Political, religious, and love poems. Some by Lydgate, Sir Richard Ros, Henry Baradoun, Wm. Huchen, etc. from the Archbishop of Canterbury's Lambeth Ms. no. 306, and other sources, with a fragment of The Romance of Peare of Provence and the fair Magnelone, and a sketch, with the prolog and epilog, of The Romance of the knight Amoryus and the Lady Cleopes, | Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse | University of Michigan Library Digital Collections

Page 190

The Complaynt of Criste.

[Lambeth MS. 306, ab. 1460-70 A.D., leaf 145, written in 8-line stanzas, though to l. 135 it is in 12-line ones.]

(Christ's First Complaint against Man.)

(1)

                    This is the comepleynt off god
                  
                    Fro man to man that he haþe bouȝte,
                  
                    And thus [[MS. thus thus]]  he seyethe to here Ateynt,
                  
                    "Myne owne pepull, what haue yee wrought
                    Line 4 
                  
                    that thowe to me Art so feynt,
                  
                    And I thy love so sore have sought?
                  
                    In thyn Answer no thyng þou peynte
                  
                    to me, By-cause I knewe þy þought.
                    Line 8

(2)

                    "Haue I nat Do alle that me oughte?
                  
                    have I lefft ony thynge be-hynde?
                  
                    why wrathyst þou me? I greve þe nought;
                  
                    why arte thowe to thy Frende onkynde?
                    Line 12 
                  
                    I shewed thè Love; and that was seene
                  
                    whane I made thè lyke to me;
                  
                    On erthe my werkis bothe quyk & grene,
                  
                    I put hem vndyr in thy poweste.
                    Line 16

(3)

                    "And frome pharos (that was so keene)
                  
                    Of egypt I delyuerd thee,
                  
                    I kyllyd hym and his by-deene.
                  
                    the Red see for the in to flye,
                    Line 20 
                  
                    I bad that hit drye shouldë bee;
                  
                    I seassid the water and the wynde, [folio 145b] 
                  
                    I lede the ouer, and made þe Free:
                  
                    why art thowe to thy freende onkynde?

                    Line 24

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24

(4)

                    "And xl yere in wyldurnesse,
                  
                    with angels foodë I thè Feed;
                  
                    Into the londe of grete Ryches,
                  
                    to schewe thè love, there I thè led.
                    Line 28 
                  
                    to do thè more of kyndenes,
                  
                    I toke þè kyndely, and nothyng dred,
                  
                    I lefft my [[MS. my my]]  myght, ant toke mekenes,
                  
                    And my harte bloode for thè I bled.
                    Line 32

(5)

                    "Thy soule to save, this lyffe I led,
                  
                    I bounde my selffe, þe to onbynde,
                  
                    thus with my woo thy nedis I spede;
                  
                    why art thowe to thy frende onkynde?
                    Line 36 
                  
                    for the in paradyse I ordeynnyd A plase;
                  
                    full Rychë was thyn énfeftment;
                  
                    howe myght þou me þus dispyse ony more,
                  
                    than to breke my comaundement,
                    Line 40

(6)

                    "And to synne In vij Maner wyse,
                  
                    and to myne Enemy so soone Assent?
                  
                    he put the Downe, thowe myghttyst nat Ryse;
                  
                    thy strenkythe, thy wytt, A-way is went!
                    Line 44 
                  
                    poore, naked, shamed, and shent,
                  
                    that Frendeshype myghttest þou nat fynde,
                  
                    But me that on the Roode was Rent;
                  
                    why art þou to thy freende onkynde?
                    Line 48

(7)

                    "Man, I love the! whome Lovyst thowe?
                  
                    I am þy frende; why wolt þou feyne?
                  
                    I for-yave, and þu me slewe:
                  
                    ho hath departyd oure lowe A tweyne?
                    Line 52 
                  
                    Turne to me! by-thenke the howe
                  
                    thowe haste go mys! come home Agayne!
                  
                    And thowe shalt be as welcome nowe
                  
                    As he that synne neuer ded fayne.

                    Line 56

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56

(8)

                    "Wayte what ded Mary Mawdeleyne, [folio 146] 
                  
                    And what I seyd to thomas of Inde;
                  
                    I graunte the blysse, why lovys þou peyne?
                  
                    why art þou to thy Frende onkynde?
                    Line 60 
                  
                    of A Frende the fyrstë preffe
                  
                    Is love, & drede, & nought displease.
                  
                    there was neuer thyng to me so leffe
                  
                    As mankynde that nought may peasse.
                    Line 64

(9)

                    "For the I suffyrde grete repreffe:
                  
                    In hyghe hevyn thy soule to easse
                  
                    I was on-hanged as A theeffe;
                  
                    thowe dedest the deede, I had þe disease.
                    Line 68 
                  
                    thowe canst me neydur thank nor pleasse,
                  
                    Ne do goode deede, ne haue me in mynde;
                  
                    I am thy leche in thy Disease,
                  
                    thowe cannyst me nowdur thanke nor pleasse, [[These lines are repeated by mis|take.]] 
                    Line 72

(10)

                    "Ne do goode deede, we have in mynde, [[These lines are repeated by mis|take.]] 
                  
                    I am thy leche in thy diseasse, [[These lines are repeated by mis|take.]] 
                  
                    Why art thowe to þy Frende on-kynde?
                  
                    vnkynde,—for thowe kyllyd thy lorde,
                    Line 76 
                  
                    And euery day þou wounedyst hym newe,
                  
                    for thowghe wee ben brought to oone Acorde,
                  
                    In couunaunt, wreche, þou art one-trewe,
                  
                    And Redy also to Resorte,
                    Line 80

(11)

                    "To folowe vyces and sle vertu;
                  
                    All Rybawdry thowe canste reporte,
                  
                    And Day by daye hit to Renewe;
                  
                     [[No gap in MS.]] 
                    Line 84 
                  
                    And redy also to pursewe
                  
                    the poore peepull with sleyghttis blynde;
                  
                    thowe shalt owte of this worlde remeve;
                  
                    why art thowe to thy Frende onkynde?

                    Line 88

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88

(12)

                    "The devyll me tempttyd neuer but thrye,
                  
                    But þou me temptyst frome day to daye
                  
                    whythe cursyng affter vengeaunce to crye,
                  
                    to styr my wrathe þou wylt assaye,
                    Line 92 
                  
                    thowe woledyst, and ony woulde me by,
                  
                    Wele worsse than Iudas me be-traye; [folio 146b] 
                  
                    at my werke þou haste e[n]vye;
                  
                    that wele ne woo is to þy paye.
                    Line 96

(13)

                    "And thowe me myghttyst, as I þe maye,
                  
                    wele byttyrly thowe woldyst me bynde;
                  
                    I for-yave, and þou seyest nay,
                  
                    why arte thowe to þe frende onkynde?
                    Line 100 
                  
                    I have bought thy love full dere:
                  
                    Onekynde! why for-sakis þou myne?
                  
                    I yave the myn hart & bloode in Fere
                  
                    Onkynde! why wolt þou nat yeve me þyne?
                    Line 104

(14)

                    "Thowe art on-kyndë homagere,
                  
                    for with my Fo þou makest me fyne;
                  
                    thowe servyst me with febull chere;
                  
                    to hym thyn hart wolte fully enclyne.
                    Line 108 
                  
                    And I am lorde of blysse and pyne,
                  
                    and alle thyng may I lousse & bynde,
                  
                    Ayenst the wole I my yatis tynde
                  
                    All whyle þou arte to þy frende onkynde.
                    Line 112

(15)

                    "Man! by-thenk the what þou Arte,
                  
                    fro whens þou come, & wheder þou mone,
                  
                    for thowȝe þou to-day be in hele & quarte,
                  
                    to-morowe I may put þe A-doune.
                    Line 116 
                  
                    lett mylde mekenes melt in þyn hart,
                  
                    that þou Rewe on my passyone,
                  
                    with my woundis depe and smarte,
                  
                    with crosse, naylys, spere, & crowne.

                    Line 120

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120

(16)

                    "Let god and discressione
                  
                    thy wyll holy vp to me sende:
                  
                    thowe hast wyttys & Reasone,
                  
                    And yff þou wylt, þou mayst be kynde."
                    Line 124 
                  
                    (Man's First Answer.)
 ¶ "A! lorde, A-yeenst the wee wole nat plette,
                  
                    for as þou wouledyst, hit is, and was,
                  
                    And wee have deservyd hellë hete,
                  
                    But nowe wee yelde us to thy grace.
                    Line 128

(17)

"Wee wole boowe, and thowe shalt bete, [folio 147] And Chastice us, lorde, for oure trespase, And lett mercy for vs entrete that neuer no feondis oure soweles chase. 132 A! blysfull lady, fayre of face, helpe! for wee been fer be-hynde; that wee nowe with weepyng crye 'alas, for that wee were to oure frende onkynde.' " 136

EXPLICIT [in a later hand. The Manuscript goes right on with the continuation, really a separate Poem.]

(18)(Christ's Second Complaint.)

                    Thus oure gracius god, prince of pyte,
                  
                    whos myght, whose goodenes, neuer by-gan,
                  
                    at whose wyll all by-hovythe to bee,
                  
                    Compleynnyng hym thus to synfull man:
                    Line 140 
                  
                    "Myne owne pepull, Answer me,
                  
                    Excuse thy selffe yf þou can:
                  
                    what haue I trespassyd vnto the?
                  
                    thowe for-sakyst me, þou servyst Sathan.

                    Line 144

Page 200

144

(19)

                    "Mane! suche A loue to the I hade!
                  
                    this worllde in vj dayes whan I wrought,
                  
                    thau was the last thyng that I made
                  
                    By-cause I woulde þou wantyd nought.
                    Line 148 
                  
                    what thyng the myght helpe or glade,
                  
                     [2 lines wanting in MS. . . . .] 
                  
                    . . . . .
                  
                    to thy be-hoffe alle forthe is brought.
                    Line 152

(20)

                    "More-ouer I yave the suffraunt[e]
                  
                    that alle Bestis shoulde bowe þe vntyll;
                  
                    I made the also lyke to me,
                  
                    And yaffe the connyng [[MS. comyng]]  of Fre wyll,
                  
                    me to serve, that thowe myght see,
                    Line 157 
                  
                    god chese the goode, and leve the yll.
                  
                    I ax no thyng Agayne of the
                  
                    But be my [[MS. thy]]  servaunt, as hit is skyll.
                    Line 160

(21)

                    "But vnto this, takys thowe no tent
                  
                    thowe wyrchyst A-waye full onkyndely,
                  
                    Aloone one-lefully that love is lent;
                  
                    thy hart be-holdythe nat hevyn one hye,
                    Line 164 
                  
                    For alle the goodenesse I have the sente,
                  
                    The lyst nat onys to saye gramercye. [folio 147b] 
                  
                    In tyme comyng lest þou Repent,
                  
                    Man! make Amendis or þou dye."
                    Line 168

(22)(Man's Second Answer.)

                    A crysten soule conseyvyd with synne
                  
                    Resceyvyd in consyence þis compleynt;
                  
                    he fyll downe flatt with dulfull synne,
                  
                    And seyd, "lorde, mercy, souerayne seynt!
                    Line 172 
                  
                    I, moste vnkynde wreche of mankynne,
                  
                    I knowelege I am thy traytur atteynt;
                  
                    this wykkyd lyffe that I lyve in,
                  
                    I may hit nat frome þy knowyng glent:

                    Line 176

Page 202

176

(23)

                    "I want wordis and Also wytte,
                  
                    of thy kyndenes to carpe A clawse;
                  
                    All that I haue, þou gave me hytt
                  
                    Of thy goodenesse with-owten cause;
                    Line 180 
                  
                    thowe I have grevyd the, and do yeett,
                  
                    thowe thy benefittis nought with-drawes;
                  
                    I haue deserved to haue hell pytt,
                  
                    So haue I levyd Ayenst thy lawes.
                    Line 184

(24)

                    "but, lorde, þou knowest mannys febullnes,
                  
                    howe Frell he is, and haþe been aye,
                  
                    for thowȝe the sowle have thy lyknesse,
                  
                    Man is but lothesum eorthe and claye,
                    Line 188 
                  
                    In synne conseyued, and wrechchydnes,
                  
                    And to the soule Rebell Alleweye.
                  
                    furst A man growys As A gras,
                  
                    And Afftyr-warde welkythe as flowre or hay
                    Line 192

(25)

                    "sithe man is than so frell A thyng,
                  
                    And thy power so grete in kynde,
                  
                    this worlde, man, aye twynkelynge
                  
                    thowe maye distroye, noone may defende,
                    Line 196 
                  
                    with that god mercy wole meenge,
                  
                    and to my soule gostely þou sende;
                  
                    Sore me Repentythe my mys-levyng;
                  
                    Mercy! lorde! I wole A-mende."
                    Line 200

(26)(Christ's Third Complaint.)

                    "Man, I sende the bodyly helthe [folio 148] 
                  
                    that thowe shouldyst spend hit in my servyce,
                  
                    fayrenes and Also feturs fele:
                  
                    But, man, what doste þou with all this?
                    Line 204 
                  
                    thowe doest the delytys of þe devyll;
                  
                    thy delyte is to me to dispyse;
                  
                    thowe levyst A lecherous lyfe one-lelle;
                  
                    frome yere to yere þat lyst nat to A-Ryse.

                    Line 208

Page 204

208

(27)

                    "Thowe stodyest affter more Araye,
                  
                    And makest gret cost on clothyng,
                  
                    to make the semely, as who shoulde saye
                  
                    thowe cowdest Amend[e] thy makyng.
                    Line 212 
                  
                    thowe cannyst Dyght the Rychely day by day
                  
                    to steere the peopull to synnyng,
                  
                    thy wrechchyd wyll þou folowyst alle daye;
                  
                    what ende syn hathe, thowe thenkyst nowght. [[The rhyme requires no thyng.]] 
                    Line 216

(28)

                    "In noyes tyme, by-cause of synne—
                  
                    for lechery In Especyall—
                  
                    what vengeaunce cam þan to mankyn!
                  
                    Save viij persowenys they were drowenyd alle.
                    Line 220 
                  
                    Of sodome and gomer the ought to meene,
                  
                    howe I made fyre and brymston falle
                  
                    frome heven on men that bade there-in;
                  
                    for synne were distroyed boþe grete & smalle.
                    Line 224

(29)

                    "Man, wenyst thowe my myght be lesse
                  
                    than hit was than, or ellis I
                  
                    hathe nat as mychë wykkydnesse
                  
                    As whan I smote so spiteousely?
                    Line 228 
                  
                    But yett I wyll thy fawtes Redresse,
                  
                    thoowe I nowe sparë for my mercy;
                  
                    Man, thenke vppon my Ryghtwysnes,
                  
                    And make A-mendis or that þou dye."
                    Line 232

(30)

(Man's Third Answer.)

"I wott wele, lorde, þou Ryghtfull arte, And þat synne mut be ponysshed need; But o thyng holdythe hope in myn harte, that mercye passithe my mysdede; 236 I knowë wele I may nat with-starte, [folio 148b] I have so doone, I ought to dreede. With beaute and with bodyly quarte to servë the I toke noone heede. 240

Page 206

240

(31)

                    "I haue mysspendyd my yonge age
                  
                    In synne, and wantonnehed also,
                  
                    I have been slowe and lovyd outerage;
                  
                    A gloton, A lechur, I was bothe to.
                    Line 244 
                  
                    I am worthy noon odyr wage
                  
                    But for to dwell in eendeles woo;
                  
                    Alas! why haue I been so outerage,
                  
                    And servyd the fende þat was my Foo?
                    Line 248

(32)

                    ¶ "But, lorde, in holy wrytt Rede wee
                  
                    that þou for-sakyst no wrechchyd wyght
                  
                    that leuythe his syn and turnythe to the,
                  
                    And I to the turne have tyght.
                    Line 252 
                  
                    ffull prowde and Rebell haue I been,
                  
                    But I wele meke me to my myght,
                  
                    frome hens forwarde I purpose me
                  
                    A-yenst myn ownë flesche to fyght.
                    Line 256

(33)

                    "My Flesche to fellë I wole faste,
                  
                    My louys to travell I wole sende,
                  
                    And thorowe thy grace I am nat A-gast,
                  
                    what sorowe or sykenes to me þou sende,
                    Line 260 
                  
                    to suffyr whyle my lyffe wole laste;
                  
                    for vttyrly to this Entent,
                  
                    to ponysche þat I haue trespassed,
                  
                    Mercy, Ihesu, I wole Amende."
                    Line 264

(34)

(Christ's Fourth Complaint.)

"Man, I haue sende þe syluer & gollde, And alle the welthe within þy woone, to susteyne the and thyn houssolde, And with the Resedewe many one 268 tho myghttyst þou haue yonge and olde that been diseassyd and woo-by-goone; My servauntis suffyr hunger and colde, [folio 149] Releffe of the yeet haue I noone. 272

Page 208

272

(35)

                    "yff þou yeve for my love A ferthyng,
                  
                    thowe doest hit with An hevy harte;
                  
                    In almys dar þou Do nothyng
                  
                    for Drede þou fallë in pouerte,
                    Line 276 
                  
                    In wordis and in vayne spekyng,
                  
                    what-euer þou wastyst, mery þou arte;
                  
                    Of suche I wole haue Rekenyng;
                  
                    A Domys day þou shalt not starte.
                    Line 280

(36)

                    "than shalt þou yeve A-counte full strayte,
                  
                    howe thowe come by thy goode, eche dele,
                  
                    whedur with trouthë or Dyssayte,
                  
                    And howe þou spendyst hit, evyll or wele.
                    Line 284 
                  
                    Noone odyr grace than afftyr wayte:
                  
                    As þou haste wrought, so shalt þou fele.
                  
                    what shall than prophyte þi gowne purfylled?
                  
                    Poundes and markes of the I peele.
                    Line 288

(37)

                    "A clene conscyence shall þat daye
                  
                    More prophyte be, & more sett bye,
                  
                    than all thy muke and alle þy moneye
                  
                    that euer was, or shall be vndyr þe skye.
                    Line 292 
                  
                    than wole nat helpë plete nor playe,
                  
                    for ar Right-wole than Deme shall I;
                  
                    And there-for, whylë þat þou may,
                  
                    Make Amendis or þou dye."
                    Line 296

(38)

(Man's Fourth Answer.)

"I wote wele, lorde, frome yere to yere full gretely grevyd the, I have; that I wete wele; nor, þy mercy were, My modyrs wombe hade be my grave. 300 for what profyttythe my levyng here But þou wolt affter-warde me save? But Ihesu, as þou boughttest me dere, Leve nat my soulë in hellë Cave! 304

Page 210

304

(39)

                    "My waste expensis I wyll with-drawe, [folio 149b] 
                  
                    Nowe, sertayne, 'waste,' wele colyd þei be,
                  
                    for þou were spent my boste to blowe,
                  
                    My name to bere by londe and ssee.
                    Line 308 
                  
                    wele I wott me thought nat trewe
                  
                    with many A man of my cuntre;
                  
                    yff they me mett, they me nat knewe,
                  
                    Ne neuer yett harden speke of me.
                    Line 312

(40)

                    "fondely haue I wrought & wyrchyd on wyse;
                  
                    I myght haue goton mychë meede
                  
                    had I spent hit in goddis seruyce,
                  
                    On men diseisyd and almys deede.
                    Line 316 
                  
                    But thorowe thy grace I wyll A-Ryse,
                  
                    for, haue I and myne, oure bare mede,
                  
                    with the Remnaunt, lorde, at þy devyse,
                  
                    the poore, the nakyd, to cloþe & ffeede.
                    Line 320

(41)

                    "Syk men that lyen in goddis bondis,
                  
                    they haue no syluer for to spende,
                  
                    And prisonners bounden with fete and hondis,
                  
                    Offt for to vesyte I wyll hem Amende:
                    Line 324 
                  
                    what I see howe hit with hem stondis,
                  
                    Suche as I haue, I shall hem fynde;
                  
                    But, lorde, lett þy worke be þy bondis;
                  
                    A, mercy, Ihesu, I wyll Amende!"
                    Line 328

(42)

(Christ's Fifth Complaint.)

"Man, yff thowe wylt Amendis make, Do thyn Almes with thyne owne goode, And wayte þou wyrkë no man wrake, to venge Anodyr manys goode. 332 yff thowe ontrewly frome one take, And there-with fynde xl. her goode; Suche sacrefysis I for-saake, they been to me as sowre as soote. 336

Page 212

336

(43)

                    "the poore peopull þou doest opresse
                  
                    with flyghttis & wylys many also:
                  
                    thowe makyst chyrches, and syng messes, [folio 150] 
                  
                    thowe Amendyst wayes, men on to go;
                    Line 340 
                  
                    and some men ban the, & some men blesse:
                  
                    Whedur shall I here of theese twoo?
                  
                    yff þou wolt haue grace as þou thenkis,
                  
                    lett falsnes be Flemyd the froo.
                    Line 344

(44)

                    "the mothes that thy clothys etys,
                  
                    and þou lettest poore men go bare,
                  
                    thy drynkis soweren, þou mouledest metis
                  
                    where-with the febull myght wele fare.
                    Line 348 
                  
                    thy Rustes þat thy syluer ffreete,
                  
                    thy goodis that evyll goton are,
                  
                    they cryen vppon the vengeaunce grete,
                  
                    there for to spyll, yeet I þe spare.
                    Line 352

(45)

                    "with-holdyn hem A-yenst the Ryght,
                  
                    thoowȝe thy servaunttis vppon þe crye;
                  
                    And, man, offtymes þou hast me hyght
                  
                    thowe woulde Amende, & leve folye.
                    Line 356 
                  
                    thowe spekyst soore by day and nyght,
                  
                    thowe brekyst couinaunt contenually;
                  
                    yett is me lothe with the to fyght;
                    Line 359 
                  
                    yett make Amendis, man, or þou dye." [[See note on p. 214]]

(46)

(Man's Fifth Answer.)

"Swete lorde, I may nat Ayenst þe saye, [[on leaf 152]] I have nat holden þat I the heete: I greve the gretely every daye, I do nat as I am in dett, 364 I woulde do wele, but wele-A-waye, With Enemyes I am euer by-sett; whan my soule woulde faynest þe paye, My flesche is the fyrst þat wole it lett. 368

Page 214

368

(47)

                    "Euer the fatter that I [hit] Feede,
                  
                    Euer the Fressher hit is my foo,
                  
                    yett must wee bere hit Abowtë nede,
                  
                    But febull hit is, hit wole me sloo.
                    Line 372 
                  
                    the worlde, the fende, my batayle byde
                  
                    Some tyme with wele, some tyme with woo;
                  
                    whate may I do with a wykkyd weede,
                  
                    to fyȝte A-yeen my enemyes soo?
                    Line 376

(48)

                    "whan I in-force me wother wyles,
                  
                    And thynke I woulde lyve a trewe lyffe
                  
                    and for-sooke all batayllis & gylys,
                  
                    the worlde byddythe me batell blyve,
                    Line 380 
                  
                    And, but I wole vse wrenchis wylys,
                  
                    to comyn wyse as I shall nat stryve," [[MS. ends, and is incomplete.] ["The Stacyons of Rome" follows on leaf 152, back.] [After line 360 the MS. runs on with line 383, p. 216, and transposes Man's Fifth Answer, ll. 361-382, to the end, p. 224. I fetch it back to its right place above.—F. J. F.]] 
                    Line 382

Page 216

(49)

(Man's Sixth Answer.)

"Swete Ihesu, answer I [ne] can, 383 But oft I crye mercy with hart stable; Alas for woo! why is man wele woorse than beste onresonáble? 386 All bestis, sithe this worllde by-gan, In kyndely wyrchyng be duráble, Save onely I, off wyttys wanne, that wofull many dedis dampnáble. 390

Page 218

390

(50)

                    "I, man, was made to knowe my maker,
                  
                    And to love hym ouer alle thyng;
                  
                    And I, A wreche, was neuer maker
                  
                    to cache kynde knowyng of my kynge; [folio 150b] 
                    Line 394 
                  
                    to tryfyllis have I be tent-taker.
                  
                    A songe for sorowe wele may I synge,
                  
                    for hade I of syn be for-saker,
                  
                    of cryst shoulde I have hade knowynge.
                    Line 398

(51)

                    "My gostely than blysefull off duste,
                  
                    Curssyd covetyse hathe so blyndedyd me,
                  
                    they been shotyn with ffleschely luste,
                  
                    than hevenly thyngis may I noone see.
                    Line 402 
                  
                    But, lorde, thowȝe I have been on[i]est,
                  
                    thorowe helpe of thy Benyngnyte
                  
                    I hope to Rube A-waye the Ruste,
                  
                    with penaunce, frome my gostely syhte.
                    Line 406

(52)

                    "And where that I haue A-fore this
                  
                    My worledly synnys spente,
                  
                    frome hens forwarde my purpose is
                  
                    to lerne thy lawe to my lyvys ende.
                    Line 410 
                  
                    thy x comaundëmentis I-wys,
                  
                    hem for to kepe I wyll me bende,
                  
                    And there as I haue doone A-mys,
                  
                    Mercy, Ihesu! I wyll Amende."
                    Line 414

(53)

(Christ's Seventh Complaint.)

"Man, my mercy, yf þou it mende, I have the hit shewed in many wyse Sythen the tyme that þou fyrst synned Ayenst myne hest in paradyse. 418 In hell preson when þou were pynyd for doyng of the develys devyse, owte of thy teene for to be tenyd, Mercy and love þe holpe or this. 422

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422

(54)

                    "Mercy was thyn advocate cheffe
                  
                    that I for the tooke Flesche & bloode;
                  
                    loue made the to me so leffe,
                  
                    that I for the was Rente on Roode;
                    Line 426 
                  
                    I suffyrde dethe to chaunge þy greffe,
                  
                    And In-to hell than doune I yeede;
                  
                    I brought þe to preeffe to the blysse:
                  
                    Man! I haue been thy frende full goode. [folio 151] 
                    Line 430

(55)

                    "I be-gan poore, thé Ryche to make;
                  
                    to make thé whyte, I was made Rede;
                  
                    my sorowe, my syknes, made thé to slake,
                  
                    My hunger booke the blysfull brede.
                    Line 434 
                  
                    I bonde my selffe, þy bondis I braake;
                  
                    to gett thy lyffe, I suffyrd dede;
                  
                    what shoulde I do more for thy saake?
                  
                    to hele thy foote, hurt was my hede.
                    Line 438

(56)

                    "yff þou thynk I myght more do
                  
                    for thy saake, saye, I am Redy
                  
                    to dye A-yeen, yff neede were there-too:
                  
                    Suche loue, man, to the haue I.
                    Line 442 
                  
                    I hyght the myrthe & Ioyës moo,
                  
                    But þou Art thy moste Enemy,
                  
                    for nought that I do but þou wylt so;
                  
                    Man! make Amendis or thowe dye."
                    Line 446

(57)
(Man's Seventh Answer.)

                    "Lorde, whan I thynke on þy pouerte,
                  
                    and how wylfull þou were and fayne; [[Lines 449 and 448 are transposed, and 450a repeated wrongly.]] —
                  
                    to sle my syn, þou were slayne [[Lines 449 and 448 are transposed, and 450a repeated wrongly.]] —
                  
                    to suffyr for me woundis smarte;
                    Line 450 
                  
                    And howe wylfull þou were and fayne;
                    Line 450a 
                  
                    harder than Iren is my harte
                  
                    that hathe no pyte of thy payne!
                  
                    Euer the kynder to me þou arte,
                  
                    the more vnkynder I am A-gayne.

                    Line 454

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454

(58)

                    "Why wouledyst þou, lorde, be slayne for me?
                  
                    than Am I thyne Enemye moste vnhende,
                  
                    Sithen no man hathe more charyte
                  
                    than deethe to suffyr for his Frende?
                    Line 458 
                  
                    what skyll is þou shouledyst slayne bee,
                  
                    Sythen I made þe thrall to þe Fende?
                  
                    I trespassyd, lorde, why smottis þou nat me?
                  
                    Nowe, blessyd be þou with-owttyn eende!
                    Line 462

(59)

                    "I see wele, lorde, that þou lovest us [folio 151b] 
                  
                    for oure profyte, & nought for yeve; [[pyne]] 
                  
                    for what were þou, ne were Ihesus,
                  
                    thoughe all wee were in eendeles payne.
                    Line 466 
                  
                    Alas, wee been so vysyous,
                  
                    And so onkyndely frome hyr declyne,
                  
                    that is oure god so gracïus,
                  
                    And is so lothe, mannys soule to tyne.
                    Line 470

(60)

                    "But, swete lorde, as þou haste bygoone,
                  
                    so lett thy mercy forthe extende;
                  
                    Put thy crosse and thy passyon
                  
                    By-twene my werkis, they ought to be brent,
                    Line 474 
                  
                    And thy dome that I may nat shoone,
                  
                    that bondis of hell can me nat hende.
                  
                    Who but the fadur shoulde helpe þe soone?
                  
                    Mercy, Ihesus! I wyll Amende."
                    Line 478

(61)

(Christ's Eighth Complaint.)

"Man, yff þou wolte my mercy gete, thorowe my passyon of grete vertu, why lovyst nat þou me for to bete? 481 Eche day on crosse þou doest me newe with deedly syn, at morne, at mete, thowe turmentis me on-trewe, And namely, with thyne othis grete, to swere þou wolte nat me eschewe 486

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486

(62)

                    "No lym on me, man, þou for-beryste:
                  
                    why doyst þou evyll Ayenst goode?
                  
                    By my soule thowe offt-tyme sweryst,
                  
                    by my body, and by my bloode;
                    Line 490 
                  
                    with thy tunge me all to-teryst,
                  
                    whan þou arte wroþe & wel ny woode;
                  
                    Man, with thy onkyndnes more me derest
                  
                    than they that rent me on þe Roode.
                    Line 494

(63)

                    "thowe haste more pyte vppon þy too
                  
                    yff hit be hurt, and lytyll bleede,
                  
                    than euer þou haddyst for all þe woo
                  
                    that euer I Suffyrde for þy mysdeede.
                    Line 498 
                  
                    Whan þou arte tought, than þou shalt woo [folio 152] 
                  
                    of sweryng, but yff hit were neede:
                  
                    thowe scorenest hem than seyne þe soo,
                  
                    thowe takest to my heste no kepe. [[heede]] 
                    Line 502

(64)

                    "Lowde lesyngis on me þou makyst,
                  
                    Some tyme to wynne An halpenye,
                  
                    what tyme to wytnes þou me takyste,
                  
                    And yeet the for-sweryst þe wyttyngly.
                    Line 506 
                  
                    Byyng and syllyng, þou nat for-sakyst;
                  
                    bothe veyne & wronge þou sweryst wronge;
                  
                    whan þou doest thus, there bale þou bakeste;
                  
                    Man! make Amendis or thowe dye." [[See note on p. 214.]] 
                    Line 510

About this Item

Pages

Page 190

The Complaynt of Criste.

[Lambeth MS. 306, ab. 1460-70 A.D., leaf 145, written in 8-line stanzas, though to l. 135 it is in 12-line ones.]

(Christ's First Complaint against Man.)

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About this Item

Pages

description Page 190

The Complaynt of Criste.

[Lambeth MS. 306, ab. 1460-70 A.D., leaf 145, written in 8-line stanzas, though to l. 135 it is in 12-line ones.]

(Christ's First Complaint against Man.)

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