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

Wich by prechyng to Cristis feith hast wonne
The reem of ffraunce and Paris the Cyte,
Pray for þi servauntis and alle þat trust in the,
To Crist Iesu in the hevenly consystorye
And them preserve from al aduersyte
That on þi passioun devoutly han memorie.

To Seynt George.

Glorious George, o marter moost enteer,
To saue þe mayde outraydest the dragoun,
Remembre on us in thy devout prayer,
Of Ynglond callyd protectour & patroun
Pray for sixte Herry and al this regioun
Of our enmyes by grace to han victorye,
And for alle tho, that with devossioun
On thy passion haue euery day memorye.

To Seynt Crystofre.

Holy Christoffre, Geaunt of Stature,
That bar Iesu over the sterne fflood,
To pray for us do thy besy Cure,
On to that lord moost souereyn & most good,
Wich for mankynde was offred on the rood,
And pray for alle in the hevenly glorie,
To hym that shadde for us his precious blood,
Wich on þi passiown han euery day memorie.

To Seynt Blasy.

Bysshop Blasy, among haue on hem mynde,
That be þi servauntis treuly of Entent
Wich by meek suffraunce, in story as I ffynde,
Haddist þi body with Iren kombes rent,
And euer a-lich stable in thy torment,
Lat thy praier been our dyffensorye,
That mercy passe rigour of Iugement,
To alle tho that haue þi passioun in memorie.

122

To Seynt Gyle.

Holy seynt Gyle, wich in þe woodis wylde,
And among bestis tame and sauagyne,
Myd sharpe busshes dist þi paleis bylde
And to kyng Charlis, as bokis determyne,
Thou gaf comfort, tryacle, and medycyne,
By devout prayer, doon in thyn Oratorie,
Pray for alle tho, that grace vp-on hem shyne,
Wich euery day haue the in memorye.

6

O blissed seyntes, that been in noumbre ffyve,
Foure holy marteris, and o confessour,
Alle of assent doth your dever blyve,
To alle your servauntis for to do socour,
Them to releve in al worldly labour,
Doun from þe hevenly goldyn reclynatorie,
Your grace distylleth, beth sheld & protectour,
To alle that haue your names in memorie.

7

Callith to mynde, how that in your lyves
God graunted yow, while that ye were here,
To ech of yow synguler prerogatyves,
Who praieth to yow of hooll herte & enteer,
Alle ther requestis graciously to heere,
Geyn worldly tempestis & troublis transetoryie,
For wich remembreth in your special praier
On alle that haue yow devoutly in memorye.

To Seynt Kateryne.

O Kateryne, born of the blood Royall,
Of Alysaundre thy fader whilom kyng,
Thou brak the wheel, ful dredful & mortal,
Outraiest the tiraunt, philisofres convertyng,
The queen with Porphirie to Cristis feith tornyng,

123

To suffre deth thyn hed dyst doun declyne,
Pray for þi servauntis to Crist above regnyng
Glorious pryncesse, marter and virgyne.

To Seynt Margarete.

With tholigost Margarete supported & socoured,
Thy tendre youthe flouryng in beute,
Of a dragown for Crystys feith devoured,
O Mergarete, Example of chastyte,
Wich suffredist deth by greet humylyte,
Stable as a stoon by grace wich is devyne,
Pray for þi servauntis and alle that love the,
O blyssed lady, marter and virgyne.

To Seynt Martha.

Holy Martha to crist Ihesu Ostesse,
And his mynystre to serve hym of his foode,
While Maudeleyn wepte in gret dystresse
For hir synnys ther knelyng for hir goode,
Thou slouh þe dragoun for al his furious woode,
Ded in gret age, buried be ffrontyne,
Pray for þi servauntis to hym þat starrff on roode,
Wich all þi lyff were a pure vyrgyne.

To Seynt Cristyne.

Blissed Cristyne, of Cryst, be hym-silf baptysed,
Thou took thy name, in bookis as I reede,
Suffredist peynes most mortally practysed,
Swerd, flawme, & feer, mylk meynt with dropis reede,
Whan they þi brestis gan fro þi boody shreede,
And sith lik Crist thou callid art Cristyne,
Pray for þi servauntis & help hem in ther nede
Wich for our feith were slayn a pur virgyne.

To Seynt Barbara.

Blissed Barbara, baptysed in a welle,
The water halwed, name of þe Trynyte,

124

Whos holynesse hath power to Repelle
The strook of gonnys, for folk that trust in the,
Saue þi servauntis from al aduersite,
Pray hym, that sit among the ordris nyne,
For thy sake on vs to haue pyte,
As thou art verray marter and virgyne.

Explicit.