thou saluted me with wordes of grete Ioye gladnes / but now my Ioye gladnes ben tourned in to grete sorowe heuynes Thou saydest I sholde cōceyue and brynge forth the sone of god / that his kyngdom reygne sholde euer endure / but beholde now and se the blessyd fruyte that I conceyued thrugh thy wordes cruelly slayne Thou called me full of grace sayd / our lorde was with me / but se now how harde grace I fynde in the vnkynde people that hath taken my lorde fro me / put hym to shamefull deth Thou callest me also blessyd in thy salutacyon / but how may I be blessyd syth my dere sone my lorde / my Ioye my blysse is refte fro me with vnkynde people robbed of his lyf Beholde cosyn Elysabeth how rufully he is arayed / at whose presence thy sone Iohn̄ Ioyned in thy wombe ¶ O myn owne dere sone at thy natyuyte holy aūgelles songe songes of peas myrth melody And now agayne thy deth the vngentyll people made a noyse of grete trouble / sorowe heuynes / cryenge with malycyous voyces Crucyfye hym / without ruthe or pyte At thy byrth also kynges of ferre coūtrees assembled togyder ledde by that light of a sterre dyde to the moche worshyp reuerence / and now thyn owne neyghbours blynde with hatefull malyce haue gadred them ayenst the with dysceyte and falsenes to condempne the to deth ¶ O ryghtwyse Symeon / se how he is vnryghtfully slayne whome thou desyrest sore to se or thou sholdest dye Now fele I the sore stroke of the sharpe swerde of sorowe heuines that thou faydest sholde thryll my herte Beholde blessyd baptyst how pyteously that meke downe is put to deth on whome thou sawest the holy ghost descende whan that thou baptysed hym in flom Iordan Beholde how that immaculate lambe lyeth Innocently slayne that thou saydest / sholde take awaye synne and wyckednes ¶ O dere sone / how shall I cease of sorowe / there is no remedy but onely in the / therfore blessyd chylde syth I am thy moder haue pyte compassyon on me / other tourne to lyfe agayne or take my lyfe fro me for my sorowe swete sone I se none other remedy ¶ The holy ordre of aūgelles I beseche you to helpe me that gloryous aungell that is my keper and counseyle be in my kepynge as thou thynkest moost profytable to my soule and to present my prayer before the throne of the gloryous trynyte And I thanke the blessyd aungell whiche arte my keper to kepe me that I may euerlastyngly loue the and thanke the in the heueuly Cyte ¶ The seconde ordre of aungelles I beseche you that I may haue by your prayers helpe reuelacyon from the trynyte of suche thynges as ye wolde I sholde doo his pleasure / and with assystence of his grace to do them ¶ The thyrde ordre of pryncypates I beseche you so to helpe thy prelates prynces in gouernynge of the people that they may lyue in reste / truly serue theyr lorde god / that at the houre of deth ye be present to delyuer our soules from daunger of the deuyll / and brynge vs to the endlesse Ioye of the celestyall paradyse ¶ The fourthe ordre of potestates I beseche you to represse my ghostly enemyes / that they neuer p̄uayle to hurte me bodyly ne ghostly / to delyuer me fro that fals cautels by the whiche they entende the destruccyon of my soule ¶ The fyfth ordre of vertues I beseche you for to praye that I may haue strength in body soule to execute the werkes of that vertue that my memory reason may be more apte to receyue vnderstande by your helpe prayer Also the gyftes of nature be made more parfyte to the vse vertue to the pleasure of my lorde god ¶ The syxth ordre of domynacyon I beseche you that by youre helpe and prayer that my soule may haue parfyte domynacyon vpon my body / to rule it accordynge to reason and to the wyll of my lorde god / and that I may haue vyctory in temptacyon of myn enemye / and parfyte pacyence in all trybulacyons ¶ The .vii. ordre of thrones I beseche you that by your helpe prayer I may execute the werkes of mercy the whiche perteyneth to the ryghtwysnesse of god of my neyghbour / at the houre of deth whan I shall receyue Iugement for the dedes of my lyfe / that by the merytes of you I may fynde my lorde god my mercyfull Iuge ¶ The .viii. ordre of cheruphyn I beseche you praye my lorde god that I may haue the gyfte of wysdome to knowe the goodnes of my lorde god kyndnes whiche he hath shewed me And to knowe tho thynges whiche be to his pleasure and that I may do them / tho thynges that be to his dyspleasure that I may haue grace to fele them ¶ The .ix. ordre of seraphyns I beseche you to praye for me that I may haue the gyfte of feruent loue in my lorde god / and the swetnes of deuocion in his seruyce with holy meditacyon / that my soule be enflambed with loue of the gloryous trynyte / and endles Ioye of his moost blessyd presence Amen ¶ Here endeth a medytacyon of the .vii. shedynges of the blode of our lorde Ihesu cryste Enprynted at London in Fletestrete at the sygne of the sonne / by wynkynde worde The yere of our lorde god M. ccccc ix Wynkyn de Worde
his body in pullynge of his clothes for the bytter anguysshe of that greuous payne Beholde how rewfully he is arayed lyke no man but more lyke a thynge that were newe slayne without ony skynne / yf thou canst not remembre the anguysshe of this payne / thou mayst pynche thy fynger or some other parte of thy body / that by the felynge of thyn owne lytell payne thou mayst the better remembre the grete payne that he suffred for the whiche thou were cause of THe syxth tyme that our lord shedde his precious blode / was whan his blessyd Innocent hādes and fete were nayled to the crosse Here mayst thou thynke as yf thou seest hym / the fyers cruell tyrauntes tur mentours of our mercyfull lorde hale pull his blessyd armes / some the one and some the other / so sore / that it may seme to the that thou herest his Ioyntes to cracke and the senewes to braste in sondre Than mayst thou thynke that thou seest him dryue that is dryuer of the grete nayles in to his holy swete handes feet / that thou beholdest the dryuer of the nayles seest hym wtout ony ruthe or pyte smyte in euery nayle with many myghty / that thou seest the blode springe out at euery stroke / than seest our lorde shrynke and quake for hydeous payne and smartȳge of his tender flesshe newe cutte at euery stroke This mayst thou thynke fyrst on the one hande and after on that other also on the feet Than thou mayst beholde with ruthe compassyon how pyteously how greuous hydeous payne they spoyled his clothes / his flesshe all to rente and to torne hangeth bledynge on the crosse / hauynge no thynge as I suppose to susteyne the weyght of his body ne to reste hym vpon but the harde nayled fyxed within his tendre flesshe / this was to hym a double payne / the whiche were to hym bothe greuous harde to suffre the grete akynges anguysshes bothe in his armes hādes feet Another payne of sore smartynge in his handes feet oppressyd harde with the nayles fyxed in the quycke flesshe Bothe this paynes horryble were caused by the weyght of his precyous body Beholdynge also the ryuers of blode flowynge out of his handes feet Thou mayst thynke also that his lȳmes quake trēble for payne / that for werynes anguysshe of his intollerable payne he somtyme shaketh his heed rufully and heuely / somtyme casteth it vpon his ryght sholder / somtyme vpon his lefte sholder / somtyme lyfteth it vp full pyteously as a man swounynge halfe deed / leteth it fall downe to his breste Than mayst thou beholde the dole full countenaūce of his face / how pale it is And thou mayst thynke the amonge all these paynes sorowes he lytteth vp his eyen loketh vpon the in token of loue As who sayth I loue the so moche that I wylfully suffre this payne for the / am redy to suffre more yf it be put to me And that thou sholdest remembre what he hath done for the. THe .vii. tyme that our mercyfull sauyour shedde his precyous blode for vs / was whan he hanged on the crosse was smyten in to the syde with a spere Here mayst thou thȳke as yf thou seest the body of our mercyfull lorde after that he for our trespasse hath suffred pacyently many outrages excedynge paynes hynge deed vpon the crosse all pale wanne or lyke to be a beest newly slayne for he spared not his owne blode / but gaue it wylfully for our redempcyon After that thou hast with pyte compassyon beholden well how pyteously his visage somtyme moost beauteous amyable hāgeth inclined downe all wanne pale of colour his precyous body / also that excedeth all other in beaute fayrenes hangeth all to rent torne Thou mayst beholde how the spere rēneth thrugh his syde with grete vyolence renneth thrugh his herte / thou mayst thynke how thou herde the sowne of the cruell stroke entrynge in to his syde / that thou seest blode water that was redy to renne hastely out to wasshe awaye thy fylth make the clene / flowed out at the terrible woūde of his syde / and ranne parte downe on the spere parte downe on his syde O swete Ihesu how pacyently how mekely suffrest thou so vnkyndly to be entreated / so cruelly turmented / so rufully arayed for the loue of man O tender mercyfull lorde that after that thou hast spent thy blode of thy body to deth / woldest after thy deth for the loue of thy seruaūt spende all the precyous blode of thy body herte After yf pyte compassyon wolde suffre the thou mayst loke in at the wounde of his syde beholde how his herte that was free kynde to the is rennen / torne and smyten thrugh with the spere And with deuoute prayer compassyon desyre that he suffre thy loue neuer to departe fro hym / but that thou mayst be redy for the loue of hym pacyently to suffre payne and aduersyte of this wretched world / for he suffred gyltles mekely pacyently moche payne anguysshe for the loue of the. Bycause the deuoute memorye of the bytter passyon of our sauyour expelleth temptacion and excyteth many tymes the deuocyon of the true louer of our lorde Thou mayste thynke ymagyn on that our mercyfull redemer complayneth not without a cause / for the grete Iniurye vnkyndenes of the Iewes / sayth to them in this wyse O ye myn owne / how may ye fynde in your hertes soo vncurteysly to entreate me / sythen I haue chosen you before other / brought you fro straunge nacyons and put you in my delectable vyneyarde I haue create and made you lyke vnto my selfe / ye haue laboured to destroye me / haue caused me gyltles to be put to shamefull deth on the crosse lyke a thefe or a mansleer I chase and preferred you before people of other nacyons / ye haue done to me grete vilany made me obieccyon derysyon of people And I by many myracles in correccyon of your aduersaryes of Egypte losed you from captyuite brought you out of theyr subieccyon And by fals accusacyons excitynge sterynge of the people ayenst me / hath caused me without trespasse to be nayled and fastened to a tree / and gyltles to dye I mynystred to you lyght whā it was derke / that ye myght escape sauely the daūger of your aduersaryes ye came ayenst me with lyght of lanternes swerdes staues as I were a thefe / to take me put me in many dyuers paynes and dyspyteous deth I fedde nourysshed you .xl. yere in wyldernesse with delycate manna / for you caused water to renne out of the harde stone And ye caused me to be fedde with bytter aysel gall / caused the blode and
water to renne out of my syde I gaue to you lawes by Moyses accordynge to reason / and ye haue caused me ayenst reason withoute trespasse to be condempned to cruell deth I by correccyon of your aduersaryes ledde you in to the londe of promyssyon / and put you in to my swete delectable vyneyarde / where often I gaue you the vyctory of your enemyes And ye not satysfyed with derysyon mockynge me with many greuous cruell paynes that I haue suffred / to lede me to torne all to rente with strokes to put me vpon the crosse I haue exalted you aboue all other people / ye haue mocked me caused me to be punysshed with syn̄ers trespassours what thȳge haue I done vnto you / or what vnkyndnes haue ye founde in me that ye entreate me soo vngently haue not ye founde me mercyfull and gracyous to you in your nedes I haue chosen you ye haue refused me I haue brought you forthe and nourysshed you as my chyldren / ye haue despysed me O how vnryght wyse and vnkynde these rewardes be / to rewarde euyll for good / shame vylany for worshyp good and dygnyte malyce and enemyte for fauour and frendshyp / trouble and vexacyon for peas and tranquyllyte / greuous and bytter payne with aduersyte for pleasure prosperyte / cruell and shamefull deth for prosperous lyfe AFter thou hast with deuocyon beholde our blessyd sauyour consydered well his cruell outragyous payne / turne the than towarde his sorowfull moder / and beholde well her heuy chere sorowfull countenaunce / and se how pyteously the teeres renne out of her gracyous eyen and dystayne her beauteous vysage how dolefully she sobbed / how pyteously she wryngeth her hondes with many a sorowfull syghynge comynge from her herte replete with sorowe and heuynes / how she falleth often in swounynge her tender herte lyke to be braste for pyte compassyon of her chylde that was and is very god man / how she somtyme amonge her swounynge and greuous paynes with coūtenaunce dysconsolate / casteth vp her eyen for pyte and loue vpon her swete sone and blessyd chylde / and anone for pyte moderly compassyon she felle downe in swounynge in more greuous payne and sorowe than she was before ¶ O good lady moder of pyte noo meruayle thoughe thou were heuy and sorowfull to se thy blessyd and mercyfull sone suffre gyltles so many greuous paynes ¶ O blessyd lady the moder of mercy how ful of sorowe and anguysshe was thy herte / to se thy blessyd sone his heed perysshed with sharpe thornes whiche thou were wonte to lappe full tenderly ¶ O louely lady quene of heuen and example of honeste how heuy was thy chere coūtenaunce to se the fauourable face of thy blessyd chylde that was is very god man foyled with the spyttynge of rybawdes and caytyues ¶ O swete lady the floure of chastyte / how depe how sorowfull were thy syghynges to se offred bytter aysell and galle to thy chylde to drynke / to whome thou were wonte to gyue swete virgyns mylke of thy blessyd brest ¶ O gracyous lady the perfyte myrrour of vertue and goodnes / how full of sorowe were thy sobbynge to beholde the Innocent handes and feet of thy blessyd childe that neuer dyd trespasse nayled harde to a tree / the whiche thou were wonte to dresse and wasshe reuerently ¶ O benygne lady welle of mercy and grace / how copyously dyde thyn eyen shedde out flodes of bytter teeres / whan thou beheldest the blode flowynge out of the hondes and feet of thy deresone / the whiche thou were wonte to lappe and swadell full moderly ¶ O gloryous lady the tree of lyfe / how ferefull were thy swounynges and how pytefully were thy wryngynges of thy blessyd handes / whan thou beheldest the blessyd fruyte of thy body all to torne and rente / hangynge deed vpon the crosse that thou haddest brought forth nourysshed tenderly vpon thy lappe ¶ O mercyfull lady the moder of pyte and compassyon how greuous was thy pyteous tēder herte woūded with the swerde of sorowe compassyon / to se a spere to ryue his syde / that had chosen to dwell within thy blessyd sydes / and made his holy tabernacle not ferre from thy herte ¶ O blessyd lady I knowe well that thou sholdest haue dyed before hym or with hym yf thou haddest not had stedfast byleue hope that he sholde lyue agayne Here thou mayst apply thy selfe to sorowe mourne with thy carefull heuy lady / for it besemeth not well that so gloryous so vertuous a lady wasshe her face with teeres thou a kaytyfe a synner departe a synner with drye eyen syth he suffred these paynes for loue of the / it is not accordynge that so noble prudent a lady sobbe / syghe and swoune for thy lordes deth / and thou that arte subgecte lyke an vnkynde seruaūt / leue hym without pyte or compassyon / syth he dyed for the loue of the. AFter this thou mayst ymagyn thynke that what tyme the body of our lorde blessyd sauyour is take downe from the crosse / our blessyd lady hasteth her towarde it with heuy chere / enbraseth hym in her armes gyueth sorowfull kyssynges medled with bytter teres / that she beholdynge his body blody woundes wepeth so pyteously / that the sanguyn teeres medled with his p̄cyous blode renne downe on the deed body in mournynge sorowynge the pyteous deth of her dere sone / sayth to hym in this wyse A my dere sone my lorde souerayne / my socour comforte / my Ioye my pleasure my felycyte / thy sharpe tourmentes Innocent deth perceth my herte with sorowe heuynes woūdeth it greuously O ye vnkȳde harde herted people / how might ye for pyte punysshe hym that neuer offended / how ye myght fȳde in your hertes to bete your souerayne maystre that taught you the waye of vertue / how coude ye for pyte slee your connynge surgyn the whiche heled by myracles the blynde / deef / and lame / why wolde ye slee your wyse physycyen that gaue lyf to the deed O ye vnkynde scourges nayles spere and thornes / how durste ye perse the flesshe of your maker lorde O thou stronge sturdy tree / for vnkyndnes also I may accuse the / why dydest thou not leue put awaye thy naturall styfnes and bowe thy braunches to fauour ease my dere sone all weryed with sore payne and tourmentes ¶ O how fortunate be ye chast virgyns chylderles and honest wyues wydowes also / that haue your children to comforte you gladde you in your sorowe dysease But alas for sorowe pite my blessyd sone that was my Ioye cōforte that neuer dyde offende / lyeth before my face slayne causeles / I haue no moo ¶ O holy aūgell Gabryell