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 IX.]

CONFITEBOR tibi domine in toto corde meo: narra bo omnia mirabilia tua. ¶ I sall schrife lord til the in all my herte; i sall tell all thi wondirs. ¶ Here the prophet spekis agayns thaim that grucchis with the ese of ill men, and the trauaile and anguys of goed men. I sall shrif til the lord. that is i. sall loue the in all my hert, hally gedirand it til thi luf, and gifand na party thar of til erroure na til couaitise, na til fleschly luf. A vile errour it is that sum men says that god does vnrightwisly in many thynge in erth: for thaim thynke that thai sould noght be doen: as i. herd say noght lang sythen. of a man of religioun and of gret fame. that when he was in the se ypoynt to perisch. he sayd til god, lord thou does vnrightwisly if thou suffire me to perisch here. God myght haf answerd him. my rightwisnes rechis to suffire a bettere man than thou ert to perisch here. for i hope had he beyne a right|wisman he had noght sayd swa. for all ere vnrightwis that hopes that any vnrightwisnes may be in godis will. Bot i. sall loue the in all thi werkis, and tell all thi wondirs: that is bath that ere sen and that ere noght sene, visibiles and invisibils.

2. Letabor & exultabo in te: psallam nomini tuo altis|sime. ¶ I sall be fayn and i. sall glade in the; and i. sall synge to thi name aldirheghest. ¶ As wha say, i. sall tell til other, and ynence my selfe i. sall be glad in the, na thynge ȝernand bot the. for naman has ioy in the thynge that he lufis noght. Anly luf is cheson of sorow and of ioy. and ioyand i. sall synge to thi name. thou aldirheghest. this syngynge is to wirk goed werkis in louynge of god. and in ensaumpile of men.

3. In conuertendo inimicum meum retrorsum: infirma|buntur

& peribunt a facie tua. ¶ In turnand myn enmy bihynd: thai sall be seke, and thai sall perisch fra thi face. ¶ Thou has turned the deuel byhynd, that is thou gers him fle fra thi seruauntes, that he ouere come thaim noght: and wickid men his lymmys sall be seke. that is swa febile in ill that thai sall na myght hafe to noy till goed men: and thai sall perisch in the day of dome fra thi face, falland in the fire of hell.

4. Quoniam fecisti iudicium meum & causam meam: sedes super thronum qui iudicas iusticiam. ¶ ffor thou did my dome and my cheson; thou sittis on trone that demys rightwisnes. ¶ Thou did my dome. that is thou demyd in thi goednes to departe me fra the malice of the deuel and his lymmes. that i. ware noght felagh with thaim in synn: and my cheson of clennes that may noght be tourmentid with vnclennes: for thou sittes on trone as iuge that demes rightwisly: and [U ins. 'in.'] demand.

5. Increpasti gentes & perijt impius: nomen eorum delesti in eternum & in seculum seculi. ¶ Thou blamed genge, and the wicked perischt; the name of tha thou did away withouten end and in warld of warld. ¶ This lettere may be red in goed. thou blamed genge. that is thou made thaim rad [S ins. 'or ferde.'] for thaire syn, and swa wickid perischt, that is the deuel lost his right that he has [S haues. and elsewhere.] in thaim. the name of wickid thou did away. swa that thai namare haf the name of wickidmen: for nane is wickid that lufis god. bot thai haf the name of goed men thurgh thaire penance. warld of warld he calles that at is withouten end.

6. Inimici defecerunt framee in finem: & ciuitates eorum destruxisti. ¶ Swerdis of the enmy fayld in end; and the cites of tha thou has distroid. ¶ The swerdis of oure enmy ere the rebellions of the deuel, and sere errours, in the whilk he slas wrecchid saules: bot thai faild in end, that is thurght ihū crist, that is end of goed mennys desire: and the cites of tha, that is ill men, in the whilk fendis regnes, thou has distroid: that is thou putt out fendis and made thaim thi seruauntes: the folk of the deuels cites is deliciouse affecciouns of flescly lust, and drubild stiryngs of pryde, and ire and lichery, that raises ilk day contekis in thaim.

7. Periit memoria eorum cum sonitu: & dominus in eternum permanet. ¶ The mynd of tha perischt with dyn; and lord duelles withouten end. ¶ That is the mynd of tha that dyes in

thaire synn. sall perisch in a nother warld. with dyn, that is with gret cryynge. as it is when mykell honur & gret lordschipe comes down with sorow in all mennys wondirynge. bot oure lord that pun|ysch thaire synn has nan endynge: for

8. Parauit in iudicium thronum suum: & ipse iudicabit orbem terre in equitate, iudicabit populos in iusticia. ¶ He redid in dome his trone: and he sall deme the world of the erth in euenhed, he sall deme folk in rightwisnes. ¶ He redid his trone, that is myght of demynge, in dome noght in mercy. as he does now when he resaifes all till penance that will. than is bot dome: for thof tha haf than neuere swa mykill sorow fore thaire synn, he will resayue noght ane. bot than he sall deme the erth in euenes, that is he sall gif till all men as thai ere worthi. and he sall deme folk in rightwisnes. for thai that has lufed him mare sall sitt nerre him in heuen. and thai that has synned mare sall be deppest in hell.

9. Et factus est dominus refugium pauperi: adiutor in oportunitatibus in tribulacione. ¶ And made is lord fleynge til the pore: helpere in tydfulnesses in tribulacioun. ¶ God is fleynge fra ill til the pore. that is he that lufis noght and couaitis noght of this world. and he is helpere to doe the goed. til him that is sett in tydfulnesses, that is in tribulacioun: and wele he calles tribulacioun tydfulnes: for nedfulere is noght a man drawen. fra the lust of the warld. than when god melles sorow anguys & trauaile till his flescly lykynge, for to gere him leue thaim and draw til him.

10. Et sperent in te qui nouerunt nomen tuum: quoniam non dereliquisti querentes te domine. ¶ And hope thai in the all that has knawen thi name: for thou forsoke noght lord sekand the. ¶ Thou ert fleynge tyll pore men, noght til riche. that lufis other thynge than the. for thai hope in the. noght in the warlde ne in any man: all that has knawn thi name. that is at say, thai at haf felid the suetnes in thaire saule of ihū, and knawis it be prouynge: noght that knawis it be sight o boke and tellynge of mouth. for thou for|soke noght sekand the. and noght ellis: of thou suffire thaim be in seknes or in tribulacioun. thou forsakes thaim noght, bot swa mykell thou ordayns thaim til the mare ioy.

11. Psallite domino qui habitat in syon: annunciate inter gentes studia eius. ¶ Synges til lord that wonnys in syon; shewis ymange the genge the studi of him. ¶ ȝe that sekis oure lord syngis til him. that is loues him wele, sayand hele of saule, and

fulfilland in ded that ȝe say. he wonnes in syon, that is in halykirke, and in a contemplatif saule, that has ay the eghe vpwarde til him. his studis ere his comaundmentis, in the whilk we aghe to study, that is to thynke: and we aghe to shew thaim til other that kan thaim noght.

12. Quoniam requirens sanguinem eorum recordatus est: non est oblitus clamorem pauperum. ¶ ffor sekand the blode of thaim he has vmthoght him; he has noght forgetyn the cry of pore. ¶ If we suffire persecucioun & the ded of ill men for sothfastnes, we sall noght tharfor lef to say and to doe godis will. for he is [S. U om.] sekand with vengaunce the blode of thaim that ere wrangwisly slane or harmed. in his dome, whare ioy is til him that has suffred wrange. and pyne till him that did wrange. and he has vmthoght him to glorifie his seruantes and to punysch thaire mysdoers, and he has noght forgetyn the cry of pore men. that is, gret desire of thaim that ere in anguys, and says till god.

13. Miserere mei domine, vide humilitatem meam: de inimicis meis. ¶ Haf mercy of me lord; see my meknes: of my enmys. ¶ Ane spekis for all. haf mercy of me & see with the eghe of mercy. the lokynge of god is help: for he is light. when he comes he puttis away myrknes and cleris the [S. U that.] thoght. see my meknes, that is help it. for how mykill it be it is shewid of myn enmys. Als my|kill is he mekid as his enmys ere heghid in pride. see thou.

14. Qui exaltas me de portis mortis: vt annunciem omnes laudaciones tuas in portis filie syon. ¶ That heghis me fra the ȝates of ded: that i. shew all thi louyngis in the ȝates of the doghtire of syon. ¶ Thai ere heghed withouten. bot thou heghis me with ynnen: fere fra the ȝates of ded. that is fra all wickyd couaitis, thurgh the whilk men gas till ded. Ded is that ioy that ill men has when thai oise that thynge that thai wickidly couaitid. for thi says the apostle. the widow that lifes in delites is ded: til the whilk delites men comes thurght couaytis as thurgh ȝates of ded. and fra tha ȝates thou heghis me: that i. shew all thi louyngis. that is when all that i. say is the louynge of god. in the ȝatis of syon. that ere trouth. hope and charite. withouten there may naman loue god.

15. Exultabo in salutari tuo: infixe sunt gentes in in|teritu quem fecerunt. ¶ I sall be glad in thi hele: festid ere

genge in the ded that thai made. ¶ I sall be glad gastly in thi [S. U om.] hele, that is in ihū, of whaim we haf hele. bot genge, that lifes in lust & likynge of thaire flesch, ere festid in ded of synn, with nailes of ill delite. that is at say, thai dye in saule: the whilk ded thai made synnand. for pyne til ilk man is his awn wickidnes. his synnes turnes in till pyne: swa that [S. U om.] that thynge that is delite till man synnand is instrument til god punyschand.

16. In laqueo isto quem absconderunt: comprehensus est pes eorum. ¶ In this snare the whilk thai hid: taken is the fote of thaim. ¶ That is at say, in thaire desayuabil counsaile thaire luf [S. U om.] is taken. for the delite byndes thaim swa that thai dare noght breke ill luf and turne till god. for sorow is to forsake thynge that delites. and that sorow suffirs thaim noght to be trew.

17. Cognoscetur dominus iudicia faciens: in operibus manuum suarum comprehensus est peccator. ¶ Lord sall be knawen doand domes: in werkis of his hend taken is the synful. ¶ Here is god priue, and all his domes ere noght knawen. bot he sall be knawn of all doand domes. that is in the day of dome. when he sall tuyn all ill fra the goed. and than the synnfull sall be takyn in werkis of his hend; swa that he nourewhare fle. fra dampnacioun that he deseruyd with ill dedis.

18. Conuertantur peccatores in infernum: omnes gentes que obliuiscuntur deum. ¶ Tornyd be synful in till hell; all the genge that forgetis god. ¶ That is at say, synful men that dwellis in thaire synn sall be turnyd in till hell, that thai na lengere haf ioy. in thaire lustis. he neuens hell by name. that synful men wit wele. that thai sall till na sted bot till hell when thai dye. and all that forgetis god. God biddis vs luf him in all oure hert. for trew lufere is ay lufand: than ere thai wele worthi hell that forgetis god and lufis him [S. U om.] noght.

19. Quoniam non in finem obliuio erit pauperis: pacien|cia pauperum non peribit in finem. ¶ ffor noght in the endynge sall be forgetynge of pore; the tholmodnes of pore sall noght perisch at the end. ¶ As wha say. god thynkis on thaim that thynkis on him. pore men thynkis on him: and for thi, thof thai be despisid now. when the riche florisches. in the endynge of the warld god forgetis thaim noght. and that for thaire tholemodnes.

that is necessarie here if thai will be thoght on thare. If pore men be that has na tholemodnes i. wen that god will forgett thaim.

20. Exurge domine, non confortetur homo: iudicentur gentes in conspectu tuo. ¶ Rise lord, man be noght strenghid; demed be genge in thi sight. ¶ Here the prophet prays that the dome ware comen. for spekand of the end of the warld thurgh lyghtnynge of his hert. he bi held the comynge [S. U comen.] of antecrist: whare fore he was rad [S adrede.] , and cried, rise lord for to deme: that the thol|modnes of pore perisch noght. and man be noght strenghid. that is the utter man haf noght maistry of the inere. na antecrist be noght ledere of the pore: bot demed be genge. that is thorgh him be thai put in tyll synn in thi syght. thof thai seme florischand bifor men.

21. Constitue domine legis latorem super eos: sciant gentes quoniam homines sunt. ¶ Sett lord bryngere of laghe obouen thaim; wit genge that thai ere men. ¶ ffor thai wild noght luf the and thi laghe. sett antecrist, bryngere of wickid laghe, obouen thaim, that is in dampnacioun of thaim: and swa witt genge that lifis as thaim list. wit thai thurgh tourment. that thai ere men. that is that thai ware foles, noght seruaunt till crist bot till antecrist.

22. Vt quid domine recessisti longe: despicis in opor|tunitatibus in tribulacione. ¶ Whi lord departid thou ferre: thou dispises in tydfulnesis in tribulacyon. ¶ God semes fere gane. when he helpis [S. U hepis.] noght als tyte as men wild. bot whi does he that; for thaire goed, to proue thaire paciens. for thou despisis in nedfulneses [S tidfulness.] in tribulacyon. that is nedfully [S tidfully.] thou suffirs vs to be angird and tribled, that oure synnes swa be purged and oure mede be the mare.

23. Dum superbit impius incenditur pauper: compre|henduntur in consilijs quibus cogitant. ¶ I whils the wickid prides kyndeld is the pore; takyn thai ere in counsailes in whilk thai thynke. ¶ As wha say. thou suffirs men to be in anguys, that the pore be kyndeld in ȝernynge of thi comynge. for whils the wicked shewis malice the pore is brent in the luf of god, or purged of synn, and the wickid ere taken in counsails, that is in the thoght in the whilk thai thoght to take other men.

24. Quoniam laudatur peccator in desideriis anime sue: & iniquus benedicitur. ¶ ffor the synfull is loued in ȝernyngis of his saule: and the wickid is blissyd. ¶ Thaire will & thaire

thoghtis ere bandis till thaim. for the synful is loued of his flaterers. noght amendid na chastid, in ȝernyngis of his saule, that is in fulfil|lynge of the ȝernyngis of his flesch. Grete ire is [S. U om.] of god when corec|cioun is away and flaterynge comes that byndes [S boldes.] men in synn. for that thynge has man delite to doe in the whilk thai hafe sum louere & nan with takere. and the wickid that noyes til his [S. U om.] neghtbure es blissid, that is loued in his werke, thof he ware better worthi to be werid. and therfore.

25. Exacerbauit dominum peccator: secundum multitu|dinem ire sue non queret. ¶ The synful sharpid god: eftire the mykilnes of his ire he sall noght seke. ¶ Antecrist sall sharp god, that is sall excite him in his synn to punysch him [U ins. antecrist. S om.] in sharp & bittire pyne, swa that god that is wont to seke men & kall thaim fra thaire synn, sal noght seke antecrist. that is sall noght bihald his synnes to venge [U vennge.] thaim here. that thai be venged in hell. and that eftire the mykilnes of the wreth of god. for he is mykil wrethid til him when he suffirs him or any other come til honures & riches thorgh gilrys and syn, and chasties thaim noght here.

26. Non est deus in conspectu eius: inquinate sunt vie illius in omni tempore. ¶ God is noght in the syght of him; fyled ere his wayes in ilk tyme. ¶ Men thynk it mykill ill when any man has tynt his bodily syght. than is it full mykel wrecchidnes in a mannys saule when the light of sothfastnes has forsaken it. for wickidnes: that is cheson whi god is noght bifore his eghen: for thi ere his [S. U is.] wayes foule, that is his thoghtis wordis and dedis, the whilke ledis till hell. in ilk tyme, that is in all the tyme of his lyf.

27. Auferuntur iudicia tua a facie eius: omnium inimi|corum suorum dominabitur. ¶ Taken away ere thi domes fra the face of him: of all his enmys he sall be lord. ¶ He thynkis noght of godis rightwisnes. for he wenes that god will noght dampne him, for god delayes his dome awhile. & that while he sall be lord of all his enmys: for it is writen that he sall ouere come all kynges, and regne by him ane, and sitt in the tempill of god, heghand him abouen god.

28. Dixit enim in corde suo: non mouebor a genera|cione in generacionem sine malo. ¶ ffor he sayd in hys hert; i sall noght be stirid fra getynge in getynge [S kynreden into kynreden.] with outen ill. ¶ This he sall say in his hert: for bifor men he sall say other thynge, as he

ware god. neuere the lattere he sall be a foule lichoure in wymmen priuely. what sayd he, .i. sall noght be stirid, that is, my fame & my honur sall noght pass, fra this generacioun in all other that ere at come, withouten artis [S artes.] . for he wenes that he may wyn fra erth till heuen. thurght the deuels craft: as symon magus wend. and merlyn, as thai say.

29. Cuius malediccione os plenum est, & amaritudine & dolo: sub lingua eius labor & dolor. ¶ Whas mouth is ful of weriynge & bitternes. & treson; vndire his tonge trauaile & sorow. ¶ His mouth is ful of weriynge, that is blasfemy in god, and bittirnes, that is bittere wordes and manauce, and treson, that is bloundisynge. with there wordes he sall desaif the folk. and vndire his tonge is trauaile and sorrow: that is he sall thynk how he may tourment and sla haly men in trauaile and sorow.

30. Sedet in insidiis cum diuitibus in occultis: vt inter|ficiat innocentem. ¶ He sittis in waitis with the riche in hidels; that he sla the innocente. ¶ He sall sitt with the riche men of this warld, the whilk he has made riche, and shew thare fals ioy and honur. for to desayf other: and that in waytes sett in hidils, that is in doute. whare men may noght lyghtly see whilk way thai sall take. and whilk fle. that he sla the innocent. that is of an that is goed make ane ill.

31. Oculi eius in pauperem respiciunt: insidiatur in abscondito, quasi leo in spelunca sua. ¶ The eghen of him lokes in the pore; he waytes in hidell, as leon in his dyke. ¶ ffor the kyngdome of heuen is hally pore mennys. cruelly he lokes in thaim. for he wate wele if he myght wyn tha. he ware sykere of all tha other. he waytes in hidell. for he that is desaifed knawis it noght. as leon, for strenght and violence. in his dike, for gilry. he sall haf strenght in his biddynge, & gilery in myracles.

32. Insidiatur vt rapiat pauperem: rapere pauperem dum attrahit eum. ¶ He waites that he rauysch the pore; to rauysch the pore i. whils he drawis him. ¶ He waites with treson to rauysch the pore fra god, to rauysch the pore fra blissid pouert and make him riche in fals delites. whils he drawis him til him with fayre hetis [S hetynge.] & sare pynes. Wha may thynke whatkyn tribulacioun that sall be when he [S. U om.] that will desaife sall hafe the swerd in the ta hand & the myracle in the tother.

33. In laqueo suo humiliabit eum: inclinabit se & cadet cum dominatus fuerit pauperum. ¶ In his snare he sall meke him; he sall held him and he sall fall. when he has beyn lord of pore. ¶ In his snare, that is his gile, he sall meke the pore. for halymen sall be despisid than. and sett att noght. for the many wondirfull signes of antecrist. bot when he is in his mast ioy, he sall held him sodanly, and fall in ded of hell. [U ins. 'bot.'] when he has beyn lord of pore, sloand thaim in body noght in saule. riche he sall sla in saule.

34. Dixit enim in corde suo, oblitus est deus: auertit faciem suam ne videat in finem. ¶ ffor he sayd in his hert; god has forgetyn; he turnys away his face that he see noght in the end. ¶ His thoght is that god has forgetyn to safe pore men. or to punysch him. and that is he turnes away his face fra him. or fra thaim: that he see noght in the end. that is. that he see noght the thyngis the whilke ere doen in this erth. and reke noght of mennys dedis. for the erth is the end of thyngis, and the last element: in the whilke na thynge is doen withouten ordere: bot men sees it noght. for thi haly kirke in that tyme, trauailand as a ship in gret stormes, prayes the dome, and says.

35. Exurge domine deus & exaltetur manus tua: ne obliuiscaris pauperum. ¶ Rise lord god, heghid be thi hand; forget noght the pore. ¶ Rise lord. that is com soen: he spekis of vengaunce agaynes antecrist and his fautours, of the whilke this warld is now ful. heghid be thi hand. that is shew thi myght and thi dome. and forget noght the pore, as antecrist wenes.

36. Propter quid irritauit impius deum: dixit enim in corde suo, non requiret. ¶ ffor what thynge the wickid [S wyke.] excitid god; for he sayd in his hert he sall noght seke. ¶ That is at say, what profet has he to doe swa many illes, for the whilk he excitid god to doe him pyne. for he sayd in his hert. noght trowand god punyschare of synnes. he sall noght seke that i. doe, to punysch it [S. U om.] .

37. Vides, quoniam tu laborem & dolorem consideras: vt tradas eos in manus tuas. ¶ Thou sees, for thou trauaile & sorow bihaldis: that thou gif thaim in till thi hend. ¶ Antecrist sayd that thou sekis noght. bot he leghis. for thou sees, that is thou knawis in what maner thou may gif thaim in till thi hend, that is in till thi vengaunce. vgly is it to fall in there hend. for thou bihaldis

the trauaile and the sorow that he has doen till haly men, that he be tourmentid thare [U thaire. S thore.] eftire.

38. Tibi derelictus est pauper: orphano tu eris adiutor. ¶ Til the is left the pore; till stepbarn thou sall be helpere. ¶ The pore, that leues all the couaitis of this warld, is left til god. that crist be anly his hope. til the stepbarn, that is he of whaim his fadire the deuel and the warld is ded. that gat him in till syn. thou sall be helpere til heuen.

39. Contere brachium peccatoris & maligni: queretur peccatum illius & non inuenietur. ¶ Altobreke the arme of the synful and of the ill willd; soght sall be the syn of him. and it sall noght be funden. ¶ Breke the arme, that is the myght of the synful in him selfe destroy: and of the ill willed, begiland othere: soght sall be his synn, that is. he sall be demed of his synn. and it sall noght be funden: that is. & he sall perische for his syn. his synn he calles his pouste that made [S halp.] him to synn. and nouther that. na the stede of him sall be funden eftere domes day. for than n a mare sall be knawen in erth whare synful mannys wonynge was. than thou man [? mon S may.] now knaw the steppis of the foghill. in the ayre.

40. Dominus regnabit in eternum & in seculum seculi: peribitis gentes de terra illius. ¶ Lord sall be kynge with|outen end and in warld of warld; perische sall ye genge fra the land of him. ¶ This kyngdome sall be the graciousere for the illes that rennys bifore: & when antecrist is distroid. all goed sall regne [U renge. S reyne.] thare in. bot ye genge, that is all ye synful, that lifis noght in the luf of god [S ins. 'yee.'] , sall perische fra the land of heuen.

41. Desiderium pauperum exaudiuit dominus: prepara|cionem cordis eorum exaudiuit auris tua. ¶ The ȝernynge of pore men lord herd; the rediynge of thaire hert herd thin ere. ¶ The ȝernynge of pore that brennys in luf and couaits the comynge of crist. thou herd: the rediynge of thaire hert. that is thaire hert redy to serue the. and to thole. thin ere herd, that is thi myght and thi mercy. for in the godhed is na bodily lym. bot we sall vndirstand in swilk wordis his myght and his werke. bren|nynge of desire is when all myghtis of oure saule is gedired to couait anly a thynge.

42. Iudicare pupillo et humili: vt non apponat vltra

magnificare se homo super terram. ¶ ffor to deme to the fadirles barn & till the meke; that man sett noght ouer to wirschip him self abouen erth. ¶ ffor to deme to fadirles barn: that is that crist gif sentence of dome. for him that confourmes him till godis will, noght til this warld: and til the meke, noght til the proud, agayns wham the dome sall ga. that na man sett in his hert to wirschip him self, that is to make him gret: for he mon be broght down with sorow ouere this: [S ins. 'that is.'] fra he haf herd this lare and damp|nynge of antecrist and all his, for thaire pride. abouen erth. that is that na man be hardy him to heghe abouen the stabilnes of haly men and godis seruauntes.