Lydgate's Minor Poems The Two Nightingale Poems. Edited from the mss. with introduction, notes and glossary by Otto Glauning |
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[THE POEM.] |
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 | Lydgate's Minor Poems |  |
[THE POEM.]
7
And, on a nyght in Aprile, as y layWery of sleep & of my bed all-so,
Whene that the kalendes entred were of May
(Whech of hir nature neither loueth of thoo),
My herte with mony a thoght was ouer-go
Ande with this troblus worlde sore agreued,
But, as god wold, in hast y was Releued.
8
Thys blessed brid, of whom y you rehersed,As fer as that y godely myght hir here,
So thorghly my hert raueshed had and persed
Ryght with hir longyng notes, hye and clere,
Longe or the day[e]-rowes can a-pere,
Ymagynyng that sche be my propre name
Me calde ande sayde: “A-wake & Ryse, for shame,
9
Oute of thy slombre-bed of slouth & sleep,Remembring the vpon this lusty seson”—
4
Thenking in my conceyt, she seide me reson,
Ande walked forth—she yaf me gret encheson—
Til that y come ther as my hertis queene
Ryght freshly sang vpon a laurer grene.
10
Entendyng, as y romed vp and doun,Expelling clerly all wilfle negligence,
Hir clere entoned notes and hir soun
For to perceyue with all my diligence,
And sodenly conceyued y this sentence,
Hough that this brid, a-mong hir notes glade,
Right of hir deth a note of mornyng made.
11
Ande in Aurora, that is the morowe gray,Ascending vp into this tre full hye,
Me thoght she syngyng sayd this same day:
“For all my myrthes ande my melodye,
As nature will, about none shall y dye.
My curious note ne shall noght me a-vayle,
But mortall deth me sharply will a-saile.”
12
Contynving so vnto the oure of prime,Vpon the bogh she euer sat and songe,
But, doun descendyng, she sayde in hasti tyme:
“My lyfe be kynde endure shall not longe.”
But notheles thorgh-oute the wode yt ronge—
Hir notes clere—so merily ande so shryll,
The wych enchesoned me tabide there styll,
13
Till that hyt drogh forther of the day,Aboute the oure of tierce, right as y gesse,
That euer y-lyke with notes fresh ande gay
She cesed not, whech y can not expresse
So delitable, replet with all swetnesse,
5
Whech signified, me thoght, that she shuld dye.
14
Ande aftir this, when Phebus in his spereOuer all the world had sprad his bemes bright,
Cavsynge the cloudes dym for to be clere,
Ande derk[e] mystes enlumyned with his lyght,
Aboute the oure of sixt then she a-lyght
Ande singynge seet in myddes of the tre:
“Ocy, Ocy, o deth, well-come to me!”
15
Thus, fro the morowe to myddes of the dayAnde all the nyght a-fore, with open eye,
This bryd hath songen, as ye haue herd me say,
Rehersyng euery tyde with melodie,
But at the last, she shright—and sodenlye,
Hir songe, hir myrth, & melodye was done
Ande she expyred aboute the oure of none.
16
This brid, of whom y haue to you rehersed,Whych in her song expired thus ande deyede,
In latyn fonde y in a boke well versed,
Ande what in morall sense it signifiede,
The whech in englysh y wold were notified
To all that lusty are it for to here,
Yf that my conny[n]ge suffycyent ther-to were.
17
Be this nyghtingale, that thus freshly canBothe wake and singe, as telleth vs scripture,
Is Crist hym-self ande euery cristen-man
Soule vnderstande, whech oweth of nature
Ande verray reson do diligence ande cure,
Oute of the sleep of synne to a-wake, & ryse,
Ande to remenbre, ande fully aduertise,
6
18
That be Aurora is vnderstonden rightThe first begynny[n]g of this world of noght,
Ande how grete god, of his endles myght,
Hath heven ande yerth formed with a thoght,
And in six dayes all oder thynges wroght,
Ande hogh gret noumbre of angels bright & clere
Fell doun for pride to helle with Lucifere.
19
Hygh or lowe, wheder-so-euer thow be,Enprinte that fall right myndely in thy hert
Ande arme the surely with humylite
Ayen all pride, yf thou wylt lyue in quert!
Saue thy soule, or elles shalt thou smerte
For all thy wor[l]dly pride ande veyne desyre,
Ande euer in hell be brent with endles fyre!
20
Muse on this morow further, and conceyueHow that oure fader Adam ande also Eue,
Whom that the sotell serpent can deceyue
Of pure envye and caused to mischeue,—
Ande let theyr smert thi herte perse & cleue:
Thenk well that fall is to thi-self extended
Ande, nade Crist died, it had not yit be amended!
21
Before whos deth the gret InfyrmyteOf that offens, cleped originall,
Thorogh-oute the world infecte had vch de-gre,
That, when they deyed, streyght to hell went all,
Tyll fro the trone a-bofe celestyall
Crist, consyderyng the gret captyuyte
Of all man-kynde, cam doune of pure pite.
22
This hygh forfet whych Adam sone had donWas grounde & cause of oure mortalite
7
Oo sely appell, so eten of a tre!
O welthy pepyll, in your prosperite
Thenk euery morowe how þat your wor[l]dly wele
More lykly ys, safe grace, to hyrt then hele!
23
Ande in Aurora further to procede,Be-thenke thy-self, hough porely þu was born
Ande, as kynde will, þu nedes mvst succede
In pyne ande wo, lyke other the be-forn:
Deth cometh in hast, he will not be for-born,
For in the oure of thy natiuite
He entered first & manaced the to sle.
24
In-to the wor[l]de what hast thou broght with theBut lamentacion, wepyng, woo, & crye?
Non other richesse, safe only lyberte,
With which god hath endowed the richly,
Ande byddeth the frely chese to lyue or dye:
Fro one of tho ne shall thou not deseuer,
In Ioie or wo to liue or dye for euer.
25
Be nothyng prowde thy byrth thus to remenbre,Thou hast thy youth dispended folilye,
Ande vsest with othes gret thy lord dismenbre,
Ande other-wyse yit lyuest thou viciously.
Call to thy mynde these thinges by & by,
And euery morowe, thogh thou lust to sleep
Ande softly lye, a-wake, a-ryse, and wep!
26
But, forther to declare in speciallThis oure of morowe, yf þat y connyng hade,
Ande hogh this brid thus song with voice mortall
Ande in hire song a note of mornyng made,
8
That nedes y mvst in hvmble wyse exhort
You that are konning, with pacience me supporte.
27
Oure lorde Ihesus, the fadres sapiens,The well of trewth & sothfastnes diuine,
The lombe vnspotted, the grounde of Innocence,
That gyltles for oure gylt lust to declyne,
This oure of morow, cleped matutyne,
Falsly be-trayed, and with þe Iewes taken,
And of hys o[w]ne disciples sone for-saken:
28
O synfull man, this oure the aght remord,That standest exiled oute fro charite,
To thenke howe that thy maker & thy lord
So lowly suffred this reprefe for the,
Yevyng the ensample, that with humilite
Fro morow to nyght thou folow shuld his trace,
Yf thou in heuen with hym wilt cleyme a place.
29
Fro morow to nyght be-tokenes All the tyme,Syth thou wast born streyght tyll þat thou dye.
Thus endyth the first oure and now to prime.
Ande be this oure, what we may sygnifie,
In whych this brid thus songe with melodie,
The seconde age ys clerly notyfied
When all the world with water was destryed,
30
In tyme of Noe whom for hys ryghtwisnesse,And with hym seuen, all-myghty god reserued;
And elles all oder for synne ande wrechednesse,
Of verey rygour, ryght as thay had deserued,
In that gret flood were dreynt and ouer-terved.
Except viij soules, all perysched, lesse and more,
And they preserued, this world for to restore.
9
31
This oure, to thenke that with the water wanNoght all the world was ouerflow for synne,
Aught for to exite euery maner man,
That vice ande vertu can discerne a-twynne,
All vice to eschew and vertuosly be-gynne
Oure lord to plese, thenkyng furthermore,
He hateth synne now as he dud be-fore,
32
Thagh that hym lust of mercy and pite,As for a tyme, his vengance to differre,
Sith with hys precious blod vpon a tre
Hath boght oure soules—was neuer thyng boght derre:—
Ley to thy sore, & let no-thyng lye nerre
Then this same salfe, to hele with thy smert:
Full glad ys he, when so thou wilt conuert.
33
For of the synner the deth he not desireth,But that he wold retorne to lyfe a-yeyn.
For, whosoeuer in dedly synne expyreth,
Ther is no pardon that may abregge his payne.
This to remembre aught cause the to restreyne
Fro euery synne þat wyll this lord displese
And for to vse that hym may queme & plese.
34
Ande on this oure to thenke furthermore,When all the flood aswaged was and cesed,
They, not considryng the gret vengaunce afore,
The seed of Noe, whych gretly was encresed,
But vn-to vice on vch syde ran and presed,
For which they pvniched were with plages sore,
As in the byble more pleynly may ye here.
35
O thow, that hast thus past the oure of morowAnde newly entrest in the oure of prime,
10
Which in this worlde hath be a-fore thy tyme,
And of the fend, that redy is to lyme
Thy soule wyth synne & cach the in his snare,
Yif he in vertu the bareyne fynde and bare.
36
Ande namely now, sith thou of InnocenceAnde of thy tendre age art past the yeres,
In which god the hath keept fro violence,
In all thy youth fro Sathan and his feres,
Dispose the nowe to sadnes and prayeres,
Remembryng specially vpon this oure of prime,
Hogh Crist acused falsly was of Cryme,
37
Taken ande lad afore the presydent,Pounce Pylat, that Iuge was of the lawe,
His handes bounde, his nek with boffettes bent,
On euery syde to-togged and to-drawe.
He, ffull of pacience, suffred all & sawe
Hogh that the Iewes, fals and voide of grace,
There all defouled with spet his blessed face.
38
Se, hogh this lord that all thing made of noght,To saue mannes soule, wold suffre this repref,
That myght haue staunched & cesede with a thoght
The Iewes malice & put theym to myscheef,
To oure ensample, þat we shuld suffre grefe
Aftir oure desert and paciently hit take
For hym that all wolde suffre for oure sake.
39
O lusty gaylauntes in youre adolescens,Let not this oure of prime fro you deseuer!
When ye be sterede to wanton in-solence,
Restreyne your-self & in your herte thenk euer
How Salomon sayde; he cowde perceyve neuer
11
For all the prudent wisdom that he kowthe!
40
Thoure of pryme fynysched thus & ended,This brid all-wey perseuereth ande a-byt,
Doun on the tre a-valed and descended,
Thoure of tierce clerely syngyng yit.
The third age of the world be-tokeneth hyt,
In whech thoo folk that doun fro Noe came
Gretly encresed in tyme of Abraham,
41
Which in his daies perfit was ande stable,Dredyng oure lord and lyuyng perfytly;
To whom god swore, lik sterres in-nvmerable
His seed he wolde encrese and multiplie.
But, notheles, moch peple viciously
Were in this age dampnably demeyned
Ande thorgh theire vice destreied sore & steyned.
42
Their filthi synne abhominable stankAnde so displesed the blessed Trinite,
That doun to hell sodenly ther sank
Sodom, ande Gomor, and oder cites thre,
Ande now is there but the Ded[e] See.
Alas the while that euer they wolde do so!
Vnkyndly synne was cause of all their woo.
43
This for to here aght cause your herte to colde,That are enprinted aftyr the ymage
Of god, and to considere and be-holde
This gret vengaunce, taken in þat age.
And namely ye that are in the third age
Of your lyfe ande passed morow & prime,
Aght euer be war to vse vnkyndly crime.
12
44
The fende, youre enmye, lying in a-wayte,Goth fast a-boute, your soules to deceyue,
Leying hys lynes and with mony a bayte
Wsynge his hokes, on theym you to receyue,
The which thus lygh[t]ly ye may eschewe & weyfe,
This oure to thenk hogh Iewes lowde and hye
Gan: “Crucifige, crucifige!” Crye,
45
Takyng oure lord and, of derisioun,In cloth of purpull clothing hym in scorne,
Ledynge hym forth, as childre of confusioun,
And on his heed a sharpe croun set of thorn;
Vpon his blessed shulder the crosse was born
Vnto the place of peynes, Caluarie:
Lo, what he suffred, thi soule fro peyne to bye!
46
Thenk on this oure, thou wrecched synfull man,That in this age hast reson, strenght, and hele,
(Yf thou asayled or hurt be with Sathan),
To salf thy sore and thi wonde to hele:
Mark in thi mynde this oure for woo or wele,
Hogh that thy lord suffred for thy gylt,
To saue thy soule, whech elles had be spilt.
47
Ye myghty prynces and lordes of a-state,In honoure here that are exalted hye,
Beth ware & wake, deth knokketh at your yate
And woll come in; be sure that ye shall dye!
Call to your mynde for speciall remedie
Oure lordes passion, his peyne, & pacience
As medycyne chefe & shelde of all defence.
48
A myghty prince, lusty, yonge, & fiers,Amonge the peple sore lamented ys:
13
Deth toke hym to whom mony sore shall mysse.
All-myghty Ihesu, receyue his soule to blisse!
Both hye & lowe, thenk well that ye shall henne,
Deth wyll you trise, ye wot not how ne whenne.
49
Aftir the oure of tierce this nyghtyngale,Synging euer with notes fresh and gay,
To myddes of this tre can doun avale,
When that yt drogh to myddes of the day:
Sygnyfinge all the tydes, soth to say,
Whech that haue be fro tierce vnto syxt.
In which dayes, whoso woll rede the tyxt
50
Of the byble, he may haue revth to hereHogh dampnably in mony a sondry place
Of the world that folk demeyned were,
Destryed for synne and destitute of grace.
O synfle Dathan, the yerth in lytyll space
Opened & swolowed bothe the and Abyron,
And sodenly with yow sank mony a synfle mon.
51
Lo, in all ages, be freelte of nature,Thorgh all the world peple hath had delite
The fend to serue with all theire besy cure,
Which for theire seruyce no-thyng wil hem quite
But endles deth. Allas, what appetite
Haue folkes blynde, such a lord to plese,
That noght rewardeth but myscheef & desese.
52
And in speciall, ye of perfyt age,This oure of sixt, in myddes of your lyfe,
Aught to be war and wayte aftir þe wage
That Crist rewardeth with-oute werre or stryfe,
Wher endles Ioye and blysse are euer ryfe.
14
That, you to saue, vpon the rode wolde sterve.
53
Vnto the crosse, thoure of syxte, was nayledOure lord Ihesus, hangyng ther with theves,
And for the thrist of tormentes, that hym ailed,
Eysell and gall in scornes and repreues
They offred hym—oure crym & olde mescheues,—
Doyng a-way this lambe thus crucified:
The manhed suffred, the godhed neuer died.
54
We aght ryght well compassion haue & reuth,For to remenbre his peynes and repreues,
To thenk, hogh he whych grounde is of [all] trewth
Was demed to hange amyd to fals[e] theues.
O blessed lord and leche to all oure greues,
So of thy grace graunt vs to be so kynde,
To haue this oure of sixt well in oure mynde.
55
Thus heng oure lord nayled to the tre,Fro the oure of sixt vnto the oure of none,—
Ande also longe was in prosperite
Oure fader Adam, tyll tyme that he had don
That high forfet for which he banyshid sone
Was in-to yerth, to lyue in langour there
Ande all his o[f]spryng,—till Longens with a spere,
56
The oure of none, as Iewes hym desyred,Thirled and persed thorgh his hert & side.
He, seyng then: “Consummatum est,” expired
And heed enclyned, the gost yaf vp þat tyde
Vnto the fader. The sunne, compelled to hyde
His bemys bright, no lenger myght endure
To see the deth of the auctor of nature.
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57
Thus hath this brid, thus hath this nyghtyngale,Thus hath this blessed lord þat all hath wroght,
That doun to yerth fro heuen can a-vale,
Vpon a crosse oure soules dere y-bought
Ande yeuen vs cause in hert, wyll, & thought,
Hym for to serue & euer loue and drede
That, vs to saue, wold suffre his blod to shede.
58
Hell despoiled, & slayn oure mortall foo,Oure lord vpryse with palme of hye victorie,
Ascended eke ayen there he come fro,
The holy gost sent from the see of glory
His precious body to vs in memory,
With holy wordes of dewe consecracioun
To be receyued to oure hele & sauacioun.
59
Who may be glad but all thoo, at lest,That worthy are, in this lyues space,
For to be fed here, at this glorious fest,
Ande after, in heuen, with bryghtnes of his face,
Whom of his godhed be-seche we ande his grace,
That, fro this worlde when so we shall deseuer,
In Ioye eternall with hym ther to perseuer.
Amen.
| Lydgate's Minor Poems | |