Hymns to the Virgin & Christ, the Parliament of devils, and other religious poems.

A Song Called Þe Deuelis Perlament, OR Parlamentum of Feendis.

(Lambeth MS. 853, ab. 1430 A.D., Pages 157-182.)

Whanne marye was greet with gabriel, And had conceyued & boren a childe, Alle þe deuelis of þe eir, of erþe, & of helle, helden þer paralament of þat maide mylde, Line 4 ¶ What man had made her wombe to swelle. "To tempten hir ȝe tenden to seelde; her childis fadir who can telle, Who dide with hir þo werkis wielde?" Line 8

¶ In helle þe feendis þoo answeride, "We knew neuere fadir þat he hadde, But amongis prophetis we haue leerid Þat god with man haþ couenaunt maade: Line 12 ¶ A serpent in deseert was rerid, So schal god-is sone in man be had, Þe soule of him schal be vnsperid, his herte to-cloue, and he for-bleed. Line 16

¶ Þese prophetis speken so in myst, [page 158] What þei mente we neuere knewe; Þei spoken of oon schulde hote crist, But maries sone hiȝte ihesu; Line 20

Line 20 ¶ And þei seiden þat crist with god schulde be a-twist, But þis ihesu neuere in þe godhede grew; We ben bigilid alle wiþ oure lyst. Þe clooþ is al of anothir hew; Line 24

¶ And þouȝ god make hise perlament Of pees, mercy, trouthe, & resoun, And from heuen til erþe his sone be sent In mankinde to take a cesoun, Line 28 ¶ We schulen ordeyne bi oon assent A priuey councell al of tresoun, And clayme ihesu for oure rent. For þat he is kinde of man, it is good chesoun. Line 32

¶ Write we his name, wheþer we spede, Siþen to us he is vnknowen, For þouȝ he be come of straunge seed, Ȝit in adams grounde was he sowen. Line 36 ¶ Whanne he is ripe, do we oure dede; [page 159] Loke we þat we him boþe repe & mowen, For þouȝ god him silf oure rollis rede, Bi riȝt we chalenge ihesu for oure owne." Line 40

"To me, maistir deuel, it lijs; To ihesu wole y take hede, To norische him in manye delijs, His freel fleische boþe to cloþe & fede; Line 44 ¶ And þouȝ þat he be neuere so wijs, Ȝit out of þe wey y wole him lede, And make of him boþe fool and nyce, And in helle his soule brede." [This line added at bottom.] Line 48

¶ Þus deuelis þer wilis caste Wiþ þer argumentis greete, & þritti ȝeer þei foondid faste

To tempte ihesu in manye an hete. Line 52 ¶ "In to a wildirnes with ihesus y paste, Of him knowliche for to gete, And fourty daies þere he faste Wiþoute sleep, drinke, or meete." Line 56

¶ Þe maistir deuel wondre þouȝte [page 160] Of ihesus stalworþe complexioun; Bi mannys fode lyuede he nouȝte, But bi praiers and deuocioun. Line 60 ¶ "But whanne he bigan to hunger, as me þouȝt, To tempte him þanne y made me boun: 'Lo, heere be stoonys hard y-wrouȝte, Make herof breed, y seide, to mannis foisoun.' Line 64

¶ 'Forsoþe,' ihesu seide, 'not oonli in breed is verrili mannis propir lyuyng, But in euery worde of þe godhede To body and soule is coumfortynge.' Line 68 ¶ Vpon an hiȝ pinnacle þanne y him brouȝte, And left him þere, and leep a-downe, And seide, 'saue þee harmelees, lyme & heed, And kiþe now maistries while þou art ȝonge. Line 72

¶ If þou be god-is sone, lete se; Of þee is writen longe a-goon, "Aungils in hondis schullen beere þee Lest þou spurne þi foot at a stoon." ' Line 76 ¶ Quod ihesu, 'in holi writt þou maist se, [page 161] Tempte not þi lord god lyuynge aloone; Wiþ al þi myght and þi pooste Þou schalt him serue, and oþir noone.' " Line 80

¶ Þe deuel siȝ it myght not geyn; Of ihesu his purpos he gan mys; He brouȝte him til an hiȝ mounteyn,

And bad him do as he wolde wys. Line 84 ¶ And þere he schewide him upon þat pleyn, Iewels, ritchesse, and worldli blisse; "Worschipe me here, & bicome my swayn And y schal ȝeue þee al this." Line 88

¶ "Go, sathanas! from blis þou flit, From heuene riche, þat rial tour! It is writen oonli in holi writt 'Þi lord god þou schalt honour.' " Line 92 ¶ "Alas," quod þe deuel, "where hast þou þat witt? Þi wordis are bittir, þi werkis aren sour, Þi conclusioun so soore me knyt, I abood neuere so scharp a schour." Line 96

¶ Þe deuelis gadriden þer greet frame, [page 162] And heelden þer perlament in þe myst. "Oon wolde riflee us at hame, And gadere þe flour out of oure gryst; Line 100 ¶ Neewe gilours wolde waite us schame, Oon[ys] men clepid him iohne þe baptist, But now he haþ turned, ihesus is his name: Þat first hiȝte ihesu, now is clepid cryst, Line 104

¶ I siȝ him neuere rage ne plawe, But euere in stabilnes he is ay, And streitely kepiþ god-is lawe, And stijfly wiþ-stoondiþ myn assay; Line 108 ¶ To werkis of vice wole he not drawe; A wondir worde y herde him say, Þe greet temple he wolde doun þrawe, And reise it aȝen on þe þridde day. Line 112

¶ Whanne he was born, wondris bifel: Ouer al was pees, boþe eest and west,

In rome of oile þere sprong a welle, From tristiuer [Is this Trastevere.] to tybre it ran prest. Line 116 ¶ In rome þer templis doun felle, [page 163] Þer mawmetis diden al to-brest, Aungils to scheperdis glorie gan telle— 'In erþe, to al mankinde, boþe pees & rest.' Line 120

¶ Þe emperour in rome stood hiȝe, Þre sunnis in oon he siȝ schyninge clere, In þe myddis of hem a maiden he siȝe A man childe in her armes beere. Line 124 ¶ Þe emperour & eek sibile spoken prophesie, And þei acordiden boþe in feere, And seiden 'god-is sone mankinde schulde bie; It is þe tokene, þe tyme neiȝeþ neere.' Line 128

¶ Also þre kingis come fro fer, To worschipe ihesu al þei souȝte; Þat reisid eroudis herte þere Þem to slee, for þei so wrouȝte. Line 132 ¶ Bi þe liȝtnynge of a sterre, To ihesu alle þre presentis þei brouȝte; Homeward an aungil tauȝte hem nerre A-noþer wey þan þei had þouȝte. Line 136

¶ Þanne y councellid eroud with-inne a while [page 164] To distroie þe former prophesie, Þat alle men children in towne & pile to slee þem, þat ihesus myght with hem die. Line 140 ¶ He ascapide in to egipt; in þat while þer mawmetis fil doun from an hiȝe; he knew my þouȝte, & siȝ my gilee, y myghte not hide me from his yȝe. Line 144

¶ To tempte ihesu it wole not availe; Of þe worldis good haþ he no neede;

I leese on him so myche trauaile, Þe more y so worche, þe worse y spede; Line 148 ¶ With þe scharper a-sautis y him assaile, Þe lasse of me he stoondiþ in drede, Þe bolder in bikir y bidde him bataile, Þe lasse of me he takiþ hede. Line 152

¶ For if y tempte him in wraþþe or pride, Wiþ pacience and mekenes he sconfitiþ me; If y tempte him to letcherie, y muste me hide, He voidiþ me of wiþ chastitee. Line 156 ¶ In glotenie & enuye wole he not abide, [page 165] But is euere in mesure and in charitee; In coueitise & auarise wole he not ride, but is euere in largenes and in pouerte." Line 160

¶ Þe deuel seide, "neiþer in hoot ne coolde [[? coole, scoole.]] I may not make him stumble ne falle; I nyste him neuere goo to scolee, [[? coole, scoole.]] And ȝit oonis y siȝ him spute in þe scoole halle: Line 164 ¶ He satte him silf on þe hiȝest stoole, And argued aȝens þe maistris alle; Summe callid him wijs, summe callid him foole, But 'goddis sone' he him silf dooþ calle. Line 168

¶ Hise werkis passen mannis kinde, For crokid & creplis he makiþ riȝt; For deef, & dombe, & boren blynde, he ȝeueþ hem speche, heeryng, & sight. Line 172 ¶ Woode men, he ȝeueþ hem þer mynde, And makiþ mesels hool and liȝt; A legioun of feendis in a man he dide finde, Alle he drofe out þoruȝ his myght. Line 176

¶ Wiyn of watir he makiþ blyue, [page 166] And dooþ manye a wondir dede,

Wiþ two fyschis, and loues fyue, fyue þousand men y sawȝ him fede. Line 180 ¶ Twelue leepis of releef þerof dide þriue To men, women, & children, þat hadden nede; Deed men he reisid from deeþ to lyue, And ȝit weriþ he neuere but oo wede. Line 184

¶ He handliþ neiþer money ne knyf, Neiþer in synne desiriþ he ony woman to kis; But oonis he saued a weddid wijf, In spousebriche þat hadde doon mys. Line 188 ¶ He is so wondirful in lijf, I can not knowe weel what he is; I wolde we hadde eendid oure striif; He is oute of oure bookis, & we out of his. Line 192

2. [Apparently 2 in red, partly cut, before "A fitte."] A fitte.

Siþen y him first tempte bigan, I siȝ him neuere chaunge hewe; Oonys he bad me 'go, foule sathan!' Euere-more þat repreef y rewe. Line 196 ¶ In werkis he is good, in persoone a man; [page 167] Lijk to him y neuere noon knewe. Where lerned he al þe witt þat he can? For euery day he dooþ wondris neewe. Line 200

¶ I folewide him oonys to a place, To a mounteyne upon an hiȝte; Petir, iames, & iohn, þere was, Ely & moyses stood þere up riȝt. Line 204 ¶ I wolde haue seen ihesu-is face, But y myȝt not, it schoon so briȝt; In þe sooþfast sunne closid it was, Þe briȝt beemys blent my siȝt. Line 208

¶ To lette þe prophesie soone y went, Þe iewis to slee ihesu y ȝaf hem chois;

If he die on þe roode, we schul be schent: I wolde not þat þei hadde ȝeue þat vois. Line 212 ¶ Me was woo for þat iugement, Of 'crucifuge' to heere þe noise; Pilatis wijf y bad bisily ȝeue tent Þat ihesu were not doon on þe crois. Line 216

¶ Ȝit þe iewis, for hise dedis goode, [page 168] Fals witnes vpon him þei berid, And nailid him upon þe roode, And peyned him þere til þat he deied. Line 220 ¶ Vndir his lift side y my silf stood, And aftir his soule ful naruȝ a-spied; I wist neuere whidir it ȝode; Whanne he it up ȝaf, so manly he cried; Line 224

¶ Þe sunne & moone losten þer light, þe elementis fouȝten as leit of þundir, þe erþe qwoke, and mounteynes an hight, Valeis, & stoonys, bursten a-sundir; Line 228 ¶ Dede men risen þoruȝ his myȝt To bere witnes of þat wondir; My mynde failid, y loste my siȝte, I nyste how soone y came þer vndir. Line 232

¶ Ihesu is soule is wente, y woot not where, So priuely it dide from me passe; Whanne his herte was þirllid with a spere, Þanne wyste y weel who he was. Line 236 ¶ Ordeyne we us wiþ al oure gere, [page 169] For hidir he þinkiþ to make a race; Arise we alle þat ben bounden heere, And foond we to defende oure place, Line 240

¶ For if þat he wole hidir come, We schulen foonde euery-choon,

Alle to-gidere, boþe hool & some, To teer him from þe top to þe toon." Line 244 ¶ Þanne seide lucifer anoone, "It is but waast to speken so; Þe spirit of him is now hidir come For to worchen us alle woo." Line 248

¶ Þere as þe goode soulis diden in dwelle, Þei cheyned þe ȝatis, and barred hem faste; "A! now," ihesu seide, "ȝe princis felle, Openeþ þe ȝatis þat euere schal laste, Line 252 ¶ And letiþ in ȝoure king of blis to helle." Þe deuelis axid him þanne in haste, "Who is þe king of blis þou doost of telle? Wenest þou to make us alle a-gaste?" Line 256

¶ "Strong god and king of myght, [page 170] I am lord and king of blis, Ouer-comer of deeþ, myghti in fight! Euerlastynge ȝatis, openeþ wight! Line 260 ¶ Boþe pees, mercy, trouþe, & right, I brouȝt them at oon, & made þem to kis; Euerlastynge ȝatis, openeþ on hight, And lete in ȝoure king to take out his! Line 264

¶ For y, þe soule of ihesu crist, am come hider, Witnes þerof, my body in erþe lieþ deed, And þe holi goost with þe soule togider Þat neuere schal parte from þe godhede. Line 268 ¶ In heuen blis ȝe stooden full slidir; Þoruȝ pride ȝe offendid my fadris bede; Mannis soule for meeknes schal come þider, Þere as ȝe feendis forfetid þat stide." Line 272

¶ Þanne seide lucifer, "god dide forbede To adam in paradiis but oon tree,

And peyne of deeþ to haue for þat dede, And aftir in helle euere for to be: Line 276 ¶ And þou art come of adam seed, [page 171] Þerfore bi right we chalenge þee, For in holi writt þou made rede, 'In helle is no remedie.' " Line 280

¶ Ihesu seide, "lucifer, sooþ þou tellist me; But þou woost not þi silf how Þere is a boonde helle, but þis is free. Þe boond helle was ordeyned for ȝou; Line 284 ¶ For þat þat man forfetid þoruȝ a tree, Þoruȝ a tree aȝen bouȝt is he now. Þou madist him synne, þe peyne longiþ to þee, For þou waitist neuere good to mannis prowȝ. Line 288

¶ Lucifer, þou me vndir-nome, And seidist y was of þe seed of adams kyn; forsoþe y out of þe godhede come, And took fleisch & blood a maiden with-inne. Line 292 ¶ for as of þe seed of erþe þer springiþ blome, So mette we, & partid wiþoute synne: Þin argument is fals, so is þi doome; Bi what right woldist þou me wynne? Line 296

¶ Who was cheef of þi councell [page 172] In heuen whanne þou forfetidist þe blis? In paradiis adam þou dedist assaile, And temptidist him to forfete his; Line 300 ¶ And y in his quarel took bataile Aȝen my fadir to amende his mys, Wherfor of þi purpos þou schalt faile, forthi þi quarel nouȝt it is." Line 304

¶ Þanne lucifer answeride ageyn, "Whi spekist þou so to me heere?

It is but wantowne wordis in veyn; I trowe þou comest hidir us to fere. Line 308 ¶ Sumtyme whanne y was in heuen an hiȝ, Þat þat y þere loste for my pride, certeyn, Heere-aftir y hope ful sikirly For to come to þat blis ageyn." Line 312

¶ Crist ihesu spak to sathan tho, And seide to him in þis manere, "It is but waast to speken so, Or ony suche wordis to seie now here. Line 316 ¶ Þat tyme while þou in heuen were, [page 173] Ful myche ioie haddist þou tho; For alle þi felawis, glad were þei þere, But riȝt soone it was ouer-goo." Line 320

¶ Lucifer spak to him ageyn, And seide to him with wordis sere, "In þis place y haue dwellid in woo & peine Moore þan þis .iiij. þousand ȝeere: Line 324 ¶ Helpe me to þat blis ageyn Þe which y loste for my pride þere, for þere it is myrie in certeyn To wonye wiþ rial aungils clere." Line 328

¶ "I seie þee, lucifer, y schal þee telle, Or euere ony þing was wrought— Heuene or erþe, eir or helle,— Forsoþe þoo y made þee of nought. Line 332 ¶ In heuen whanne þou stoodist in wele, I made þee aboue aungils alle, But þerof rauȝt þou neuere a deel, Suche pride in þin herte gan falle. Line 336

¶ In heuen whanne þou were at þi wille, [page 174] Þou myȝtist haue be in pees & reste;

I took þee my seete ful stille, It to ȝeme þou were ful prest; Line 340 ¶ And while y wente where me list, And come aȝen a-noon in hiȝe, Þou seidist þat þou were worþiest, And to sitte þere as weel as y; Line 344

¶ And þou repentidist þee neuermore, But euere aggregidist þi trespas. Adam wepte & siȝede soore, And askid mercy & oile of grace; Line 348 ¶ My fadir sende me hidir þerfore, Vpon a tree leete deeþ me chase, A spere þoruȝ myn herte gan boore, & leete out þe derworþiest oile þat euere was. Line 352

¶ In my fadris name of heuene Opene þe ȝatis aȝens me!" As liȝt of leite, and þundir leeme, Þe ȝatis to-burste, and gan to flee; Line 356 ¶ God took out adam and eue ful euene, [page 175] And alle hise chosen companye. Þe prophetis seiden with mylde steuene, "A song of wondris now synge we." Line 360

¶ "A, ha!" seide Adam, "my god y se; He þat made me wiþ his hond!" "I se," seide noe, "where comeþ hee Þat sauede me boþe on watir & londe!" Line 364 ¶ Quod abraham, "y se my god so free Þat sauede my sone fro bittir bande!" Þo seide moyses, "þese tablis he bitook me His lawe to preche and vndirstande!" Line 368

¶ Quod Dauid, "we spoken of oon so grym Þat schulde breke þe brasen ȝatis."

Quod Zacharie, "& his folk out nym, And leue þere stille þo þat he hatis." Line 372 ¶ Quod symeon, "he liȝtneþ his folk in dym, Lo where derknes schendiþ her statis. Þo seide iohne, "þis lomb, y spak of him, Þat al þe worldis synne a-batys." Line 376

¶ Oure lord them took bi þe hond, [page 176] And brouȝt þem to þe place of blis, And seide to them, y vndir-stonde, "Þis bargeyn y haue bouȝt her, þis: Line 380 ¶ For riche & pore, free and bonde Þat wole axe grace and ameende þer mys, Schulen be with ȝou heere pleyande In my kingdom, heuene blis." Line 384

¶ Thus ihesus crist harewide helle, And ledde hise louers to paradijs: Of þe oþere hellis wolde he not melle, Where feendis blake bounden lijs, Line 388 ¶ And where dampned soulis euere schulen dwelle Þat wolen not do weel, but euere be nyce, Turmentid with horible deuelis of helle Þat sumtyme were aungils of prijs. Line 392

¶ Helle repreued þo þe deuel sathan, And horribli gan him dispice, "To me þou art a schrewide captayn, A combrid wretche in cowardise." Line 396 ¶ Þo seide lucifer, "siþen þe world bigan [page 177] I haue brouȝt hidir manye a greet price Hidir into helle of al kinde of man, Boþe þe false, foolis, and þe wise. Line 400

¶ Helle, so worschipide neuere þou were If þou cowdist haue kept þee soo;

I brouȝte þee boþe god & man in fere; Whi were þou so nyce to leete him go?" Line 404 ¶ Quod helle, "not wiþ þi poowere I myȝte not werne him oon of tho; He took out alle þat were him dere; I myȝte not lette him, þouȝ he wolde mo." Line 408

¶ Quod belsabub, "y barrid ful faste Þe ȝatis with lok, cheyne, bolt, & pyn; And with oo word of his wyndis blaste Þei broken vp, and he came ynne. Line 412 ¶ He boond me, and downe me caste; it is to us no bote to stryue with him; Whanne þe dreedful doome is come & paste, Oure eendelees peyne is þanne to bigynne." Line 416

¶ Þouȝ þe iewis dide ihesu to die, [page 178] Ȝit on þe þridde day he roos to liif aȝen; It was to him moore victorie Þan þowȝ he hadde alle þe iewis sleyn. Line 420 ¶ Summe were glad whanne þei him siȝe, Summe were sory, summe were fayne, And sumtyme in oon companye Amonge .v. hundrid he was seyn. Line 424

¶ Of oynement ful manye a drope, Marie mawdeleyne to ihesu sche brouȝte; Ihesu wente fro a litil a-slope, And seide, "mawdeleyn, towche me nouȝt." Line 428 ¶ Alle hise disciplis weren in wanhope; For to coumforte them ihesu þouȝte, And bad hem hise woundis handle & grope, "I haue fleisch & blood! so spiritus haue nouȝt." Line 432

¶ Thomas was of right hard bileeue Til he hadde spoke wiþ ihesu tho:

Ihesu spak wiþ wordis breue, "Come hidir, thomas, & speke me to; Line 436 ¶ For here þou maist now þe sooþe preue, [page 179] How þat y on þe roode was y-doo; And he þat wille not on it bileeue, Schal be dampned to peine for euermo." Line 440

¶ Þanne seide ihesu wiþ myelde speche To hise disciplis, "y wole ȝe goo To alle creaturis aboute, to preche Myn uprisynge, to freende & foo; Line 444 ¶ And þo þat bileeuen þat ȝe teeche, Bodies and soulis saued ben thoo; And þo þat bileeuen not, y seie to eche, Þo schulen for euere to peine goo. Line 448

¶ From ȝou, feendis schulen flee for my name; Eddris & venym schal from ȝou steele; Þouȝ ȝe drinke poisoun, it schal not ȝou tame, Neiþer harme ȝou, ne noo greef feele. Line 452 ¶ I schal newe tungis in ȝou frame Alle maner of langagis forþ to deele; And þo þat ȝe touche, sike or lame, Body and soule y wole hem heele." Line 456

¶ Oure lord, aftir his resurreccioun, here [page 180] In erþe he was forsoþe dwellynge Til hooly þursday comen were, Þat he stiȝ to heuene, where he is king. Line 460 ¶ At þe dreedful doom, wiþ-out lesing, Boþe quycke and deede þere schal he deme. God ȝeue us grace in oure lyuynge To serue oure god, & marie to qweeme. Line 464

¶ Of alle þe children þat euere were borun, Saue oonli crist him silf a-loone,

Was no on so holi here biforn As was þis holi child seynt iohun Line 468 ¶ Þat baptisid oure lord in flom iordon Wiþ ful deuout & good deuocioun, And after for ihesus loue to deeþ gan goon, And suffride ful mykil passioun. Line 472

¶ Now schal y telle with ful good cheere Of þat holi assumpcioun Of his blessid modir dere, How sche was taken up with greet deuocioun Line 476 ¶ Vnto hir blessid sone, as his wil were, [page 181] Þat þerto sente hise aungils a-down, & vp þei baren þat maiden cleere; Queene of heuen þere þei dide hir crowne. Line 480

¶ Þanne alle aungils þat were in heuene Were at þe crownyng of þat maide free, And songen alle with mylde steuene "Gloria tibi domine." Line 484 ¶ Þat is a song of ioie and blisse! God ȝeue us grace þat siȝt to se, Of his mercy þat we nouȝt mysse, Qui natus es de virgine. Line 488

¶ Þis song þat y haue sunge ȝou heere, Is clepid 'þe deuelis perlament:' Þerof is red in tyme of ȝeere On þe first sunday of clene lent. Line 492 ¶ Who-so wole haue heuen to his hire, Kepe he him from þe deuelis combirment; In heuene his soule may þere be sure Wiþ aungils to pleie verament. Line 496

¶ Þis lessoun was made but late; [page 182] Þere ben no triflis in þis tale;

Þe deuelis boost þus gan he bate, Oure curteis crist, oure king riale. Line 500 ¶ He helpe us in alle at heuene ȝate, Wiþ seintis to sitte þere in sale! Crist! kepe us out of harme and hate, For þin hooli spirit so special! [[The Diatorie printed in The Babees Book, or Manners & Meals, &c., follows here.]] Line 504

Explicit parlamentum of feendis.