The Poetical Works of John Skelton principally according to the edition of the Rev. Alexander Dyce. In three volumes |
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[Now synge we, as we were wont] |
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 | The Poetical Works of John Skelton |  |
168
[Now synge we, as we were wont]
Now synge we, as we were wont,
Vexilla regis prodeunt.
Vexilla regis prodeunt.
The kinges baner on felde is [s]playd,
The crosses mistry can not be nayd,
To whom our Sauyour was betrayd,
And for our sake;
Thus sayth he,
I suffre for thé,
My deth I take.
The crosses mistry can not be nayd,
To whom our Sauyour was betrayd,
And for our sake;
Thus sayth he,
I suffre for thé,
My deth I take.
Now synge we, &c.
Beholde my shankes, behold my knees,
Beholde my hed, armes, and thees,
Beholde of me nothyng thou sees
But sorowe and pyne;
Thus was I spylt,
Man, for thy gylte,
And not for myne.
Beholde my hed, armes, and thees,
Beholde of me nothyng thou sees
But sorowe and pyne;
Thus was I spylt,
Man, for thy gylte,
And not for myne.
Now synge we, &c.
169
Behold my body, how Jewes it donge
With knots of whipcord and scourges strong;
As stremes of a well the blode out sprong
On euery syde;
The knottes were knyt,
Ryght well made with wyt,
They made woundes wyde.
With knots of whipcord and scourges strong;
As stremes of a well the blode out sprong
On euery syde;
The knottes were knyt,
Ryght well made with wyt,
They made woundes wyde.
Now synge we, &c.
Man, thou shalt now vnderstand,
Of my head, bothe fote and hand,
Are four c. and fyue thousand
Woundes and sixty;
Fifty and vii.
Were tolde full euen
Vpon my body.
Of my head, bothe fote and hand,
Are four c. and fyue thousand
Woundes and sixty;
Fifty and vii.
Were tolde full euen
Vpon my body.
Now synge we, &c.
Syth I for loue bought thé so dere.
As thou may se thy self here,
I pray thé with a ryght good chere
Loue me agayne,
That it lykes me
To suffre for thé
Now all this payne.
As thou may se thy self here,
I pray thé with a ryght good chere
Loue me agayne,
That it lykes me
To suffre for thé
Now all this payne.
Now synge we, &c.
Man, vnderstand now thou shall,
In sted of drynke they gaue me gall,
And eysell mengled therwithall,
The Jewes fell;
These paynes on me
I suffred for thé
To bryng thé fro hell.
In sted of drynke they gaue me gall,
And eysell mengled therwithall,
170
These paynes on me
I suffred for thé
To bryng thé fro hell.
Now synge we, &c.
Now for thy lyfe thou hast mysled,
Mercy to aske be thou not adred;
The lest drop of blode that I for thé bled
Myght clense thé soone
Of all the syn
The worlde within,
If thou haddest doone.
Mercy to aske be thou not adred;
The lest drop of blode that I for thé bled
Myght clense thé soone
Of all the syn
The worlde within,
If thou haddest doone.
Now synge we, &c.
I was more wrother with Judas,
For he wold no mercy aske,
Than I was for his trespas
Whan he me solde;
I was euer redy
To graunt hym mercy,
But he none wolde.
For he wold no mercy aske,
Than I was for his trespas
Whan he me solde;
I was euer redy
To graunt hym mercy,
But he none wolde.
Now synge we, &c.
Lo, how I hold my armes abrode,
Thé to receyue redy isprode!
For the great loue that I to thé had
Well may thou knowe,
Some loue agayne
I wolde full fayne
Thou woldest to me shewe.
Thé to receyue redy isprode!
For the great loue that I to thé had
Well may thou knowe,
Some loue agayne
I wolde full fayne
171
Now synge we, &c.
For loue I aske nothyng of thé
But stand fast in faythe, and syn thou fle,
And payne to lyue in honeste
Bothe nyght and day;
And thou shalt have blys
That neuer shall mys
Withouten nay.
But stand fast in faythe, and syn thou fle,
And payne to lyue in honeste
Bothe nyght and day;
And thou shalt have blys
That neuer shall mys
Withouten nay.
Now synge we, &c.
Now, Jesu, for thy great goodnes,
That for man suffred great hardnes,
Saue vs fro the deuyls cruelnes,
And to blys us send,
And graunt vs grace
To se thy face
Withouten ende.
That for man suffred great hardnes,
Saue vs fro the deuyls cruelnes,
And to blys us send,
And graunt vs grace
To se thy face
Withouten ende.
Now synge we, &c.
| The Poetical Works of John Skelton | |