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 where and whan Simeon made Nunc dimittis 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••uum d•••• secundum verbum tuum in pace. Capitulo. lxxix. (Book 79)

O Blisfull lorde of thy hygh grace It that thou liste nowe / thou mayste me lete Out of this lyfe in rest and peace to pace And suffre me to dye in quyete For nowe to me deth is wonder swete Nowe haue I sene thy helthe and thy socoure And of mankynde lorde and sauyoure.

¶ Whiche thou haste dyght afore the faces all Of eche people to make hem glad and light To lete thy grace / so to erthe fall Thorowe all y^• worlde / to shewe his bemes bright That maye be called for comforte of his light Unto all the gentyles the reuelacion The glorie also / and the saluacion.

¶ Of Israel the people in speciall To voyde hem out of all derkenes And Marie full mekely listeneth all And gan merueyle with greate aduisednes Of the wordes that he gan expres And Ioseph / eke gan to wonder also

And Simeon hem blessynge bothe two▪

¶ Spake to Maxie / and sayde in audience Beholde and se in thyne inspeccion Howe he is put in ruyne and offence Of many one here in his region And to so me in resurrexion That shall releue thorowe his mighty grace And thorowe thy soule / shal a sharpe swerde pace.

¶ Of hertely wo / to se his passion That passyngly shall be bitter and fell To opene hertes by confession Her soroufull thoughtes / openly to tell And Anna than doughter of Phanuell Borne of the Trybe of the kynrede Called Asser / sothely as I rede.