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.

This blessyd boke that here begynneth; full of louyng and melodye, Of prayours be the which me wynneth; the grace of god all myȝtye, Dauid sauter it is cald; a holy prophet and a kynge, That holy chirche worthiest hold; in goddys seruys for to synge. ¶ This blessid boke kynge Dauyd made; thorogh teching of the holy gost, But he pleynle in him hade; which is euur of myȝtes most. Euery day at vche an oure; holy cherch in vche a place Louys tharwith our saueoure; with psalmes of his grete grace. ¶ In this boke who so wol rede; he may fynd salue ful sete To the soul, if he take hede; tharof the psalmes ben ful swete: Line 10 To hem that haue vndurstondyng; & lvsten god to plese or paye, Hit makes hertys all brennyng; in luf of god lastand aye. ¶ In this boke is muche vertu; to reders with deuocyown, And lufen hertly crist ihū; & hym to serue bene redy bown. Mych vertu he may him wynne; that seys thes psalmes deuoutlye, If he be out of dedly synne; and in perfyt charite. ¶ Bot for the psalmes bene ful derke; in many a place whos wol take hede, And the sentence is ful merke; euery row who so wol rede; Hit nedeth exposicyon; written wel with monnes honde, To stirre to more deuocyowne; & hit the bettur vndurstonde. Line 20 ¶ Therfore a worthy holy man; cald Rychard Hampole, Whom the lord that all thing can; leryd lely on his scole, Glosed the sauter that sues here; in englysch tong sykerly, At a worthy recluse prayer; cald dame Merget kyrkby. ¶ This same sauter in all degre; is the self in sothnes That lyȝt at hampole in surte; at Richard own' berynes, That he wrote with his hondes; to dame Merget kyrkby: And thar it lyȝt in cheyn bondes; in the same nonery.

¶ In Ȝork shyre this nvnry ys; who so desires it to know; Hym thar no way go omys; thes ben the places all on row: Line 30 Hampole the nonry hyȝt; betwene dancastir and poumefreyt: This is the way to mannys syȝt; euen streygth with out deseyt. ¶ Thys holy man in all his lyfe; lufid god ouer all thing, Therfore myracles mony and rife; be hym wrouȝt all myȝty kyng. The blynd to se, the halt to go; & tho were slayne he saued eke; And keuord mony of hur wo; the doumbe the defe and other seke. ¶ And many myracles he has wrouȝt; & made many a holy boke, And many out of bales brouȝt; that in lywyng went on croke. His werkis were ful profetabul; to pore and rych & all on rowe, That thei bene soth and nothing fabul; at Hampole ȝe may hit knowe. Line 40 ¶ This holy man, in expownyng; he fologth holy doctours; And in all his englysching; ryȝt aftur the latyn taketh cours. And makes it compendyous; short gode and profetabul To mannys soule, goddys spouse; in charite to make hym stabul. ¶ Errour in hit is ther non; ne deseyt ne heresy, Bot euery word is sad as stone; and sothly sayd, ful sykerly. Whos wol it write, I rede hym rygth; wryte on warly lyne be lyne, And make no more then here is dygth; or ellys I rede hym hit ne ryne. ¶ Copyed has this Sauter ben; of yuel men of lollardry: And afturward hit has bene sene; ympyd in with eresy. Line 50 They seyden then to leude foles; that it shuld be all enter, A blessyd boke of hur scoles; of Rychard Hampole the Sauter. ¶ Thus [MS. ins. he.] thei seyd, to make theim leue; on her scole thoro sotelte: To bryng hem in, so hem to greue; ageyn the feyth in grete fole: And slaundird foule this holy man; with her wykkyd waryed wyles: Hur fantom hath made mony a fon; thoro the fend that fele begiles. Now ihū gentil iust iustice; that iewes vniust to [heuines] [MS. iewes.] Diden. wykkyd & vnwyse; & dredeful deth with destres, Hafe mercy on vs with myldnes; and Hampole help tharto in hygth; To clywe and kunnyng & clennes; to buske vs to the blysse ful brigth. [[Bodleian MS. Laud. Miscell. 286.]] Line 60

AMEN.