The poems of William of Shoreham: ab. 1320 vicar of Chart-Sutton. / re-edited from the unique manuscript in the British Museum by M. Konrath.

V. [The Five Joys of the Virgin Mary.]

MEche hys þat me syngeþ and redeþ, [Wright page 117] Of hyre þat al mankende gledeþ [gledeþ, MS. gladeþ.] Ibore was here on erthe; Line 3 And þey alle speke, þat spekeþ wyd tonge, [þey = þeȝ.—alle speke, MS. þey I alle speke.] Of hyre worschype, and murye sounge, Ȝet more he were werthe. [he = hy; so, too, ll. 8, 12, 16.—werthe, MS. worthe.] Line 6

Þyse aungeles heryeþ here wyþ steuene, Ase he hys hare quene of heue[ne], And eke hare blysse; Line 9 Ouer al erþe leuedy hys here, [hys = hy ys; so, too, l. 17.] And þorȝ-out helle geþ here power, Ase he hys emperysse. Line 12

Cause of alle þyse dignyte, Þorȝ clennesse and humylyte, Was godes owene grace; Line 15 Wer-þorȝ he ber þan heuene kyng : Worschype hys worþy ine alle þyng, In euereche place. Line 18

Al þat hys boue and vnder molde, Hou myȝt hyt bote hyt bowe scholde To hyre owene mede? Line 21 Wanne he þat al þys wordle schel welde To hyre worschipe hys yhelde For here moder-hede. Line 24

Line 24

Al þyse maydenes, wyþ-out bost, [Wright page 118] Hy bereþ god in here goste, In hare holy þouȝt[e]; [folio 199a] Line 27 Ac hy wyþ-oute mannes ymone In body, and nauȝt in gost a-lone, [alone, MS. aboue (Wr. corr.).] To manne hyne broute. Line 30

Of hyre þat hys þos dygne of take, [of take, read op-take, assumpta? Mätzner writes of lake (O.E. lāc, gift, offering).] Hou myȝte ich of hyre songes make, Þat am so foul of lyue? Line 33 And þou me bede, soster, synge, [And, read Ac? (Kölbing's conjecture).] And alle in-to one songe brynge Here swete ioyen fyue. Line 36

To segge þat ich hyt maky can, Þat am so one-connende a man, Dar ich me nauȝt auanty; Line 39 Ac tryste ich wolle to oure leuedy, And maky hyt ase hyt wyle by, And ase hy hy[t] wole me granty. [hy hy[t], MS. hy hy; Mätzner omits one hy.—wole, distinctly so in MS.; Wr. wolde.] Line 42

As man ine hys by-leaue yseþ, Ioyen of hyre so fele þer beþ, Ne may hys no man telle, [hys (not hyt) in MS.] Line 45 Ase hy haþ of hyre leue sone: Hyt passeþ al mankendes wone, And out of mannes spelle. Line 48

Four manere ioyen hy hedde here Of hyre sone so lef an dere, Wytnes opan þe godspelle; Line 51

Line 51 And al[le] comeþ of þe blysse [of þe, MS. ofte þe (Mätzner corr.).] [Wright page 119] Þat hye heþ nou, wyþ-oute mysse, So stremes of þe welle. Line 54

Þe wylle þat hys in paradys Fol wel by-tokneþ þys auys, Wyþ here stremes foure, [folio 199b] Line 57 Þet orneþ out ouer al þat londe, Nys neuer erþlyche man þat fond [Nys, read Nes?] Hou fele come of þe stoure. Line 60

Þys wulle hys god self man by-come, Of hym þys ioyen beþ alle y-nome, And alle ine uour manere: [uour, MS. nout, Mätzner noue = new; but cp. l. 49.] Line 63 Þe furste was wyþ concepcioun, Þo þe angel gabryel come a-doun Ine stede of messager[e], Line 66

To brynge þe tyþynge by-fore Þat cryst of hyre wolde by bore, Mannes trespas to ȝelde, Line 69 For to brynge ous out of helle: Wo mytte þenche oþer telle [An o has been cancelled after mytte.] Wat ioye þer y uelde! Line 72

In naȝareth, þe ryche toun, Aue maria was þat soun Of gabrieles steuene; Line 75 Þo was þat mayde wel ygret, [wel is the reading of the MS.; Wr. was.] And wyþ a present wel ageet [wel ageet, Mätzner weleget (for weleged), enriched; see note.] Fram vader oure of heuene. Line 78

So he was ine hyre ycome, [Wright page 120] For fleasch and blod of hyre to nome, Ase þe angel hyre seyde; Line 81

Line 81 Ne hy of mannes mone neste, Ne hy ne brek nauȝt hyre by-heste, Ac euere clene a mayde. [Ac, read As?] Line 84

Seynt johan þe baptyst on-bore, Þo hy spek hys moder by-fore, Ine ioye he gan to asprynge. [folio 200a] Line 87 Elyȝabet wel þat aspyde, Hou a spylede onder hyre syde, [hyre, MS. hys (Mätzner corr.).] And made hys reioyynge. Line 90

More encheyson hadde oure leuedy Ioyous and blyþe for to by, [by, MS. be.] Wyþ-oute prede and boste; Line 93 For in hyre selue hy hyne fredde, Fol wel hy wyste hou [hy] hyne hedde [[hy] inserted by Mätzner.] Þorȝ self þe holy goste. Line 96

Ioseph kedde þat he was mylde, Þo þat he wyste hy was wyþ chylde, A-wey he wolde alone; Line 99 Ha nolde nauȝt he were a-slawe, [he = hy; so, too, l. 111.] Ne forþe y-iuged by þe lawe To by stend wyþ stone. Line 102

Ac ioseph was wel blyþe, aplyȝt, Þo to hym cam þe angel bryȝt, [Þo, MS. So.] To segge hym wat he scholde; Line 105 Wel blyþþere myȝte be þat may, [Wright page 121] Þat was y-conforted al day Wyþ aungeles wanne hy wolde. Line 108

In þyssere ioye we scholde by-louken Al hyre ioyen of uourti woken Þe wylest he ȝede wyþ chylde. Line 111

Line 111 Of hyre [barme] hyt was god game, [See note.] Þer-inne þet vnicorn weks tame Þat er þan was so wylde. [þan, MS. þang.] Line 114

Þet oþer ioye of hyre ycore Was of ihesus, of hyre ybore A crystemasse nyȝte, [folio 200b] Line 117 Wyþ-oute sorȝe, wyþ-oute sore; And so ne schal þer neuer more Wymman wyþ childe dyȝte. [dyȝte, Mätzner proposes be dyȝte. Perhaps we ought to read hyt dyȝte.] Line 120

For so hy hyne scholde ferst auonge, Þer nes no senne þer amonge, [nes (Mätzner nas), MS. nys.] Ne noe flesches lykynge; Line 123 Þer-fore of hyre y-bore he was, Ase þe sonne passeȝt þorȝ þe glas Wyþ-outen on openynge. [Omission of on proposed by Mätzner.] Line 126

In suaþebendes hy hyne dyȝte, Ase hyt hys þe chyldes ryȝte, And ȝef hym melk to souke; Line 129 Þaȝ hyt were þustre of nyȝt, Þer nas wane of no lyȝt, Þe heuene gan onlouke. Line 132

Out com an aungel wyþ great leem [leem, second e, being written close to the m, looks like o in MS.] [Wright page 122] In-to þe feld of bedleem, Amonges þe schepherden, [schep-, MS. schop?] Line 135 Te telle þat cryst was ybore; Þer come singinde þer-fore Of angeles manye verden. Line 138

Þanne sede he swyþe wel Gracia plena, gabryel, And þat hys "fol of grace"; Line 141

Line 141 Wanne glorye of hyre hys fol a-boue, And pays igrad for hyre loue Of angeles in place. Line 144

Þe oxe and asse in hare manyour, Þo þat hy seȝen hare creatour [creatour, MS. creature.] Lyggynde in hare forage, [folio 201a] Line 147 Al one-knowynge þaȝ hy were, Hy makede ioye in hare manere, And eke in hare langage. Line 150

Ope þe heȝe eȝtynde day He onder-ȝede þe gywen lay, And was ycircumcysed. Line 153 Iesus me clepede hyne þer-uore, Ase aungeles, er he were ybore, Hys eldren hadde y-wysed. Line 156

Mochele ioye hy aspyde, Þe kynges þre þat come ryde Fram be easte wel iverre; [Wr. i-verre, MS. werre (distinctly).] Line 159 Gold, myrre, stor, were here offrynges, [Wright page 123] Þat he was lord and kyng of kynges Wel by-toknede þe sterre. Line 162

Þo þat he scholde y-offred by [by, MS. be.] In þe templo domini, [templo, so MS.] Ase laȝe ȝef þe termes, Line 165 Symeon, þe olde man, gan crye, And spek of hym fur prophecye, [fur = for (Mätzner); or ought we to read þorȝ (also spelt þourȝ)?] And tok hym ine hys earmes. Line 168

Þo he was bote twelf wynter ald, [he, MS. ȝe.] And heȝ ine þe temple he seat wel bald, [And (= An) heȝ, MS. heȝ he, but the he has been cancelled.] And þaȝ he speke smale, Line 171

Line 171 Many man wondrede on hym þere, For to alle clerkes þat þer were He ȝaf answere and tale. Line 174

Alyue uertu was hys childe-hode, [Alyue, read Al yne? cp. p. 123, l. 253, Al ine ioye was hyre mende.—chylde-hode, MS. -hoþe, the þ not quite distinct.] And so he com to hys manhode; Ine flom iordanes syche [folio 201b] Line 177 He was ycrystned, þe heuene onleake, Þe fader of heuene doun to hym spake, Þe gost com coluere ylyche. Line 180

To þyssere ioye longye scholle Alle þe ioyen þat hyre folle Of hyre chylde god, [Read Of hyre chyld þe gode? cp. p. 126, l. 348, iesus þe gode.] Line 183 Fram þan tyme he was ybore For al mankende þat was for-lore, For[t] he deyde one þe roude. [Fort, until (Mätzner), MS. For.] Line 186

ÞE þrydde ioye þat com of cryste [Wright page 124] Hadde oure leuedy of hys opryste Fram deaþes harde bende, Line 189 Out of þe sepulcre þer he laye, Ase hyt fel þane þrydde daye After hys lyues ende. Line 192

Wet ioye of hym myȝte be more After suiche sorȝynge and swyche sore, Ase hye yseye hine feye, Line 195 Þanne isiȝe hyne come to lyue aȝen, And euereft more alyue to ben, [Omit And?] And neuere eft to deyȝe? Line 198

Þat he was lyf and strengþe and myȝte, And þat he kedde on Estre nyȝtte, Al ine þe dawyynge : Line 201

Line 201 Al þa[t] was an erthe schok, And heuene aboue vnder-toke Hys holy vppe-rysynge. Line 204

Þar doun come aungeles whyte ine wede, And þat he was aryse hy sede, And hare sawe was trewe; [folio 202a] Line 207 Þat he ne laye nauȝt vnder molde For to a-saye, ho so wolde, Þane stone hye ouer-þrewe. Line 210

Þaȝ þat he ine hys manhoþ deyde, Dominus tecum þat a seyde, Þo þe aungel here by-redde, Line 213 (Þat hys to seggene "god es myȝtte"), [MS. godes myȝtte; myȝtte = mytte, myd þe.] [Wright page 125] Ine ryȝte soþe hyt moste sitte [sitte; Mätzner fitte, i. e. fiȝte, fight.] Þet god-hoþ wel hyt kedde. Line 216

Nedde oure leuedy þyse blysse a-lone, Ac al hyre frendes in hyre mone, So meche was here þe more; Line 219 For more hijs blysse god and clene Among frendes to habbe ymene, After sorȝynge and sore. Line 222

O þat hy were blyþe, þo hye (here) seȝen [here MS.; Wr. were (omitted by Mätzner).—seȝen, MS. siȝen.] So glorious alyue, wyþ here eȝen, Þet hy yseye er ine paygne! Line 225 Furste a schewed hym wyþ a fayre chaunce To here þet hys ensample of repentaunce, Marye magdaleyne. Line 228

And so hyseye hyne peter, and seþenes hy alle, [hyseye = yseye = yseȝ, saw; MS. hygeye, Mätzner hygede, hied.—seþenes, first e resembling o; Wr. sothenes, Mätzner sothes.] And þer thomas of ynde, a k[n]owes yfalle, [k[n]owes, corrected by Mätzner.] Groped hys holy wounde; [Groped, MS. Croped; cp. l. 240.] Line 231

Line 231 Þare he fond flesch and blod myd þe bones, An nou he gan to crye loude for þe nones: "My lord ich abbe y-founde." Line 234

Houre lord hym answerde in þet cas: "Þou leuedest, for þou seȝe me, thomas, Þat þou me haddest y-founde; [folio 202b] Line 237 Ac, thomas, ich þe telle, yblessed hy beþ, Þo þat on me by-leueþ and nauȝt me seþ, Ne gropyeþ none wounde." Line 240

To þyssere ioyen scholle by yleyd [Wright page 126] Alle þe ioyen þat moȝe be yseyd, Ine wyttes oþer in mende, Line 243 Fram crystes resurreccioun, Wat comeþ hys ascensioun At fourty daȝen ende. [daȝen, MS. saȝen (Wr. corr.).] Line 246

ÞE ferþe ioye telle ich may, [Þe ferþe in MS.] Þat fel opon þe holy þoresday, Opone a mounteyne heȝe; [mounteyne, MS. mounte yne.] Line 249 Hi seȝ ihesus, and oþre some, [Hi (not he) in MS.] Of flesch and blod of hyre ynome, Op in-to heuene steȝe. Line 252

Al ine ioye was hyre mende, Þo hy seȝe here and oure kende, [Þo, MS. So.] Ihesus, hyre leue sone, Line 255 In-to þe blysse of heuene sty, To agredy worþy scholde hy be [See note.] At hyre assumpcioun[e]. Line 258

And ȝet ne were hyt noȝt y-noȝ One to agredy hyre looȝ And heȝ ine heuene blysse, [And (= an) heȝ.] Line 261

Line 261 Ac oure also, hyt nis non oþer, For he hys oure kende broþer, Þat leue we to wysse. Line 264

Ine hym ne schal hyt nauȝt lang be [schal, MS. schalt (Mätzner corr.).] Þat we to hym ne scholle te, Wanne we scholle wende hennes; [folio 203a] Line 267 Ac schel on ous, þat beþ onkende, [Wright page 127] Ne draȝeþ nauȝt hys loue to mende, And wreþeþ hyne wyþ sennes. Line 270

And ȝet he hys milde and sparyeþ some, And ase he wente op, he wole come A domesday wel bryȝte, Line 273 For te trye manne dede, [trye, MS. crye.] And after dede ȝiue mede And iugement to ryȝtte. Line 276

Betere red nys þer non here For to be crystes yuere, And hyȝ ine heuene blysse, Line 279 Bote felþe of senne to by-vly, [felþe (not folþe) in MS.] And bydde god and oure leuedy Þat hy ous helpe and wysse. Line 282

For hyre poer nys nouȝt y-lessed, Ac toup alle oþren hys y-blessed, Soþe wyf and mayde; Line 285 Ase þat godspel telleþ ous, Benedicta tu in mulieribus, Eliȝabeth hyt sayde. Line 288

Al here ioyen a lok-sounday, And alle þe þät me aspye may, Þat hyre and erþe felle, [and = an.] Line 291 Al fram crystes ascencioun, Al wat comþe hyre assumpcioun, To þyssere loungy schelle. Line 294

Line 294

ÞE fyfte ioye of oure leuedy [Wright page 128] Not er[þ]lych man hou hyt may by, Ne þer-of [may] more aspye, [folio 203b] Line 297 Bote þat þe gloriouse beerde Out of þyse world (þe) gloriouse ferde, [(þe) omitted by Mätzner.] Wyþ greate melodye. Line 300

One-couþ to þe, man, hys þes figure, For þe offyce of hyre sepulture Was al an heuene gyse; Line 303 And toller hys man to heuene speche Þanne be a best, þaȝ man hym teche Reyson and mannes wyse. Line 306

Þer-fore nys þer-of naut y-wryte, For man ne mot nouȝt her y-wyte Wat hys so heȝ a steuene; Line 309 Ac holy cherche der wel by-knowe Þat hy ne þolede none deaþes þrowe, [þrowe, MS. þroȝe.] Þat loweþ þat lyf of heuene. [loweþ = loȝeþ, MS. lower, Mätzner lowerth.] Line 312

Hyt hys y-wryte þat angeles brytte To holy manne deaþe alyȝte [Þet] her an erþe leye; Line 315 In holy bok hys hyt inome Þat god hym self a wolde come, Wanne hy scholde deye. Line 318

Þer-bye we mowe wel y-wyte, Þaȝ þer be nauȝt of y-wryte, [be MS. (Wr. he, Mätzner corr.).] Þat cryst hym self was þere; Line 321 Myd hym of heuene þe ferede, [Wright page 129] Þe eadi leuedy for to lede, Most here no fend offere. Line 324

Line 324

Hy wente vppe, my leue broþer, In body and soule, hyt nys non oþer, For cryst hys god and kende: [folio 204a] Line 327 Þat body þat he tok of hys oȝen, Hou mytte hyt ligge a-mang þe loȝen, Wyþ-oute honour and mende? Line 330

Þanne ich dar segge mid gode ryȝte Þat alle þe court of heuene alyȝtte Attare departynge; Line 333 And cryst hym self aȝeins hyre com, And body and saule op wyþ hym nom In-to hys wonyynge. Line 336

Þat hy hys quen, ase ich er mende, [þat, read þar; cp. p. 113, l. 417.] Here grace hy may doun to ous sende, Hire ioye to fol-uelle. Line 339 Ich hopye hy nele nauȝt let ous spylle, For he hys al to hyre wylle Of ioye þat hijs þe welle. [þat hijs repeated in MS.] Line 342

For of hyre wombe he hys þat frut, Were-of þes angeles habbeþ hare dut, And men hare holy fode; Line 345 Eliȝabeth, hy sede þys: "Et benedictus fructus ventris Tui, iesus þe gode." Line 348

Of songe hys to þen ende y-brout, [Of, Mätzner O (a, indefinite article).] [Wright page 130] Ase þou hest, soster, me by-soȝt, Ase ich hene myȝtte frede. Line 351 Nou syng and byde þe heuene quene Þet hy ous brynge al out of tene At oure mest[e] nede. AmeN. Line 354

Oretis pro anima Willelmi de Schorham, quondam vicarii de chart iuxta Ledes.