Lydgatiana / [ed. H. N. MacCracken].

1. Hoc Factum Est a Domino.

(From MS. Harley 2251, fols. 29-30.)

O man, thow marrest in thy mynd To muse how God hath marked and made And althyng sette in his owne kynde, And how long tyme therto he hadde,— How day hath light and nyght hath shade, [ 5] To muse on this matier, I rede the hoo; It is Inough thi gost for to glade, Hoc factum est a domino.

How Angelis in theyre Ierarchies Disteyned be in ordris nyne, [ 10] And how these hevenly Armonyes, How fressh and how newe euer they bene, Lucifer, that was so sheene, For pride, he put hym to endles woo; Man, muse nat theron, but kepe the clene, [ 15] Hoc factum est a domino.

Whan Lucyfer was put to payne, And his felawes, why God made man, For he shuld fulfille the nombre agayne? What nede Adam to trespas than? [ 20] Sith God knew alle, or he began, What wedyr and wynde, what it shuld do? The best answer that I can Hoc factum est a domino.

Who made Iacob and Esau [ 25] In theyre moders wombe for to debate? Why wold Ioseph his dreames show To make his brethern hym to hate? Who fedde v. thousand desolate With lovis v. and fisshes twoo? [ 30] Man, in this mater the nedis nat be mate, Hoc factum est a domino.

Whi of contrary elementis [fol. 29vo] Is made euery creature In sundry wise, and lygamentis, [ 35] Eche thyng wrought in dyuerse nature, By right nombre and evyn mesure? God hath made both wele and woo, Som for to be sadde and som vnsure Hoc factum est a domino. [ 40]

Whi are nat al sterris mevand like, For som ben fixed and sette in hevene? Som man wise and som man frantike, Som blynd born, som halt, som even? In erthely thynges planetis seven [ 45] Hath Influence; sith it is so, Man, of these dowtis the nedis nat mevyn, Hoc factum est a domino.

Why wil fortune that som man is riche, And som man right poore? and whi is pestilence? [ 50] Whi hath nat eueryman I-liche? Whi is corne brent by grete violence? Whi were these two citees thurgh the peples offence. Sodom and Gomor, distroyed both two? Man, in this matier to yive a general sentence, [ 55] Hoc factum est a domino.

Whi dide Loth his wif, thurgh disobeisaunce, Retourne sodainly in-to a salt stone? Kyng Pharao drowned thurgh vengeaunce, And Moyses thurgh the see is gone? [ 60] Kyng Dauid made grete Goly to grone And slough hym for his mortal foo? Who dide al this? answere me anone, Hoc factum est a domino.

How gate oure kyng the victory [ 65] At Agyncourt with a smal puissaunce? Who made Prynce Phelyp to flee From Calice, with anger and myschaunce? [fol. 30] Who wrought this worthy purviaunce The Scottis from Rokisburgh to go? [ 70] Man, answere me without tariaunce, Hoc factum est a domino.

Why wolde Goddes sone, in divyne Born of a mayde mylde of moode, He may as wele make brede and wyne [ 75] To turne in-to his flessh and to his bloode? 1 His manhod dyed vpon the roode, His god lyved and dide nat so; Man, to bylieve this, I hold it goode, Hoc factum est a domino. [ 80]

What was, or the world was wrought? And what was it in length and brede? Wher was God or ther was ought? What was the erth, who can rede?

To muse on this matir, it is no nede, [ 85] Whos are the Rose in Iericho? As God wold, he sew that sede, Hoc factum est a domino.

But if thow canst nat indede With Goddis myght the wittes accorde, [ 90] Commende the mekely vnto thy crede, Serche neuer the secretis of thy lorde; For with thyne entent that may discorde Of thise poyntis rehersed, and many one mo; It is ynough, the for to recorde, [ 95] Hoc factum est a domino.

Notes

• 1

  These two lines struck through by some later Protestant hand.