The Psalter, or Psalms of David and certain canticles / with a translation and exposition in English by Richard Rolle of Hampole ; ed. from manuscripts by the Rev. H. R. Bramley ... With an introduction and glossary.

[PSALM CIV.]

CONFITEMINI domino & inuocate nomen eius: annun|ciate inter gentes opera eius. ¶ Shrifes til lord and inkallis the name of him; shewis amange the genge his werkis. ¶ Louys oure lord. that a lufand man dos. for louand ye sall be herd. and swa shewis amange synful men his werkis. for he that lufis god. he lufis mannys saule. ȝe ere louyd in his haly name. noght in ȝours. if ȝe lufe his name ȝe ere worthi louynge. & ellis noght.

2. Cantate ei & psallite ei: narrate omnia mirabilia eius, laudamini in nomine sancto eius. ¶ Syngis til him and psalme says til him: tellis all the wondirs of him. ȝe ere louyd in his haly name. ¶ Syngis with mouth & louys him with dede. tellys all his wondirs. for all that ȝe say of him ere wondirs. ȝe ere louyd. that is. wyrkis swa that ȝe be louyd. in his name, that ȝe ioy noght in ȝoure selfe in any goed werke: or that he says. that we hafe ioy to be kalde cristen men of crist.

3. Letetur cor querencium dominum, querite dominum & confirmamini: querite faciem eius semper. ¶ ffayn be the hert of sekand oure lord; sekis oure lord and ȝe ere confermyd, sekis his face euermare. ¶ Aswhasay. fayne may thai be that sekis god and noght ellis: sekis him in mede, and swa ȝe ere confermyd to wit what ȝe sall do. and to hafe grace to do it in dede. and ay whils ȝe life. sekis his face. that is, his presens, that ȝe hafe it withouten ende. when ȝe ere passid out of this warlde.

4. Mementote mirabilium eius que fecit: prodigia eius & iudicia oris eius. ¶ Vmthynkys of his wondirs the whilk he did: his takyns and the domys of his mouth. ¶ Aswhasay, ȝe

that ere wayke and seke. and may noght wyn til perfeccioun. thynkis on his wondirs and on his domys. that ȝe halde ȝou fra ill. and aforce ȝou til goed.

5. Semen abraham serui eius: filij iacob electi eius. ¶ Sede of abraham his seruaunt: sunnys of iacob the chosen of him. ¶ Till whaim says he this: till cristen men. that ere sede of abraham: for thai trow as he did. and folouers of iacob, wrestland agayn thaire fleyss and likynge of this warld.

6. Ipse dominus deus noster: in vniuersa terra iudicia eius. ¶ He lord oure god: in all the erth the domys of him. ¶ That is, thorgh all the warld ere iacob and [S &. U ad.] israel. that is, right|wismen, til whaim he shewis his domes.

7. Memor fuit in seculum testamenti sui: verbi quod mandauit in mille generaciones. ¶ Menand he was in warld of his testament: of the worde that he commandid in a thousand generaciouns. ¶ That is, he had in mynd to fulfil the hetynge of his new testament. that is, of rightwisnes and of endles heritage that he hight in the new testament, that lastis in warld, that is, withouten end. and he was menand of the word that he comaundid in a thousand generaciouns. that is, in all til the warldis end. in the whilk he biddis men lif rightwisly. in his worde.

8. Quod disposuit ad abraham: & iuramenti sui ad ysaac. ¶ The whilk he ordaynd til abraham: and of his athe til ysaac. ¶ Aswhasay, he was menand of his worde that he ordaynd till abraham, and of his athe that he ordaynd til ysaac.

9. Et statuit illud iacob in preceptum: in israel in testa|mentum eternum. ¶ And he sett it til iacob in comaundment: and til israel in endles testament. ¶ Lo the worde that is in bid|dynge is in hetynge. for til all that dos the worde of his comaund|ment; he hetys ioy withouten end. And vndirstand that he kallis testament. that thynge that is hight. and the lare in the whilke the hetynge is prechid. and for the whilke kepid. it is ȝolden.

10. Dicens tibi dabo terram chanaan: funiculum heredi|tatis vestre. ¶ Sayand til the .i. sall gif the land of chanaan: strenge of ȝoure heritage. ¶ That land he gaf thaim in figure of endles heritage, that til all men fallis noght. forthi says he, strenge of ȝoure heritage. that is, .i. gif heuen in heritage til anly tha that ere takyne [S. U takynd.] with the strenge of predestinacioun of god. and as the

land was delt in twelfe partys with a strenge. alswa in an endles lif ere sere wonynge stedis. chanaan is als mykil at say as meke. for in til heuen naman cumys bot that is meke. when was this hetynge made.

11. Cum essent numero breui: paucissimi & incole eius. ¶ When thai ware of short noumbire: and faest the tilers of it. ¶ That is, of the land of chanaan, are thai ware multiplied in egipt.

12. Et pertransierunt de gente in gentem: & de regno ad populum alterum. ¶ And thai passid fra genge til genge: and fra regne til other folke. ¶ The regne he kallis that land of promyssion: for thare was the regne of israel.

13. Non reliquit hominem nocere eis: & corripuit pro eis reges. ¶ He left noght man to noy til thaim; and he chastid for thaim kyngis. ¶ He left noght. that is, he suffird noght men to noy thaim. and twa kyngis. abymelech. for rebecca. and pharao for sara, he chastyd. sayand.

14. Nolite tangere xpos meos: & in prophetis meis nolite malignari. ¶ Willis noght neghe my cristis: and in my prophetis willis noght be illwillid. ¶ It semys that thai ware cristen men that tyme, for he callis thaim cristis. bot pryuely it was.

15. Et vocauit famem super terram: & omne firmamen|tum panis contriuit. ¶ And he callid hongire abouen erth: and all the festynynge of brede he altobrake. ¶ That is, he wastid all brede that festis men in life. and swa he bad that hungire sould cum, that gert thaim ga fra genge til genge, as men dos in gret hungire.

16. Misit ante eos virum: in seruum venundatus est ioseph. ¶ He sent bifore thaim aman: in seruant salde is ioseph. ¶ Joseph was sald of his brether: sithen for rightwisnes eftire anguys he was heghid in egipt. and resayfed his fadire and his brether in thaire nede. alswa ihū crist eftire his passion heghid in heuen resayfis his lufers til him.

17. Humiliauerunt in compedibus pedes eius, ferrum pertransijt animam eius: donec veniret verbum eius. ¶ Thai mekid in fetirs his fete. yryn passid thorgh his saule: til that the worde come of him. ¶ Aswhasay, he was in grete anguys. swa that iryn, that is, harde nede, was in his saule, brenand

and bisy in wrechidnes: til that his worde. that is, vndoynge of dreme come til him.

18. Eloquium domini inflammauit eum: misit rex & soluit eum, princeps populorum, & dimisit eum. ¶ The worde of oure lord enflaummyd him: the kynge sent & he lesyd him, the prynce of folk, and he left him. ¶ That is, the halygast shewand pryuetes stird him to say the thynge that was atcum. and swa he was lesyd of pyne & laten out of prison.

19. Constituit eum dominum domus sue: & principem omnis possessionis sue. ¶ He sett him lord of his hous: and prince of all his possession. ¶ That is, kynge pharao sett ioseph swilk mayster, for the wisdome that he saghe was in him.

20. Vt erudiret principes eius sicut semetipsum: & senes eius prudenciam doceret. ¶ That he lerid his pryncys as him selfe: and his eldryn men teche quayntys. ¶ To gouern the land & beware with oncomys.

21. Et intrauit israel in egiptum: & iacob accola fuit in terra cham. ¶ And israel entird in til egipt; & iacob cumlynge was in land of cham. ¶ Cham is egipt. for cham was fadire of chanaan. of whaim men of egipt come. thus oft sithe halymen dwellis amange synful men for nede of bodily sustenaunce.

22. Et auxit populum suum vehementer: & firmauit eum super inimicos eius. ¶ And he ekid his folke gretly: and he festid thaim abouen thaire enmys. ¶ That was thorgh wondirs that god shewid in egipt for delyueraunce of his folke.

23. Conuertit cor eorum vt odirent populum eius: & dolum facerent in seruos eius. ¶ He turnyd the hert of thaim that thai hatid his folk: and that thai did treson in his seruauntis. ¶ God sendis na malice in any mannys hert. bot thaire hert was wickid in it selfe. forthi when god ekid his folk in noumbire and riches thai ware stird til enuy. and hatid thaim. and did treson forto less thaim in werke of mortere and sclate. & than god.

24. Misit moysen seruum suum: aaron quem elegit ipsum. ¶ He sent moyes his seruaunt: aaron him whaim he chese. ¶ What office was [S. U whas.] of thaim.

25. Posuit in eis verba signorum suorum: & prodigiorum in terra cham. ¶ He sett in thaim the wordis of his takyns: and of his wondirs in land of cham. ¶ That is, thorgh thaim he

did takyns and wondirs, the whilk as wordis [U wondirs. N. words. S,M wordes.] bitakynd sumwhat. lo takyns.

26. Misit tenebras & obscurauit: & non exacerbauit sermones suos. ¶ He sent myrknes and he myrkid: & he sharpid noght his wordis. ¶ Bigynynge of pynes is of myrknes. for als sone as any man despisis godis biddynge his hert is blyndid. and swa he fallis lightly in all other synnys. and he sharpid noght his wordis. that is, he fulfild thaim, and confermyd thaim with myrakils.

27. Conuertit aquas eorum in sanguinem: & occidit pisces eorum. ¶ He turnyd thaire watirs in blode: and he sloghe thaire fysshis. ¶ That he did. that man sould hafe na hope of life in watirs. when that dyes in the watirs that is kyndly nuryst in thaim.

28. Et dedit terram eorum ranas: in penetrabilibus regum ipsorum. ¶ And he gaf thaire land froskis: in the chaumbirs of thaire kyngis. ¶ That is, he turnyd thaire land as in till froskis: for thare was swa many that is wondire to tell. and thaire kyngis ware felaghes with froskis. swilke ere oure [S om.] pryncys now, that ledis thaire life in filth of syn.

29. Dixit & venit cynomia & sciniphes: in omnibus finibus eorum. ¶ He sayd & hundfle come and mydge: in all thaire endis. ¶ The mydge that [S. U om.] is less than a fle. is rosynge and bost of lordis, that distroys thaim in all that thai hafe done til god.

30. Posuit pluuias eorum grandinem: ignem comburen|tem in terra ipsorum. ¶ He sett thaire raynys haghil: fyre brenand in land of thaim. ¶ That is. for rayn that makis the erth to gif froyte. was haghil, that dryes that it neghis. and fyre brenand. that is, thunurs and leuenyngis he sett in thaire land: with tha thunurs.

31. Et percussit vineas eorum & ficulneas eorum: & con|triuit lignum finium eorum. ¶ And he smate thaire vynȝerdis. & thaire fige trese: and he altobrake the wod of thaire endis. ¶ Swa it is in thaim that brekis godis comandment: thai tyne all gastly fode & swetnes in saule.

32. Dixit & venit locusta & brucus: cuius non erat numerus. ¶ He sayd & the locust come and the bruyk: of the

whilk was na noumbire. ¶ The locust is modire of the bruyk: thai ere litill bestis, bot thai ere ful noyous. forlo.

33. Et comedit omne fenum in terra eorum: & comedit omnem fructum terre eorum. ¶ And it ete all the hay in land of thaim: and it ete all the froyte of thaire erth. ¶ Hay he callis gress that growis by it selfe. froyt, korne that men trauayls fore. locust, that fleghis with stirtyngis, is vaynglory, that makis many ill stirtyngis in pride. bruk, that is all gedird in bely. is outrage in mete & drynk. of there twa bestis cumys sorow withouten noumbire. for tha twa vicys desayfes ma men. than any man will wit.

34. Et percussit omne primogenitum in terra eorum: primicias omnis laboris eorum. ¶ And he smate all first borne in thaire land: the first of all thaire trauel [S. U froyte.] . ¶ This was the last woundere in egipt. thorgh the whilke thai ware ouercomen. the kynge and his men. & suffird godis folke to pass.

35. Et eduxit eos cum argento & auro: & non erat in tribubus eorum infirmus. ¶ And he led thaim out with [S. U in.] syluere & golde: and thare was nane seke in thaire kynredyns. ¶ In bodily seknes: that was a gret benefice of god. God had bidyn borow of the men of egipt vessels of gold and siluere and precyous clathis, and bere thaim away with thaim: that bitakyns that philosophirs and heretykis sould be spoylid of all thaire wordis that ere notabil til cristen men.

36. Letata est egiptus in profeccione eorum: quia in|cubuit timor eorum super eos. ¶ Egipt was fayn in thaire wendynge: for thaire drede lay on thaim. ¶ ffor thai herd that swa many was perysst in the rede see. tha that left in egipt was rade. that the folke of israel sould hafe cumen agayn. and slane thaim. forthi ware thai glade that thai ware gayne. as now an enuyous|man is wa that a goed man is bisyde him. and he is glade when he is away.

37. Expandit nubem in proteccionem eorum: & ignem vt luceret eis per noctem. ¶ He spred out cloude in hilynge of thaim: and fyre that it shane til thaim by nyght. ¶ The cloude he sprede to hill fra brennynge of the son. and the fyre that thai myght see in myrk nyght.

38. Petierunt & venit coturnix: & pane celi saturauit

eos. ¶ Thai askid and the curlu come: with brede of heuen he [S. U om.] fild thaim. ¶ Thai askid fleyss, and god sent the curlu. and manna fra heuen.

39. Disrupit petram & fluxerunt aque: abierunt in sicco flumina. ¶ He brast the stane and watirs ran: in dry ȝede the flodis. ¶ In all there beneficys he comendis in abraham meryt of trouth.

40. Quoniam memor fuit verbi sancti sui: quod habuit ad abraham puerum suum. ¶ ffor menand he was of his haly worde: that he had till abraham his barne. ¶ That is, he was menand of his hetynge til abraham: the whilk fulfilland in figure. he bitakynd endles ioy.

41. Et eduxit populum suum in exultacione: & electos suos in leticia. ¶ And he outled his folke in ioiynge; and his chosen in faynes. ¶ ffor thai that gruchid he sloghe thaim in desert. swa halymen and his seruauntis with gret ioy he bryngis til heuen.

42. Et dedit illis regiones gencium: & labores populorum possederunt. ¶ And he gaf til thaim rewmys of genge: and trauayls of folke thai weldid. ¶ That is, the froit that other folke trauaild fore thai had of godis gift, with thaire rewmys.

43. Vt custodiant iustificationes eius: & legem eius exquirant. ¶ That thai kepe his rightwisyngis; and seke the laghe of him. ¶ Aswhasay, he gafe thaim noght erthly thynge for thai sould sett thaire likynge thar in. and wax slaw in his seruys for sikirnes thar of. as men dos. bot for thai sould kepe his rightwys|yngis. that is, the luf of god. and of thaire neghbure. & ay thynkand til heuen seke his laghe gastly.