 | Religious Lyrics of the XVth Century |  |
1. Dear Son, Leave Thy Weeping
A baby ys borne vs blys to bryng;
A mayddyn I hard loullay synge:
‘Dyre son, now leyfe thi weppng,
Thy fadyre ys þe kyng of blys.’
A mayddyn I hard loullay synge:
‘Dyre son, now leyfe thi weppng,
Thy fadyre ys þe kyng of blys.’
‘Nay, dere modyre, for yow weppe I noȝt,
But for þingis þat schall be wroȝt
Or þat I have mankynd I-boȝt;
Was þer neuer payn lyke yt I-wys.’
But for þingis þat schall be wroȝt
Or þat I have mankynd I-boȝt;
Was þer neuer payn lyke yt I-wys.’
‘Pes, dyre sone, say þou me not soo!
Thow art my chyld, I have noo moo.
Alas! þat I schwld see þis woo,
Hyt were to me gret heyuenys.’
Thow art my chyld, I have noo moo.
Alas! þat I schwld see þis woo,
Hyt were to me gret heyuenys.’
‘My hondys, modyre, þat ȝe now see,
Thay schall be nayllyd one a tre;
My feyt all-soo fastnyd schal be—
fful monny schall wepe þat hit schall see.’
Thay schall be nayllyd one a tre;
My feyt all-soo fastnyd schal be—
fful monny schall wepe þat hit schall see.’
2
‘Alas! dyre son, sowerov now ys my happe;
To see my chyld þat sovkys my pappe
So rwthfully takyn ovt of my lape,
Hyt wer to me gret heyuenys.’
To see my chyld þat sovkys my pappe
So rwthfully takyn ovt of my lape,
Hyt wer to me gret heyuenys.’
‘Alsoo, modyre, þer schall a speyre
My tendure hert all to-teyre;
The blud schall keuyre my body þer—
Gret rwthe yt schall be to see.’
My tendure hert all to-teyre;
The blud schall keuyre my body þer—
Gret rwthe yt schall be to see.’
‘A! dere sone, þat is a heyvy cas;
When gabrell cnellyd before my face,
And sayd “heylle lady full of grace”,
He neuer told me nooþing of þis.’
When gabrell cnellyd before my face,
And sayd “heylle lady full of grace”,
He neuer told me nooþing of þis.’
‘Dere modyre, peys, nowe I yow pray,
And take noo sorrow for þat I say;
But synnge þis song “by by lowllay”,
To dryfe away all heyuenys.’
And take noo sorrow for þat I say;
But synnge þis song “by by lowllay”,
To dryfe away all heyuenys.’
| Religious Lyrics of the XVth Century | |