University of Virginia Library


64

26 BLESSED BE ÞOU, LEUEDY

Blessed be þou, leuedy, ful of heouene blisse,
suete flur of Parays, moder of mildenesse,
preyȝe Iesu þy sone þat he me rede ant wysse
so my wey forte gon þat he me neuer misse.
Of þe, suete leuedy, my song y wile byginne,
þy deore suete sones loue þou lere me to wynne;
ofte y syke ant serewe among, may y neuer blynne;
leuedi, for þi milde mod, þou shilde me from synne.
Myne þohtes, leuedy, makeþ me ful wan,
to þe y crie ant calle, þou here me for þi man;
help me, heuene quene, for þyn euer ycham,
wisse me to þi deore sone; þe weies y ne can.
Leuedy, seinte Marie, for þi milde mod
soffre neuer þat y be so wilde ne so wod
þat ich her forleose þe þat art so god,
þat Iesu me to bohte wiþ is suete blod.
Bryhte ant shene sterre cler, lyht þou me ant lere
in þis false fykel world myselue so to bere
þat y ner at myn endyng haue þe feond to fere;
Iesu, mid þi suete blod þou bohtest me so dere.
Leuedi, seinte Marie, so fair ant so briht,
al myn help is on þe bi day ant by nyht;
leuedi fre, þou shilde me so wel as þou myht,
þat y neuer forleose heueriche lyht.
Leuedy, seinte Marie, so fayr ant so hende,
preye Iesu Crist, þi sone, þat he me grace sende
so to queme him ant þe er ich henne wende
þat he me bringe to þe blis þat is wiþouten ende.
Ofte y crie ‘Merci’; of mylse þou art welle;
alle buen false þat bueþ mad boþe of fleysh ant felle;
leuedi suete, þou vs shild from þe pine of helle,
bring vs to þe ioie þat no tonge hit may of telle.

65

Iesu Crist, Godes sone, Fader ant Holy Gost,
help vs at oure nede as þou hit al wel wost;
bring vs to þin riche, þer is ioie most;
let vs neuer hit misse for non worldes bost!