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

Synguler shepperde! gardeyn of Cristis folde,
Geyn raueynous wolues protectour and diffence,
Of holy cherche the riht as thou wer holde
Stood therby, and maadest resistence
Ageyn the froward furious violence
Of tirantis, þat put thy sheep in drede;
Glorious martir, do thy diligence
To pray for alle þat calle the in ther neede,

2

Strong in vertu, by grace which is diuine,
Keptest the wach by thy-silff allon
Of Cristis gardyn, and of chose vyne,
Which bi hys passioun was plauntyd in Syon,
To Ioyne the corneris, Iesu the Angle ston,
In whos diffence deep scarlet was thy weede,
Be our protectour geyn al our gostly foon,
And pray for alle tho þat calle the in ther neede,

3

Turnyd fyue tymes water off thy welle,
Onys to mylk for virginal clennesse
To blood four tyme, thy story doth vs telle,
Whos martirdam red colour dede expresse.
Take mylke and blood for spiritual witnesse,
Lillies joyned and fressh rosis rede,
As thy deth was growndid on rihtwisnesse
Pray for alle tho þat calle the in ther neede.

4

Lik as this milk was tokne of chastite,
And the red blood figur of thy suffraunce,
Bothe mylk and blood groundid on charite,
Which of all vertues hath most suffisaunce,

141

Name of Thomas put in remembraunce
Treuly expownyd, concludeth on manheede,
With feith and hope, our trust is in substaunce
To saue alle tho that calle the in ther neede.

5

Vertuous primat off Ingelond, thou wer callid,
Cros of Canturbury set vp-riht in thyn hond,
In which See Anon as thow wer stallid,
Thy labour was thoruhout al this lond,
Lyk thyn office and thy spiritual bond,
Fro whete greyn fals cokel out to weede
Sparest no daunger by trouthe for to stonde,
To saue thy sheep and help hem in ther neede.

6

Blessid the kyngdam in which that thou wer born,
London enlumyned with thy Natyuyte,
Be grace of God predestinat afforn
For hooly chorche martired for to be;
Daysterre of Kent, Cantirbury thy See,
Crownid among martires in heuene now thy meede,
O glorious Thomas! of mercifull pite,
Pray for alle tho þat calle the in ther neede.

7

Laureat martir the chose whete greyn;
Which from the chaff was tried out and pured,
Spreynt on the pament, purpurat blood was seyn,
Maugre thy foon, the palme thou hast recurid,
Compleet thy conquest, with gret labour enduryd,
Chaar of thy tryumphe Angelis dede vp leede,
A crown of gold with martirs ful assuryd,
Pray for alle tho that calle the in ther neede.

8

Callid among martirs charboncle and ruby,
Trouthis champioun, Achaat of hih prowesse,
Sampsoun the secounde, diamaunt sturdi,
Emeraud greene, voide of doubilnesse,

142

Kepyng thy ground named of rihtwisnesse
Fortis Armatus, geyn falsenesse to proceede,
Reknyng thy meritys, precellyng in goodnesse,
Pray for alle tho þat calle the in ther neede.

9

To thy noblesse may nat be comparid
Off Cesar Iulius the magnanimyte,
Lat Hanybal and Pompeye eek be sparid,
Set aside ther marcyal dignyte;
For thou to sette Syon in liberte
List not spare thy sacrid blood to bleede,
Pray to Iesu, knelyng on thy kne,
For alle tho þat calle the in ther neede.

10

For loue off the and in thy memorie
Our lord Iesu of hys grete myht
A thyn[g] to been remembrid in historie
On tapris queynt in the peeplis siht
Only be grace from heuene cam doun a liht
In thy story pleynli as we reede;
Merciful martir, remembre day and nyht
On alle tho that calle the in ther neede.

11

Remembre on alle that come to Visite
Thyn hooly place with deuoute pilgrymage,
Shod or bare, ther vowes to aquyte,
Wher-soo thay be olde or yonge of age,
Lat thy support refressh hem at ech stage,
Comynge, goynge, ther Iurneie for to speede,
Benigne Martre, preserue hem from damage,
And pray for alle that calle the in ther neede.

12

Sith Crist ech day doth miracles for the werche,
Of grace and mercie haue first in Remembraunce,
Pray for the states of all hooly Cherche,
For the kynges vertuous gouernaunce,

143

For hys Prynces Marcial Puissaunce,
That high discrecioun may ther Brydel leede,
Lyke ther degrees lyue to thy plesaunce,
And pray for alle that calle the in ther neede.

13

Pray for thy Capeleyns, be to hem gracious,
Which euer in oon abide in thy servise,
Monckes professed, Preestes religious,
To pleese Ihesu at mydnyght thay arise,
Thou as ther Patroun, defende hem in sich wise,
Thy Cherch, thy Toun, that noman hem mysbede,
For thy Monasterie soo graciously deuyse
To be ther support and cheef help at ther neede.

14

For Knyghtes, Squyeres, and yomen for the werre,
In al juste Title make hem to preuaile,
Pray for marchauntes that saile fro soo ferre,
For Artificeres that lyue by ther trauaile,
For trew ti[t]he[r]es, and pray for the poraile,
Lat thy blessynge on all these ffolkes sprede,
Pray Iesu stynt blood-shedynge and Bataile,
And pray for alle that calle the in ther nede.

Lenvoye.

Quakynge for fere, goo forth, litle Table,
Be not to bolde for noo presumpcioun
Toffir this martre, glorious and notable,
To shew thy c[l]auses, sauf of Deuocioun
I them present with humble affeccioun,
Praynge echoon that shal thes seen or rede
Nat to disdeigne but doo Correccioun,
In hoop this martre shal help vs in our nede.

Amen. Deo gracias.