21. A DEVOWTE INVOCACIOUN TO SAINTE DENYS.
[_]
[MS. Ashmole 59, leaves 65–66.]
And nowe foloweþ here a devowte Invocacioun made
by Lydegate to Sainte Denys at þe request of
Charlles þe Frenshe kynge to let it beo translated
oute of Frenshe in-to Englisshe.
1
O þow chosen of God protectour of ffraunce,
Þow richchest rubye of þeire felicitee,
Welle of al þeire welfare, floure of felicitance,
Sovereine of al þeire prosparite
þowe blessed Denys! remembre of grace, and se
How Cryste Ihesu graunteþe of love entiere
To alle þat for socour vnto þee calle
At þeire requeste to here wele þy preyer.
2
Resceyve vs goostly on-to þy governaunce,
Geyne goostely enmys graunt vs libertee,
In worldely troble defende vs fro meschaunce
Frome alle oure fomen make vs to goo free,
And vs preserve from all adversitee,
And with þine holy oven feyre and cleere
Caste dovne þy looke, of mercy and pite
Benignely nowe, taccepte oure preyer.
3
From vicious lyff sette vs in assuraunce;
Ageinst pryde graunte vs humilite;
Geinst coveityse, vertuous governaunce;
Geinst Lecherie, clennesse and chastitee;
Geinst wrathe and yre, stedfast vnytee;
Þassaute of feondes and infernal daunger
Make vs to venqwysse, oute of þy powestee,
Enclyne þyne eeris vnto þy preyer.
4
And of þy mercy and mightyful haboundaunce
Or we passe, graunte oportunyte
Of schrifft, of howsell, contryte repentaunce,
And with þe vertues þat beon in noumbre thre,
Called of clerkis feyth, hope, and charite,
To beo enspired whilest we beon here,
By grace cleyminge in heven to haue a see
Thorughe þy requeste and mercyful preyer.
5
Graunte vs in vertu with longe perseuerance
Reystreyne oure hertis frome worldely vanite,
And souffre vs to haue none attendance
Ay in fals fortunes mutabilite,
But to þat lord þat dyed vppon a tree
O help Saint Denys! nowe in this matere,
Vnder þy winge þat we may surly flee,
To cleyme his mercye by þe meene of þy preyer.
6
In þee Saint Denys, is holly oure affiaunce,
Oure hertly socour, oure souereyne suyrtee,
Fully concludinge and knitting in substaunce,
For in þy grace may beo no scarcitee,
Whane ever we calle to þy benignyte,
Til vs þy men þy mercy let appeere,
In oure moste treyte dredfull prosperitee
Prey til oure lord taccepte oure preyer.
7
Whan deth vs manassethe with his launce,
Beo present þere for to sustene þe launce
Mercy to peyse geinst oure inyquitee;
But or þowe Iuge, procede of equytee
[OMITTED]
8
For þere is none so sure purveyaunce
Whane we offende thorughe flesshly freelte,
In goostly langour to fynden allegeaunce,
Þane at þy wille of mercyful plente
To wesshe þe filthe of oure enfirmytee
Nowe mercyful Denys, of mercy we requere
[OMITTED]
In every mescheef accepte oure preyer.
9
[OMITTED]
O lodesterre of Parys þe Citee
Light of Athenes Lanterne of þeire creaunce
Summe of al grace tenlumyne þeire cuntre
O Philosophre of most autoritee
[OMITTED]
O blessed Denys! lyfft vp þine hevenly chere
To fore the heghe devyne magestee,
And preye þe lord taccepte oure preyer.
