The poems of John Audelay Edited with introduction, notes and glossary [by Ella Keats Whiting] |
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Audite hec, omnes gentes: hanc epistolam scripsit Dominus
Ihesus Christus manibus suis et misit in siuitatem Gazon
vbi ego Petrus primum episcopatum accepi.
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 | The poems of John Audelay |  |
15
Audite hec, omnes gentes: hanc epistolam scripsit Dominus Ihesus Christus manibus suis et misit in siuitatem Gazon vbi ego Petrus primum episcopatum accepi.
De epistola Domini nostri Ihesu Christi de die Dominica.
Now here þis pistil, I ȝou pray,
Fore Crist hit wrot with His oun hond,
Hou ȝe schul halou þe Sonday
Al Cristin men in euere lond,
And send hit to Petir þoroȝ his swete sond
To preche þe pepul with good entent,
And do ale curatours to vnderstond
Þat hit is Cristis comawndment;
Beleue þis euerechon.
He þat beleuys þis treuly
Schal haue grace and mercy
And no noþer securly;
He is þe child of perdecion.
Fore Crist hit wrot with His oun hond,
Hou ȝe schul halou þe Sonday
Al Cristin men in euere lond,
And send hit to Petir þoroȝ his swete sond
To preche þe pepul with good entent,
And do ale curatours to vnderstond
Þat hit is Cristis comawndment;
105
He þat beleuys þis treuly
Schal haue grace and mercy
And no noþer securly;
He is þe child of perdecion.
Fore ȝe con not of God þis holeday
Kepe clene out of dedle syn,
Þer-fore Hys wraþ, syrus, Y ȝow say,
Schal fal on ȝoue false Cristyn men.
Ȝour enmys and aleans schal ouer ȝou ren,
And lede ȝoue to þraldam fore euer and ay,
Boþ ryful, rob, sle, and bren,
Bot ȝif ȝe kepyn þat holeday;
Here-fore ȝe wil be chent.
Raueners sodenly schal fal on ȝou
And wyckid terantis cast ȝou ful loue,
Fore gracyous God ȝe wyl not know
Ne kyndle kepe His comawndment.
Kepe clene out of dedle syn,
Þer-fore Hys wraþ, syrus, Y ȝow say,
Schal fal on ȝoue false Cristyn men.
Ȝour enmys and aleans schal ouer ȝou ren,
And lede ȝoue to þraldam fore euer and ay,
Boþ ryful, rob, sle, and bren,
Bot ȝif ȝe kepyn þat holeday;
Here-fore ȝe wil be chent.
Raueners sodenly schal fal on ȝou
And wyckid terantis cast ȝou ful loue,
Fore gracyous God ȝe wyl not know
Ne kyndle kepe His comawndment.
Here-fore fro ȝou I wil turne my face,
And betake ȝou into ȝour enemyse hond,
And withdraw fro ȝou merce and grace,
And blynd ȝou boþ with schame and schond,
And drown ȝou within a lytyl stownd,
As I did Sodom and Comor
Þat þe erþe swolew[ed] to hel ground
Sodenly or þai were ware.
Haue mend, seris, here apon,
Be ware betyme or ȝe be schend,
And ȝour mysdedis loke ȝe amend,
And serue ȝour God; foresake þe fynd;
Þen schul ȝe haue remyssion.
And betake ȝou into ȝour enemyse hond,
And withdraw fro ȝou merce and grace,
And blynd ȝou boþ with schame and schond,
And drown ȝou within a lytyl stownd,
As I did Sodom and Comor
Þat þe erþe swolew[ed] to hel ground
Sodenly or þai were ware.
Haue mend, seris, here apon,
Be ware betyme or ȝe be schend,
And ȝour mysdedis loke ȝe amend,
And serue ȝour God; foresake þe fynd;
Þen schul ȝe haue remyssion.
106
Hwo-so-euer wil go, seris, truly
Into ony oþer plase, I say,
Bot to hole cherche specialy
In þe fest of þat holeday,
Or on pilgremage seyntis to pray,
Or vesid þe seke þat woful be,
Ore make acord and treu loueday
To bryng mon into charyte,
And serue ȝour Saueour;
Ellis I schal bete ȝoue with scorgis sore,
And send into ȝour place herefore
Sorou and sekenes fore euer more,
Swerd, pestlens, hongir with gret dolour.
Into ony oþer plase, I say,
Bot to hole cherche specialy
In þe fest of þat holeday,
Or on pilgremage seyntis to pray,
Or vesid þe seke þat woful be,
Ore make acord and treu loueday
To bryng mon into charyte,
And serue ȝour Saueour;
Ellis I schal bete ȝoue with scorgis sore,
And send into ȝour place herefore
Sorou and sekenes fore euer more,
Swerd, pestlens, hongir with gret dolour.
He þat on any erand wil ryd or goo
In þe fest of þat holeday
Fore one cause he haþ to do,
Or schaue heerus of heed or berde away,
Bot go to þe cherche ȝif þat ȝe may
And hold him þer in his prayere,
Al euylis Y wil send him soþ to say
And chortyn his days he schuld haue here.
Beware, serys, I ȝou pray,
Or he þat waschis cloþis or hed,
On Sunday breuys or bakus bred,
Y schal him blynd with carful red,
Noþer haue my blessyng nyȝt ne day.
In þe fest of þat holeday
Fore one cause he haþ to do,
Or schaue heerus of heed or berde away,
Bot go to þe cherche ȝif þat ȝe may
And hold him þer in his prayere,
Al euylis Y wil send him soþ to say
And chortyn his days he schuld haue here.
Beware, serys, I ȝou pray,
Or he þat waschis cloþis or hed,
On Sunday breuys or bakus bred,
Y schal him blynd with carful red,
Noþer haue my blessyng nyȝt ne day.
Bot my curse haue he schal;
Y wyl send sekenes and sorous sore
Apon ȝou and ȝour childer alle,
Þat ȝe schul curse þat ȝe were bore.
Ȝe vnbeleuyd pepul, herkyns more,
And schreud generacions þat nyl beleue,
Ȝour days schal be ful schort þer-fore,
Fore ȝe set noȝt by ȝour God to greue.
I am among ȝou euer present,
And synful men I wyl abyde,
Ȝif þay wil turne in one tyde,
Foresake cursid couetyse, enuy, and pride,
And here mysdedis betyme repent.
Y wyl send sekenes and sorous sore
Apon ȝou and ȝour childer alle,
Þat ȝe schul curse þat ȝe were bore.
107
And schreud generacions þat nyl beleue,
Ȝour days schal be ful schort þer-fore,
Fore ȝe set noȝt by ȝour God to greue.
I am among ȝou euer present,
And synful men I wyl abyde,
Ȝif þay wil turne in one tyde,
Foresake cursid couetyse, enuy, and pride,
And here mysdedis betyme repent.
In vi days al þyng I made,
On þe Sunday Y rest of my werkis ale;
Þe same do ȝe, þen schul ȝe glad
Of ȝour labors boþ gret and smale.
Non oþer þyng do ȝe schal
Bot go to þe cherche to Godis seruyse,
Alse wel ȝour seruandis þat beþ ȝoue þral,
Non oþer warkis loke þat þai vse,
Þen ful ioyful schul ȝe be.
Ȝour corns, ȝour vynes, and creaturs alle
Schul bryng forþ froyt, boþ gret and smale,
Þat no þyng to Cristyn men wont hit schale
Bot pese and rest in vche cuntre.
On þe Sunday Y rest of my werkis ale;
Þe same do ȝe, þen schul ȝe glad
Of ȝour labors boþ gret and smale.
Non oþer þyng do ȝe schal
Bot go to þe cherche to Godis seruyse,
Alse wel ȝour seruandis þat beþ ȝoue þral,
Non oþer warkis loke þat þai vse,
Þen ful ioyful schul ȝe be.
Ȝour corns, ȝour vynes, and creaturs alle
Schul bryng forþ froyt, boþ gret and smale,
Þat no þyng to Cristyn men wont hit schale
Bot pese and rest in vche cuntre.
Bot ȝif ȝe kepyn þis holeday
Fro Setterday at non, Y say ȝou þen,
Into þe furst our of Monday,
In reuerens and worchip of ȝour Soueren,
I schal curse ȝoue to-fore my Fader in heuen.
Ȝe schul haue no part þer-in with me,
Ne with my angelys þat with me bene
In þe Word of Wordis perpetualy,
Bot Y wyl send ȝoue here-fore
Gret fuyrus and leytis ȝoue fore to bren,
Al euelys to perysche ȝour l[a]bors þen,
Ȝour cornes, ȝour froytis, ȝour vynus, ȝour tren,
And neuer rayn schal fal on ȝou more.
Fro Setterday at non, Y say ȝou þen,
Into þe furst our of Monday,
In reuerens and worchip of ȝour Soueren,
I schal curse ȝoue to-fore my Fader in heuen.
Ȝe schul haue no part þer-in with me,
Ne with my angelys þat with me bene
In þe Word of Wordis perpetualy,
108
Gret fuyrus and leytis ȝoue fore to bren,
Al euelys to perysche ȝour l[a]bors þen,
Ȝour cornes, ȝour froytis, ȝour vynus, ȝour tren,
And neuer rayn schal fal on ȝou more.
Ȝour teþis, ȝour offryngis ȝeuyn treuly
To my prestis, I ȝou pray,
Þat seruen me in hole cherche spesialy
And prayn fore ȝou boþ nyȝt and day.
Hwo-so-euer his teþys defraudys away,
His froyttis in erþ defraudid schuld bene
And neuer se lyȝt bot derkenes ay,
Ne neuer haue ȝour lastyng lyue hen,
Bot hongyr in erthe among Cristin schal be.
Fore I kepe my dome f[or] vnbeleuyd men,
And ȝet I nold dampne hem þen,
My comawndmentis to kepe and ken
And foresake here synus and aske mercy.
To my prestis, I ȝou pray,
Þat seruen me in hole cherche spesialy
And prayn fore ȝou boþ nyȝt and day.
Hwo-so-euer his teþys defraudys away,
His froyttis in erþ defraudid schuld bene
And neuer se lyȝt bot derkenes ay,
Ne neuer haue ȝour lastyng lyue hen,
Bot hongyr in erthe among Cristin schal be.
Fore I kepe my dome f[or] vnbeleuyd men,
And ȝet I nold dampne hem þen,
My comawndmentis to kepe and ken
And foresake here synus and aske mercy.
Treule ȝif ȝe wil haloue þis holeday,
Þe rakkis of heuen I wil opyn
And multyple ȝou in me fore euer and ay,
Ȝif ȝe wil do after my tokyn.
And knouþ wel þat I am God alone,
And non oþer þer is saue Y,
Þat may ȝou grawnt remyssion
And ȝif ȝou grace and mercy;
Loke ȝe leuen treuly þis.
Amen, foresoþ, to ȝou I say,
Ȝif ȝe wil halou þis haleday,
Al euelis fro ȝou Y wyl do away,
Þen schul ȝe neuer fare amys.
Þe rakkis of heuen I wil opyn
And multyple ȝou in me fore euer and ay,
Ȝif ȝe wil do after my tokyn.
And knouþ wel þat I am God alone,
And non oþer þer is saue Y,
Þat may ȝou grawnt remyssion
And ȝif ȝou grace and mercy;
Loke ȝe leuen treuly þis.
Amen, foresoþ, to ȝou I say,
Ȝif ȝe wil halou þis haleday,
Al euelis fro ȝou Y wyl do away,
Þen schul ȝe neuer fare amys.
109
What prest þis pistil nyl not teche
To my pepil, as I ham pray,
In cetis, in tounus, in cherche hem preche
How þai schal halow þe holeday,
To haue hit in memory fore euer and ay,
My domys apon my prestis schal passe;
I schal ham ponys treuly in fay,
Boþ without mercy and grace.
Bot ȝif þai techen þis pistil treuly
And make men to haloue þis holeday,
I schal ham curse in herþ I say
And in þe Word of Wordis þat lastyþ ay
And in myn oun trone in heuen on hye.
To my pepil, as I ham pray,
In cetis, in tounus, in cherche hem preche
How þai schal halow þe holeday,
To haue hit in memory fore euer and ay,
My domys apon my prestis schal passe;
I schal ham ponys treuly in fay,
Boþ without mercy and grace.
Bot ȝif þai techen þis pistil treuly
And make men to haloue þis holeday,
I schal ham curse in herþ I say
And in þe Word of Wordis þat lastyþ ay
And in myn oun trone in heuen on hye.
Þis pistil our Lord Ihesu Crist
Send into þe sete of Gason,
Þer Y, Petur, was made bischop furst
In þe present ȝere to-fore agoone.
Þat hit be trewe and leosyng non,
Y, Peter, swere be Goddus pouere,
And be Ihesu Crist, His honle Sone,
And be þe hole Trenete in-fere,
And be þe iiij euaungelistis, þis is no nay,
And be þe patryarchis and prophetus and post[il]us holy,
And be angelis and archangelis and Mary,
And be al þe hole seyntis in heuen þer be,
Þat hit is soþ þat I ȝou say.
Send into þe sete of Gason,
Þer Y, Petur, was made bischop furst
In þe present ȝere to-fore agoone.
Þat hit be trewe and leosyng non,
Y, Peter, swere be Goddus pouere,
And be Ihesu Crist, His honle Sone,
And be þe hole Trenete in-fere,
And be þe iiij euaungelistis, þis is no nay,
And be þe patryarchis and prophetus and post[il]us holy,
And be angelis and archangelis and Mary,
And be al þe hole seyntis in heuen þer be,
Þat hit is soþ þat I ȝou say.
Ryȝt as þe sun haþ more clerte
Þen ane ster of þe fyrmant,
So þe Sunday is worþear of dyngnete
Þen ane day in þe wik present.
Þat day mad angeles omnipotent,
Þe ix orders in heuen on hye;
Þat day Noys flod sesud verament,
His schip toke rest of þe hil of Armony.
I swere to ȝoue þat beþ present
Þis pistil was neuer ordent of erþle mon,
Bot transelat out of heuen trone;
Crist wrot hit with His fyngers alon
To warne His pepel lest þay were chent.
Þen ane ster of þe fyrmant,
So þe Sunday is worþear of dyngnete
Þen ane day in þe wik present.
110
Þe ix orders in heuen on hye;
Þat day Noys flod sesud verament,
His schip toke rest of þe hil of Armony.
I swere to ȝoue þat beþ present
Þis pistil was neuer ordent of erþle mon,
Bot transelat out of heuen trone;
Crist wrot hit with His fyngers alon
To warne His pepel lest þay were chent.
Fore He callis ȝou to His grace echon,
‘Cum to me fore ȝiftis, I ȝou pray,
Fore I grawnt ȝou remission,
And ioy and blis fore euer and ay.’
No hert may þenke, tung tel hit may,
Þe lest ioy Ihesus wil ioyne ȝou to;
Ȝif ȝe halou þe Sunday,
Ȝe schul haue wel without wo.
A! synful mon, here-of haue mynde,
Þat ioy hit schal neuer sees,
Bot euer endeuer and euer encrese,
And euer in loue, rest, and pes,
In ioy and blis withouton ende.
‘Cum to me fore ȝiftis, I ȝou pray,
Fore I grawnt ȝou remission,
And ioy and blis fore euer and ay.’
No hert may þenke, tung tel hit may,
Þe lest ioy Ihesus wil ioyne ȝou to;
Ȝif ȝe halou þe Sunday,
Ȝe schul haue wel without wo.
A! synful mon, here-of haue mynde,
Þat ioy hit schal neuer sees,
Bot euer endeuer and euer encrese,
And euer in loue, rest, and pes,
In ioy and blis withouton ende.
To þat blis Crist he vs bryng,
Was crucefyd on cros and croned with þorne,
And foreȝif vs oure mysleuyng,
Þat we han offendid here beforne,
And let vs neuer, Lord, be forlorne,
Bot graunt vs grace þat we may,
As ȝe were of a maydyn borne,
In clannes to halou þe Sounonday.
Lord omnipotent,
Fore þi passion þou haue pete
Apon our soulis when we schul dey,
And grawnt vs þi grace and þi mercy,
Fadur, to-fore þi iugement.
Was crucefyd on cros and croned with þorne,
And foreȝif vs oure mysleuyng,
Þat we han offendid here beforne,
And let vs neuer, Lord, be forlorne,
Bot graunt vs grace þat we may,
As ȝe were of a maydyn borne,
In clannes to halou þe Sounonday.
111
Fore þi passion þou haue pete
Apon our soulis when we schul dey,
And grawnt vs þi grace and þi mercy,
Fadur, to-fore þi iugement.
Meruel ȝe noȝt of þis makyng,
Fore I me excuse hit is not I,
Fore þis of Godis oun wrytyng
Þat He send doun fro heuen on hye,
Fore I couþ neuer bot he foly.
He haþ me chastist for my leuyng;
I þonk my God, my Grace treuly,
Of His gracious vesetyng.
Beware, serys, I ȝou pray,
Fore I mad þis with good entent,
Fore hit is Cristis comawndment;
Prays fore me þat beþ present,
My name hit is þe blynd Awdlay.
Fore I me excuse hit is not I,
Fore þis of Godis oun wrytyng
Þat He send doun fro heuen on hye,
Fore I couþ neuer bot he foly.
He haþ me chastist for my leuyng;
I þonk my God, my Grace treuly,
Of His gracious vesetyng.
Beware, serys, I ȝou pray,
Fore I mad þis with good entent,
Fore hit is Cristis comawndment;
Prays fore me þat beþ present,
My name hit is þe blynd Awdlay.
| The poems of John Audelay | |