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
