 | Songs and carols from a manuscript in the British Museum of the fifteenth century |  |
XVII. Gay, gay, to be gay,
I holde it but a vanite.
Ȝyng men that bern hem so gay,
They think not on domys day,
Quan they xul stonde in powre aray,
And for here dedes damnyd be.
They think not on domys day,
Quan they xul stonde in powre aray,
And for here dedes damnyd be.
God that made se and sond,
With blody woundis he xal stond,
“Come ȝe alle on my ryȝt hond,
ȝe chylderin that han servyd me.”
With blody woundis he xal stond,
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ȝe chylderin that han servyd me.”
To wykkyd men Jhesu xal say,
“ȝe han led your lyf bothe nyȝt and day,
ȝour sowle into a wykkyd way,
Out of myn syte wynd ȝe.
“ȝe han led your lyf bothe nyȝt and day,
ȝour sowle into a wykkyd way,
Out of myn syte wynd ȝe.
Quan I was nakyd, ȝe me not clad;
Quan I was hungry, ȝe me not fad;
Quan I was in prisoun and harde bestad,
ȝe wold not visite me,
Quan I was hungry, ȝe me not fad;
Quan I was in prisoun and harde bestad,
ȝe wold not visite me,
Therfore myn chylderyn xuln han i-wys
That ilke joye, that ilke blys,
That arte haȝt ben, and alwey is,
Beforn myn angel fayr and fre.”
That ilke joye, that ilke blys,
That arte haȝt ben, and alwey is,
Beforn myn angel fayr and fre.”
| Songs and carols from a manuscript in the British Museum of the fifteenth century | |