53. TO MARY, THE STAR OF JACOB.
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[MS. Bodl. Laud Misc. 683, leaves 29, back, to 30, back.]
Here is a praier to our lady of hir v Ioies.
1
O sterre of Iacob, and glorye of Israell!
Of alle blissed, O blyssedest vyrgyne!
For thylke tydyng wich that Gabrieell
Brouhte on-to the most hevenly and devyne,
So let þi stremys of grace vpon me schyne,
And of thyn Eyen the mercyable lyght
From al myscheff to saue me this nyght.
2
O fayrest douhter of Ierusaleem!
Flour of alle fflours,—O fflour of chastyte!
For thylke Ioie thou haddyst in Bedleem,
Of blyssed Iesu in the Natyvyte,
Visited affter of worthy kyngys thre,
On wich gladnesse devoutly remembryng,
Saue me thys nyght, slepyng and wakyng.
3
And ffor that Ioie, of souereyn dignyte,
Wich folwyd affter thy sonys passioun,
Whan, thorugh his royall devyne mageste,
Callid be prophetys of Iuda the lyoun,
Wich made ffro deth his Resureccyoun;
For the gret gladnesse thou haddist on þe morwe,
Kepe me thys nyght from al myschef and sorwe.
4
And for the Ioie thou haddist weel more,
A Ioie precellyng In Comparysoun,
Whan he of mercy mankynde to restore,
Toward that hevenly sterrid mansioun,
Made in our manhed hys ascencyoun,
For wich Ioie o pryncesse, I the preye,
Kepe me this nyght that no fend me werreie.
5
And for that Ioie, surmountyng Ioies alle,
Wich thou haddyst in thyn assumpcioun,
Whan thou were crowned in þat hevenly stalle,
Queen of alle quenys, most Souereyn of renoun,
Receyve thy servaunt under proteccyoun,
This nyht and euer, pavys of my dyffence!
Wich ffleeth for socour to thi magnyficence.
6
And to remembre thy famous Ioies fyve,
To myn avayll and my gret [a]vauntage,
Vnder thy support, while I am a-lyve,
I shal ech nyht with humble and meek vsage,
Knele before the by maner of homage,
Thy Ioies remembryng, & affter suerly slepe,
From alle assautys while thou list me kepe.
7
Most hooly pryncesse, gracious & benyngne,
And of mercy most plentivous & habounde,
Set thy fyve Ioies for a special sygne,
Affore myn herte, tabide there and rebounde,
In euery myscheef that it may be ffounde,—
While I þi servaunt haue hem in remembraunce,—
Agayn goostly enmys to stonde in assuraunce.
Explicit.
