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

¶ Howe our lady was o••••••yd in to the temple Capi. .iii. (Book 3)

ANd alter thre yere a•• was the vsage ••er moders ••appi•• she left as in sowk•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 than ••none / in her ••nder age Unto the temple / o••uou••ly they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 brynge 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vnto god they made osterynge 〈◊〉〈◊〉 this mayde for to abyde there With other maydens▪ that in the temple were.

¶ And not withstandyng / her passyng tendernes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••re•••• youthe but of y••••••s thre ••horowe goddes helpe this braunche of holines Withouten helpe / went vp gree by gr••s ••y••••en•• alo•••••• that all myghten se ••ofore that aulter o•• ••o grete an hight And whan her moder therof had asight.

¶ For veray ioye / anone she ••ylle a downe And sayd thus / that all my g••••en here God from aboue ha••d herde myn•• ory••on Of his goodnes / and graunted my prayer

And comforted 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 In syg•••• of hem that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 at my payne And of malyc•• / g••n at me di••da••ne.

¶ Nowe hath he ben my synguler refute To my trystesse consol••cion For he hath made / the dareyn•• to bere frut•• Thorowe his myghty v••••itacion And made clere / my confusyon And all me woo / for to ouergone Onely by grace / amyd all my fone.

¶ And thorowe his myght / y^• hertes hath bowyd Of hym that gan to chace / at my pryde Wherfore she hathe / vnto god auowyd That her doghter / shall in the temple abyde The holy ghoste for to be her guyde For euer more / by godes purueyaunce Thorowe her mekenesse / hym to do plesaunce.

¶ Forth all her lyfe / there to slepe and wake Hym for to serue / with humble par••ytenes That all maydens / myght ensample take Of her alone / to lyue in clennes And specially / of her me••enes Be••yg••e porte / t••••••••naunce and chere If that hym lest / of herthey myght lere.

¶ Full of vertue / de••oyde of all outrage Her herte was / that god to dwelle in there And day 〈◊〉〈◊〉 day / ••yght as she we••e in age

Ryght so in vertue / gan she to encreace And nyght ne daye / wolde she neuer ceace To exclude slouthe / and vyces to werraye With hande to worche / or with mouthe to praye.

¶ For but in god / her herte nought delyteth So vpon hym entierly was her thought And frome aboue by grace he her vysiteth That euery thynge / but hym she set at nought Of worldly lust / she hathe so lytell thought That out of mynde she let it euer slyde That nought but god / maye in her abyde.

¶ And whan that she xv. yere dyd attayne She was as sad in conuersacion And also demure / sothely for to sayne From all chyldehede and dissolution In gouernaunce and discresion And in talkynge / as wyse and sage As any mayde / of thyrty yere of age.