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 XXV.]

IUDICA me domine quoniam ego in innocentia mea in|gressus sum: & in domino sperans non infirmabor. ¶ Deme me lord, for i am ingone in myn innoyandnes: & in [L &. S in oure.] lord hopand. i shal not be seke. ¶ The voice of an [S. L om.] holy mon, 'seyng a few' [S scond a fo.] gode with mony ill, prayes that he be departyd, & says. lord deme me, that is depart me fro ille men in body. for we are fere otwyn [S sunder.] in soul: depart vs, that thof we be to gedur in erth. we go not to gedir in to helle. He says, deme me: & that is not pre|sumpcyon of aryȝtwisman. bot certenty of godes mercy. for i am ingone in to the way of vertues in myn in noyandnes: that is such clennes as men has: in lord hopand. for thi i shal not be seke. that is, i shal noght stumbul, thof i be among synneful men.

2. Proba me domine & tempta me: vre renes meos & cor meum. ¶ Proue me lord & tempte [S tempe.] me: brenne my neris & my hert. ¶ I am innocent & rygthwis. bot for no man vnder|stondis all synnes. that none be hid fro me, preue me & tempte me. that is, in fandynges preue me, that is, shewe me prouyd. not to the that all wot. bot to me, & to men: that no synne dwell in me: bot if we [S. L om.] were tempted we wold be forgetil. the holyman prayes trybulacyons, that non gruch for thaim. & brenne my neris, that is my delites, with the fire of thi luf. the goed enflaumand, the ill wastand. & my hert [L hertis. S herte.] , that is my thowgthis.

3. Quoniam miserecordia tua ante oculos meos est: & complacui in veritate tua. ¶ For thi mercy is byfore myn een: & i quemyd in thi sothfastnesse. ¶ That is, not my merits bot thi mercy that me such has made .i. [S. L &.] behald: & i quemyd in thi [S. L the.] sothfastnes: that is, thi godes delites me & payes me wel within: 'as lo [S. L om.] ,' who se him selfe fayre [S om.] in a merour.

4. Non sedi cum consilio vanitatis: & cum iniqua ge|rentibus non introibo. ¶ I satt not with counsel of vanite: & with the [S. L om.] berand wykkyde thinges i shal not ingo. ¶ That is, i assentid not til thaim. that sekis thair ryches, or thair [S their. L om.] delites of this worlde. that is cheson of all wykkidnesse. & i shal not ingo. that is, i shal not begynne to wirk with thaim wykkid thing. thof i be among thaim.

5. Odiui ecclesiam malignancium: & cum impiis non sedebo. ¶ I hatid the kyrke of ille willande: & with wykkid i shal not sitt. ¶ This kirke is the gedryng of ill men. that thei make for to cum till the counsell of vanyte. & with wykkid i shal not sytt. that is, i shal not hafe thowgth ne delite in thair wikkidnes.

6. Lauabo inter innocentes manus meas: & circumdabo altare tuum, domine. ¶ I shal wasch among innocentis my hondis [S hende.] : & i shal vmgif thin auter, lord. ¶ That is, with penaunce & schryfte. i shal make clene my werkis, conuersaunt among in|nocentis bodely & gostly. & i shal vmgyf thine auter. that is, my soul, in the which i offir to the sacrifice of luf. i shal make feyre in vertues.

7. Vt audiam vocem laudis tue [om. S & U.] : & enarrem vniuersa mirabilia tua. ¶ That i here the voice of thi louynge: & telle all thi wonders. ¶ That is, that i lere with whilk voice thou shal be loued. for i may not know the sang of thi louyng bot if thou lere it me. & bot if i here the voice of the holy gost, that leris to loue the. & when i hafe lerid. then shal i tell til other all thi wondirs. that is, i. shal tel that all is thi wondirs. not myne, thof thou hafe shewid thaim to me.

8. Domine dilexi decorem domus tue: & locum habi|tationis glorie tue. ¶ Lord i luffid the [S. L thi.] fairhed of thi house:

& the sted of the wonnyng of thi ioy. ¶ That is, i luffid to make my self a feyre howse to the: not suffrand any filthe be thar in. that shuld mys pay the. Mony lokes how fowle thei myȝt make thaim to the deuel: & i lufid the sted of the wonnyng of thi ioy. that is, i lufid to make me asted in the whilk thou wold ioyfully wonne, so that i myȝt sumwhat fele & take of thi ioy: the fairhed of his howse is gode werkis. the sted of the wonnyng of his ioy is the priuete of oure hert, where is the setyll of holy thowgthis, in the whilk wonnes his ioy.

9. Ne perdas cum impiis deus animam meam: & cum viris sanguinum vitam meam. ¶ Lose not god with wykkid my soul: & my lif with men of blodis. ¶ Thof godemen & ill men be now to gedir, thei be not in helle to gedir, ne in heuen. for god erres not in his dome. men of blodes are tho that hatis thair neyghburs. & that lifis fleshly as blode askis. & they are lost with the wykkid.

10. In quorum manibus iniquitates sunt: dextera eorum repleta est muneribus. ¶ In handis of whom wykkednes are: & thaire ryȝt hand is fild of giftis. ¶ That is, thair werkis are wykkid. & if thei do any gode. thei do hit for erthly gyftis. or for louyng of men, or for drede of ryche men. & if thei do any gode for god. thei are rewardid in gyftis of this worlde.

11. Ego autem in innocentia mea ingressus sum: redime mei & miserere mei. ¶ Bot in myn vnnoyandnes i am ingone: bye me & haf mercy of me. ¶ Thei coueit to be ryche in giftis. bot i am rych in gostly tresoure. forthi bye me. that is, be hit worth to me til perfyt delyueryng. the prise of thi blode: & thi mercy. forsake me not in perils of this lyfe.

12. Pes meus stetit in directo: in ecclesijs benedicam te domine. ¶ My fote stode in rygth: in kyrkis .i shal blesse the, lord. ¶ Mi fote, that is my luf, stode in ryȝt: that is, hit departid not fro thi ryȝtwysnes. 'bot stod vnstird ogeyne alle sclaunders [S. L bot vnder all slaunders ageyns.] .' to blesse god in kirkes. is so to lif; that in the lyf of ilkon god be louyd. for he that blessid god. with his tong, & not in dede, his blessing is nowght alowid be fore oure lord.