This boke is compyled by Dan Iohn Lydgate monke of Burye, at the excitacion [and] styrynge of the noble and victorious prynce, Kynge Henry the fyfthe, i[n] the honoure glorie [and] reuerence of the byrthe of our moste blessed Lady, mayde, wyfe, [and] mother of our lorde Iesu Christe, chapitred as foloweth by this table

¶ How our lady is sete for an ensaumple of virgynyte. Ca. x. (Book 10)

BUt nowe / I leue this blessed mayde there In Nazareth / amonge her f••••des to dwell Ledyng a lyfe more par••yte and entere Than any tonge / suffyse may to tell For euyn like / as a fulsum well Shedyth his stremys / in to the ryuere

Rtght so Marie / an ensaumpeler clere.

¶ Gaue to all by plenteuous largenes Onely vertue / vpon euery syde O well were they / to whome thou were maistres And blessed eke / that myght on the abyde To haue by ensaumple / so vertuous a guyde And blessed was that holy companye That day by day / the sene with eye.

¶ And blessid was the paleys & the hous In whiche thou haddest thy holy mācion Fortuneth well / & wonder gracious So humble was thy conuersacion And blessed was also all the towne T••••••ce thou abode / & blessed the vyllage O holy mayde / where thou haddest hostage.

¶ And blessed was the worthy table riche Where day by day / thou wentest vnto borde For in sothnes / the ioye was not lyche Of Cresus kyng / for all his riche horde And blessed be they / that herden worde by worde Of thy speche / & blessed the houre and tyme Of all thy lyfe / from euyn tyll the pryme.

¶ O weelfull eke and gracious the sight Of hem that myghten vpon the beholde For well they ought / to be gladde and light That weren with the alway whan they wolde And blessed weren yonge and olde

That were reioysed with thy excellence Whan that hem lyst of thy hygh presence.

¶ O the ioye / who coulde tell a right Of thyne heuenly meditacions Assendyng vp aboue the sterres bright In thyne inwardecon templacions Or the blessed & holy vysitacions Who can reherce / bright as sonne or leuen So oftesent downe / to the fro heuen.

¶ Or who can tell / thyne holy slepes softe With god alway / full in thy memorie For loue of whome / thou sighedest full ofte Whan thou where sole in thyne oratorye Or who can tell / the melodye or glorye That angelys hath made in the place For the ioye they had to loke in thy face.

¶ I am rude / to rehersen all For vnconnynge / & for lacke of space The mater is / so mly spirituall That I dare nat so hygh a style pace But lady myne / I put me all in thy grace This iyrst boke / compyled for thy sake Of my symplenesse / & thus an ende I make

¶ Besechynge all to haue pyte & routh That therof shall haue any inspeccion If oughte be lefte of necligence and slouthe Or sayd to moche of presumpsion

I put it mekely to her correccion And ashe mercy / of my trespace There as I erre / & put me in her grace.

¶ And thorowe her benygne supportacion So as I can forth I wyll procede With all myne herte / & hole entencion Prayeng that mayde ofso goodlyhede Croppe & rote / to helpe in this nede Whome I nowe leue / in Nazareth soiourne And to my mater / I wyll agayne retourne.