 | Religious Lyrics of the XVth Century |  |
163. Death, the Soul's Friend
Thynk, man, qware-off thou art wrought,
Þat art so wlonk in wede;
Thynk hou þou art hedyr brought,
& of thyn end take hede.
Thynk hou dere god has þe bought,
With blysful blode to blede;
Thynk for his gylt was it noght,
bot, man, for þi mys-dede.
With an .O. & and .I., thynk on hym, .I. rede,
Þat wroght þis werld to þi be-howe, & heuen to þi mede.
Þat art so wlonk in wede;
Thynk hou þou art hedyr brought,
& of thyn end take hede.
Thynk hou dere god has þe bought,
With blysful blode to blede;
Thynk for his gylt was it noght,
bot, man, for þi mys-dede.
With an .O. & and .I., thynk on hym, .I. rede,
Þat wroght þis werld to þi be-howe, & heuen to þi mede.
Thynk, man, inwardly on þis,
& be þou noght vn-kynde;
Thynk & forfet noght þat blys,
þat made es ffor man-kynde;
Thynk qwat þou has don a-myss
Syn þou hadyst mannys mynde;
Thynk þis werld þat wryched es
will wan o-way als wynde.
With an .O. & an .I., thynk & þou sall ffynde,
Iff þou rekenes ridily, þou ert fful ferre be-hynde.
& be þou noght vn-kynde;
Thynk & forfet noght þat blys,
þat made es ffor man-kynde;
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Syn þou hadyst mannys mynde;
Thynk þis werld þat wryched es
will wan o-way als wynde.
With an .O. & an .I., thynk & þou sall ffynde,
Iff þou rekenes ridily, þou ert fful ferre be-hynde.
Thynk we wrichid wormys ar,
& lette no syn þe schend;
Thynk þat þou was born ful bare,
so sal þou hen wend;
Thynk to be ar þat þou fare,
þi selff þi soule frend;
Thynk & trayst off na man mare
þan of þi oughen hend.
With an .O. & an .I., do so or þou wend,
Þat þou may fynd it efftirward, qware þou sal longest lend.
& lette no syn þe schend;
Thynk þat þou was born ful bare,
so sal þou hen wend;
Thynk to be ar þat þou fare,
þi selff þi soule frend;
Thynk & trayst off na man mare
þan of þi oughen hend.
With an .O. & an .I., do so or þou wend,
Þat þou may fynd it efftirward, qware þou sal longest lend.
T[h]ynk how dede cummys sudanly,
als þou may se all-day;
Thynk & be noght ferd for-thy,
bot be wel war all-way;
Thynk & rewyl þe rythwysly,
or þat þou clyng in clay;
Thynk on crist & cry mercy,
amend þe qwyle þou may.
With an .o. & an .I., thynk qwat .I. þe say,
thynk þis lyf is lyghly lost, þe tothir lastys ay.
als þou may se all-day;
Thynk & be noght ferd for-thy,
bot be wel war all-way;
Thynk & rewyl þe rythwysly,
or þat þou clyng in clay;
Thynk on crist & cry mercy,
amend þe qwyle þou may.
With an .o. & an .I., thynk qwat .I. þe say,
thynk þis lyf is lyghly lost, þe tothir lastys ay.
Thy[n]k þis werld is wondirfful,
& þat is gret Meruayll;
Thy[n]k þou may noght stand a pull,
qwen dede þe wil asayll;
Thynk þi mekyl muk & mull
þen may þe noght a-wayll;
Thynk þou wendys qwedyr god wull,
to rist or to trauayll.
With an .o. & an I., þer may na-thyng a-wayle,
Þat here has wroght wrangwysly, him-self to wrathir-hayle.
& þat is gret Meruayll;
Thy[n]k þou may noght stand a pull,
qwen dede þe wil asayll;
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þen may þe noght a-wayll;
Thynk þou wendys qwedyr god wull,
to rist or to trauayll.
With an .o. & an I., þer may na-thyng a-wayle,
Þat here has wroght wrangwysly, him-self to wrathir-hayle.
Thynk & dred noght for to dy,
syn þou sall nedis þer-to;
Thynk þat ded is opynly
ende off werdes wo;
Thynk als so, bot if þou dy,
to god may þou noght go;
Thynk & hald þe payed þer-by,
þou may noght ffle þer-fro.
With an .O. & an .I., þan thynk me it is so,
Þat ded sal be þi sawl frend, & erthly lyff þi ffo.
syn þou sall nedis þer-to;
Thynk þat ded is opynly
ende off werdes wo;
Thynk als so, bot if þou dy,
to god may þou noght go;
Thynk & hald þe payed þer-by,
þou may noght ffle þer-fro.
With an .O. & an .I., þan thynk me it is so,
Þat ded sal be þi sawl frend, & erthly lyff þi ffo.
Thynk þat þou ert ded alway,
qwyllis þat þou dwellis here;
Thynk þi lyff be-gynnis ay,
qwen þou ert layd apon a bere;
Thynk & serue þat prince to pay,
þe kyng of kyng, þat hass na pere;
Thynk I rede, bothe nyth & day,
on hym þat boght þe so dere.
With an .O. and an .I., thynk qwat I þe lere,
Iff þou wil þat solace se þer seyntis syttes sere.
qwyllis þat þou dwellis here;
Thynk þi lyff be-gynnis ay,
qwen þou ert layd apon a bere;
Thynk & serue þat prince to pay,
þe kyng of kyng, þat hass na pere;
Thynk I rede, bothe nyth & day,
on hym þat boght þe so dere.
With an .O. and an .I., thynk qwat I þe lere,
Iff þou wil þat solace se þer seyntis syttes sere.
Amen.
| Religious Lyrics of the XVth Century | |