Part 6
The fourte is meke obedyence, as is dette, To hym that is above the planetes sefne; To the I have myn eyn sette, That dwellys above the skyes in hefne!
_Ad te levavi oculos meos, qui habitas in cælis._
The ffyfte is propyr confessyon, That we be nought withowth God thus; But God in us have habytacion, Peraventure oure enemyes shulde swelle us.
_Nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis, dicat nunc Israel: nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis._
The sexte is confidens in Goddys strenght alon, ffor of alle grace from hym comyth the strem: They that trust in God, as the mownt Syon, He xal not be steryd endles, that dwellyth in Jherusalem.
_Qui confidunt in Domino, sicut mons Syon, non commovebitur in æternum, qui habitat in Hierusalem._
The sefte is undowteful hope of immortalyté, In oure Lorde is as gracy and mercy; Whan oure Lord convertyth oure captivité, Than are we mad as joyful mery.
_In convertendo domus captivitatem Syon: facti sumus sicut consolati._
The eyted is contempt of veyn glory in us, ffor hym that al mankende hath multyplyed; But yf oure Lord make here oure hous, They an laboryd in veyn that it have edyfied.
_Nisi Dominus ædificaverit domum, in vanum laboraverunt qui ædificant eam._
The nynte is a childely for in dede, With a longyng love in oure Lorde that ay is; Blyssyd arn alle they that God drede, Whiche that gon in his holy weys.
_Beati omnes, qui timent Dominum, qui ambulant in viis ejus._
The tende is myghty soferauns of carnal temptacion, ffor the fleschly syghtes ben fers and fel; Ofte ȝoughe is ffowthe with sueche vexacion, Than seynge God say, so clepyd Israel.
_Sæpe expugnaverunt me a juventute mea, dicat nunc Israel._
The elefnte is accusatyff confessyon of iniquité, Of whiche ful noyous is the noyis; Fro depnes, Lord, I have cryed to the! Lord, here in sped my sympyl voys!
_De profundus clamavi ad te, Domine! Domine, exaudi vocem meam!_
The twelfte is mekenes, that is fayr and softe, In mannys sowle withinne and withowte; Lord, myn herte is not heyved on lofte, Nyn myn eyn be not lokynge abowte.
_Domine, non est exaltatum cor meum, neque elati sunt oculi mei._
The threttene is ffeyth therwith, With holy dedys don expresse; Have mende, Lorde of Davyth, And of alle his swettnes!
_Memento, Domine, David, et omnis mansuetudinis ejus._
The ffourtene is brothyrly concorde i-wys, That norchych love of creatures echon; Se how good and how glad it is, Bretheryn, ffor to dwelle in on.
_Ecce quam bonum, et quam jocundum habitare fratres in unum._
The fyftene is gracyous with on acorde, Whiche is syne of Godly love, semyth me; Se now blysse, oure Lorde, Alle that oure lordys servauntes be.
_Ecce nunc, benedicite Dominum, omnes servi Domini!_
_Episcopus._ A! gracyous Lord, this is a mervelyous thynge, That we se here alle in syght, A babe of thre ȝer age so ȝynge, To come up these greeys so up ryght; It is an hey meracle, and by Goddys myght No dowth of she xal be gracyous. _Maria._ Holy ffadyr, I beseche ȝow forthe ryght, Sey how I xal be rewlyd in Goddys hous.
_Episcopus._ Dowtere, God hath ȝovyn us commaundementes ten, Whiche shortely to say be comprehendyd in tweyn, And tho must be kept of alle Crysten men, Or ellys here jugement is perpetual peyn. ȝe must love God severeynly and ȝour evyn Crystyn pleyn, God fyrsst ffor his hyȝ and sovereyn dygnyté: He lovyd ȝow fyrst, love hym ageyn, ffor of love to his owyn lyknes he made the.
Love ffadyr, Sone, and Holy Gost! Love God the Fadyr, ffor he gevyth myght; Love God the Sone, ffor he gevyth wysdom thou wost; Love God the Holy Gost, ffor he gevyth love and lyght. Thre personys and on God thus love of ryght, With alle thin hert, with alle thi sowle, with alle thi mende, And with alle the strenghthis in the be dyght, Than love thin evyn Crystyn as thiself withowtyn ende.
Thu xalt hate nothynge but the devyl and synne: God byddyth the lovyn thi bodyly enmy; And as for ȝourself here, thus xal ȝe begynne,— ȝe must serve and wurchep God here dayly; ffor what prayȝer with grace and mercy, Sethe have a resonable tyme to fede, Thanne to have a labour bodyly, That therin be gostly and bodely mede. ȝour abydynge xal be with ȝour maydenys ffyve, Whyche tyme as ȝe wole have consolacion. _Maria._ This lyff me lyketh as my lyve: Of her namys I beseche ȝow to have informacion. _Episcopus._ There is the fyrst Meditacion, Contryssyon, Compassyon, and Clennes, And that holy mayde Fruyssyon: With these blyssyd maydenes xal be ȝour besynes. _Maria._ Here is an holy ffelachepp, I fele I am not wurthy amonge hem to be: Swete systeres, to ȝow alle I knele, To receyve, I beseche, ȝour charyté. _Episcopus._ They xal, dowtere, and on the tothere syde se, Ther ben sefne prestys indede, To schryve, to teche, and to mynystryn to the, To lerne the Goddys lawys and Scrypture to rede. _Maria._ ffadyr, knew I here namys, wele were I. _Episcopus._ Ther is Dyscressyon, Devocion, Dylexcion, and Deliberacion,— They xal tende upon ȝow besyly; With Declaracion, Determynacion, Dyvynacion; Now go ȝe, maydenys, to ȝour occupacion, And loke ȝe tende this childe tendyrly; And ȝe, serys, knelyth, and I xal gyve ȝow Goddys benyson, In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti!
_Et recedent cum ministris suis omnes virgines, dicentes “Amen.”_
To ȝow, ffadyr and modyr, I me comende, Blyssyd be the tyme ȝe me hedyr brought. _Joachym._ Dowtere, the ffadere of oure feyth the mot defende, As he of his myght made alle thynge of nowth. _Anne._ Mary, to the sowle solas he sende, In whos wysdam alle this werd was wrought! Go we now hens, husbonde so hende, For owth of care now are we brought.
_Hic Joachim et Anna recedent domum._
_Maria._ Be the Holy Gost at hom be ȝe brought, Systeres (_ad virgines_) ȝe may go do what ȝe xalle, To serve God fyrst here is al my thought, Beforn this holy awtere on my knes I falle!
Lord, sefne petycions I beseche ȝow of here, ffyrst that I may kepe thi love and thi lawe; The secunde to lovyn myn evyn Crystyn as myself dere; The thrydde from alle that thou hatyst me to withdrawe; The fourte alle vertuys to thi plesauns knawe; The fyfte to obey the ordenaryes of the temple echeon; The sexte, and that alle pepyl may serve the with awe, That in this holy tempyl fawte be non.
The sefnte, Lord, I haske with grett ffere, That I may se onys in my lyve, That lady that xal Goddys sone bere, That I may serve here with my wyttes fyve. If it plese ȝow, and ellys it is not therwith to stryve, With prayers prostrat ffor these gracys I wepe: O, my God! devocion depe in me dryve, That my hert may wake in the, thow my body slepe.
_Here the aungel bryngyth manna in a cowpe of gold lyke to confeccions, the hefne syngynye, the aungel seyth_,
Merveyle not, mekest maydone, of my mynystracion, I am a good aungel sent of God alle-myght, With aungelys mete ffor ȝour sustentacion, ȝe to receyve it ffor natural myght; We aungellys xul serve ȝow day and nyght: Now fede ȝow therwith in Goddys name. We xal lerne ȝow the lyberary of oure Lordys lawe lyght, ffor my sawys in ȝow shewyth sygnes of shame. _Maria._ To thank oure soveryen Lord not sufficyth my mende, I xal fede me of this fode my Lord hath me sent; Alle maner of savowres in this mete I fynde, I felt nevyr non so swete ner so redolent. _Angelus._ Eche day therwith ȝe xal be content; Aunge alle howrys xal to ȝow apere. _Maria._ Mercy, my makere, how may this be ment? I am the sympelest creature that is levynge here. _Angelus._ In ȝour name Maria ffyve letterys we han,— M. Mayde most mercyfulle and mekest in mende; A. Averte of the anguysche that Adam began; R. Regina of regyon reyneng withowtyn ende; I. Innocent be influens of Jesses kende; A. Advocat most autentyk ȝour autecer Anna, Hefne and helle here kneys down bende, Whan this holy name of ȝow is seyd, MARIA. _Maria._ I qwake grettly ffor dred to here this comendacion! Good swete aungel, why wole ȝe sey thus? _Aungelle._ ffor ȝe xal hereaftere have a salutacion, That xal this excede, it is seyd amonge us; The Deyté that dede xal determyn and dyscus, ȝe xal nevyr, lady, be lefte here alone. _Maria._ I crye the mercy, Lorde, and thin erthe cus, Recomendyng me to that Godhyd that is tryne in trone.
_Hic osculet terram. Here xal comyn alwey an aungel with dyvers presentes, goynge and comynge, and in the tyme thei xal synge in hefne this hympne. “Jhesu corona virginum.” And after ther comyth a minister fro the buschop with a present and seyth_,
_Minister._ Prynce of oure prestes, Ysakare be name, He hath sent ȝow hymself his servyce in dede; And bad ȝe xulde ffede ȝow spare for no shame, In this tyme of mete no lenger ȝe rede. _Maria._ Recomende me to my fadyr, sere, and God do hym mede, These vesselys aȝen sone I xal hym sende; I xal bere it my systeres, I trowe thei have more nede, Goddys foyson is evyr to his servauntes hendyr than we wende. Systeres, oure holy ffadyr Isakare Hath sent us hese servyce here ryght now; ffede ȝow therof hertyly, I pray ȝow nat spare, And if owght beleve, specyaly I pray ȝow, That the pore men the relevys ther of have now; ffayn and I myth I wolde do the dedys of mercy; Pore ffolk ffaryn God knowyth how, On hem evyr I have grett pety.
_Contemplacio._ Lo! sofreynes here ȝe have seyn, In the temple of oure ladyes presentacion, She was nevyr occapyed in thynges veyn, But evyr besy in holy ocupacyon; And we beseche ȝow of ȝoure pacyens, That we pace these materes so lythly away, If thei xulde be do with good prevydens, Eche on wolde suffyce ffor an hoole day. Now xal we precede to here dissponsacion, Whiche aftere this was xiiij. ȝere, Tyme sufficyth not to make pawsacion, Hath pacyens with us, we beseche ȝow here, And in short spas, The parlement of hefne sone xal ȝe se, And how Goddys sone come man xal he, And how the salutacion aftere xal be, Be Goddys holy gras.
X. MARY’S BETROTHMENT.
_Tunc venit ab Ysakar espiscopus._
Lystenyth lordynges, both hye and lowe, And tendyrly takyth heyd onto my sawe, Beth buxom and benygne ȝour busshopp to knowe, ffor I am that lord that made this lawe. With hertys so hende herkyn nowe, ȝoure damyselys to weddying ȝa loke that ȝe drawe, That passyn xiiij. ȝere, ffor what that ȝe owe, The lawe of God byddyth this sawe, That at xiiij. ȝere of age Every damesel, what so sche be, To the encrese of more plenté, Xulde be browght in good degré, Onto here spowsage.
_Joachym._ Herke now, Anne, my jentyl spowse, How that the buschop his lawe hath tolde, That what man hath a dowtyr in his house, That passyth xiiij. ȝeres olde, He muste here brynge, I herde hym kowse, Into the tempyl a spowse to wedde, Wherfore oure dowtyr ryth good and dowse, Into the tempyl sche must be ledde, And that anoon ryght sone. _Anne._ Sere, I grawnt that it be so, Aȝen the lawe may we not do, With here togedyr lete us now go, I hold it ryght weyl done.
_Joachym._ Sere busshopp, here, aftyr thin owyn hest, We have here brought oure dowtyr dere; Mary, my swete childe, she is ful prest Of age, she is ful xiiij. ȝere. _Episcopus._ Welcome, Joachym, onto myn areste, Bothe Anne thi wyff and Mary clere; Now, Mary, chylde to the lawe thou leste, And chese the a spowse to be thi ffere, That lawe thou must ffulffylle. _Maria._ Aȝens the lawe wyl I nevyr be, But mannys ffelachep xal nevyr folwe me, I wyl levyn evyr in chastyté Be the grace of Goddys wylle.
_Episcopus._ A! ffayre mayde, why seyst thou so? What menyth the for to levyn chast? Why wylt thou not to weddyng go? The cawse thou tell me, and that in hast. _Maria._ My ffaydr and my modyr sertys also, Er I was born, ȝe may me trast, Thei were bothe bareyn, here frute was do; They come to the tempyl at the last, To do here sacryfice. Bycause they hadde nothyr frute nere chylde, Reprevyd thei wore of wykkyd and wyllde, With grett shame thei were revylyd,— Al men dede them dyspyce.
My ffadyr and my modyr thei wepte fulle sore, fful hevy here hertys wern of this dede; With wepynge eyn thei preyd therfore That God wolde socowre hem and sende hem sede. Iff God wold graunt hem a childe be bore, They behest the chylde here lyf xulde lede, In Goddys temple to serve evyrmore, And wurchep God in love and drede. Than God fful of grace, He herd here longe prayour, And than sent hem bothe seed and flowre: Whan I was born in here bowre, To the temple offryd I was.
Whan that I was to the temple brought, And offerde up to God above, Ther hested I, as myn hert thought, To serve my God with hertyly love. Clennesse and chastyté myn hert owth, Erthely creature nevyr may shove; Suche clene lyff xuld ȝe nought In no maner wyse reprove; To this clennesse I me take. This is the cawse, as I ȝow telle, That I with man wylle nevyr melle, In the servyse of God wyl I evyr dwelle,— I wyl nevyr have other make.
_Episcopus._ A! mercy God, these wordys wyse, Of this fayr mayde clene; Thei trobyl myn hert in many wyse, Her wytt is grett, and that is sene; In clennes to levyn in Godys servise, No man here blame non here tene, And ȝit in lawe thus it lyce, That suche weddyd xulde bene: Who xal expownd this oute? The lawe doth after lyff of clennes, The lawe doth bydde suche maydenes expres That to spowsyng they xulde hem dres: God help us in this dowhte! This ansuere grettly trobelyth me: To mak a vow to creatures it is lefful,— Vovete and reddite in Scripture have we, And to observe oure lawe also it is nedful. In this to dyscerne to me it is dredful; Therfore to cowcelle me in this cas, I calle The holde and the wyse and swiche as ben spedful.— In this sey ȝour avyse, I beseche ȝow alle. _Minister._ To breke our lawe and custom it wore hard indede, And on that other syde to do aȝen Scrypture; To ȝeve sentens in this degré ȝe must take goo hede, ffor dowteles this matere is dyffuse and obscure. Myn avyse here in this, I ȝow ensure, That we prey alle God to have relacion; ffor be prayour grett knowleche men recure, And to this I counselle ȝou to ȝeve assygnacion. _Episcopus._ Trewly ȝour counselle is ryght good and eylsum, And as ȝe han seyd, so xal it be: I charge ȝow, bretheryn and systerys, hedyr ȝe com, And togedyr to God now pray we, That it may plese his fynyte deyté, Knowleche in this to sendyn us! Mekely eche man ffalle downe on kne, And we xal begynne _Veni Creator spiritus_.
_Et hic cantent “Veni Creator.” And whan “Veni Creator” is doun, the buschop xal seyng_,
Now, lord God, of lordys wysest of alle, I pray the, Lorde, knelyng on kne, With carefulle herte I crye and calle, This dowteful dowte enforme thou me. _Angelus._ Thy prayor is herd to hyȝ hevyn halle, God hath me sent here downe to the, To telle the what that thou do xalle, And how thou xalt be rewlyd in iche degré. Take tent and undyrstond. This is Goddys owyn byddyng, That alle kynsmen of Davyd the kyng, To the temple xul brynge here du offryng, With whyte ȝardys in ther honde.
Loke wele what tyme thei offere there, Alle here ȝardys in thin hand thou take, Take hede whose ȝerde doth blome and bere, And he xal be the maydenys make. _Episcopus._ I thank the, Lord, with mylde chere, Thi wurde xal I werkyn withowtyn wrake; I xal send for hem, bothyn fere and nere; To werke thi wyl I undyrtake: Anon it xal be do. Herk, masangere, thou wend thi way, Davyd kynsmen, as I the say, Byd hem come offyr this same day, And brynge whyte ȝardys also.
_Nuncius._ Oy! al maner men takyth to me tent, That be owgth of kynrede to David the kyng; My lord the busshop hath for ȝow sent, To the temple that ȝe come with ȝour offryng. He chargight that ȝe hast ȝow, for he is redy bent, ȝow to receyve at ȝour comyng; He byddeth ȝow fferthermore in handys that ȝe hent, A fayre white ȝerde everyche of ȝow ȝe bryng, In hyght. Tary not, I pray ȝow; My lord, as I say ȝow, Now to receyve so Is fulle redy dyght.
_Joseph._ In great labore my lyff I lede, Myn ocupasyon lyth in many place, ffor febylnesse of age my jorney I may nat spede; I thank the, gret God, of thi grace!
_Primus generacionis David._
What chere, Joseph, what ys the case, That ye lye here on this ground? _Joseph._ Age and febylnesse doth me embrace, That I may nother welle goo ne stond.
_Secundus generacionis._
We be commandyd be the beschoppys sond, That every man of Davyd kynrede, In the tempyll to offyr a wond; Therfor in this jorney let us procede. _Joseph._ Me to traveylle yt is no nede, I prey you, frendes, go forth your wey.
_Tertius generacionis._
This come forth, Joseph, I you rede, And knowyth what the buschop wolle sey.
_Quartus generacionis._
Ther ys a mayd whos name ys clepyd Mary, Doughter to Joachym, as it is told: Here to mary thei wolle asay To som man dowty and bold.
_Joseph._ Benedicite, I cannot undyrstande What oure Prince of Prestes doth men, That every man xuld come and brynge with hym a whande, Abyl to be maryed, that is not I, so mote I then. I have be maydon evyr, and evyr more wele ben, I chaungyd not ȝet of alle my long lyff; And now to be maryed sum man wold wen, It is a straunge thynge an old man to take a ȝonge wyff.
But nevyr the lesse no doute of we must forth to towne, Now neybores and kynnysmen lete us forth go: I xal take a wand in my hand and cast of my gowne, Yf I falle than, I xalle gronyn for wo. Ho so take away my staff, I say he were my fo, ȝe be men that may wele ren go ȝe before; I am old and also colde, walkyng doth me wo; Therfor now wole I to my staff holde I, this jurny to wore. _Episcopus._ Seres, ȝe xal undyrstande That this is the cawse of your comynge, And why that eche of ȝow bryngyth a wande, ffor of God we have knowynge. Here is to be maryde a mayde ȝynge, Alle ȝour roddys ȝe xal brynge up to me; And on hese rodde that the Holy Gost is syttynge, He xal the husband of this may be.
_Hic portent virgas._
_Joseph._ It xal not be, I ley a grote, I xal abyde behynde prevyly; Now wolde God I were at hom in my cote, I am aschamyd to be seyn veryly.
_Primus generacionis David._
To wurchep my lord God hedyr am I come, Here ffor to offyr my dewe offrynge, A fayr white ȝarde in hand have I nome, My lord, sere busshop, at ȝour byddynge.
_Secundus generacionis David._
Off Davythis kynred sertes am I com, A ffayr white ȝarde in hand now I bryng; My lord the busshop, after ȝour owym dom, This ȝarde do I offre at ȝour chargyng, Ryht here.
_Tercius generacionis David._
And I a ȝarde have bothe fayr and whyght, Here in myn hond it is redy dyght, And here I offre it forth within syght, Ryght in good manere.
_Quartus generacionis David._
I am the fourte of Davidis kyn, And with myn offrynge my God I honoure; This fayr whyte ȝarde is offryng myn, I trost in God of sum socoure. Com on, Joseph, with offrynge thin, And brynge up thin, as we have oure, Thou taryst ryth longe behynde certeyn; Why comyst not forth to Goddys toure? Com on, man, for shame. _Joseph._ Com ȝa, ȝa, God help, fulle fayn I wolde, But I am so agyd and so olde, That bothe myn leggys gyn to folde, I am ny almost lame. _Episcopus._ A! mercy Lord, I kan no sygne aspy, It is best we go ageyn to prayr. _Vox._ He brought not up his rodde ȝet trewly, To whom the mayd howyth to be maryed her. _Episcopus._ Whath, Joseph, why stande ȝe there byhynde? I-wys, sere, ȝe be to blame. _Joseph._ Sere, I kannot my rodde ffynde; To come ther in trowthe me thynkyht shame.
_Episcopus comyth, thens Joseph_,
Sere, he may evyl go that is ner lame; In sothe I com as fast as I may. _Episcopus._ Offyr up ȝour rodde, sere, in Goddys name! Why do ȝe not as men ȝow pray? _Joseph._ Now in the wurchep of God of hevyn, I offyr this ȝerde as lely whyte, Prayng that Lord of gracyous stewyn, With hert, with wytt, with mayn, with myght. And as he made the sterres seven, This sympyl offrynge that is so lyght, To his wurchep he weldyghe evyn, ffor to his wurchep this ȝerd is dyghte. Lord God, I the pray, To my herte thou take good hede, And nothynge to my synful dede, After my wyl thou qwyte my mede, As plesyth to thi pay. I may not lyfte myn handys heye, Lo! lo! lo! what se ȝe now? _Episcopus._ A! mercy! mercy! mercy! Lord, we crye, The blyssyd of God we se art thou.
_Et clamant omnes “mercy! mercy!”_
A! gracyous God, in hevyn trone, Ryht wundyrful thi werkys be, Here may we se a merveyl one, A ded stok beryth floures ffre! Joseph in hert, withoutyn mone, Thou mayst be blythe with game and gle, A mayd to wedde thou must gone, Be this meracle I do wel se. Mary is here name; _Joseph._ What, xuld I wedde? God forbede! I am an old man, so God me spede, And with a wyff now to levyn in drede, It wore neyther sport nere game. _Episcopus._ Aȝens God, Joseph, thou mayst not stryve, God wyl that thou a wyff have; This fayr mayde xal be thi wyve, She is buxum and whyte as lave. _Joseph._ A! shuld I have here? ȝe lese my lyff: Alas! dere God, xuld I now rave? An old man may nevyr thryff With a ȝonge wyff, so God me save! Nay, nay, sere, lett bene, Xuld I now in age begynne to dote, If I here chyde she wolde clowte my cote, Blere myn ey, and pyke out a mote, And thus oftyn tymes it is sene. _Episcopus._ Joseph, now as I the saye, God hath assygnyd here to the; That God wol have do, sey thou not nay, Oure lord God wyl that it be so! _Joseph._ Aȝens my God not do I may, Here wardeyn and kepere wyl I evyr be; But fayr maydon, I the pray, Kepe the clene, as I xal me; I am a man of age. Therfore, sere busshop, I wyl that ȝe wete, That in bedde we xul nevyr mete, ffor i-wys mayden suete An old man may not rage. _Episcopus._ This holyest virgyn xalt thou maryn now, ȝour rodde foreschyth fayrest, that man may se; The Holy Gost we se syttyht on a bow! Now ȝelde we alle preysyng to the trenyté.
_Et hic cantent, “Benedicta sit beata Trinitas.”_
Joseph, wole ȝe have this maydon to ȝour wyff, And here honour and kepe, as ȝe howe to do? _Joseph._ Nay, sere, so mote I thryff, I have ryght no nede therto. _Episcopus._ Joseph, it is Goddys wyl it xuld be so! Sey aftyr me, as it is skyl. _Joseph._ Sere, and to performe his wyl I bow therto, ffor alle thynge owyght to ben at his wyl.
_Episcopus, et idem Joseph._
Sey than aftyr me,—“Here I take the, Mary, to wyff, To havyn to holdyn, as God his wyl with us wyl make; And as long as bethwen us lestyght oure lyff, To love ȝow as myselff, my trewthe I ȝow take.”
_Nunc ad Mariam sic dicens episcopus_,