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The poems of John Audelay

Edited with introduction, notes and glossary [by Ella Keats Whiting]
Audelay, John

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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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In die epephanis &c.
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48

Cantalena de virginibus.

I pray ȝoue maydys þat here be
Kepe ȝour state and ȝour degre.
In word, in dede, in wyl, in þoȝt,
Ȝour maydynhede defoule ȝe noȝt,
Lest to blame þat ȝe ben broȝt,
And lese ȝour state, ȝour honeste.
An vndur-marke Crist con ȝou lene
To marc with; kepe hit clene;
Ȝif ȝe hit tame hit wil be sene,
Do ȝe neuer soo preuely.
Of þat tresour men ben ful fayne,
And al here loue on ȝoue þai lay[ne],
And mone a pene fore hit þai pay[ne],
Boþ seluer and gold, lond and fe.
208

Ȝif þat tresoure ȝe don hit tame,
When hit is knowyn ȝe wil haue chame;
Of þer-fore ȝe berne gret blame,
Neuer on be oþer ware wil be.
Nad þat tresoure bene e-wroȝt,
To blis we had not bene e-broȝt;
Hit faylis neuer, ne fadis noȝt;
Euer to mon hit is redy.
Ȝif ȝe kepyn wele þat tresoure,
Hit schal ȝou bryng to hie honoure;
Þaȝ ȝe be fayre, of freche coloure,
Beute is noȝt without bonte.
Trewly nyer þat tresoure were,
Of men ȝe schuld haue febul chere,
Avyse ȝou whom ȝe lene hit here,
Ȝif ȝe ben begild þat blame not me.
Fore oþer cownsel nedis ȝoue non,
Þen doþ þer-after euerechon,
Fore þis tresoure has holpyn mone hone;
Hit marys maydis vche cuntre.
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