sig:
[A1] |
|
|
¶Here-after foloweth the lyfe of saynt
Gregoryes mother. |
|
sig:
[A1v] |
|
|
SOmtyme in Rome a pope there was
'S' of 'SOmtyme' is guide letter in space set for large capital
|
|
That god loued full specyally |
|
To rule his churche he hym chas |
|
His named was caled Gregory
|
5 |
A mother he had in that cyte |
|
That was full blessyd in her dede |
|
On euery pore she had pyte |
|
And helped all creatures at theyr nede |
|
The deuyll at her had great dyspyte |
10 |
And thought it shulde no lenger so be |
|
With concupyscence and false delyght |
|
He thought to brynge her fro that degre |
|
She fell in syne within a whyle |
|
And lyued in fowle voutri |
15 |
With lust and lykynge her body to fyle |
|
The deuyll her blynded with obstynacy |
|
That she durste her therof neuer shryue |
|
Lest any man shulde her bewrey |
|
This droue forthe all her lyue |
20 |
Whyle sekenes her toke that she shulde dye |
|
Than had she neyther tyme ne space |
|
Dethe her toke so sodenly |
|
Alas this was an heuy case |
|
The deuyll to haue suche maystery |
25 |
Whan she was dede and layde on bere |
|
Many was sory no wonder was |
|
What than befell than shall ye here |
|
Howe god dysposed for her his grace |
|
Thoroughe prayer of saynt
Gregory
|
30 |
That was so good in his leuynge |
|
Our lorde shope her a remedy |
|
A trentall for her that he shulde synge |
sig:
A2 |
|
|
Howe it was ordayned and founde |
|
Take wysely hede and ye shall here |
35 |
Saynt
gregory made it with his hande |
|
And sayd it hym-selfe in this maner |
|
|
Upon a nyght I me bethought |
|
Whan all creatures were at reste |
|
Of marualous thinges that god had wrought |
40 |
In euery kynde bothe man and best |
|
Abought mydnyght a lytell before |
|
I harde a voyce full pyteously |
|
Alas it sayd that I was bore |
|
My dome is gyuen full ryghtfully |
45 |
For whyle I leuyd I had my wyll |
|
My sone durst I neuer tell |
|
Ryghtwysenes me demeth by skyll |
|
That I were worthy be damned in hell |
|
Than with that voyce vp I brayde |
50 |
Myne harte was sore afryght |
|
Out of a wyndowe I me layd |
|
And there I sawe a wonder syght |
|
A blacke cloude and a stynkynge |
|
Full of deuyls on euery syde |
55 |
A sowle there was in fyre brennynge |
|
I coniured it and bade it abyde |
|
By the vertu of god in trynyte |
|
That made heuen erthe and hell |
|
All ye deuyls obeye to me |
60 |
And answere to me that I you tell |
|
What sowle is that ye haue there |
|
What is the cause wherfore and why |
|
With suche paynes that ye it dere |
sig:
[A2v] |
|
|
That god hathe bought so precyously |
65 |
The deuyll answered anone there-tyll |
|
And sayd the mother that the bore |
|
She hathe this done by ryght and skyll |
|
For false lyuynge that she had before |
|
She semed good and false within |
70 |
And lyued in aduoutry to her lyues ende |
|
To no preste wolde she tell her synne |
|
Therfore with vs shall she wende |
|
My body agrysed my harte also |
|
And sayd false fende that may not be |
75 |
All Rome wyll wytnes that it is false |
|
The dedes of marcy fulfylled she |
|
Pore ryche and all maner men |
|
She clad and fed her god to please |
|
And kepte her to his commaundementes ten |
80 |
Why shulde she than haue this dysease |
|
Whan body and sowle departeth in twayne |
|
Dethe came so shortely she had no space |
|
Ones to shryue her of her synne |
|
The whiche the deuyll her dyd enbrace |
85 |
For drede of shame she durst not tell |
|
Neyther to no prest open her harte |
|
And who-so dieth in syne this wotest thou well |
|
The paynes of hell they maye not sterte |
|
Alas sayd Gregory that euer mannes kynde |
90 |
Is so thrall for thynges of nought |
|
And that synne shulde hym blynde |
|
To lese the parte that god hathe bought |
|
With bolde spirite I spake to here |
|
And sayd thou sowle here charge I the |
95 |
In the vertue of god that bought man dere |
sig:
A3 |
|
|
To_morow at mydday thou speke with me |
|
In trust that god some grace wyll sende |
|
By prayer fastynge or some almes-dede |
|
F[ro] this Iugement the to defende
Fro] For 1536
|
100 |
That for the his blode dyd blede |
|
And tell me how it stondeth with the |
|
If any hope be of saluacyon |
|
And put the to rest from this degre |
|
And saue the from thy dampnacyon |
105 |
With that worde i[t] vanesshed me fro
it] is 1536
|
|
And sorowe smote my harte full nye |
|
I was full of care sorowe and wo |
|
I fell downe and in poynt to dye |
|
With greuous gronynge it toke the waye |
110 |
There god had ordayned it to be |
|
All nyght I kneled for it to praye |
|
That god wolde haue of it pyte |
|
And to saynt
Peter my predycessoure |
|
That god gaue power to lose and bynde |
115 |
Thou graunt me to be her socoure |
|
Some prayer for her that I myght fynde |
|
Thus prayed I for her all that nyght |
|
Tyll dede slepe had me take |
|
Anone sodenly I was a_fryght |
120 |
A voyse apered and bad be awake |
|
Full bryght it was afore my face |
|
In lykenes of an aungell clere |
|
I wende god had ben in place |
|
It was the deuyll that dyd apere |
125 |
And sayd thou laborest all in vayne |
|
Go take thy rest and let this be |
|
Thou ma[y]ste neuer by reason obtayne
mayste] maste 1536
|
sig:
[A3v] |
|
|
To saue the sowle in no degre |
|
God wyll not that thou for it praye |
130 |
Neyther for no sowle that damned is |
|
For though thou laboure tyll domes-day |
|
Yet shall it neuer come to blysse |
|
Therfore praye not in this cas |
|
For god is dysplese with the |
135 |
She hath done so great trespas |
|
That it may neuer forgeuen be |
|
Whan I harde this myne harte was sore |
|
But euer me-thought he sayd not well |
|
For goddes marcy is moche more |
140 |
Than harte may thynke or tonge can tell |
|
To hym I answered full boldely thore |
|
And sayd forsothe it is vntrewe |
|
For god hymselfe for vs wolde dye |
|
So fore mannes soule he dyd it rue |
145 |
And prayed his father whan he sholde stye |
|
Howe canste thou saye let me se |
|
Why prayer shulde not a soule saue |
|
God wolde no synner dampned shulde be |
|
That wolde on his marcy craue |
150 |
That is trewe he sayd but se what wyse |
|
By vertue of confessyon he may be saue |
|
But who synneth and wyll not ryse |
|
How may he than his marcy craue |
|
By no scrypture I can se |
155 |
That marcy to hym shulde not be due |
|
For who so synneth dedely dampned is he |
|
Thou knowest well that this is trewe |
|
Yet I sayd though it be so |
|
That god hathe sente the one his message |
sig:
[A4] |
|
160 |
Answere to this that I saye the to |
|
Or elles me-thynke thou doest rage |
|
Clarkes sayd and scrypture also |
|
Ouer al the workes that euer god wrought |
|
Marcy is chefe and passeth all tho |
165 |
Answere to this yf thou can ought |
|
For where lucyfer thrughe his pryde |
|
Lost heuens blysse and wente to hell |
|
There marcy hath set mankynde his tyde |
|
Aboue all aungelles this wotest thou well |
170 |
To this thou canst not ones say nay |
|
Neyther al the false aungelles that there were |
|
With that worde he wanysshed a_waye |
|
That house rofe with hym he bare |
|
Thunder lyghteninge there was great plente |
175 |
Cryenge of deuylles about that place |
|
I praye god with harte so fre |
|
To saue me for his hyghe grace |
|
And sende me some consolacyon |
|
And helpe this sowle that hathe nede |
180 |
To saue it euer frome damnacyon |
|
For the woundes that he dyd blede |
|
On the next morowe sone vpon daye |
|
To saynt_Peters I went a_pace |
|
My seruyce there for to saye |
185 |
And met with the sowle as I had grace |
|
I was not so sone fro my place past |
|
My waye thether for to take |
|
Sodenly the wether was ouer-cast |
|
The clowdes wexed wonder blacke |
190 |
And as I stodyed what it shulde be |
|
A voyce I harde full pyteously |
sig:
[A4v] |
|
|
Alas it sayd full wo is me |
|
I knowe no meane of remedy |
|
This cloude was blacke on euery brynke |
195 |
Full of fyre and brymstone also |
|
There myght no creature abyde the stynke |
|
For fere therof my mynde was so |
|
I toke myne harte all in that tyde |
|
Whan I sawe it drewe me nye |
200 |
I crossed my body on euery syde |
|
And spake to it full boldely |
|
In the vertue of god I charge the here |
|
That toke flesshe of a vyrgyn fre |
|
Stande there styll and come no nere |
205 |
But that I aske thou tell it me |
|
Why arte thou put to thys desease |
|
That dyd so moche almes-dede |
|
And euery creatour was redy to please |
|
With meat and drynke them for to fede |
210 |
That all rome of the spake |
|
Thy lyuynge was holden so good aye |
|
That neuer was founde in the lake |
|
Neyther by nyght nor by daye |
|
Therwith she groned full heuely |
215 |
And sayd alas that I was borne |
|
I knowe no maner of remedy |
|
But body and soule ben lyke to be lorne |
|
For whyles I lyued and euer had |
|
The worldes luste all my wyll |
220 |
In false auoutry my lyfe I lad |
|
Thre yonge Innocentes I dyd kyll |
|
Without baptyme they were slayne |
|
And lost the blysse of heuen also |
sig:
[A5] |
|
|
I were worthy endles payne |
225 |
And for that to abyde in wo |
|
For fere I durste it neuer saye |
|
Nether to no preste confessed be |
|
I was holde so perfyte aye |
|
That euery creature sayd good by me |
230 |
Alas she sayd that I was made |
|
That I had neuer grace to saye |
|
But euer in synne my lyfe thus lade |
|
Unto the houre that I shulde dye |
|
And dethe came so sodenly |
235 |
I had no tyme amendes to make |
|
I am well worthy for that foly |
|
To endles payne my waye to take |
|
Than was my harte heuy as lede |
|
To se my mother in that degre |
240 |
But sythe she knewe no better rede |
|
On her I had great ruthe to se |
|
Than spoke I to her with heue chere |
|
In chrystes name here charge I the |
|
Within ten dayes ryght here thou apere |
245 |
In this same place and mete with me |
|
And I my-selfe my deuoure shall do |
|
If holy churche may put helpe in the |
|
With the powre that god gaue therto |
|
To Peter that pope was before me |
250 |
The dyuel on it made spytefull noyse |
|
Whan they shulde take them to theyr waye |
|
And sayd all with one voyce |
|
This false Gregorye wyll vs betraye |
|
The sely sowle with them they lad |
255 |
It groned full greuously and cryed sore |
sig:
[A5v] |
|
|
With harde paynes it was bestad |
|
My harte was heuy and wo therfore |
|
My waye I toke to the churche a_pace |
|
A masse to synge for her sake |
260 |
To saynt
Sebastyan that holy place |
|
My aulter commaunded I redy to make |
|
To masse I wente with mylde chere |
|
And put my trust in god alone |
|
And as he bought that soule so dere |
265 |
That daye that he wolde here my mone |
|
Whan I sacred our lordes body |
|
Chryste_Iesu in fourme of brede |
|
My blode waxed colde I wyst not why |
|
I sawe a syght I was adrede |
270 |
A naked body in a tome of stone |
|
Full of woundes bledynge sore |
|
His face all pale his colour was gone |
|
His skyn his flesshe was all to_tore |
|
A spere was put throughe his body |
275 |
In euery hande a nayle was thrusted |
|
There was no place I coude espye |
|
But euery Ioynte was distr[e]ssed
distressed] distrusshed 1536
|
|
A wrethe of thorne vpon his hede |
|
The pryckes throughe his brayne ran |
280 |
He loked as he had bene dede |
|
His eyen his lyppes were all wan |
|
His handes were crossed hym before |
|
To se that syght myne harte was wo |
|
Out of his harte he syghed sore |
285 |
And sayd synfull man thou arte my fo |
|
On the aulter he hym rest |
|
My body for pyty on hym dyd quake |
sig:
[A6] |
|
|
He sayd to me lo I chryst
|
|
To dye agayne for mannes sake |
290 |
Beholde my body howe it is rente |
|
For synfull sowles this suffred I |
|
Mystruste me not I am thy frende |
|
My flesshe my blode thou arte trewely |
|
All this I suffered the to saue |
295 |
Unkynde creature beholde and se |
|
What myght I do more thy loue to haue |
|
Than offer my-selfe to dye for the |
|
For rather than a sowle were shente |
|
Newe on a crosse I wolde it bye |
300 |
Thus to be beten torne and rent |
|
So moche is my loue and my mercy |
|
With that worde he vanysshed me fro |
|
His wordes made my har[t]e full lyght
harte] harde 1536
|
|
On my knees I fell downe tho |
305 |
And thanked [god] of that syght
god] good 1536
|
|
Forthe I sange my masse to the ende |
|
And prayed god full hartely |
|
This sely sowle he shulde defende |
|
And shew on it his hyghe mercy. |
|
310 |
BUt whan it drewe to the ny[gh]t
nyght] nyhgt 1536
|
|
That all creatures toke theyr rest |
|
To saynt_peters churche I me dyght |
|
Before the hyghe aulter I me drest |
|
God I besought with harte fre |
315 |
Some comforte that he myght to me sende |
|
And swete saynt
Peter myne helpe to be |
|
That myght fro myscheue me defende |
|
Thus it drewe ferther in the nyght |
sig:
[A6v] |
|
|
My nature fayne wolde haue rest |
320 |
Anone before me apered a syght |
|
Upon the hye aulter there it fest |
|
There came a pope in his araye |
|
Cardynalles / bysshoppes / and prestes also |
|
I dredde it sore whan I it saye |
325 |
And gaue them rome by me to go |
|
This pope called me anone hym tyll |
|
And sayd come hether gregory vnto me |
|
Thou shalte knowe our lordes wyll |
|
Be not dysmayde what thou se |
330 |
I am Peter thy predecessoure |
|
And here be my bretherne the apostelles all |
|
We be come the for to socoure |
|
With pore of god that neuer shall fall |
|
Take this scrypture of my hande |
335 |
Oure lorde hymselfe sent it to the |
|
All sowles to helpe out of bande |
|
And it be done as it shulde be |
|
And powre also to lose and bynde |
|
In heuen and erthe at thyne owne wyll |
340 |
And other popes out of mynde |
|
That euer shall after in erthe dwell |
|
And for thou laborest thy mother to saue |
|
That yet is in heuy cas |
|
Our lorde wyll that she haue |
345 |
This trentall done for her trespas |
|
A trentall is of thre tymes ten |
|
And ten tymes thre the same also |
|
So many masses she haue than |
|
Her to rele[s]e out of her wo
relese] relefe 1536
|
350 |
Of ten chefe festes in the yere |
sig:
B1 |
|
|
Thre masses of eche must nedes synge |
|
With all seruyce folowynge after here |
|
Delynge of almes and also fastynge |
|
What feastes thes be se and take hede |
355 |
And wysely in thy mynde them pyght |
|
Loke on this boke here maye thou rede |
|
Of whome they be and what is theyr myght |
|
Thre masses of the Annuncyacyon |
|
Whan god and man conceyued was |
360 |
Our kynde to take for our redemcyon |
|
Wit[h]in a mayde he chace his place
Within] witin 1536
|
|
Therfor forsoth the knot was knyt |
|
Flesshe and blode together ran |
|
The father of heuen this maryage shyt |
365 |
Accordyd there was bothe god and man |
|
The seconde feast is it of chrystes Natyuyte |
|
Whan he was borne vs all to glade |
|
This full blessed nedes must be |
|
For man goddes brother there was made |
370 |
The thyrde feste is the Epyphanye |
|
Whan thre kynges with presentes sought |
|
Throughe Herodes landes hym to espye |
|
To offer gyftes that they had brought |
|
This feste is full blessed and also holy |
375 |
Who-so hereth a masse that daye |
|
Of soden dethe he shall not dye |
|
Nor mysshap in no iorney |
|
The fourthe is of our dere ladye |
|
To the temple whan she her dyght |
380 |
With meke harte her to puryfye |
|
After the lawe as it was ryght |
|
The fyfte feast is of our saluacyon |
sig:
[B1v] |
|
|
A sowle to helpe that is in nede |
|
It must be of his Resurrexcyon |
385 |
A masse it is of full great mede |
|
In the worshyp of his passyon |
|
That suffred dethe for our sake |
|
Who-so syngeth it with deuocyon |
|
A sete for hym he dothe make |
390 |
The syxte feste muste be truely |
|
Of the gloryous Assencyon |
|
Whan he to heuen dyd stye |
|
To knyt the knot of our redemcyon |
|
His owne goste downe he sent |
395 |
Bothe wyt and wysdome vs to teche |
|
To rule his lawe whan he was went |
|
His chyrche to kepe and his gospel to preche |
|
The seue[n]th masse muste be of the holy-goost
seuenth] seueth 1536
|
|
That is chefe comforte of our consolacyon |
400 |
This masse helpeth a sowle mooste |
|
Out of payne to saluacyon |
|
The two other feste of our lady be |
|
Chefe meane bytwene god and man |
|
The Assumpcyon and her Natyuyte |
405 |
These be the [ten] festes that ye must han
ten] then 1536
|
|
These make thyrty the hole trentall |
|
Thre mas[s]es of eche feste thou must take
masses] mastes 1536
|
|
A sowle from payne delyuer thou shall |
|
If it be songe for the sowles sake |
410 |
An oryson there it that longeth therto |
|
At euery masse it muste be sayd nede |
|
With good deuocyon loke it be do |
|
It is the chefe thynge the sowle to fede |
|
sig:
B2 |
|
|
God that art our redemcyon |
415 |
Salue also of mannes sowle here |
|
As thou chase also the lande of promyssyon |
|
Before all other to be borne there |
|
And suffered dethe in that holy lande |
|
To paye our raunsome amendes to make |
420 |
Delyuer the sowle from the dyuels hande |
|
And to thy mercy lorde thou it take |
|
And as thou wolde therin dye |
|
And halowed it with thy precyous blode |
|
Delyuer it lorde frome penury |
425 |
That blessed land that is so good |
|
By the hyghe vertue of thy grace |
|
The people that leueth nat in the |
|
Tourne theyr hartes and gyue them space |
|
That they may sone amendyd be |
430 |
And all that leue in the |
|
Thou socour them for thy lordly mercy |
|
And of vs haue m[ar]cy and pyte
marcy] mracy 1536
|
|
In the houre whan we shall dye |
|
The whiche reygneth with the father dere |
435 |
With the holy goste that grace dothe sende |
|
By all the worldes that euer were |
|
Or euer shall without ende |
|
Now how thou shalt synge this trental then |
|
Take now thou good hede for euermore |
440 |
Whan a feste cometh of these the[n] |
|
Faste ye muste the euen before |
|
Brede and water holde the therto |
|
None other mete loke thou take |
|
Placebo and Dirige loke thou say also |
445 |
Shryue the clene and redy make |
sig:
[B2v] |
|
|
The nexte morowe thy masse to synge |
|
W[i]th all seruyce of the day
With] Weth 1536
|
|
Seuen psalmes with the letany say fastinge |
|
And commendacyon yf thou maye |
450 |
Forgette not the orison goynge before |
|
In euery masse of this trentall |
|
It is chefe salue of the sore |
|
Loke euery daye thou saye it all |
|
Within seuen dayes two masses nedes more |
455 |
Of the same feste must be |
|
And all other seruyce say it before |
|
As thou dydest in euery degre |
|
A peny in almes thou must dele |
|
To some pore man that it nedes |
460 |
That it maye stande to thy sowle-hele |
|
For it is chefe of all good dedes |
|
This rule thou kepe at euery masse |
|
If thou wylte brynge a sowle from blame |
|
Do this wysely more and lasse |
465 |
And teche all other to do the same |
|
Farewell Gregory I parte the fro |
|
Be stedfast in mynde nyght and daye |
|
Temtacyon of the fendes thou shalt se so |
|
To let the of thy purpose yf they maye
they] thou 1501
|
470 |
Whan he was gone and this lyght past |
|
My harte was colde my body afryght |
|
There was no comforte but in god to trast |
|
I toke me to his marcy all that longe nyght |
|
|
THan it befell vpon the nexte day |
475 |
Ryght in the mornynge-tyde
mornynge] morowe 1501
|
|
To scala_celi I toke the waye
scala_celi] ara_cely 1501; the] my 1501
|
sig:
B3 |
|
|
And prayed to god to be my gyde |
|
The dyuell at me had great spyte |
|
He thought my purpose for to let |
480 |
With false collusyons hym to quyte |
|
The good dede I was on set |
|
For whan I shulde my masse begynne |
|
A maruelous thynge appered than |
|
Deuyls of helle came rynnynge in |
485 |
In lykenes of myne owne men |
|
And sayd alas that they were bor[ne] copytext or microfilm defective
|
|
What doest thou nowe here this t[yde] |
|
Thy ho[u]sholde / thy treasoure / all [is g]one
housholde] hossholde 1536
|
|
Thy men be spylte on euery syde |
490 |
Thy place is on fyre thy people spyllen |
|
Come saue this myschefe or all is shente |
|
Leue this purpose tourne home agayne |
|
Or all thy lyue-dayes thou shalte repent |
|
I was a_frayd nere out of my mynde
a_frayd nere out of my] aferde nere out of 1501
|
495 |
They semed my seruauntes and my men |
|
In very lykenes of mannes kynde |
|
They appered before myne eyen |
|
To rome I retourned with carefull chere |
|
And prayed saynt
Peter myne helpe to be |
500 |
I loked aboute yf peryll were |
|
All-thynge I founde in prosperyte |
|
Than thanked I god with all my myght |
|
And thought it was the deuyls dede |
|
To the churche I tourned agayne full ryght |
505 |
This holy trentall there to spede |
|
The tyde of daye it was nere past |
|
These false fendes dyd me betraye |
|
My purpose to spyll was all there cast |
sig:
[B3v] |
|
|
That for the sowle I shulde not praye
I] 1501 omits
|
510 |
I crossyd my brest and to the aulter yede |
|
And sayd my masse as I shulde do |
|
With gostly fode the sowle to fede |
|
With all thynges that longeth therto |
|
Thus I procedyd by and by |
515 |
Whyles ten dayes were at an ende |
|
I was glad the tyme drewe nye |
|
I trustyd her state for to amend |
|
The next daye in the mornynge |
|
In the twylyght or it were day |
520 |
A lytell before the sonne-rysynge |
|
I went alone my Matans to say |
|
Within a whyle my blode wexed colde |
|
A spryte came rennynge me besyde |
|
Lyke a chylde of t[w]o yere olde
two] tho 1536
|
525 |
I spake to it and bad it a_byde |
|
In the vertu of Crystes holy name |
|
What creature I saye thou be |
|
Stande here styll and make no grame |
|
Tyll I haue tolde my wyll to the |
530 |
Anone it tourned and sayd to me |
|
I am the sowle that thou labourest fore |
|
Grace shall I haue thoroughe laboure of the
thoroughe laboure 1536] thorough the loboure 1501
|
|
Blessed be the houre that thou were borne
borne] bore 1501
|
|
God hath take me to his marcy |
535 |
By the vertue of this trentall I shall haue |
|
The blysse of heuen perpetually |
|
Fro damnacyon now am I saue |
|
Now do thy deuocyon for chrystes sake
deuocyon] deuocyons 1501
|
|
I may no lenger abyde here |
540 |
Gyue me leue my waye to take |
sig:
[B4] |
|
|
My kepers come they nyghe me nere |
|
Beware she sayd they wyll the noye |
|
Auoyde the place and let them passe |
|
Thus sone it vanysshed fro my Ioye |
545 |
I se no more where it was |
|
I rose and was ryght sore agaste |
|
I wyst not well where to abyde |
|
The wether anone was ouer_caste |
|
Deuylles cryed anone on euery syde |
550 |
With a loude voyce they cryed all |
|
Out alas we lese our praye |
|
This false Gregory quyte [w]e shall
we] she 1536, we 1501
|
|
Within shorte tyme yf that we maye |
|
I was a_ferde my body dyd quake |
555 |
It thundred and lyghtened spytuosly |
|
For fere I durste [n]o waye take |
|
I trowed my-selfe that tyme to dye |
|
My sowle I put in goddes wyll |
|
I crossed my body on euery syde |
560 |
Whyle all were done I stode there styll |
|
And let it passe and ouer_slyde |
|
Sone after anone the wether ceased |
|
The sone appered and shone full bryght |
|
Than my comfort fast encreased |
565 |
Home I went with all my myght |
|
And thanked god and our lady |
|
And saynt
Peter that was so good |
|
That me preserued so specyally |
|
From the perell that I in stode |
|
570 |
THis passyd forthe many a daye |
|
What befell than shall ye here |
sig:
[B4v] |
|
|
The fende thought he wolde assay |
|
To lese all I dyd this yere |
|
In the feast of wytsontyde |
575 |
The thre masses of the trentall |
|
The false fende had aspyed |
|
They profyte the sowle moste of all |
|
With false sleyghtes and subtylte |
|
Me to let was all his caste |
580 |
In the chapell wherin was he |
|
The false fende [in] he ran faste
in] 1536 omits, in 1501
|
|
Euen as I was boune to masse |
|
In lykenes of a naked man |
|
Full of woundes bledynge sore was |
585 |
He cryed on hym and sayd alas than |
|
Helpe me nowe for I am lorne |
|
There is no remedy in this case |
|
I was aferde whan I hym se |
|
Great people came in euery place |
590 |
And sayd false traytour thy dethe is dyght |
|
This is no place the for to hyde |
|
With dagers drawen and swerdes bryght |
|
To sle hym they were about in that tyde |
|
Myne harte agrysed whan I sawe it thus |
595 |
For mannes slaughter I was in fere |
|
To them I went a great pase
went] whent 1536
|
|
And sayd syrs what do ye here |
|
I charge you auoyde out of this place |
|
And make no debate here |
600 |
They swore by hym that all hathe wrought |
|
Out of this place we wyll not stere |
|
Tyll he be dede that we haue sought |
|
He shall neuer haue other ende in faye |
sig:
C1 |
|
|
I sawe remedy in that case nought |
605 |
I was af[er]de and drede alwaye
aferde] afrede 1536
|
|
Lest they wolde suspende the place |
|
Me to let as for that daye |
|
Anone it fell in my mynde thus |
|
It was the fendes collucyon aye |
610 |
Some sleyght or subtylyte for to fynde |
|
Tyll tyme of the daye were all done |
|
The holy trentall to let blynde |
|
The soule to haue in theyr daunger sone |
|
Before the aulter I set me |
615 |
And sayd to them in this manere |
|
In the vertue of hym that dyed on tre |
|
Ye false deuyls I saye to you here |
|
Out of this place fast fle |
|
That neuer after ye me afraye |
620 |
The deuyll thought aspyed was he |
|
They vanysshed with sorow and care away
care] carey 1536
|
|
They made a noyse and loude they cryed |
|
The chaple stepell with them they bare |
|
I sange masse to the ende vnhyed |
625 |
In peas and concyence of rest thare |
|
The soule to god I dyd commende |
|
Enterely besechynge hym of grace |
|
And this sowle fro payne to defende |
|
In blysse of heuen grauntynge a place |
|
630 |
ANd this yere was come to ende |
|
That the trentall was nyghe done |
|
I prayed to god some token me to sende |
|
And for his mar[c]y to here my bone
marcy] marry 1536
|
|
Some comforte of the sowle to here |
sig:
[C1v] |
|
635 |
Howe it stode and in what degre |
|
And yf the tyme were ought nere |
|
That she from payne delyuered shulde be |
|
The nyght before that I shulde synge |
|
The last masse of the trentall |
640 |
A voyce I harde and sawe nothynge |
|
To me it spake with voyce small |
|
Awake it sayd and to me attende |
|
Of thy mother thou louest so dere |
|
Nowe is the trentall at an ende |
645 |
Meruaylous thynges thou shalte here |
|
I am he sayd the good aungell |
|
Thynke vpon what I say the |
|
Tydynges trewe I the tell |
|
The tyme is come quyte shall she be |
650 |
Anone as thou haste thy deuoure done |
|
And songe the masse of the Natyuyte |
|
Of her thou shalte here full sone |
|
She shall come this waye by the |
|
Anone sodenly vpon a brayde |
655 |
If thou her aungell be |
|
Why woldes thou suffer her thus arayde |
|
And let her in this maner dye |
|
Thou was not fryndely in thy kepynge |
|
That to the was take so specyally |
660 |
Thou lettest her perysshe in her endynge |
|
Thou dydest not thy deuore truely |
|
For without the she dyd ryght nought |
|
Thou were a feble frynde at nede |
|
To lese the ymage that god had wrought |
665 |
Howe canste thou excuse the in this ded |
|
Yes he sayd wylt thou se howe |
sig:
C2 |
|
|
In her creacyon fyrst of all |
|
Innocency I kepte her she myght not bowe |
|
Neyther in no wyse to hym fall |
670 |
But whan dyscrecyon dyd her shewe |
|
Our lorde sent wyt her to teche |
|
All badnes her to eschewe |
|
And gaue her frewell to be her leche |
|
To chose eyther good or bad |
675 |
Bothe were put to her eleccyon |
|
Wysdome ynoughe also she had |
|
To kepe her sowle frome dampnacyon |
|
Yet I sayd all this maye be |
|
That fre eleccyon was in her wyll |
680 |
Howe canst thou excuse thy parte let se |
|
But thou was cause that she dyd yll |
|
If thou haddest thy parte do |
|
And closed aboute her harte with drede |
|
And thyne helpe therto |
685 |
She shulde neuer haue done this dede |
|
Grace he sayd was chefe of all |
|
That she lacked without doute |
|
But conscyence tolde her she dyd fall |
|
It was nought she yede aboute |
690 |
He is most chefe of our accuse |
|
Apechynge her bothe day and nyght |
|
And sayd this rode dyd she refuse |
|
And wolde not repent whyle she myght |
|
In good dedes dyd I her wrappe |
695 |
And made her do almes-dedes and fast |
|
And kepe her alway fro mysshap |
|
In hope that she wolde tourne at the last |
|
The deuyll at the last had her betrapped |
sig:
[C2v] |
|
|
And broght her to myschefe |
700 |
And led her euery fote that she stepped |
|
In trust of grace she wolde amende |
|
Thus was I busy her to saue |
|
And kepte her euer from all wo |
|
She myght no more of me craue |
705 |
I dyd my deuoure ynoughe therto |
|
I asked hym than where he had be |
|
Syth she dyed and made her ende |
|
With her contynually than sayd he |
|
Fro great paynes her to defende |
710 |
And nowe it is almoste past ouer |
|
I must agayne to her gyde
to her gyde] to be hir gyde 1501
|
|
The tyme me draweth wonder nere |
|
Farwell I may no lenger abyde |
|
Than was I glad as foule of day |
715 |
In all the hast that I myght fynde |
|
To ende this trentall without delay |
|
That no faute were of my parte behynde |
|
That daye than there was I styll |
|
Within the churche in my prayer |
720 |
And there abode our lordes wyll |
|
In hope of [her] that I myght here
her] 1536 omits, hir 1501
|
|
Thus it drewe almost to eue |
|
I thought my-selfe it was best |
|
With some fode my body to releue |
725 |
And sone after to take my rest |
|
Whan I had supped I rose full ryght |
|
Into a garden me to rome |
|
Tyll it were fayre in twylyght |
|
And tyme almost to take myne home |
730 |
As I loked into the eest |
sig:
C3 |
|
|
A great sonne-beme ther I sawe |
|
Longe whyle there dyd it last |
|
And sodenly anone it dyd withdrawe |
|
Therewith myne harte began to glad |
735 |
I hopyd some tydynges to here that nyght |
|
I kneled downe and prayer made |
|
And thanked god of that syght |
|
Within a whyle there came a lyght |
|
As far as I myght wel se |
740 |
Therwith the fyrmament wexte all bryght |
|
I marueled greatly what it myght be |
|
So it encresed more and more |
|
And drewe to me a good spede |
|
I sawe it come and drede it sore |
745 |
I wayted a place and thether yede |
|
There to abyde what-so-euer befell |
|
To se some ende of that syght |
|
A spirite it was that wyste I well |
|
It hasted to me with all the myght |
750 |
It was an aungell that came in hast |
|
And sayd Gregory thou shalte se |
|
Thyne owne mother be not agast |
|
How she standeth and in what degre |
|
Therwith meued was my mode |
755 |
I loked aboute on euery syde |
|
Anone the lyght before me stode |
|
The bryghtnes therof I myght not abyde |
|
The sowle in the myddes therof was pyght |
|
The good aungell stode hyr besyde |
760 |
My sperites were rauesshed with that syght |
|
I taryed to se what wolde betyde |
|
She spake to me full myldely |
sig:
[C3v] |
|
|
And sayd sone blessed thou be |
|
That euer I bare the in my body |
765 |
Thou haste brought me to this degre |
|
Without ende to be in ioye abydynge |
|
And well is hym that euer was bore |
|
That maye for hym this trentall do synge |
|
For it profyteth a sowle more |
770 |
Than any other erthely thynge |
|
Therfore for chrystes sake fonde |
|
Let prestes synge soules sauynge |
|
And he that wyll vnderstonde |
|
Moche good shall [to] them be hauynge
to them be hauynge] them behauynge 1536, to them be hauynge 1501
|
775 |
For many is the sowle that there is lore |
|
For faute of socore and releuynge |
|
Full sore they shall abye therfore |
|
That haue theyr goodes in theyr kepynge |
|
And curse the howre and allso the day |
780 |
The mother them bare the father them gate |
|
With deuyls of hell shall be there playe |
|
That suffereth a sowle to lye in that state
suffereth a sowle to lye] suffreth a soule to lay 1501, suffred a soule to lye 1515
|
|
For he is false and eke vnkynde |
|
That leueth a sowle in damnacyon |
785 |
And with his owne good may it vnbynde |
|
And brynge it to saluacyon |
|
For chrystes sake preche it aboute
it] it 1501, this 1515
|
|
And tell the people of this peryll |
|
For they that be in faute without doute |
790 |
There is no remedy they shall to hell |
|
Without ende there dwell shall they |
|
In fyer and brymstone for theyr dede
] theyr 1501, that 1515
|
|
Full dere they shall that good abye |
|
And haue that rewarde for theyr mede |
sig:
[C4] |
|
795 |
Farewell nowe and haue my blessynge |
|
Take this in mynde and be of good chere |
|
Tyme is come of our departynge |
|
I maye no longer abyde here |
|
The cloudes opened on euery syde |
800 |
Aungelles fro heuen downe were sent |
|
With myrthe and melody she vp styed |
|
All aboue the sterres in the fyrmament |
|
To the blysse of heuen without ende
ende] ende is 1536, ende 1501
|
|
Where myrthe and ioye without ende [is]
ende is] ende 1536, end is 1501, 1515
|
805 |
Suche messangers our lorde her sende |
|
Her sorowe and care for to lys |
|
Whan I had this syght sene |
|
It was well drawen in-to the nyght |
|
I was ryght glad and also fayne |
810 |
That god had shewed me that syght |
|
To bed I wente and toke my reste |
|
As goddes wyll was I shulde do |
|
And there bethought me what was the best |
|
All other sowles to brynge fro wo |
815 |
I called all the clarkes of that citye |
|
And ordeyned this trentall to be in mynde |
|
And all prestes in eche degre |
|
And gaue them power to lose and bynde |
|
To helpe all sowles that had nede |
820 |
That lay in paynes that were full sore |
|
The blesse of heuen to haue [for] theyr mede
for] 1536 omits, for 1501
|
|
Chryste graunt them all that same blysse thore |
|
That helpeth any sowle heuen to wynne |
|
Of all good praers that they not mysse |
825 |
Whan body and sowle shall parte atwayne
atwayne] a_twynne 1515
|
|
This trentall wryten in thre langages |
sig:
[C4v] |
|
|
In laten / frenche and englysse eke |
|
In scala_celi who wyll it se
scala_celi] Ara_celi 1501
|
|
In the southe-syde he maye it seke |
830 |
God bryng vs to the blysse that euer shalbe |
|
|
AMEN |
|
¶Enprynted at London
By Iohnn_Mychell
|