 | Religious Lyrics of the XVth Century |  |
55
31. The Five Joys of Our Lady, with Acrostic
Sancta Maria
[M]yldyste of moode & mekyst of maydyns alle,
O modyrs mercyfullyst, most chast þat euer was wyfe,
Worschypfullyst of women þat were, ȝet be, or schalle,
Parfytst of a prayowre, þe best þat euyr bare lyue,
Whose salutacyon was fyrste Ioye of thy fyve,
Whan gabriel seyde ‘hayle mary ful of grace’—
wyth þe wheche worde þe holy gost as blyue
Wythyn þi chest hath chosyn a ioyful place.
O modyrs mercyfullyst, most chast þat euer was wyfe,
Worschypfullyst of women þat were, ȝet be, or schalle,
Parfytst of a prayowre, þe best þat euyr bare lyue,
Whose salutacyon was fyrste Ioye of thy fyve,
Whan gabriel seyde ‘hayle mary ful of grace’—
wyth þe wheche worde þe holy gost as blyue
Wythyn þi chest hath chosyn a ioyful place.
[A] secunde Ioy hadyst þu whan cryst ihū
Of þe was borne & ȝet was þu a mayde;
ffor company of man thou nevyr knewe.
Chylde forth þu brynge, but wyth wordes þat wer sayde
Of þe aungel; whom of þu wher a-frayde
Tyll he seyde, ‘mary, loke þu drede nowte,
Plucke vp thyn herte and be no thyng dysmayde,
ffor thys hye werke almyghty god hath wrowte.’
Of þe was borne & ȝet was þu a mayde;
ffor company of man thou nevyr knewe.
Chylde forth þu brynge, but wyth wordes þat wer sayde
Of þe aungel; whom of þu wher a-frayde
Tyll he seyde, ‘mary, loke þu drede nowte,
Plucke vp thyn herte and be no thyng dysmayde,
ffor thys hye werke almyghty god hath wrowte.’
[R]ysyn from dethe to lyf that ys eterne
ys thy swete son, ascend vp on hye
In-to a trone above the stremyng sterren,
Wher aungellys syng a-bowte þe chererchy,
Lovyng þat lorde wyth heuynly melody,
As kyng of kyngis, whose regne schal euer endure.
Lo! gracious lady and modyr of mercy,
Thys was thyrde ioy of thy blest auenture.
ys thy swete son, ascend vp on hye
In-to a trone above the stremyng sterren,
Wher aungellys syng a-bowte þe chererchy,
Lovyng þat lorde wyth heuynly melody,
As kyng of kyngis, whose regne schal euer endure.
Lo! gracious lady and modyr of mercy,
Thys was thyrde ioy of thy blest auenture.
56
[I]n solempne wyse assumptyd wyth a songe
Of cherubyn, thy forthe ioy to atteyne,
was þi body and thy sowle aungellys amonge,
vnto thy son browte vp yn febus wayne,
wher personys three yn O god sytte certeyne.
Of whose presens ryght ioyful mayste thow be,
ffor, as scrypture in holy bokys sayn,
Thow conceyuydyst clene that holy trinite.
Of cherubyn, thy forthe ioy to atteyne,
was þi body and thy sowle aungellys amonge,
vnto thy son browte vp yn febus wayne,
wher personys three yn O god sytte certeyne.
Of whose presens ryght ioyful mayste thow be,
ffor, as scrypture in holy bokys sayn,
Thow conceyuydyst clene that holy trinite.
[A]nde they alle three of on affeccion
haue chosy the cheffe, the quene for to be
Of heyvyn and erthe, wos coronacione
wes thy fyffte ioy wyth grete solempnyte.
Now blyste lady, flowre of virginite,
Graunt vs thy grace oure lyvys to a-men[de],
That we may come here-aftyr vnto the,
Vnto þat ioye whyche nevyr schal haue ende.
haue chosy the cheffe, the quene for to be
Of heyvyn and erthe, wos coronacione
wes thy fyffte ioy wyth grete solempnyte.
Now blyste lady, flowre of virginite,
Graunt vs thy grace oure lyvys to a-men[de],
That we may come here-aftyr vnto the,
Vnto þat ioye whyche nevyr schal haue ende.
[p]ryncese, pray to thy sone,
[i]n worschyp of þi salutacyon,
[p]erpetually þat we may wone
[w]yth hym, yn hys hy domynacione,
[e]uyr lastyng to lyue yn þat mancione.
[l]lady, graunt vs thys sayde supplycacione.
[i]n worschyp of þi salutacyon,
[p]erpetually þat we may wone
[w]yth hym, yn hys hy domynacione,
[e]uyr lastyng to lyue yn þat mancione.
[l]lady, graunt vs thys sayde supplycacione.
| Religious Lyrics of the XVth Century | |