 | Religious Lyrics of the XVth Century |  |
154. The Mirror of Mortality
O mors, quam amara est memoria tua.
O deth, hough better ys the mynde of the!
That mover arte of moornynge & of moone.
Thou myndly myrrour, in whome all olde may see
The ways of youthe, in which thai haue mysgone,
Thou arte the same Remembrance allone,
Whome all astates and euery lawe degre,
With daily diligence owe to awaite vpone,
ffor whome thou clepiste, all muste go with the.
That mover arte of moornynge & of moone.
Thou myndly myrrour, in whome all olde may see
The ways of youthe, in which thai haue mysgone,
Thou arte the same Remembrance allone,
Whome all astates and euery lawe degre,
With daily diligence owe to awaite vpone,
ffor whome thou clepiste, all muste go with the.
Nought may preuaile—pompous prosperite,
Honoure ne heele, gemme ne precious stone,
Renoun, Riches, rent ne rialte—
ffor all that euer haue be of fleshe & bone
Thou hast and wolt consume, not levyng oon.
Who is alyve that cane Remembre thre
That are preserued? y finde two allone,
Ennok and Ely—yit shall thai go with the.
Honoure ne heele, gemme ne precious stone,
Renoun, Riches, rent ne rialte—
ffor all that euer haue be of fleshe & bone
Thou hast and wolt consume, not levyng oon.
Who is alyve that cane Remembre thre
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Ennok and Ely—yit shall thai go with the.
ffor in the houre of oure natiuite
Thi subtile entre vs preseth euerychone,
With clene continuell chalenginge thi fe;
And euery day we muste waite here vpone,
And while we lyve yit haue we odire foone:
The feende, the flesh, and worldly vanite,
Cotidiane corasy continvinge euire in oone,
Oure cely soule vnceesingly to sle.
Thi subtile entre vs preseth euerychone,
With clene continuell chalenginge thi fe;
And euery day we muste waite here vpone,
And while we lyve yit haue we odire foone:
The feende, the flesh, and worldly vanite,
Cotidiane corasy continvinge euire in oone,
Oure cely soule vnceesingly to sle.
Popes and prelates stand in perplexite,
and envyus clarkis forth with the thai gone,
Crowned conquerours and odire of law degre,
Knyghtly an hir tymes, thou sparith noone.
Marchauntes, men of law, all vndir oone,
Leches, laborers, fayne wolde fro the fle.
ffull wyse is he that cane thinke her vpone
And for hime-selfe provide, who-so he be.
and envyus clarkis forth with the thai gone,
Crowned conquerours and odire of law degre,
Knyghtly an hir tymes, thou sparith noone.
Marchauntes, men of law, all vndir oone,
Leches, laborers, fayne wolde fro the fle.
ffull wyse is he that cane thinke her vpone
And for hime-selfe provide, who-so he be.
Be-holde this myrroure in thy mynde, & se
This worldis transsitorie Ioy that sone is gone,
Which in effecte is but aduersite,
And of twey weys thou nedis must take oone.
Thenk of fre choise god hath the lent allone,
With witte and Resoun to reule thi liberte;
yif thou go mys, odire blame thou noone—
Thi-selfe arte cause of all that grevith the.
This worldis transsitorie Ioy that sone is gone,
Which in effecte is but aduersite,
And of twey weys thou nedis must take oone.
Thenk of fre choise god hath the lent allone,
With witte and Resoun to reule thi liberte;
yif thou go mys, odire blame thou noone—
Thi-selfe arte cause of all that grevith the.
O ye that floure in hie felicite,
ffor crystes sake remembreth here vpone!
Thenke that as fresh and lusty as ye be,
Er thei wer war, full sodanly haue gone;
ffor odire warnynge in this world ys none
But mynde of Deth or sore infirmite.
Whene thou lest wenest thou shalt be calde vpone,
ffor of thine houre thou woste no certeinte.
ffor crystes sake remembreth here vpone!
Thenke that as fresh and lusty as ye be,
Er thei wer war, full sodanly haue gone;
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But mynde of Deth or sore infirmite.
Whene thou lest wenest thou shalt be calde vpone,
ffor of thine houre thou woste no certeinte.
This worthi lorde of veray polyce,
Ser Raufe lorde Cromwell, Remembringe here vpone
ffor alle his lordshipp and gret stately fe,
Knowinge by resoun of oder Rescous none,
ffor all his castelles & toures hie of stone,
ffor hime and for my lady, like as ye se,
This towmebe prouyded, ayene that thei shall gone.
In gracius houre gode graunte hir passage be!
Ser Raufe lorde Cromwell, Remembringe here vpone
ffor alle his lordshipp and gret stately fe,
Knowinge by resoun of oder Rescous none,
ffor all his castelles & toures hie of stone,
ffor hime and for my lady, like as ye se,
This towmebe prouyded, ayene that thei shall gone.
In gracius houre gode graunte hir passage be!
Muse in this mirrour of mortalite,
Bothe olde and yonge that lokene here opone,
Lyfte vp your hertly eie, be-holde and se
These same right worthi, restinge vndire the stone.
Deuoutly pray for heme to criste allone,
That gyltles for hire gylte sterfe one a tre,
heme to preserue frome all hire gostely foone,
And send heme pees in perpetuite.
Bothe olde and yonge that lokene here opone,
Lyfte vp your hertly eie, be-holde and se
These same right worthi, restinge vndire the stone.
Deuoutly pray for heme to criste allone,
That gyltles for hire gylte sterfe one a tre,
heme to preserue frome all hire gostely foone,
And send heme pees in perpetuite.
Amen.
| Religious Lyrics of the XVth Century | |