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Poems & Treatises of Ms. Reg. 17 B XVII. (c. 1370).
 


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Poems & Treatises of Ms. Reg. 17 B XVII. (c. 1370).

[The Lay-Folks' Mass-Book]

Þo worthyest þing, most of godnesse,
In al þis world, is þo messe.
In alle þo bokes of holy kyrc
þate holy men þat tyme con wyrc,
þo m(esse is p)raysed mony-folde.
þo (uertus mi)ght neuer be tolde:
for if (a thousand) clerkes d(id nogh)t ellis,
after þat (þo boke) tellis,
bot tolde (þo vertus of) messe syngynge
and þo (profet of m)esse herynge,
ȝit shuld þa(i neuer) [þo] fift parte,
for al þaire wit & alle þaire arte,
telle þo vertu(es, me)des & pardoun
to hom þat (with deuocyo)un,
In clennes (and in gode en)tent
dos worship (to) þis sacrament.
In boke fynde I [writen] of ane,
dam Ieremy was his name,
a deuoute mon & a religyus,
In his boke he spekis þus:
he saies, þou shulde gode tent take
þat þou at þo messe no ianglyng make—
grett saumpel he settis þer-to
whi hit is ful ille to do;
als-so he telles þo manere
how þou shulde þi messe here.
When þo preste saies he or if he singe,
to him þou gyue gode herknynge;
when þo preste praies in priuete,
tyme of prayere is þen to þe.
When I vp-on þo boke know hit,
In til englishe þus I draw hit.

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When þo auter is al dight,
& þo preste is reuysht right,
þen (he) takes in bothe his hende
a clothe o-pon þo auter ende,
and comes obac a litel doune,
dos hit o-pon him al a-boune,
alle men knelen, bot he stondes,
and haldes to god vp bothe his hondes;
þere, or he þo messe bi-gynne,
wil he meke him for his synne,
til alle þo folk he shryues him þare
of alle his synnes lesse & mare.
so dos þo clerk[is] a-gayn to him,
shryuen hom þere of al hor synn,
and askes god forgyuenes,
or þai bigynne to here þo mes.
Þo preste assoyles hom þere belyue,
lered & lewed þat wil hom shryue
& knowe to god þat þai are ille,
wheþer hit be in loude or stille.
Þerfore knelande on þi knese,
als þou bi-syde þe oþer sese,
shryue þe þere of alle þi synnes,
bi-gynnande þus when he bigynnes,
als next binethe þis robrik standes,
and þer-with ioyntly hold þi handes;
and þat hit so may be,
eke-to pater and aue,
and, or þou ryse, þou saie þi crede,—
al þo better may þou spede.
many saien confiteor;
were als gode saie þis þer-for:

(Confiteor)

I know(e to g)od, ful of myght,

& t(o his) modir mayden bright,
& (to alle h)alouse here,
& (to þe, fa)dre gastly,
þat I (haue s)ynned largely,
In mony synnes sere:
In thoght, in speche, & in delite,
In worde, & werk, I am to wite
and worth to blame.
þer-fore I praie saynt Mary
and alle halouse haly,
In gods name,
and þo preste, to praye for me,
þat god haue merci & pyte,
for his man-hede,
of my wreched synfulnes,
& gyue me grace & forgyuenes
of my mys-dede.
Pater. Aue. Credo.
When þou þi crede þus has done,
vp-on þi fete þou stande vp sone,
for bi þis tyme, als I gesse,
þo prest bi-gynnes office of messe,
or ellis he standes turnande his boke
at þo south auter noke.
euen þen so stondande,
wolde I þat þou were þis sayande:
God, for þi godnes,
at þo bigynnyng of þis mes,
graunt alle, þate hit shal here,
of conscience be clene & clere.
lord, saue þo prest þat hit shal say
fro temptacions to-day,
þat he be clene in dede & þoght,
þat yuel spiritis noy him noght;
þat he fulfille þis sacrament
with clene hert & gode entent.
first heghly to þin honoure,
þat souerayne is of al socoure;
& to þi modir, mayden clene,
& to þi halouse alle bi-dene.
& to alle þat heres hit, soul-hele,
helpe & grace & al kyns wele;
and to alle þate we haue in mynde,
sib (or fre)mde bi ony kynde,
go(d lo)rd, graunt hom for þis messe
of alle hore synnes forgyfnesse;
And rest & pese þat lastis ay
to cristen soules passed away:
and til vs alle þi socoure sende,
& bring vs to ioy with-outen ende.
Amen.
On hegh festis, or on haly dayes,
when-so men outher synges or sayes
gloria in excelsis in hor mes,
saie þou þen als here wryten es:

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Ioy be vn-to god in heuen,
with alkyns myrthe þat men may neuen;
and pese in erthe, alle men vn-tille
þat rightwis are, & of gode wille.
We looue þe, lord god almyghty,
and als we blesse þe bisyly,
we worsh(yp þe) als worthi es,
& makes (ioy to) þe more & les,
we than(k þe lor)d of al þi grace;
for þo g(rete io)y þat þou hase,
oure lord (oure) god oure king heuenly,
oure god oure fadir almyghty;
oure lord þo son of god of heuen,
Ihesu Crist, comly to neuen.
oure lord, lamb of god name we þe,
& son of god þi fadir fre.
Þou þat wostis þo worlds synne,
haue mercie on vs, more & mynne;
þou þat wostis þo worlds wrake,
oure praiere in þis tyme þou take;
þou þat sittes on þi fadir right hande,
with merci help vs here lyuande:
for þou art holy, made of none
bot of þi-selue, & lord al-one,
þou art þo heghest, of wisdam most,
Ihesu Crist, with þo holy gost,
wonand with þo fadre of heuen,
In more ioy þen mon may neuen.
vn-to þat ioy, Ihesu, vs ken,
thorght prayere of þi modre, amen.
And when þou has þis al done,
knele doun on þi knese sone;
If þai singe messe, or if þai saie,
þi pater noster reherce al-waie,
til deken or prest þo gospel rede.
stonde vp þen, & take gode hede;
for þen þo prest flyttes his boke
north to þat oþer auter noke,
and makes a cros vpon þo letter
with his thoume, he spedes þo better,
and sithen an oþer opon his face;
for he has mikel nede of grace,
for þen an erthly mon shal neuen
þo wordes of Ihesu Crist, gods son of heuen.
bothe þo reders & þo herers
has mykil nede, me þenk, of lerers,
how þai shulde rede, & þai shulde here
þo wordes of god, so leue & dere.
Men aght to haue ful mikel drede,
when þai shuld here or els hit rede;
and loue als-so vnto þat swete
þat with þoo wordes oure bale wold bete.
bot syn oure matir is of hering,
þer-of newe shal be oure lering.
Clerkes heren on a manere,
bot lewed men bos anoþer lere.
At þo bigynnyng tent þou take
a large cros on þe þou make,
stonde & saye on þis manere,
als þou may se wryten here:
In þo name of fadre, & son, & þo holi gost,
a sothfast god of mightis most;
Bi gods worde welcome to me;
Ioy & loouyng, lord, be to þe.
Whils hit is red, speke þou noght,
bot þenk on him þat dere þe boght,
sayande þus in þi mynde,
als þou shalt after wryten fynde:
Ihesu my (lo)ue, graunt me þi grace,
and of amendment might & space,
þi word to kepe & do þi wille,
þo gode to chese & leeue þo ille;
and þat hit so may be,
Gode Ihesu, graunt hit me.
Amen.
Reherce þis oft in þi þoght,
to þo gosple be don, for-gete hit noght;
Som-where bi-syde, when hit is done,
þou make a cros, and kys hit sone.
Men oen to saie þo crede som-tyme:
when þai saie hore, loke þou saie þine,
þis þat folouse in englishe letter—
I wold þou sayde hit for þo better.
bot þai say hore, say þou non ellis,
bot do forthe after als þis boke tellis.
Here-to loke þou take gode hede,
for here is wryten þin englyshe crede:

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(Credo)

I trow in god, fader of might,

þat alle has wroght,
heuen & erthe, day & night,
And alle of noght.
And in Ihesu þat gods son is
al-onely,
bothe god & mon, lord endles,
In him trow I;
thurgh mekenes of þo holy gast
þat was so milde,
he lyght in Mary mayden chast,
be-come a childe;
vnder Pounce Pilat pyned he was,
vs forto saue,
done on cros & deed he was,
layde in his graue;
þo soul of him went in to helle,
þo sothe to say;
vp he rose in flesshe & felle
þo thryd day;
he stegh til heuen with woundis wide
thurgh his pouste;
Now sittes o-pon his fader right syde
In mageste;
þeþin shal he come vs alle to deme
In his manhede,
qwyk & ded, alle þat has ben
In Adam sede.
Wel I trow in þo holi gost,
And holi kirc þat is so gode;
And so I trow þat housel es
bothe flesshe & blode;
of my synnes forgyfnes,
If I wil mende;
vp-risyng als-so of my flesshe,
and lyf with-outen ende.
After þat, fast at hande,
Comes þo tyme of offrande;
Offer or leeue, wheþer þe lyst,
how þou shulde praye, I wold þou wyst.
I-whyls þou stondes, I rede þou saye
als next is wryten, god to paye:
Ihesu, þat was in Bethlem borne,
And thre kynges come þe by-forne,
þai offerd gold, ensense, & myrre,
and þou forsoke none of þirre,
bot wissed hom wele alle thre
home a-gayne to hor contre:
Right so oure offrandes þat we offer,
and oure praieres þat we profer,
þou take, lorde, to þi louyng,
& be oure helpe in al-kyn thyng,
þat alle perels be for-done;
oure gode ȝernynges þou graunt vs sone,
of al oure mys þou vs amende,
In al oure nede vs socoure sende.
amen.
Saye pater noster ȝit vp-standande
al þo tyme þo prest is wasshande,
Til after wasshing þo preste wil loute
þo auter, & sithen turne aboute.
Þen he askes with stille steuen
Ilk monnes prayers to god of heuen.
Take gode kepe vn-to þo prest,
when he him turnes, knoc on þi brest,
And þenk þen, for þi synn
þou art noght worthe to pray for hymm,
bot when þou prayes, god lokes þi wille,
If hit be gode, forgetis þin ille;
for-þi with hope in his mercie,
Answere þo prest with þis in hie:
Þo holi gost in þe light,
& sende in to þe right,
Reule þi hert & þi speking
to gods worship & his louyng.
Þen þo prest gos to his boke
his priuey prayers for to loke;

(Secreta)


knele þou doun, & say þen þis,
þat next in blak wryten is:—
hit wil þi prayere mykel amende,
If þou wil holde vp bothe þi hende
to god with gode deuocioun,
when þou sayes þis [o]resoun:
God, resayue þi seruyce
And þis solempne sacrifice,
for þo prest & for vs alle,
þat now are here, or here be shalle,

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þis messe to here or worship do,
þo sakring to se, or pray þer-to;
And for alle þat lyuen in gods name,
þat þai haue helpe fro synne & shame;
And for þo soules þat hethen are past,
þat þai haue rest þat ay shal last.
amen. Pater noster. Aue maria. Credo.
Loke pater noster þou be sayande,
I-whils þo preste is priuey prayande.
þo prest wil after in þat place
Remow him a litel space,
To he come til þo auter myddis;
stande vp þou, als men þe biddis,
hert & body & ilk a dele,
take gode kepe & here him wele:

(Praefatio)

þen he bygynnes per omnia,

And sithen sursum corda;
At þo ende sayes sanctus thryese,
In excelsis he neuens twyese.
Als fast als euer þat he has done,
loke þat þou be redy sone,
and saye þese wordis with stille steuen
priuely to god of heuen:
In world of worlds with-outen endyng
þanked be Ihesu, my kyng.
Al my hert I gyue hit þe,
grete right hit is þat hit so be;
with al my wille I worship þe,
Ihesu, blessid mot þou be;
with al my hert I þank hit þe,
þo gode þat þou has don to me.
Swete Ihesu, graunt me now þis,
þat I may come vn-to þi blis,
þere with aungels for to syng
þis swete song of þi louyng,
sanctus: sanctus: sanctus.
Ihesu graunt þat hit be þus.
Amen.

(Canon Missae)

When þis is sayde, knele þou doune,

and þat wyth gode deuocioune;
Of al gode þou thonk god þan,
And pray als-so for ilk a man
Of ilk [a]state, and ilk degre,
so wil þo law of charite;
for-þi with-outen taryinge
on þis wise be þi sayinge:
Lord, honourd mot þou be,
with al my hert I worship þe;
I þonk þe, lord, als me wele owe,
Of more gode þen I con knowe,
þat I haue of þe resayued,
syn þo tyme I was consayued.
My lyue, my lymmes þou has me lent,
my right witt þou has me sent,
þou has me keped of þi grace
fro sere perils in mony place.
Al my lyue & al my lyuynge
holly haue I of þi gyuynge;
þou boght me dere with þi blode,
and dyed for me o-pon þo rode;
I haue done a-gaynes þi wille
synnes mony, grete & ille,
þou art redy, of þi godnesse,
for to graunt me forgyuenesse.
Of [þere] godes, and mony moo
I þonk þe, lord. I praye als-soo
þat al my gylt þou me for-gyue,
and be my helpe whils I shal lyue,
And gyue me grace for to etchewe
to do þat þing þat me shulde rewe,
And gyue me wille ay wel to wirk.
Lord, þenk on þo state of holy kirk,
And þo pope, bishops, prestes & clerkes,
þat þai be keped in alle gode werkes,
þo kyng, þo quene, þo lordes of þo lande,
þat þai be wele mayntenande
hore states in alle godnesse
and reule þo folk in rightwisnesse.
Oure sib men, and oure wele-wil-landes,
Oure frendes, tenandes, & seruandes,
Olde men, childer, & alle wymmen,
marchandes, men of craft, & tilmen,
Riche men & pore, grete & smalle,
I pray þe, lord, for hom alle,
þat þai be keped specialy
In gode hele & lyue haly.

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To hom þat are in ille lyue,
In sclaunder, myscounforth, or in stryue,
seke or prisonde, or o-pon þo see,
pore, exilde, deserit, if þer be,
til alle hom, þou sende socoure,
to þi worship and þin honoure.
Alle þat are in gode lyue to-day,
& clenly lyuen to þi pay,
kepe hom, lord, fro alle foly
and fro alle synne, for þi mercy,
And gyue hom grace to last & lende
In þi seruyce to hor ende.
Þis world þat turnes mony-wayes,
make gode til vs in alle oure dayes;
þo weders grete & vnstable,
lord, make gode & sesonable,
þo froytes of þo erthe make plenteuus;
als þou sees best, ordayn for vs;
[&] swilk grace til vs þou sende,
þat in oure last day, at oure ende,
when þis worlde & we shal seuer,
Bring vs til ioy þat lastis euer.
Amen.
Loke pater noster þou be sayande,
to þo chalyce he be saynande:
þen tyme is nere of sakring.
A litel belle men oyse to ryng,

(Elevatio)

þen shal þou do reuerence

to Ihesu Crist awen presence,
þat may lese alle baleful bandes;
knelande holde vp bothe þi handes,
And so þo leuacioun þou be-halde.
for þat is he þat Iudas salde,
and sithen was scourged & don on rode,
and for mankynde þere shad his blode,
and dyed & ros & went to heuen,
and ȝit shal come to deme vs euen,
Ilk mon aftur he has done;
þat same es he þou lokes o-pone.
Þis is þo trouthe of holy kirk,
who trowes noght þis mone sitt ful myrk;
for-þi I rede with gode entent
þat þou biholde þis sacrament.
Swilk prayere þen þou make,
als lykes best þe to take;—
sondry men prayes sere,
Ilk mon on his best manere.
Short prayere shulde be, with-outen drede,
and þer-with pater noster & þo crede.
If þou of ane be vn-puruayde,
I set here ane þat may be sayde;
þof I merk hit here in lettir,
þou may chaun[ge] hit for a bettir:
Loued be þou, kyng,
& þanked be þou kyng,
& blessid be þou kyng,
Ihesu al my ioying,
of alle þi gyftes gode,
þat for me spilt þi blode,
and dyed o-pon þo rode;
þou gyue me grace to sing
þo song of þi louing.
Pater noster. aue maria. Credo.
When þou has sayde al þi crede,
þis short prayere I rede þou rede
þat next is wryten in blak letter,
ful mykel shal þou fare þo better:
Lord als þou con & als þou wille,
haue mercie of me, þat has don ille;
for what-so þou with me wil do,
I holde me payde to stonde þer-to.
þi merci, Ihesu, wold I haue,
and I for ferdnes durst hit craue,
bot þou bids aske, & we shal haue:
Swete Ihesu, make me saue,
and gyue me witt & wisdame right,
to loue þe, lord, with al my might.
When þou has made þis orison,
þen shal þow with deuocion
Make þi prayeres in þat stede
for alle þi frendes þat are dede,
And for alle cristen soules sake,
swilk prayere shal þou make:
Lord, for þi holy grace,
here oure prayers in þis place,

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graunt now, lord, for oure prayere,
þat cristen soules, þate passed here
fro þis lyue þat synful esse,
þat ilk one haue part of þis messe;
for hore soules, I pray derly,
þate I shal neuen serly,
þat þis messe may be hore mede,
helpe & hele fro alkyns drede:
fader soule, moder soule, breþer dere,
Sisters soules, sib men, & oþer sere
þate vs gode wolde, or vs gode did,
or ony kyndnes vn-til vs kid;
and til alle in purgatory pyne
þis messe be mede & medicyne,
til alle cristen soules hely
graunt þi grace & þi mercy;
forgyue hom alle hor trespasse,
lese hore bondes, & let hom passe
fro al-kyns pyne and [fro] al care
In til þo ioy þat lastis euer-mare.
amen.
Loke pater noster þou be prayande,
Ay to þou here þo preste be sayande
per omnia secula al on hight.
Þen I wold þou stode vp right,
for he wil saie with hegh steuen

Pater (noster)

pater noster to god of heuen;

herken him with gode wille,
and whils he saies, hold þe stille,
bot answere at temptacionem:
set libera nos a malo, amen—
hit were no nede þe þis to ken,
for who con not þis are lewed men.
When þis is done, saye priuely—
other prayer none þerby—
pater noster first in laten,
and sithen in englishe als here is wryten:
Fader oure, þat is in heuen,
blessid be þi name to neuen.
Come to vs þi kyngdome.
In heuen & erthe þi wille be done.
oure ilk-day bred graunt vs to-day.
and oure mysdedes forgyue vs ay,
als we do hom þat trespas us,
right so haue merci vp-on vs.
and lede vs in no foundynge,
bot shild vs fro al wicked þinge.
Amen.
Þen eft-sone þo preste wil saye,
stande stille & herken him al-waye,
he saies agnus thryse or he cese,

(Agnus dei)


þo last worde he spekis of pese.
In þe þat pese may noght be
If þou be oute of charyte;
þen is gode of god to craue
þat þou charyte may haue;
þere when þo prest pax wil kis,
knele þou & praye þen þis:
Gods lamb, þat best may
do þo synne of þis world a-way,
of vs haue merci & pite,
and graunt vs pese & charite.
For in charyte are thre kyns loues,
þat to perfite pese nedlyng behoues.
Þo first loue is certenly
to loue þe, lord, souerenly.
Þerfore I pray þe, god of myght,
þou make my loue, both day & nyght,
sykerly sett euer-ilk dele
soueranly to loue þe wele;
þat be þi myght & gouernynge
I be euer in ȝernynge
soueranly þe to pay,
In al þat euer I con or may;
and prest be I, erly & late,
to my degre & myn a-state
alle gode dedes to fulfylle,
& to eschewe alle þat are ille.
Þo secunde is a priue loue,
þat is nedeful to my behoue,
þo whilk loue is propirly
by-twix my soule & my body.
Þerfore make þou, gode lorde,
my body & my soule of one a-corde,
þat ayther part by one assent
serue þe with gode entent;
Let neuer my body do þat ille,
þat hit may my soule spille.
Þo thrid loue is with-outen doute,
to loue ilk neghtbur me aboute,

8

and of þat loue for no þing cese.
Þerfore I pray þe, prince of pese,
þat þou wil make, als þou may best,
my hert to be in pese & rest,
& redy to loue alle maner of men,
My sib-men namely, þen
Neghtburs, seruandes, & ilk sugete,
Felouse, frendes, none to forgete,
bot loue ilk-one, bothe fer & nere,
als my-selue with hert[e] clere;
and turne hore hertis so to me,
þat we may fully frendis be,
þat I of hor gode, & þai of myne,
haue ay ioy with hert[e] fyne.
als I pray for my-selue here,
graunt so til oþer on selue manere,
so þat ilk mon loue wele othere,
as he were his owne broþere.
swilk loue among vs be,
þat we be wel loued of þe;
þat be þis holy sacrament,
þat now is here in present,
and be þo vertu of þis messe,
we mot haue forgyuenesse
of al oure gilt & al oure mys,
& be þi help come to þi blis.
Amen.
Loke pater noster þou be sayande,
I-whils þo preste is rynsande.

(Post-communio)

When þo preste has rinsynge done,

opon þi fete þou stonde vp sone;
þen þo clerk flyttis þo boke
agayne to þo south auter noke,
þo preste turnes til his seruyce
and saies forthe more of his office.
Þen with-outen tarying
on þis wyse be þi saying:
Ihesu my kyng, I pray to þe,
bow doun þin eren of pyte
And here my prayer in þis place,
gode lord, for þi holi grace
for me & alle þate here ere,
þat þou vs kepe fro alkyns were
þat may byfalle on ony way
In oure dedes do to-day,
wheþer we ryde, or be goande,
lyg, or sitt, or if we stande;
what sodan chaunce þat comes vs tille,
oþerwayse þen were oure wille,
we praye þis messe vs stande in stede,
of shrift & als of housel-brede.
And, Ihesu, for þi woundes fyue,
wys vs þo waye of rightwis lyue.
Amen.
When þis is saide, knele doun sone,
saye pater noster til messe be done,
for þo messe is noght sest
or tyme of ite misa est.
Þen, when þou heris say ite,
or benedicamus, if hit be,
þen is þo messe al done;
bot ȝit þis prayere þou make right sone;
after hit, wele þou may
In gods name wende þi way:
God be þonked of alle his werkes,
god be þonked of prestes & clerkes,
god be þonked of ilk a mon,
and I þonke god als I con.
I thonk god of his godnesse,
And nomely now of þis messe;
and of alle þo prayers þat here are prayde,
pray I to god þat he be payde.
In mynde of god here I me blesse,
with my blessyng god sende me hesse.
In nomine patris & filii & spiritus sancti. Amen. Pater noster. Aue maria. Credo.
How þou at þo messe þi tym shuld spende
haue I told: now wil I ende.
Þo robryk is gode vm-while to loke,
þo praiers to con with-outen boke.
Hit is skille with-outen doute,
þat ilk mon [þe] messe loue & loute:
For of alle in þis world, þen is þo messe
þo worthiest þing, most of godnesse.
Explicit. Amen, Fiat.