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 | The Wheatley Manuscript |  |
69
Domine, exaudi oracionem, & cla[mor meus ad te uehiat].
Lord, thow herken my preyer,
And to the lat come my cry;
Wouchesauf to lysten and here
The moon that I make mekely.
To cry on the with careful chere
There [nedith] noon so mykil as I;
Therfore my steuen strenght and stere,
That I noght speke vnspedely.
And to the lat come my cry;
Wouchesauf to lysten and here
The moon that I make mekely.
To cry on the with careful chere
There [nedith] noon so mykil as I;
Therfore my steuen strenght and stere,
That I noght speke vnspedely.
70
Non auertas faciem tuam a me; in quacunque [die tribulor, inclina ad me aurem tuam].
Turne noght, Lord, fro me thi face,
Bowe doun thin ere when me is wo,
Lat growe greynes of thi grace
That quencheth synnes and peynes also;
In wey of charite thow me chace,
[Thi] feyth lat me noght falle fro,
And help me þat I noght trespace
Vp hope of mercy neuer moo.
Bowe doun thin ere when me is wo,
Lat growe greynes of thi grace
That quencheth synnes and peynes also;
In wey of charite thow me chace,
[Thi] feyth lat me noght falle fro,
And help me þat I noght trespace
Vp hope of mercy neuer moo.
43
71
In quacunque die inuocauero te, uelociter [exaudi me].
Euery day when I the calle,
Redely thow listen me,
For ryghtful ere thi werkes alle,
Bot mercy is thy propyrte;
Therfore if I frely falle
In-to synnes that I schuld fle,
Putt me noght oute of thy halle,
But help me turne agayn to the.
Redely thow listen me,
For ryghtful ere thi werkes alle,
Bot mercy is thy propyrte;
Therfore if I frely falle
In-to synnes that I schuld fle,
Putt me noght oute of thy halle,
But help me turne agayn to the.
72
Quia defecerunt sicut fumus die[s] mei, [et ossa mea sicut cremium aruerunt].
For my lijf-dayes are liyk smoke
That faylide and a-weyward hyȝede;
My boones [ben] dryede and forsoke,
Ryȝt as a þing þat is forfryede:
Of Crist may wele þese wordis be spoke,
That on the crois was doon and driede;
Whanne his blysful brest was broke,
For drouthe and þriste lowde he cryede.
That faylide and a-weyward hyȝede;
My boones [ben] dryede and forsoke,
Ryȝt as a þing þat is forfryede:
Of Crist may wele þese wordis be spoke,
That on the crois was doon and driede;
Whanne his blysful brest was broke,
For drouthe and þriste lowde he cryede.
73
Percussus sum ut fenum, & aruit cor meum, quia oblitus sum comedere panem meum.
Smyten I was lijk gras or hay,
Myn herte waxide drye and deed,
For I forgate what maner of way
That I schulde ete myn owne breed.
To peyne me was al þeir play,
They þraste þornes þoru myn heed,
Dispitously þanne spedden they
With blood to make my body reed.
Myn herte waxide drye and deed,
For I forgate what maner of way
That I schulde ete myn owne breed.
To peyne me was al þeir play,
They þraste þornes þoru myn heed,
Dispitously þanne spedden they
With blood to make my body reed.
44
74
A uoce gemitus mei adhesit os meum carni mee.
For the voys of my weylyng
Vn-to my fleisch my boones can schrynke;
[Y say my cosyn Jon mornynge],
I say my modir in swownynge synk;
I herde a theef me scoornynge;
Galle and eisel was my drynk;
I wepte as a child of ȝeris ȝing,
On þis myscheef whenne I can þink.
Vn-to my fleisch my boones can schrynke;
[Y say my cosyn Jon mornynge],
I say my modir in swownynge synk;
I herde a theef me scoornynge;
Galle and eisel was my drynk;
I wepte as a child of ȝeris ȝing,
On þis myscheef whenne I can þink.
75
Similis factus sum pellicano solitudinis; factus sum sicut nicticorax in domicilio.
I was maad liyk the pellycan,
That vpon wylde[r]nesse hym-silf sleeþ,
So redily to the roode I ran,
For mannys soule to suffre deeþ;
And, as þe nyȝt-crowe in hir hous can
By nyȝt[e] se to holte and heeþ,
So purposide I to saue man,
For hym I ȝaf my goost and breeþ.
That vpon wylde[r]nesse hym-silf sleeþ,
So redily to the roode I ran,
For mannys soule to suffre deeþ;
And, as þe nyȝt-crowe in hir hous can
By nyȝt[e] se to holte and heeþ,
So purposide I to saue man,
For hym I ȝaf my goost and breeþ.
76
Vigilaui, et factus sum sicut passer solitarius in tecto.
I wook, and was maad lijk a sparowe
That in þe roof restiþ solitarye;
Vpon þe tre my neest was narowe,
There-on myȝte I no briddis carye.
As erþe is hurlyd vndir harowe,
So was þe fleisch þat sprang of Marye;
In þis world [is] noon so scharp arowe
As was þe turment that [me gan tarie].
That in þe roof restiþ solitarye;
Vpon þe tre my neest was narowe,
There-on myȝte I no briddis carye.
As erþe is hurlyd vndir harowe,
So was þe fleisch þat sprang of Marye;
In þis world [is] noon so scharp arowe
As was þe turment that [me gan tarie].
45
77
Tota die exprobrabant michi inimici mei, et qui laudabant me aduersum me iurabant.
For al the day they [hadde] me [in] scoorne,
Men that myn enemyes were,
And þo that preysiden me biforne
Aftirward aȝeyns me swere.
Thanne was I to-tuggid and to-torne,
Foot and hond, iȝen and eere,
To ech a lyme lijf [hadde] lorne;
Myn heed þei corownyd wiþ þorn of brere.
Men that myn enemyes were,
And þo that preysiden me biforne
Aftirward aȝeyns me swere.
Thanne was I to-tuggid and to-torne,
Foot and hond, iȝen and eere,
To ech a lyme lijf [hadde] lorne;
Myn heed þei corownyd wiþ þorn of brere.
78
Quia cinerem tanquam panem manducabam, et potum meum cum fletu miscebam.
For askis as it were breed I ete,
Wiþ wepyng I mengide my drink among,
For loue of man me þouȝte it swete
To suffre scoorn and sorowe strong;
For, siþen Adam the lawe lete
Thoru hir þat of his rib[be] sprong,
Was neuere man to mercy meete
Til I hadde suffrid wo and wrong.
Wiþ wepyng I mengide my drink among,
For loue of man me þouȝte it swete
To suffre scoorn and sorowe strong;
For, siþen Adam the lawe lete
Thoru hir þat of his rib[be] sprong,
Was neuere man to mercy meete
Til I hadde suffrid wo and wrong.
79
A facie ire [et] indignacionis tue, quia eleuans allisisti me.
A-fer fro þe face of þi greuaunce
Thow droue me down wiþ vprisyng,
Fadir, I was to thi plesaunce
Lyfte up as God in God dwellyng;
But, for to stynte al disturbaunce
Of man þat synnede not ceessyng,
Thow droue me adoun to chese a chaunce,
As man for man the deeþ takyng.
Thow droue me down wiþ vprisyng,
Fadir, I was to thi plesaunce
Lyfte up as God in God dwellyng;
But, for to stynte al disturbaunce
Of man þat synnede not ceessyng,
Thow droue me adoun to chese a chaunce,
As man for man the deeþ takyng.
46
80
Dies mei sicut vmbra declinauerunt, & ego sicut fenum arui.
My dayes passiden as schadow of liȝt,
And I wexide drye as dooþ the gras;
I wente as man with-outen myȝt,
Where-so I trad was blody tras.
Whanne I þus deolfully was diȝt,
That neuere dyde ony trespas,
Centurio seyde, “We doon vnriȝt,
For truly Goddis Sone this was.”
And I wexide drye as dooþ the gras;
I wente as man with-outen myȝt,
Where-so I trad was blody tras.
Whanne I þus deolfully was diȝt,
That neuere dyde ony trespas,
Centurio seyde, “We doon vnriȝt,
For truly Goddis Sone this was.”
81
Tu autem, Domine, in eternum permanes, & memoriale tuum in generacionem et generacionem.
For ceertis, Lord, þou dwellist euere,
Thy mynde abidiþ in euery kynde;
For thi Godheed was noyed neuere,
There was no þing þat þee myȝte scheende.
Th[i] manheed myȝte men wel disseuere,
Therof þei made a ruful eende,
Therfore ech man is þee the leuere,
That þis mater haþ wel in mynde.
Thy mynde abidiþ in euery kynde;
For thi Godheed was noyed neuere,
There was no þing þat þee myȝte scheende.
Th[i] manheed myȝte men wel disseuere,
Therof þei made a ruful eende,
Therfore ech man is þee the leuere,
That þis mater haþ wel in mynde.
82
Tu exurgens, Domine, misereberis Syon, quia tempus miserendi eius, quia venit tempus.
Thow schalt vprise & Syon ruwe,
For tyme is come of hir mercy;
Syon is Holy Chirche trewe
Of men þat lyuen Cristenly.
A stidefast seed in hir þou sewe,
And tauȝtist hir so tendirly
How þat sche schulde synne eschewe
And loue thee moost hertily.
For tyme is come of hir mercy;
Syon is Holy Chirche trewe
Of men þat lyuen Cristenly.
A stidefast seed in hir þou sewe,
And tauȝtist hir so tendirly
How þat sche schulde synne eschewe
And loue thee moost hertily.
47
83
Quoniam placuerunt seruis tuis lapides eius, & terre eius miserebuntur.
For þi seruauntis [hir] stoonys lykide,
And on hir þei schulen haue pyte;
Crist, corner stoon, xij stoones pykide,
[His] xij apostlys for to be.
They haue hem-silf a dongeoun dikide
In Syon, as men may se,
That whoso be with synne entrikide
May sauely to þat strengþe fle.
And on hir þei schulen haue pyte;
Crist, corner stoon, xij stoones pykide,
[His] xij apostlys for to be.
They haue hem-silf a dongeoun dikide
In Syon, as men may se,
That whoso be with synne entrikide
May sauely to þat strengþe fle.
84
Et timebunt gentes nomen tuum, Domine, & omnes [reges] terre gloriam tuam.
[And folkus schul thi name drede,
Alle erthely kynges doute thi blisse,
That privest princes of here pryde,
That wantounly here wittes wisse.
Right as the lust thu maist men lede,
Save and sle and langour lisse,
But wo is hym that doth that dede
Wherfor he mot thi mercy mysse.
Alle erthely kynges doute thi blisse,
That privest princes of here pryde,
That wantounly here wittes wisse.
Right as the lust thu maist men lede,
Save and sle and langour lisse,
But wo is hym that doth that dede
Wherfor he mot thi mercy mysse.
85
Quia edificavit Dominus Syon, et videbitur in gloria sua.
For God hath housed Syon,
And yn his blisse hit schal be sowen
Wan holi chirche be maad on
Yn hevene as we triste and trowen;
And we schulle to gladnesse goon,
That in grace on grounde now growen;
Graunte God that y be on
That be noght out of hevene throwen!
And yn his blisse hit schal be sowen
Wan holi chirche be maad on
Yn hevene as we triste and trowen;
And we schulle to gladnesse goon,
That in grace on grounde now growen;
Graunte God that y be on
That be noght out of hevene throwen!
48
86
Respexit in oracionem humilium, et non sprevit precem eorum.]
The orisoun of þe meke he siȝ,
And not dispiside her preyer;
But hem þat are of herte hiȝ
Ne be not to him so leef and dere
As tho þat alle vices fliȝ.
Of Ihesu Crist a man may lere,
For he to noon estaat ne stiȝ,
But euere was low in word & chere.
And not dispiside her preyer;
But hem þat are of herte hiȝ
Ne be not to him so leef and dere
As tho þat alle vices fliȝ.
Of Ihesu Crist a man may lere,
For he to noon estaat ne stiȝ,
But euere was low in word & chere.
87
Scribantur hec in generacione altera, populus qui creabitur laudabit Dominum.
In anoþer kynrede lete þese be writen,
Thanne schal preise God þe peple vnbore,
For who-so may þese wondris wyten
Ouȝte to þanke God þerfore;
And þat is for we falsly flyten,
Hys fair[e] flesch was al to-tore;
For mannys sake so sore smyten
Was neuere noon siþen ne bifore.
Thanne schal preise God þe peple vnbore,
For who-so may þese wondris wyten
Ouȝte to þanke God þerfore;
And þat is for we falsly flyten,
Hys fair[e] flesch was al to-tore;
For mannys sake so sore smyten
Was neuere noon siþen ne bifore.
88
Quia prospexit de excelso sancto suo; Dominus de celo in terram aspexit.
For he say fro his holy heiȝt,
To erþe oure Lord say out of heuene,
He say man walke vndir þe weiȝt
Of alle þe deedly synnes seuene;
He say man þoru þe feendis sleiȝt
Lygge slepynge in [a] synful sweuene;
Therfore he vouchide saaf to fiȝt
To God and man were oonyd euene.
To erþe oure Lord say out of heuene,
He say man walke vndir þe weiȝt
Of alle þe deedly synnes seuene;
He say man þoru þe feendis sleiȝt
Lygge slepynge in [a] synful sweuene;
Therfore he vouchide saaf to fiȝt
To God and man were oonyd euene.
49
89
Ut audiret gemitus compeditorum, ut solueret filios interemptorum.
To heere the weilynge and þe wo
Of hem that were in care bounde,
And to vnbynde the kynde of þo
That were killid wiþ deedly wounde,
For þese causis and for mo
Was God maad man to go on grounde;
Therfore men schulden not falle him fro,
For he suffride for hem many a stounde.
Of hem that were in care bounde,
And to vnbynde the kynde of þo
That were killid wiþ deedly wounde,
For þese causis and for mo
Was God maad man to go on grounde;
Therfore men schulden not falle him fro,
For he suffride for hem many a stounde.
90
Ut annuncient in Syon nomen Domini, & lauden eius in Iherusalem.
For they schulden in Syon teche
Oure Lordis name þat holy is,
And in Ierusalem hys preisyng preche,
Hym-silf he cam and tauȝte þis.
Þere may no wiȝt wiþstonde his wreche,
There is no nay þere he seith ȝhis;
Therfore preise we hym wiþ speche,
And drede we him to doon amys.
Oure Lordis name þat holy is,
And in Ierusalem hys preisyng preche,
Hym-silf he cam and tauȝte þis.
Þere may no wiȝt wiþstonde his wreche,
There is no nay þere he seith ȝhis;
Therfore preise we hym wiþ speche,
And drede we him to doon amys.
91
In con[u]eniendo populos in vnum, et reges ut seruiant Domino.
In gaderynge of peplis in oon,
And of kyngis God to serue,
To be stidefast as is the stoon,
In his seruice þat we not s[w]erue,
The wey of truthe we schulde goon,
To trecchery we schulde not [t]erue,
And, if we dide þus euerichoon,
There schulde no care oure cumfort kerue.
And of kyngis God to serue,
To be stidefast as is the stoon,
In his seruice þat we not s[w]erue,
The wey of truthe we schulde goon,
To trecchery we schulde not [t]erue,
And, if we dide þus euerichoon,
There schulde no care oure cumfort kerue.
50
92
Respondit ei in via virtutis sue: Paucitatem dierum meorum nuncia michi.
He answeride in þe wey of myȝt,
“Telle me þe lytilheed of my dayes.”
Þus answeriþ ech a Cristen knyȝt
That ȝeueþ no force of riche arayes;
For he þinkiþ how deeþ is diȝt,
To a-saye ech a man with scharpe asayes;
He haldiþ to God his herte vpriȝt,
And feri[þ] him not of siche afrayes.
“Telle me þe lytilheed of my dayes.”
Þus answeriþ ech a Cristen knyȝt
That ȝeueþ no force of riche arayes;
For he þinkiþ how deeþ is diȝt,
To a-saye ech a man with scharpe asayes;
He haldiþ to God his herte vpriȝt,
And feri[þ] him not of siche afrayes.
93
Ne reuoces me in dimidio dierum meorum; in generacione[m] et generacionem anni tui.
Ne calle me not in þe [halfundele]
Of my dayes þoru-out þe ȝheer,
For þei slyden as mydday meel,
And passen as þe cloudis cleer.
There ys no surete [ne] no seel
Of mannys lijf while he is heer;
Therfore, Ihesu, þat knowist me freel,
Wisse me whanne I am in weer.
Of my dayes þoru-out þe ȝheer,
For þei slyden as mydday meel,
And passen as þe cloudis cleer.
There ys no surete [ne] no seel
Of mannys lijf while he is heer;
Therfore, Ihesu, þat knowist me freel,
Wisse me whanne I am in weer.
94
Inicio tu, Domine, terram fundasti; & opera manuum tuarum sunt celi.
For, Lord, þou bigunne þe grounde;
Thin handwerkis ben heuenes alle,
Al þis world, þat is so rounde,
Of creaturis grete and smalle.
Thou hast hem pynned in a pounde,
Wiþ-oute warde of wouȝ or walle,
And, while þou list, þou sauest hem sounde
And, whanne þou wilt, þei schulen doun falle.
Thin handwerkis ben heuenes alle,
Al þis world, þat is so rounde,
Of creaturis grete and smalle.
Thou hast hem pynned in a pounde,
Wiþ-oute warde of wouȝ or walle,
And, while þou list, þou sauest hem sounde
And, whanne þou wilt, þei schulen doun falle.
51
95
Ipsi peribunt, tu autem permanes; et omnes sicut vestimentum veterascent.
Thei schulen peresche, but þou schalt dwelle,
Alle schulen eelde liyk a clooþ,
Al vanyte þou schalt down felle,
And make it leef þat now is looþ;
For þere is no tunge that can telle
What peyne it is to se þee wrooþ,
Whanne þou schalt close þe gates [of] helle,
And curse[n] alle þat þidir gooþ.
Alle schulen eelde liyk a clooþ,
Al vanyte þou schalt down felle,
And make it leef þat now is looþ;
For þere is no tunge that can telle
What peyne it is to se þee wrooþ,
Whanne þou schalt close þe gates [of] helle,
And curse[n] alle þat þidir gooþ.
96
Et sicut oportorium mutabis eos, et mutabuntur; tu autem idem ipse es, & anni tui non deficient.
And þou shalt as a couerlyte
Hem chaunge, and þei schulen chaungid be;
But alwey þou art riȝt parfiȝte,
Thi ȝeeris schulen not fayle þee;
Þerfore whanne þou hast maad us qwyte
Thoru myȝt of inmortalyte,
Þanne schalt þou be al oure delyte
To se þi myȝtful magiste.
Hem chaunge, and þei schulen chaungid be;
But alwey þou art riȝt parfiȝte,
Thi ȝeeris schulen not fayle þee;
Þerfore whanne þou hast maad us qwyte
Thoru myȝt of inmortalyte,
Þanne schalt þou be al oure delyte
To se þi myȝtful magiste.
97
Filij seruorum tuorum habitabunt; & semen eorum in seculum dirigetur.
Thi seruauntis sones schulen dwelle & dure,
And in al þe world her seed schal sprede;
For ceertis þei ben not [v]nsure,
That þee wil serue in word & deede.
Þerfore now, Ihesu, do þi cure,
Ne dampne us not whanne we ben dede,
But, eer we passe, make us pure,
To þe lond of lijf [þat] þou us lede.
And in al þe world her seed schal sprede;
For ceertis þei ben not [v]nsure,
That þee wil serue in word & deede.
Þerfore now, Ihesu, do þi cure,
Ne dampne us not whanne we ben dede,
But, eer we passe, make us pure,
To þe lond of lijf [þat] þou us lede.
| The Wheatley Manuscript | |