Twenty-six political and other poems (including 'Petty Job') from the Oxford mss. Digby 102 and Douce 322. Ed., with introduction and glossarial index, by D. J. Kail ...

XXIV. The Lessouns of the Dirige.

[Digby 102, leaf 124, back.] [52 stanzas of 8, abab, abab.]

Lectio prima: Parce mihi, domine.

(1)

Almyȝty god, lord, me spare, ffor soþe, my dayes werkys ben noȝt. My wittes on nyȝtes wrong y ware, Þerof longe ȝeres mon be wroȝt. Line 4 Þenke, man, þou ware born ful bare. In-to þis world what hastou broȝt? Out of þis world whanne þou schalt fare, Þou schalt bere with þe ryȝt noȝt. Line 8

Line 8

(2)

¶ What is man of gret renoun, That of hym self makeþ aldre mest? Why settyst þou þy herte aȝen resoun, And sodeynly repreuest hem mest? Line 12 In þe dawenynge þou souȝtest hem vpsodoun. Contrary to godis hest Þou purchasest þy saule helle prisoun; For fleschely lust, wormes fest. Line 16

(3)

¶ How longe sparest þou me noȝt, To swolwe my spotel, bote it me gryue? Þou keper of men, alle þyng hast wroȝt; What shal y do to þyn byhyue? Line 20 What hastou set me contrarie þy þoȝt, Þy holy lawe to repryue? Lord, whenne my werkis mon be soȝt, Dyspyce me noȝt in my myschyue! Line 24

(4)

¶ Ful heuy to my self y am maad withynne; My werkes, on me heuye isse. Why takest þou noȝt away my synne, And bere from me my wykednesse? Line 28 I slepe in dust, for we ben kynne, For erthe claymeȝ me for hisse. To seche me eerly, ȝif þou begynne, I ne may withstonde þe y-wisse. Line 32

Lectio secunda: Tedet animam meam.

(5)

¶ My soul, of my self anoyed isse. I shal leue my speche aȝens me. To my soul y wole speke in bitternesse, And y shal saye to god so fre: Line 36 Wyl noȝt dampne me fro blisse, Shew me þe cause, þat wolde I se, Why demestou me þoȝ y dede mysse, Lord, whether þe þynke good to þe. Line 40

Line 40

(6)

¶ Ȝif þou chalenge my werk, and bere me doun, Me that am werk of þy hande, And þou in consayl helpe ȝe moun To wykked men here synnes withstande, Line 44 Wiþ repentaunce and sorwful [folio 125a] soun May launce hem from þe deuelys bande: To ȝerde of loue y moste me boun; Lord, me chastice wiþ þat wande. Line 48

(7)

¶ Wheþer þyn eyȝen ben fleschlye, Or þou seest as man shal see? Or þy dayes so sone syȝe, As other mennys dayes be? Line 52 Or þy ȝerys riȝt so hye, As mennys tymes in here degre?— For þou art god shal neuere dyȝe, For sorwe and deþ shal from the fle— Line 56

(8)

¶ That þou seche my wykkednesse, And ransake my synne, And wyte I haue noȝt doun mysse, Bote hert and soule clene withynne. Line 60 Soþes þer no man nesse May skape þyn hond, and from the twynne, Bote repentaunce and mercy kesse. Þat now ben frendis, lord, make hem kynne. Line 64

Lectio tertia: Manus tue feceruntme.

(9)

¶ Thy hand made me man of resoun, [[MS. þe soun]] And shope me al in compas, And sodeynly þou cast me doun, ffor knew y noȝt what þou was. Line 68 Of me men sample take mowen, Be ware lest þay folwe my tras. I hadde lordship in feld and toun, Now on a donghille is my pas. Line 72

Line 72

(10)

¶ Haue mynde on me, lord, and take hede Of fen of erthe þou dede me make. In-to dust aȝen þou shalt me lede, My soule from þe body take. Line 76 My flesch is ful sleper atte nede, And solpeþ my soule wiþ synnes blake. Lord god, þy dome y drede. Whanne þou comest, y mon awake. Line 80

(11)

¶ My hert shulde be stedefast, Þou hast lopred as mylk, and slep in þouȝt, Riȝt as chese þou croddest me fast. I wyte my synnes þat y wrouȝt. Line 84 Lord, alle my synnes away þou cast, Bote wiþ my synnes cast me noȝt. Þou knowest how longe my lyf shulde last; Þou sette my terme, y passe it noȝt. Line 88

(12)

¶ Þou cloþedest me with flesch and skyn, With bones and synewes made me to-gyder; Lyf and mercy ȝaf me withyn; As brotel vessel y stonde slyder. Line 92 Þy sechyng haþ kepyd my gost with wyn. A, lord, whenne þou comest hyder To deme al erþe, þy domes to twyn Þouȝ I wolde fle, I not noȝt whyder. Line 96

(13)

¶ To deme þe erthe whanne þou wendys, Fro face of þy wraþþe whyder shal I go? To hyde me wiþ angels aren goddis frendys? And god me hate, þay ben my fo. Line 100 And I hyde me in helle among fendys, In pyne þay wolen tormente me so. I haue synned [folio 125b] riȝt moche, my synne me schendys. Me thynke þay waxen mo and mo. Line 104

Line 104

(14)

¶ My trespas moche arn blamed. Bote repentaunce be mendement, Byfore þe, y drede, y am aschamed. Whenne þou comest to iugement, Line 108 Þat weren wylde, mon be tamed, Al wopen of wraþþe mon be brent; In bok of lyf þo þat be named, To ioye of heuene mon be sent. Line 112

(15)

¶ Almyȝty god, lord, me ȝeme, In thy mercy þou me lede. Whenne my soule is boden out fleme, Helpe me, lord, atte al my nede. Line 116 Whenne þou al þe world shal deme, Dampne me noȝt after my dede. Whenne þat angels blowen here beme, Þenne alle folk may haue gret drede. Line 120

(16)

¶ From worldis worschipe y am shoue, And broȝt abas from al astat. My skyn is cloþed al on roue, In pouerte and peyne my wyt is mat. Line 124 Lord, chastice me wiþ ȝerd of loue, Þouȝ y haue seruyd þe swerd of hat. Wherto wyltou þy maystry proue, Wiþ suchon as I to make debat? Line 128

Lectio quarta: Quantas habeo.

(17)

¶ Als many wykkednesse and trespas And synnes withoute noumbre mo Shew me; why hydest þy fas fro me, and demest me þy fo? Line 132 Lord, þenkes þe solace This turment, and do me wo? A drope of thy mercie of oyle of grace, Lord, graunte me er y go. Line 136

Line 136

(18)

¶ I am slyme of erthe, haue in mynde, Pore of matere and dedely, As a lef styrede with wynde. On me þou prouest þy maystry. Line 140 Þou prouest þy myȝt, and þat I fynde, O þe stubble, þat is so drye, Þou pursuest me, and wylt me bynde, Wiþ synnes in my ȝouþe þou wylt me stroye. Line 144

(19)

¶ Lord, þou pursuest me fast, for soþe, aȝens me þou doest wryte Bitternesse, bote swete is past. I may noȝt blenche whenne þou wylt smyte. Line 148 I trowe þat þou wolt me wast, With synnes in my ȝouþe do me endite. Lord, on me þy wille þou hast. My grete synne myself y wyte. Line 152

(20)

¶ In synne þou settest my fot and hede, And alle my werkes hastou soȝt, And alle steppys y euere ȝede; Ȝe haue nombred alle my wordes and þoȝt. Line 156 And als þou hast taken hede, Roten y schal be, wasted to noȝt; As clothes þat moþþes on hem fede, So shal my flesch with wormes soȝt. Line 160

(21)

¶ Wo [to] me, so mon y be, For y haue don moche synne. I, wreche, whyder shal y fle ffor wrechyd lyf y lyued ynne? Line 164 My lord, my god, noȝt bote to the! God of mercie, on me mynne! Lord, haue mercie on me, Let noȝt thy loue [folio 126a] fro me twynne! Line 168

Lectio quinta: Homo natus.

(22)

¶ Man, that is of woman born, Lyuynge short tyme he is. Er his nauel be knytte and shorn, ffulfilde with many wrechidnes. Line 172 Er he fro moder be forborn, In peryl of deth, bothe partie es. Ȝif flesch be lord, the soule is lorn; Bote soule be lord, he leseth his blys. Line 176

(23)

¶ Man geth out as don floures, Corage and strengthe, and fayre of hewe; Makeþ moche of hymself, sayþe al is oures, And repeth þat he neuere ne sewe. Line 180 He is defouled be dayes and houres, And fleeþ as shadow, þat neuere grewe; Dwelleþ neuere in þe self stat of ouris, Encresceþ mo vyces þan vertew. Line 184

(24)

¶ And þou holdest worthy to open thyn ey, And come to me, and clayme for rent, To loke on such a wrecche as y, And lede hym with the to iugement, Line 188 Þer al mankynde in company, Atte thy general parlement; Vertues to heuen ther schul ȝe try, The vyces in helle fyre be brent. Line 192

(25)

¶ What man may make hym clene, Þat is conceyued in vnclene sed? Ywhether þou art alone, withoute mene? To felowschipe þou hast non nede. Line 196 Short ar mannys dayes sene, And the nombre of hys monthes in thy dede. Þou hast sette his terme of fat and lene, He passeþ it noȝt for no mede. Line 200

Line 200

(26)

¶ A, go away a lytel hym fro, In mendement that he mow rest Tyl the day he ȝerned so, A, of harde man, come þat is best. Line 204 Lord, haue no mynde to do me wo, fforber my synnes wolde make me lest. Lord, whenne þou comest to deme so Al þe world be fyre, boþe est and west, Line 208 God, in þy syȝt þy way y go Ryȝt ham; in þy fayþ me fest!

(27)

¶ Lord, whenne þou demest alle þyng in riȝt, Wher mercie shal noȝt knawen be; Line 212 Ryȝt leseþ noȝt his myȝt, Þouȝ mercie be in companye. Mercy is euere in þy syȝt, For mercie euere þyn eyȝen se. Line 216 Wher-euere þy dome is dyȝt, Riȝt claymeþ mercie for his fee.

Lectio sexta: Quis mihi hoc tribuat.

(28)

¶ Who ȝeueþ to me, þat y me hyde Tylle þy wraþþe in helle be past? Line 220 Withouten pyne, þy dome to byde, Tyl body and soule aȝen be fast? With arguments noȝt me chyde! Þou knowest how longe my lyf shal last. Line 224 Lord, lat mercie be my gyde, And neuere fro þy face me cast!

(29)

¶ Þou set me a tyme; couenant is tan. Haue mynde on me, what dome is diȝt. Line 228 Trowest þou ouȝt þat y, dede man, Shal haue aȝeyn man of myȝt, And ȝelde rekenyng sen y bygan With alle dayes þat y now fyȝt? Line 232 Now I abyde þat I fro ran, [folio 126b] Tyl my folwyng come to myn insiȝt.

(30)

¶ Lord, þou shalt clepe me, And I shal answere to þe, werk of þyn hande. Line 236 Werk of þy riȝt hand, take to þe; Þou shalt not bynde it in helle bande. Þou hast noumbred my steppes, how mony þay be, How monye y ran, how monye I stande. Line 240 Bot spare þou, lord, to þe synne of me, Ne wilne noȝt deme my werkes ȝe fande.

(31)

¶ Deme me noȝt after my dede, Lord, I byseche þe! Line 244 I haue don in þy siȝt, and tok non hede; Þerfore I praye þy mageste, God, my wikkednesse away þou lede, Myn vnryȝt away wasche ȝe! Line 248 Non more; lord, at my nede, Of alle my synnes clense ȝe me!

Lectio septima: Spiritus [[MS. spc̄]] meus.

(32)

¶ My gost, shalt þou be made newe, My dayes shulle yshorted be; Line 252 My soule fro þe body mon remewe, Alone a graue byleueth to me. I haue non synne, no vices me sewe, Myn eyen in bitternesse dwelle y se. Line 256 Deliuere me, lord, and on me rewe, And sette me bysydes the!

(33)

¶ Whos hande þou wolt aȝeyn me fyȝt, And þou proue þy stronge hande? Line 260 My dayes ben passed to withstonde þy myȝt, I may noȝt bere þy litel wande. My thouȝtes ben wasted, turned in ryȝt, Turmentynge my herte inwith and ande; Line 264 And turnyd day to þe nyȝt. After derkenesse I haue bedded my bed, I fande.

(34)

¶ I sayde to stynke and rotenesse, 'My fader and moder arn ȝe;' Line 268 And to wormes y sayde þysse: 'My systren and my brethern both be ȝe.' And erthe claymeþ me for hysse, Where þen now my bydynge to me. Line 272 My felynge þou art, and my god of blisse. Drede of deth droueth me.

(35)

¶ Eche a day synnyng, And euere newe encres; Line 276 Neuere a day blynnyng, Bote euere vertue wane les. [[MS. waneles]] To repente no bygynnyng, Noȝt bote gadre synne ay in pres. Line 280 In helle is no wynnyng, Ne non aȝeynbyynge to pes.

Lectio octava: Pelli mee.

(36)

¶ My flesches ben wasted, don me refuse, My bones cleuyn vnto þe skyn; Line 284 My lippes arn shronken out of syse, Aboute my teth arn left atwyn. Haue mercye on myn werk vnwyse, Haue mercie on me, let mercie wyn! Line 288 Namly my frendes, me noȝt despyse; Lordis hande hath towched me more and myn.

(37)

¶ Why pursue ȝe me, and on me syte, And arn filled of my flesch and fel? Line 292 Who ȝeueþ to me, þat wolde y wyte, Wordes in boke be ered wel, Or in a plate of led wryten With an yren poyntel, Line 296 Or in a flynt grauen and spyten By craft of werk withoute chysel?

(38)

¶ I byleue [folio 127a] þat soth y say, Myn aȝeynbyere lyuynge isse. Line 300 I shal rysen of þe erthe my laste day, Bylapped in my flesch and skyn ywisse; Byholde with myn eyȝen twey, Se god, my sauyour, in blisse; Line 304 Non other eyȝen bote þes, withouten nay; Þe hope in my bosom yput vp isse.

(39)

¶ The soule is in derkenesse from gostly syȝt. Lord, ȝyue here rest and pees! Line 308 Withouten ende, ȝyue here lyȝt, Euerlastynge lyȝt, þat neuere shal sees! Þou þat rered Lazar on hyȝt Out of þe graue, stynkynge fro wormes pres, Line 312 Þy pauylon of mercy be on hem pyȝt, To reste fro pyne, make hem reles.

Lectio nona: Quare de uulua [[MS. nulla]] eduxisti me qui, &c.

(40)

¶ Out of þe wombe, why hastou me broȝt, Þat wolde y hadde be fordon? Line 316 Þanne hadde I be as noȝt, Noon eyȝe hadde sene me after son; Þan hadde I be as vn wroȝt, Noȝt born from wombe to berelis doun, Line 320 Where my short dayes arn in my þoȝt, Where þay shal noȝt be ended moun.

(41)

¶ A, þerfore, lord, graunte me þes To wepe and wayle, repente my synne, Line 324 Þat y torne noȝt aȝeyn to erthe of derkenes, To stryues of deþ, be curyd þerynne, Lond of wrethes and þesternesse Þer is shadew of deþ, noon oþer wynne; Line 328 Þer woneþ euerlastynge for hem lyued mysse, Euere gryslyhede, þat neuere schal blynne.

Libera me, domine.

(42)

¶ Delyuere me, lord, from endeles deþe In þat grete dredful day, Line 332 Where heuenys schullen be styred from erþe breþe, Whenne þou shalt come to deme for ay. To heuen, or helle, þat on he geþ; Þe word be fyre, and grete afray. Line 336 Þanne, woo to the synful, his soule sleþ, And fendys claymen hym for here pray.

(43)

¶ That day shal be a day of drede, Of wraþþe and myschyf, and wrechidnesse. Line 340 Þere may no man oþere rede, Ne make amendis for his mysse. ffor worldly witnesse of synful ded, Gostly payne in bitternesse. Line 344 Þere helpeþ neþer counseil ne med; Ech man for hymself, to payne, or blysse.

(44)

¶ What shal y say for shame and drede, Or what to do, fool and nys, Line 348 Whanne y shal schewe forþ no good dede Byfore so gret iuge and wys? Al folk on me woln take hede, Wayte after vertue, and fynde vys. Line 352 Say, "God, mercy, þy dome y drede, ffor in þe, al mercy lys."

(45)

¶ Now, crist, of þy mercie we craue, Haue mercie on vs, and leue noȝt, Line 356 We byseche þe, þat come [folio 127b] mankynde to saue. To bye vs, þou from heuene vs soȝt, Oure herytage for vs to haue. Þat wern lorn, þou hast boȝt. Line 360 Wyl noȝt dampne in helle kaue, Thy honde warke þou hast wroȝt.

(46)

¶ Þe brennynge soule in helle hete, Withouten ende wepe thoo. Line 364 Allas, oure synnes don vs bete, Þay say, 'wo, wo, wo! Here is no remedie to gete.' Þay walke in derkenesse to and fro, Line 368 Þe stynk and derkenesse is so grete, Allas, in þysternesse we go.

(47)

¶ God, that art shapere of al, Of slyme of erthe þou me wroȝt. Line 372 Wiþ þy blod principal, Wonderly þou haste vs boȝt. Þouȝ my body now rote smal, My soule to my body shal be broȝt. Line 376 Out of my graue, reyse me þou schal To lyues man, and fayle noȝt,

(48)

¶ Blod and boon, flesche and felle. Here my prayer: in parfitnesse Line 380 At domesday comaunde my soule to dwelle In Abrahamys bosum, in thy blisse, Whenne þou shalt delyuere me fram syȝt of helle. Þou breke þe ȝates of helle, ywisse, Line 384 Þou souȝtest helle in peynes felle, Ȝaf lyȝt to hem in grete bryȝtnesse.

(49)

¶ Alas, y may be schamed sore, At domesday stonde in drede; Line 388 I, to come so gret a Iuge byfore, And shewe forþ no good dede, Bote fardel of synnes gadred in store; Þe fendes redy my rolle to rede, Line 392 Þe countretayle to shewe, þe score, Þe leste steppe þat euere y ȝede.

(50)

¶ The good aungel on his ryȝt syde, Whenne he hem ladde with merye songe, Line 396 And whenne he wolde noȝt folwe hy[m], glyde Out of the waye, he wente wronge; In vertues he nolde abyde; Þe good aungel mourned amonge. Line 400 "With þe soule nel y chyde; Y ȝeue þe vp for endeles longe."

(51)

¶ At domesday no man shal be excusyd, Lord ne lady, mayde ne knaue; Line 404 ffor wykked counsel scholde be refusyd, And after good counsayle craue. After warke þat þay vsed, I shal hem deme, or saue. Line 408 Þe sauyd excusyd, þe dampnyd accusyd, As thay deseruyd echon haue.

(52)

¶ Ech touche and mouynge with hys honde, Þe leste twynkelynge wyþ his eyȝe, Line 412 His wronge worke sitte or stonde, Ryde or go, sitte or lyȝe. Þouȝ he spede noȝt þere he dede fonde, Hys conscience wole hym bewrye; Line 416 Benefice, auauncement, hous or londe, The leste bargayn þat he dede bye.