[The lyf of our lady]

How the aungel warned Ioseph to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wyth our lady capitulo xxvj

o Thou Ioseph ne drede thou not blyue Thou the s••n•• of dauyd of lyne by dissent For to take marie to thy wyue Whiche is a mayde with al her ful entent With whom is ay the holy ghoost present Of whom god as I the telle byforne In veray so••h that shal of hir be borne

And like in soth as writyth Crisostomus Of this mater that for causis thre Vnto Ioseph as he tellyth vs The aungel cam and first he sayd that he Sithen he was rightful that in no degree Of purpose rightful he shold vnrightfully Thys holy mayde forsake pryuely

Another cause he wryteth eke exp••••sse That his forsakyng myght to hir name Be dishonour and cause in sothfastnesse Of vntrewe tunges for to speke hir shame And though in hir ther were no spotte of blame Suspecion to voyde on euer eyther syde The aungel bad that Ioseph shold abyde

The thyrd cause & also most trewe Was that he with more diligence Shold hir kepe whan he the soth knewe That she was clene without al offence And wyst playnly that by magnyficence Of the holy ghoost his erreur to enchace Conceyued hath this mayde ful of grace

And whan Ioseph abrayed out of his slepe And in his herte by reuolucion Gan to caste and to take kepe Ageynst the morowe of his auysion He caught comforte and consolacion Of al that euer he was afore dispayrid And to marie agayn he repayrid

And thankyd god with al̄ his hole herte That he to hym hath so graciously In recomforte of his Inward smerte His grete myght declarid opynlye And of Marie ful benygnely He axyth mercy of humble affeccion That euer to hir he had suspecion

And of his errour & of his trespace This hore graye with al humylite With wepyng eyen gan to axe grace And she anone of womanly pytee His heuynes whan she dyd see Comfortid hym in al that euer she myght And he anone in al theyr sight

And al her maydens stondyng enuyron Gan euen thus for to crye lowde Certes quod he my derk suspeccion Cam of blyndenes for I none other coude But now in soth the mysty blacke cloude Of ignoraunce is so clarefyed That al the trouth to me is verefyed

Thorow grace of god that myn olde rudenesse Is now from me chacid clene awaye Haue me excusid of my derke dulnesse With al myn herte benygnely I praye My nyght of errour is torned in to daye That I may now with myn eyen olde The bright bemys of tytan wel beholde

That for derknes I nyst what to doon Onely for lacke of his bemys bright Weren me berafte thorow the clowdy mone And had within me no clere Insighte That this eclyps was causid al to sone By her sodeyn Interpocessyone That was cheef grounde of my suspeccion

This is to sayn that myn erthely thought So was opressyd derkyd and borne doun That wordely skyees that I myght nought Ne was nor worthy to haue Inspeccion Of this derke knowlege by relacion Tyl the sunne of his grace dyd shyne My wytte eclipsid fully to enlumyne

For he to me hath his aungel sent Myn ignoraunce fully for to clere Wherfore of you in al my best entente O ye maydens that be present here I axe mercy with al myn herte entere Of al that euer that ha••h be spoken & sayd And lowly I praye you be not euyl apayd

And they echone thankyd god of alle With herte and wylle bothe in worde and dede That he on Ioseph hath in speciall His grace of newe made for to sprede To voyde aweye al his hoole drede Of euery conceyt and Imagenyng To make hym knowe the trouthe of this thynge

There thorow in soth the ioye gan renewe Amonge hem al echone of one accorde The armonye entuned was so trewe Betwene hem that there was none dyscorde Not so moche as a lityl worde And thus in ioye a whyle I lete hem dwelle And of the bysshops forth I wyl telle