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

Atween mydnyht and the fressh morwe gray
Nat yore ago, in herte ful pensiff,
Of thoughtful sihes my peyne to put away,
Caused by the trouble of this vnstabil liff,
Vnclosyd a book, that was contemplatiff;
Of fortune turnyng the book, I fond
A meditacioun which first cam to myn hond,

2

Tofor which was sett out in picture
Of Marie an ymage ful notable,
Lyke a pyte depeynt was the figure
With weepyng eyen, and cheer most lamentable:
Thouh the proporcioun by crafft was agreable,
Hir look doun cast with teerys al bereyned,—
Of hertly sorwe so soore she was constreyned.

3

Vpon the said meditacioun,
Of aventure, so as I took heed,
By diligent and cleer inspeccioun,
I sauh Rubrisshis, departyd blak and Reed,
Of ech Chapitle a paraf in the heed,
Remembryd first Fifteene of her gladynessys,
And next in ordre were set hyr hevynessys.

269

4

Off ech of them the noumbre was Fifteene,
Bothe of hir Ioyes and her adversitees,
Ech after othir, and to that hevenlie queene
I sauh Oon kneele deuoutly on his knees;
A Pater-noster and ten tyme Auees
In ordre he sayde [at thende] of ech ballade
Cessyd nat, tyl he an eende made.

5

Folwyng the Ordre, as the picture stood,
By and by in that hooly place,
To beholde it did myn herte good;
Of affeccioun turnyd nat my face,
But of entent, leiseer cauht and space,
Took a penne, and wroot in my maneere
The said balladys, as they stondyn heere.

Explicit prologus.

6

Blissed braunche that sprong out of Iesse
Which were allone, as clerkys telle can,
Ground and gynnyng of our felicite,
For thilke ioye which thu haddist than
Whan thu were offryd by Ioachim and Anne
In-to the temple, by scripture as I fynde,
Pray for thy servauntis and haue upon hem mynde.

pater noster X Aue.

7

Glorious mayde, O Roote of hoolynesse,
For thilke ioy thu haddyst many wise,
From God above whan angelis gan hem dresse
For thy meritis the to do seruise,
Daily to wayte in al ther best guyse,

270

Pray for thy servauntis of mercy and tak heede,
Of al thy servauntis that calle to the at neede.

pater noster X Aue.

8

Thu that art callyd glorie of Israel,
For thilke Ioye, moost sovereyn of renoun,
Which thu haddist whan thaungil Gabriel
Brouht the tydying from the hevene doun,
First kalendys of our savacioun,
With this woord Eva turnyd to Aue,
On al thy servauntis haue mercy and pyte.

pater noster X Aue.

9

And for that Ioye thu haddist in certeyn,
When Elizabeth moost meekly with the mette,
Fulfilled with grace vpon an hih mounteyn,
Thy blissed Cosyn devoutly ther the grette,
Hir child reiosshyng, she list no lenger lette,
In hir armys moost goodly she the rawhte,—
Saide thes woordys, the Hooly Goost hir tawhte:

10

“Blissed be thu amongys women alle!
Blissed be the frute that shal be born of the!
What may this mene? or how is this befalle,
My lordys moodir, for to comyn to me?”
Now for the meritis of thyn hvmylite
Socoure alle tho that kneelyn afor thy fface,
Fro Sathanys myght whan he doth hem menace.

pater noster X Aue.

11

Among the ioyes it was a ioye in cheeff,
Occasioun souht wher it was no neede,
Whan Abiathar wold ha maad a preeff,

271

Ordeyned a drynk to preevyn thy maydenheede.
For that Ioye thu haddist than in deede,
Blissed lady fulfilled of all grace,
Pray to thy sone to rewe on our trespace.

pater noster X Aue.

12

And for that Ioye surmountyng Ioyes alle,
Which thu haddist of qweenys sovereyne,
Whan thu besyde an oxis stalle
Bar crist iesu, feelyng no soor nor peyne;
Mayde and moodir! of mercy nat disdeyne
To save thy servauntis from al adversite,
That doon worship to his natiuite.

pater noster X Aue.

13

And for that Ioye thu haddist in Bedleem,
Whan the shepherdys cam the to visite,
Thre kynges broughte, folwing the sterrys streem,
Gold, mirre, and ffranc, with offryng the tacquite,
And angelis song did gretly the delite;
Releeve alle tho fro myscheef and grevaunce.
Which the to serve haue set al ther plesaunce.

pater noster X aue.

14

And for that Ioye thu haddist eek also,
Whan thu were passyd of Herowd the power;
The angil byddyng that thu shuldist go
Toward Egipt, and fleen from his daunger;
Yeve audience vnto our prayer,
Sauff thy servauntis fro trouble and fro shame
Which of hool herte calle to thy name.

pater noster X Aue.

15

And for thy Ioyes and gladnessys moost habounde
At diuers tymes sent to the by grace,
And specially whan thu thy sone founde

272

Among doctours sittyng in the place,
Myd Ierusaleem, disputyng a long space,
For which Ioye Rewe upon the smerte
Of alle the folk that love thee of hool herte.

pater noster X Aue.

16

And for that Ioye thu haddist yore ago,
At the feeste of Archydeklyne,
Whan gracious Iesu aftir the wyn was do
Lyst of his poweer turne watir to wyne:
For which Ioye, O blyssyd lady myne!
Remembre on alle, and make ther hertys light,
That haue devocioun to serve the day and nyght.

pater noster X Aue.

17

And for that Ioye, Oon of thy Ioyes five,
That folwyd afftir thy sonys passioun,
The day whan he arroos fro deeth to lyve,
Had spoiled Sathan of his possessioun,
And fet Adam from the Infernal dongoun,
Saide Salue sancta parens whan ye mette,
For which Ioye relaxe our goostly dette.

pater noster X Aue.

18

And for the Ioye thu haddist on the day
Of thy sonys glorious assensioun,
Whan thu beheld a thyng moost to thy pay,
How he stey vp to his fadrys mansioun,
A Ioye surmountyng in comparisoun;
For which Ioye O lady, let hem fynde
Help at ther neede, that hath this feeste in mynde.

pater noster X Aue.

19

And for that Ioye thu haddist in thy thouht,
To gret encrees to thy felicite,

273

Whan Gabriel the palme hath to the brouht,
Sent fro Iesu, declaryng vnto the
Withynne thre dayes thu shuldyst with hym be,
Hih in the heuene to sitte on the riht syde,
To which place of mercy be our guyde.

pater noster X Aue.

20

For thilke Ioye of ffamous excellence
Thu haddist that day, in stoory as I reede,
Whan alle apostelis cam to thy presence
From divers partyes to plesyn thy womanheede,
Som bookys telle they made ther the Creede,
For which Ioye thu haddist than of newe,
On thy servauntis haue mercy and do rewe.

pater noster X Aue.

21

And for that Ioye moost sovereyn of renoun,
Whan Christ Iesu hath his angelis sent
The to conveye to the heuenly mansioun,
Soule and boody above the the firmament,
Ther to be crounyd as queen moost excellent,
With thy Sone eternally in glorye,
Pray for thy servauntis that have þe in memorye.

pater noster X Aue.

22

Ioyes fifteen remembrid heer to-forn
As the charg[e] was vpon me leyd,
In contemplacioun there be no tyme lorn,
The Pater-nostres and the Aues dewly seyd,
By interupcioun makyng noon abreyd,
Tyl of our lady be sayd the ful Sawteer,
As heer-to-forn is shewyd the maneer.

274

23

As ye haue herd accomplisshid the gladnessis
By a meditacioun toold in especial,
Folwyng in ordre were set his hevynessys
And remembryd his sorwys pryncipal,
Ful lamentable and somme ful mortal,
Of acts conservyd the observaunce,
As heer-to-forn is put in remembraunce.

24

Off Paternostres and aues seid betweene
The same noumbre with good devocioun,
The hevenessys rehersyd ful ffifteene
At eende of everich, as maad is mencioun,
By a maneer pitous compassioun
With our lady, hir sorwys to complayne,
Lik as the picture in ordre did ordeyne.

25

Which to reherse, outhir to remembre,
Lyk as I fond I caste me to endite,
Of dreedful herte tremblyng in euery membre,
My penne quakyng whan I gan to write,
For to beholde the terys reed and white
In sondry placys from hir eyness reyne,
Which to considre it was to me gret peyne.

26

God graunt it be to hir no displesaunce,
That I was bold to writen, seyn, or reede
Hir heuynessis, list the remembraunce
Of sorwys passyd, which she felte in deede,
In any wise shuld trouble hir womanheede,
But of compassioun they may myn herte perce,
To that entent I do hem heere reherce.

Explicit prologus.

275

27

O glorious mayde! for that heuynesse,
Which thu haddist by a maneer compleynyng,
Whan the Bisshop did his besynesse
Tween the and Ioseph to make the weddyng,
Agayn thentent of chaast livyng,
Which remembryng, flour of virginite,
On thy servauntis haue mercy and pite.

pater noster X Aue.

28

Remembre, O prynces, and rewe upon our wo,
Lat our request of the nat be refusyd,
For the heuynesse thu haddist eek also
To be with childe whan thu were accusyd,
There watir of preeff drank, as it was usyd,
Youe by the bisshop, and founde ay undefowlyd,
Pray for thy servauntis that been in synne mowlyd.

pater noster X Aue.

29

And for that sorwe, verray importable,
Which thu haddist whan the angel bad the fle,
From Herodys the tyraunt vntretable,
Slouh Innocentys of hatful cruelle,
Conspired also Iesu for to sle,
Which remembryng, don of yore agoon,
Diffende thy servauntis from al ther mortal foon.

pater noster X Aue.

30

O Emp[e]resse in heuene glorified!
Myn herte is troubleyd thy sorwys to descryve,
The dool remembryd whan thu were purifyed;
Symeon seide a sharp swerd shuld ryve
Thoruh thy soule, and perce thyn herte blyve,

276

For the trouble thu feltist of that language,
Preserve thy servauntis fro sorwe and al outrage.

pater noster X Aue.

31

I am afferyd and troublyd in my mynde
To remembre the gret hevynesse,
Which thu haddyst whan Crist was lefft behynde
In Ierusaleem, and thu in gret distresse
Soutist hym, the gospel berith witnesse,
Or thu hym founde thre dayes in greet dreede,
Socoure alle tho that seeke the in ther neede.

pater noster & X Aue.

32

Arrete it not to noon vnkyndenesse,
At the feeste, the gospel telle can,
Of Archydeclyne, nor to no straungenesse,
That Iesu ther called the a woman,
The name of moodir lefft behynden than,
A gret mysterye that he so list the calle,
For which thyng haue mercy on vs alle.

pater noster & X Aue.

33

Off mortal pite myn herte waxith coold
To remembre, thynken or expresse
The sorwe thu haddist, whan Seyn Iohn hath the toold,
Iesu was taken, by the gret felnesse
Of the Iewys hatful cursydnesse;
And as that takyng was to the gret greeff,
Releeve alle tho that calle to the in myscheef.

pater noster & X Aue.

34

Off hevynessys Oon the moost grevous
Is of Absence the Importable peyne;

277

That feltist thu weel, O pryncesse gracious!
Space of a nyght thu myhtist not atteyne,
To seen thy sone, lord moost sovereyne,
Kept by his enmyes in purpoos hym to sle;
For whos passioun on synners haue pite.

pater noster & X Aue.

35

I ffeele myn herte compleyne pitously
To noumbre the peynes thu haddyst eek, parde,
Whan Iesu bare his cros to Caluary,
And thu to meete hym ran thoruh the Cite,
Born of with prees, thu myghtist hym not see,
Whan thu hym mettist, he fel doun for ffeyntise,
Pray for alle tho that doon to the servise.

36

With newe langour, pryncesse, thu were assayled,
Quakyng and pale allas! whan thu dist see
Of blissyd Iesu feet and handys nailled,
Moost horribly streyned with crueltee
For mannys rawnsoun upon the roode tree;
Lowe by the ground, dedly of look and face,
Pray hym do mercy ech day whan we trespace.

pater noster X Aue.

37

And for the sorwe thu haddist, whan thu stood
On Caluarye upon his riht[e] syde,
And seye hym reryd high upon the rood,
The sweemful voys thu myghtist nat abyde,
Whan he the callyd in the same tyde,—
“Woman,” ageyn; “behold thy sone and see,”
For which constreynt sauf alle that truste in the.

pater noster X Aue.

278

38

O howe that hour thyn hevyness was moost,
When blissid Iesu with a pitous cry
Vnto his Fadir by deeth yald vp the goost,
Which whan thu herdist stondyng fast by,
Thu fel a swowne, no wondir trewly!
Now pray thy sone that deyde upon the roode,
Haue mercy on alle, for whom he shed his bloode.

pater noster X Aue.

39

Was evir woo that myhte be comparyd
To thy distresse, pryncesse of goodliheede,
Whan thu sauh Iesu how he was nat sparyd,
Crucified, take down whan he was deede,
Lay in thy lappe, and al his body reede
Of pitous bledyng, for whoos meek suffraunce,
O queen of mercy! sauf us fro myschaunce.

pater noster X Aue.

40

Whan he was put and leyd lowe in his grave,
Thy blissid sone Iesu, moost myhty kyng,
And al was do mankynde for to save
Thu sauh al this upon hym abyding,
Kistist ofte his stoon at thy partyng;
Haue on us mercy O blissid heuene queene,
For the peyne thu dist that day susteene.

pater noster X Aue.

41

Thes heuynessis reknyd Oon by oon,
In ordre set, pitous and lamentable,
Who hath konnyng to reknyn hem euerychoon?
For by comparisoun they were incomparable
Gloryous lady, O queen moost merciable!
Thy peynes heer set, with many gret grevaunce,
Been for this cause put heer in remembraunce,

279

42

Off humble entent that we good heed may take
Duryng our liff with gret devocioun
What Crist Iesu suffryd for our sake,
Thy deere sone, deth, peyne, and passioun.
And for we shulde haue Eek compassioun,
With the, pryncesse, that boughtist his deeth ful deere,
For that entent they been rehersyd heere.

Explicit.

Lenvoye.

43

To alle that caste hem of devocioun
To been dilligent, by daily attendaunce,
To serve Mary, pryncesse of moost renoun,
And to his hihnesse for to do plesaunce,
Lat hem empreente in her remembraunce
The ordre heer set, ffirst of hir gladnessys,
And folwyng afftir hir gret heuynessys.

44

Which remembryd, as toold is the maneer,
In hir worship by humble affeccioun,
Of the heuenly pryncesse, to seyn an hool sawteer,
Lyk as to-forn is maad heer mencioun,
Therwith conceyvyng this compilacioun,
Thouh that it halte in meetre and elloquence,
It is heer write hir for to do reverence.

45

Goo litil tretys! and meekly me excuse,
To alle tho that shal the seen or reede;
Giff any man thy rudenesse list accuse
Make no diffence, but with lowlyheede
Pray hym refourme, wher as he seeth neede;
To that entent I do the forth directe
Wher thu faylest, that men shal the correcte.

Explicit quod Lidgate.