in the eyre by Aungellys doutlese,
Present shepardys, whyche for theyr encrese
Toward Bethleem beholdyng a bryght sterre,
By grace inspyryd, put hemsylf in prese
To see that chylde, whyche stynt[e] shall our werre.

26

Thus trebyll pease in Bethleem furst began,
When Cryst was born, of grace hit dyd fall,
The furst[e] pese betwyxt God and man,
Twene man And Aungell, and nacions all;—
Grounde of thys pese lay in An ox stall,
Porely wrappyd, lord of the hygh empyre;
Lat vs echone to hys mercy call
To send hem pese that hertly pese desyre.

Then foloweth the Oryson.

For all Crystyn deuoutly for to prey,
The prest at masse shall sey an oryson,
For lyuyng pepyll that they may, or they dey,
Haue repentaunce, shryft, and communyoune,
Soules in peyne, relese and pardoune,
Grace thorow all nacions, loue and charyte,
Pacience to folkes, that byn in prisoune,
Helpe to all nedy that lyue in pouerte.

The Epystyll next And what hit betokeneth.

The Epistyll next ys fygure of the sonde
When Cryst furst sent, the booke maketh mension,

Hys disciples, and made hem take on honde
To preche hys name in euery regioune;
Petyr, Poule, Iohan, Iames, sent doune
Theyr epysteles, by whos vertew gan cease
The synagoges dominacion,
And Crystes feythe by vertew gan encrease.

29

The Epystyll ys a tokyn and a fygure,
As seyen doctors of law and prophesy,
Of Crystys commyng, by euydent scripture,
As patryarkes Aforne dyd specyfy.
And baptyst Iohan, sone of Zachary,
As a bydyll tolde howe Emanuell,—
Aforne remembryd by olde Isay,—
Howe on that name shuld grow[e] the gospell.

30

And semblably, so as the morow gray
Ys messynger of Phebus vprysyng,
And bryngeth tydynges of the glad[e] day,
So the Epystyll, by processe of redyng,
To vs declareth most gracious tydyng,
Of the gospell, recorde for that party
Mathew the euangelyst, affermeth by wrytyng
Of Cryst Iesu all the Genology.

The Grayle next.

Aftyr the epystyll foloweth the grayle,
Token of Ascendyng vp from gre to gre,
In vertew vpward procedyng stound[e]mele,
The grounde furst take at humylyte,
Reysyd by grace, feythe, hope, and charyte,

With parfyte connyng and humble pacience,
With compassion and fraternall pyte,
In Crystes passion set hoole theyr confydence.

The Alleluya the Sequence and the Tract.

Alleluya, in ordyr next folowyng,
Tokeneth prayer for our saluacion,
Twyes remembryd, for lawde and for praysyng,
With deuout hert and hole affeccion,
To Cryst dyrect, that suffryd passion,
Our souerayn lord, most parfyte and most goode,
The tracte, the sequence, for short conclusion,
Sung in his lawde that for vs shed his bloode.

The Gospell.

The gospell gynneth with tokenes of Tay,
The book furst crossyd, and aftyr the forhede,
Iesus our shylde, our streyngth, in all vertew,
On Good Fryday clad in purpyll rede,
A crowne of thorne set sharply on his hede,
Foure Euangelystes remembre hit in substaunce,
Vs to defende from all worldly drede,
In Crystes gospell stant hoole our cheuysaunce.

Credo in solempne dayes.

The gospell rad, A Crede aftyr he seyth,
Solempne dayes for a remembraunce,

Of twelfe Artycles longyng to our feyth,
Whyche we ar bownde to leeue in our creaunce;
Rather to dy than Any varyaunce
In any poynt were in our herte founde,
For feythe with werke to God doth gret plesaunce,
Lat vs therfore beleue as we ar bounde.

35

By interpretacion, who wysely can aduerte,
The Offertory ys namyd of offryng,
As when a man offreth to God hys herte,
Rychest oblacion rekenyd by wrytyng,
And for Melchysedech, bothe preest and kyng,
Gaue brede and wyne to Abraham for vyctory,
Whyche oblacion in fygure remembryng
Eche day at masse ys sede an offertory.

36

Tokyn that Iesu, our souerayne and our lorde,
Agayne our febylnesse and our impotence,
Left on the Awter callyd Crystes owne borde
Hys body, hys blood, relyques of most reuerence,
We to receue hem with deuoute diligence,
In forme of brede and wyne for a memory,
Fygure that the chyef lambe of Innocence
Offryd vp hys body, grounde of our offertory.

100

The Secrete and the Preface

Next the secrete aftyr the offertory,
The prefas foloweth afore the sacrament,
Aungellys reioyse with lawde, honour, and glory,
From the heuynly court by grace they ar sent,
And at the Masse abyde and be present,
All our prayers deuowtly to report
To hym that syt aboue the firmament,
Sowlys in peyne they refresshe and comfort.

The Sanctus sung thryes

The oolde prophete, holy Isay,
Saw hygh in heuyn a trone of dignyte,
Where Seraphyn sang with euery Ierarchy,
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, before the Trynyte;
Aftyr the preface, rehersyd tymes thre,
With voyce melodyous, and aftyr that Osanna,
Hygh in excelsis, tofore the mageste,
Afore the sacrament of our gostly manna.

Of .ij. Memento.

Of memento at masse ther byn tweyne,
The furst remembreth of folk that byn alyue,
And the secund for theym that suffre peyne,
Whyche by the masse byn delyueryd blyue
Out of torment, as clerkes can dyscryue,

101

Syngyng of massys, and Crystes passion,
And remembraunce of hys woundys fyue,
May most avayle to theyr remission.

40

With all your myght, and in your best intent,
Awayteth aftyr the consecracion,
At lyftyng vp of the holy sacrament
Seythe “Iesu, mercy!” with hooly affeccion,
Or seythe som other parfyte oryson,
Lyke as ye haue in custom deuoutly,
Or ellys seythe thys compilacion
Whyche here ys wrete in ordyr by and by.

Here foloweth a lytyll prayer made and compyled by hym that made thys tretyse vndyr correccion. [John Lydgate: Stow.]

Hayle, holy Iesu, our helthe oure goostly foode,
Hayle, blyssyd lord, here in forme of brede,
Hayle, for mankynde offryd on the roode,
For oure Redempcion with thy blood made reede,
Stung to the hert with a speres heede;
Now, gracyous Iesu, for thy woundys fyue,
Graunt of thy mercy, to-forne or I be dede,
Clene hosyll and schryft, whyle I am here alyue.

42

O lambe vp offryd for man in sacryfyce,
Naylyd to the crosse of mercyfull mekenesse,

102

Whos bloode downe raylyd on most pyteous wyse,
To scowre the rust of all my wykydnesse;
Of all my synnes to the I me confesse,
Now lord, mercy put nat in delay,
But graunt me, Iesu, of thyne hygh goodnesse,
Meke shryft and hosyll before myne endyng day.

43

O blessyd frute, borne of a pure virgyne!
Whyche with thy passion boughtest me so dere,
For Maryes sake, thyne eares downe enclyne,
Here myne Oryson by meane of her p[r]ayere,
The forto please, teche me the manere,
Voyde of all vertew, saue oonly of thy grace;
Graunt in the fourme that I see the here,
The to receue, I haue lyfe and space.

44

My lord, my maker, my sauyour, and my kyng,
When I was lost, thow were my redemptoure,
Supporte and socour here in thys lyuyng,
Agayne all enemyes my souerayn protectoure;
My chyef comfort in all worldly laboure,
Graunt me, lord, confession, repentaunce,
Or I of dethe passe the sharpe shoure,
The to receue vnto thy plesaunce.

45

Late thy modyr be present in thys nede,
That I may clayme, of mercy more than ryght,

103

Myne herytage, for whyche thow dedyst blede,
And graunt me, Iesu, of thy gracious myght,
Eche day of the for to haue a syght,
For gostly gladnesse to my lyuys ende,
And in spyryt to make myn hert[e] lyght,
The to receue or I hense wende.

46

O pascall lambe in Isaac fyguryd,
Owre spirytuall Manna, brede contemplatyf,
Sent downe from heuyn, in whyche we byn assuryd
Geyne all owre foone, strengest confortatyf,
Tokenyd in paradyse vppon the tree of lyfe,
Whyche shuld Adam restore vnto hys place,
Graunt me, Iesu, for a restoratyf,
Thee to receue or I hen[e]s pace.

47

Thow art in fygure, O blessyd lord Iesu!
Agayne sathan myne heuynly champion,
My Iosue, my prince of most vertu,
That hyng .vij. kynges vp at Gaboon,
My gostly Sampson, whyche strangyldest the lyon,
And slowe the dragon with all hys hedys seuene;
Graunt, or I dy, Cryst, for thy passyon,
I may receue thys brede sent downe from heuene.

48

As I seyde erst, of Aungellys thow art foode,
Repaste to pylgryms in theyr pylgremage,
Celestiall brede to chyldren that byn goode,
Figuryd in Isaac, thrytty yere of age,
Vp to Caluary when thou toke thy passage,

104

O Iesu, mercy, graunt or I be dede,
And or decrepitus put me in dotage,
To haue a repaste of thy celestiall brede.

49

My gostly trust, charyte, hope, and feythe,
Myne aduertence, my mynde, and my memory,
All of Acorde my sowle vnto the seythe,
Haue on me mercy, O souerayne kyng of glory,
Whyche syttyst hyghest in the heuynly consystory,
Iesu, lat mercy surmount thy Rygour,
That thy passyon allay my purgatory,
Furst by receuyng of thee, my sauyour.

50

Furst, to excyte and meue your corages
To deuout prayer of hole affeccion,
The Pater-noster to all maner of Ages
Ys most accordyng, most souerayne of renowne;
Iesus hymsylf made that orysowne,
Taught his dyscyples how they shuld prey,
Muse not hereon, make no comparysowne,
To hys doctryne all crystyn men must obey.

51

Short and compendyouse, vp strechyng to heuene,
Vnto that hygh celestiall mansyons,
Eche clause out-tolde, dyuydyd into seuene,
As most notable gracyous petycyons,
Clerkes all conclude in theyr resons,
Aboue all prayers hath the soueraynte,
So hit be seyde in your affeccyons,
Of gostly loue, and parfyte charyte.

105

52

Without charyte auayleth noone Almesse,
To clothe nakyd, or hongry folk to fede,
Vysyte the seke, or prysoner in theyr nede,
Herborow the pore, ne noon Almesdede,
Yef charyte fayle, your iorne may nat spede,
Nor all these vertues of trowthe be well sought,
Your Pater-noster, your Aue, nor your Crede,
Where charyte fayleth, profyteth lytyll or nought.

53

Beware, ye prestes, when ye your masse syng
That loue and charyte be not fer absent.
O gostly pepyll! aforne make goode rekenyng
That your conscience and ye be of assent
Or ye receue the holy sacrament,
Enuy and rancour that they be set asyde
And parfyte charyte be ay with yow present,
That grace to godward may be your souerayn gyde.

Pater-noster

Pater-noster, yef hit be sayde aryght,
Hit doth include all parfeccion,
So that grace holde the torche lyght
That charyte, by trew affeccion
And feruent loue, haue dominacion
From hys place all haterede to remewe,
That false enuy haue no possessyon,
Then ys thys prayer seyde in hys ordre dewe.

106

Why Agnus ys seyde iij tymes

Of Agnus Dei at masse byn seyde thre,
The furst[e] tweyne besechyng for mercy,
The thryd[e] prayeth for pease and vnyte,
Agayne peryll mortall and worldly,
And agayne trowblys dredefull & flesshly;
Cryst as a lambe was offryd on the crosse,
Grogyd nat but suffryd pacyently,
To make redempcion, and reforme our losse.

Dilectus meus candidus & rubicundus

Thys lambe remembryd in Salamon[y]s songys,
Callyd Canticorum, most amerous of delyte,
In reformacion of our contagyous wrongys,
Whylom was song thys lambe, both rede and whyte,
Rede and rubyfyed by full gret dyspyte,
Hys blessyd body with blood was so dysteynyd,
The Angelyk whytnesse cowde fynde no respyte,
With blody dropys hys face was so bereynyd.

57

Thys Paschall lambe on Estyr day he rose,
Callyd bothe a lambe and a lyon,
A lambe for offryng, whyche lay .iij. dayes close,
Lowe in the erthe for oure sauacion,
But at hys myghty resurreccion
He namyd was the lyon of Iuda,
For whyche the churche, reioysyng that seson,
Syngeth for gladnesse full oft Alleluya.

107

Agnus dei

Thys Agnus dei brought with hym pease
To all the world at hys Natyuyte,
Grace, gladnesse, of vertew gret encrease,
For whyche the pepyll of hygh and lowe degre
Kysse the pax, a tokyn of vnyte,
Whyche kyssyng doth playnly signyfy
Howe Pease ys cause of all felycyte
Of folk gouernyd by prudent polycy.

Postcomon

At the Postcomon the preste doth hym remew,
On the ryght syde seyth Dominus Vobiscum,
Fyue tymes the pepyll doth salew
Duryng the masse, as made ys mencyon,
Fygure the day of hys Resurreccyon,
Fyue tymes sothly he dyd appere
To hys dyscyples for consolacion,
And furst of all to hys modyr dere.

Salue sancta Parens

“Salue sancta parens,” he to hys modyr sayde,
Whyche was to her reioysyng souerayne,
With these wordys when cryst Iesu abrayde,
Vppon whos vpryst Mary Magdalayne
With wepyng eyen, for constreynt of hyr peyne
Abode the rysyng of hyr lord Iesu
With other Maryes the gospell telleth tweyne
Brought oynementis most souerayn [of] vertu.

108

61

Poetys seyen howe loue hath no law,—
Thyng well expert in these ladyes thre,
Wyche woke anyght, rose or the day gan daw,
Of womanhede and femynyte,
Desyre and loue, and womanly pyte,
Causyd theym theyr iorney for to take,
Erly on morow, the sepulture for to se,
Of Cryst Iesu almyghty they dyd wake.

62

Lat vs as trewly, in our inward intent,
As erly ryse, masse for to here,
With suche deuocion as these ladyes went,
In parfyte charyte, and with loue as entyere,
To seke theyr lorde and theyr spouse dere;
Take we ensampyll, lat vs do no lasse,
By morall menyng folow we the manere,
Erly eche morow for to here masse.

Ite missa est

Aftyr the prest seyth Ite missa est,
Graunteth the pepyll a maner of lycence
To depart, and he toward the Est
Lyfteth vp hys handes, with dew reuerence,
Praying for all that were in presence,
To haue theyr part of all that he hath do,
Takyng theyr leue, deuoutly with sylence,
The ende abydyng of In Principio.

109

64

Partyng from masse, with pese and vnyte,
Fyguryed was whylom in Exodo,
When chyldren of Israel, fer from theyr contre,
Retornyd agayne, mawgre kyng Pharao,
The Rede See partyd was on two,
A pronostyk in theyr pylgremage,
That Crystes masse shuld vs delyuer also
From Sathanas myght, owt of all seruage.

65

And as clerkes in bookes eke reherse,
In conclusion accordyng all in oon,
Howe that Cyrus, whylom kyng of Perse,
To prysoners, that were in Babilon,
Gafe lycence and fredom for to gon,
Ierusalem agayne to edyfy,
Ryght as the fredome of vs euerychon,
Renewyd was by commyng of Messy.

66

As in desert the chyldren of Israell,
Fedde with manna, abode there fourty yere,
We, Crystes pepyll, folowyng the gospell,
Lat vs by grace be of ryght good chere,
Oure gostly food at mete and at sopere,
Thorowgh his desert, all peryles for to passe,
Best refeccion to glade all our chere
Ys euery morow erly to here masse.

67

Lord, of thy grace graunt whyle we byn here,
In this desert of worldly wyldyrnesse,

110

With lyfe accordyng our masse so to here,
That pease and charyte, compassion and clennesse,
May so contynew and shyne in theyr bryghtnesse,
With fulsom hand of almesdede,
To enspyre the ryche to part theyr rychesse,
With poore folk in heuyn shalbe their mede.

The vertu of heryng of the masse aftyr the opynyon of Seynt Bernard. [Lydgate: Stow.]

Heryng of masse yeueth a gret rewarde,
Gostly helthe agayns all sykenesse,
And medycyne, recorde of Seynt Bernarde,
To pepyll impotent, that playne for febylnesse,
To feynt refresshyng in theyr werynesse,
And vnto folk that goon on pylgremage,
Hit maketh hem strong, set hem in sekyrnesse,
Gracyously to explete theyr vyage.

69

The myghty man, hit maketh hym more strong,
Recomforteth the seke in hys langour,
Yeueth pacience to theym that suffren wrong,
The laborer bereth vp in hys labour,
To thowghtfull pepyll refresshyng and socour,
Gracyous counseyll to folk dysconsolate,
Susteyneth the febyle, conueyeth the conquerour,
Maketh marchauntes theyr feyres fortunate.

111

70

Maketh men more meke to theyr correccion,
In gostly loue feruent and amerous,
Hyt yeueth swetnesse and delectacion
To all the pepyll, that byn gracyous,
Trewe obedyence to folke relygyous,
Grace at departyng, seyth Seynt Iohn to borow,
Good spede, good happe, in Cyte, towne, & hous,
To all that here deuoutly masse at morow.

71

Heryng of masse doth passyng gret auayle,
At nede, at myschyef, folk hit doth releue,
Causyd Seynt Nycholas to yeue good counsayle,
And Seynt Iulyan good herburgh at eue,
Beholde Seynt Crystofer, noone enemy shall yow greue,
And Seynt Loy your iorney shall preserue,
Horse ne caryage that day shall nat myscheue,
Masse herde aforne, who doth these seyntes serue.

72

Partyng from masse, gynning our iorne,
Call Seynt Michael, your pase to fortyfy,
For sodayne haste, and goode prosperyte,
And for glad tydyng, Seynt Gabryell shall yow guy,
And Raphael, recorde of Thoby,
Shalbe your leche and your medycyne,
Masse herde aforne, your hertes doth apply,
These obseruaunces to kepe[n] or ye dyne.

73

Albon for Englond, Seynt Denyse for Fraunce,
Blessyd kyng Edmund for royall gouernayle,

112

Thomas of Caunterbury for hys meke suffraunce,
At Westmynster Seynt Edward shall nat fayle,
That none enemy shall hurt or preuayle,
But that Seynt George shall make yow frely passe,
Holde vp your baner in pease and in batayle,
Eche day when ye deuoutly here masse.

74

Thus ys the masse the spere and eke our shylde,
Our myghty pauyse, our swerde, and oure defense,
Our myghty castell, our sheltron in the fylde,
Our stre[n]gest bolwerk, agayn all violence,
For who that euer abydeth with reuerence
Tyll In Principio, conclusion of the masse,
Grace shall guyde hym, and conducte hys presence,
Agayne all hys foon of hygh estate or lasse.

[lydgate: Stow.]

Wordys of Seynt Augustyne In fasciculo Mortis of the medys of the Masse. [Iohn lydgate: Stow.]

75

That day a man deuoutly hereth masse,
Whyl he ys present he shall nat wexe[n] olde,
In goyng thedyr, hys steppes more and lasse
Ben of Aungell nombred and [y]tolde,
Hys veniall synnes, rekenyd manyfolde,
Of neglygence and othes that byn lyght,
They byn foryeuen, for grace passyth golde,
And all that tyme apeyreth nat hys syght.

76

Herying of masse letteth no viage,
As hit hath well be preuyd in certeyne,

113

Prayer at masse doth gret avauntage,
With Crystes passion, to soulys in theyr peyne;
The masse also doth other thynges tweyne,
To soule and body yeueth consolacion,
Yif he passe that day by deth sodeyne,
Stant for hosyll and hys communyon.

77

Of mete and drynke receuyd at the table,
Masse herde aforn ar more confortatyf,
In dowbyll wyse, playnly, thys ys no fable,
To encrese the vertew callyd vegetatyfe,
By resemblaunce, so as the tre of lyfe
Shuld haue preseruyd Adam from sekenesse,
So the sacrament agayne all gostly stryfe,
Reneweth a man that day he hereth masse.

78

So as Manna was a Restauratyf
To chyldren of Israel, gayne bodyly trauayle,
Lat vs well trust in our ymagynatyf,
How moche the syght may helpe[n] and preuayle,
Of the sacrament impossybyll for to fayle
Vs to susteyne in bodyly gladnesse,
Geyne goostly foon, more then may plate or mayle,
Namely that day when we here masse.

79

So as the hede hath a precellence
Aboue all membres in comparyson,
So Cryst Iesu of hys magnyfycence,
Thorow his dyuyne dysposycion,
Set the masse, for short conclusion,

114

On Sherethursday, the gospell ye may rede,
For a prerogatyf aboue eche oryson,
To helpe all tho that call hym in theyre nede.

80

Masse herde aforne, the wynde ys nat contrary,
To Maryneres that day in theyr saylyng,
And all thyng that ys necessary,
God sent to porayle that day to theyr fedyng;
Women also that goon on trauaylyng,
Folk well expert haue therof founde a prefe,
That herde masse in the mornyng,
Were delyueryd and felt no myschefe.

81

Som folk afferme in theyr opynyon,
Seyen that they haue rad hit in story,
A Masse ys egall to Crystes passion,
To helpe sowlys out of purgatory,
Masse to all vertu, grettest directory,
Whyche conveyeth and ledeth a man to grace,
Heryng masse, enprynte in thy memory,
To knele or stonde and chaunge nat thy place.

82

All [these] thynges peysyd in balance,
Lat folk a morow erly vp aryse,
Furst of entent, to God to do plesaunce,
In theyr hertes wysely aduertyse,
No tyme ys lost duryng that seruyce,
For whyche lat noman playnly be in dowte,
But that God shall dyspose in any wyse
To encrese all thyng that they gone abowte.

115

Lenuoy.

Go lytyll tretyse, requyre the folk of grace
That shall of the haue inspeccion,
Be nat to bolde to appere in no place
Of malapertnesse nor presumpcion,
Thyne Auctor sympyll, though of affeccion
He meneth well, pray hem that shall the rede
With goodly support to do correccion
Thee to reforme where as they se nede.

Explicit [Lydgate: Stow.]

116

III. On Kissing at Verbum Caro Factum Est.

A Lytyll compilacion declaryng when men kysse in Churche stoone or erthe Tymbre or Iron. What they shuld remembre therby. [John Lydgate Verbum Caro factum est: Stow.]

1

O] deuout pepyll whyche kepe an obseruaunce
Lowly in churche to kysse stoone or tre,
Erthe or yron, haue in remembraunce
What they do meane, take the moralyte;
Erthe tokeneth furst the pure humanyte
Of Cryst Iesu, the stone hys sepulture,
The spere of steele, the sharpe nayles thre,
Made large his woundes, remembryd in scripture.

2

Thynke on the crosse, made of four dyuerse trees.
As Clerkes seyn, of Cedyr and Cypresse,
To hygh estates and folkes of lowe degrees
Cryst brought in pease, the Olyfe bereth wytnesse;
The Cedre aloft, contemplatyf swetnesse,

117

Graue all these sygnes depe in thy memory,
And howe hys passion was groundyd on mekenesse,
Geyne cruell Sathan to make vs haue vyctory.

3

These .iiij. fygures combynyd in-to oon,
Put in thy mynde for a memoryall,
Erthe and yron, iiij trees and the stoon,
To make vs fre where as we were thrall,
Beholde the baner vyctoryous and royall,
Crystes crosse as standard of most pryse,
Thynke howe the thyef for mercy dyd call,
Tawght by thys tre the way to paradyse.

4

Your hertes ey lyft vp in-to the Est,
All yowre body and knees boweth downe,
When the preest seyth Verbum caro factum est,
With all your inward contemplacion,
Your mowthe furst crossyd of hygh deuocion,
Kyssyng the tokenes rehersyd here toforn,
And euer haue mynde on Crystes passion
Whyche for your sake weryd a crowne of thorne.

Explicit [John Lydgate: Stow.]

University of Virginia Library

17. POEMS ON THE MASS.

I. An exortacion to Prestys when they shall sey theyr Masse.

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5

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Envoy[_] [Caius Coll. 174, p. 454.]