the receyte of the holde Of god preseruyd for she was so clene Thorugh her meryte endewed for to bene By grace of hym that is of power moste With the seuen yeftes of the holy ghooste How our lady receyuyd the seuen yeftes of the holy ghoost capitulo quinto He fyrst yeft was the yefte of drede To eschewe eche thyng that shal god displese The next pyte of veray womanhede To rewe on al that she sawe in dysease The thyrd connyng god and man to please The fourth streng the thorow hyr stedfastnesse Onely by vertu al vyces to oppresse Of counceyl eke she had excellence To kepe hyr pure in vyrgynyte For ay with counceyl alyed is prudence Of vnderstondyng eke the pefte had she For god hym self chese with her to be And of wysedome so god lyst hyr auaunce To knowe eche thyng that was to his plesaunce She was also the Trone voyd of synne Thâ—â— stondyth so ryal in goddes owne syght To fore whiche seuen lampes brenne With heuenly fyre so spyrytual of lyght That neuer wast but euer alyche bryght Contynuen in one here aboue in heuen By the whiche trone and the lampys seuen Is vnderstonde this mayd most entere With seuen vertues that in her were founde That somtyme weren with ghoostely light so clere Thorow lyght of vertu inwardely iocounde Only thorowe grace that dyd in her habounde And al they were grounded in mekenesse Hyr lyght to god more plesauntly to dresse For fayth in hir had a grounde so 〈◊〉 That hit was voyde of al doublenesse Hyr hope of trist was also mayntynoble Rotyd in god by parfyt sike â—nesse Who 's charite so large gan hym dresse That vp to god hastyd ranne the fyre With herte of clennesse to al by desyre Stronge in vertu prudent in gouernaunce She had also conueyed with clennesse And soueraynly she had attemperaunce In al her werkis with grete aduysidnesse And euer annexyd vnto rightwysnes Within her hâ—rte of womanly bounte She had of custome mercy and pyte Sothfast ensaumple also of chastyte As saith ambrose she was in thought dede And trewe myrrour of vyrgynyte Of poorte benygne ful of bowlyhede As humble of chere and femynyne of drede Prudent of speche of what she list to shewe Large of sentence and but of wordes fewe To praye rede that was euer her lyf Of herte waker by deuocion To god alwey with thought contemplatyf Ful feruent euer in her entencion And ydel neuer from ocupacion And specially to almesdede Hir hande was euer redy at the nede And ful she was of compassyon To rewe in al that felt woo or smerâ—â— Wel wylled euer with hole affeccion To euery wyght so longe was hir â—erâ—e Sadde with al this that hir neuer aâ—â—erâ—â— A looke a myo of hir eyen fayre So close of sight was this deboneyre And in psalmes of holy prâ—phecye To loke and rede she founde most delyte And whan she sawe and founde in Isâ—ye Of cristys byrthe how he dyd wryte To god she lefte her tender hâ—ndys whyte Besechyng hym she myght abyde and see The basful day of his natyuyte And in the book of elyzabeth That tytelyd is of hyr auysions I fynde how thys mayde of nazareth Sayd euery day seuen orisons That callyd ben hir peticions With humble herte this blesful yonge mayde Ful lowly knelyng euen thus she sayde How our lady prayed to god for seuen peticions capitulo quinto o Blisful lord that knowest the entente Of euery hette in thyn eternal sight Yeue me grace the first coÌ„maundemente To fulfille as it is skylle and right And graunte also wyth herte wylle myght And al my sowle and al my knowynge The for to loue aboue al other thynge And yeue me myght playnly to fulfille The next byddyng like to thy plesaunce And for to loue with herte and al my wylle My neyghbour in dede and countenaunce Right as my self with euery circumstaunce And herewythal for ioye woo or smâ—â—te What thou louest to loue with al myn herte Thy precepte graunte eke that I may Fulfylle also bothe erly and late In suche maner as moste is to thy paye Benygne lorde and make me for to hate Mankyndes foo for he maad first debate In kynde of man and made hym to trespace Ayenst the and to lese his grace And lord graunt me for thy mercy dygne Aboue al thynge for to haue mekenes And make me humble sufferaunt benygne With pacience Inward myldenesse Of al vertues yeue me eke largenesse To be acceptyd the to queme and serue To fynde onely thy grace I may deserue And also lord wyth quakyng herte drede Mekely I praye vnto thy dey tee Me for to graunte of thy godlihede The gracious oure for to abyde and see In whiche the holy chosen mayden free In to this world here after shal be bore Lyke as prophetes hath writen here before How that she shal by thyn eleccion Be mayde and moder to thy sone dere Now good lord here myn oryson To kepe myn eyen and my sight entyere That I may see hir holy halowyd chere Hir sakerid beaute holy countynaunce Yf thou of grace list me so moche auaunce And kepe myn erys that they may also Here hir speche hir dallyaunce And with my tongue speke that mayden vnto Paciently thorow hir sufferaunce Of worldly Ioye this were suffysaunce And hir to loue like as I desyre Benygne lord so set myn herte afyre And lord also on me saue thou vouche Though I therto haue no wordynesse That holy mayde to handyl and touche Myn owne lady and my maystresse And that I may with humble buxumnesse Vpon my feet in al my best wyse Goo vnto hir for to do seruyse And to that floure of vyrgynyte Graunte also lord that I may haue space Mekely to bowe knele vpon my knee Vnder supporte onely of hyr grace And to honour the goodly yong face Of hir sone as she dothe hym wrappe In clothys softe lâ—ggyng in her lappe And loue hym best playnly to my laste Wiâ—h al myn herte myn hole seruyse Withouten chaunge while my lyf may laste Right as thy self lord canst best deuyse So that I may in faythful humble wyse In al this world nomore grace attayne Than loue hym best with al my myght payne And to thy grace also lord I praye To graunte me to fulfille in dede Hooly the statutes and mekely to obeye Within the temple as I here hem rede For but thou helpe I may no thynge spede As of my lyf therfore vnto the Alle I coÌ„mytte as thou list it be The obseruauncee the preceptis alle That to thy temple â— lord ben partynent So let thy grace by mercy on me falle That I may do hem with al myn hole entente And euery byddyng and coÌ„maundeyeent That thy mynystres assygnen vnto me Make me fulfille wyth al humylite And thy temple thy holy house Benygne lord kepe me from al damage And make thy peple
to the whiche Ioseph gan hym dresse With marie to reste there al nyght And as she entrid a newe sodeyn light All the place enlumyned enuyron That shone as bright as ony somers day So that this â—â—tyl humble mancion Was fressh and light as phebus is in may Whic◠〈◊〉 to weye and encrece ay 〈…〉 was there al be that it was nyght And 〈◊〉 anone the sothfast sonne of light Of al our ioye cast hym to aryse And shedde his light to glade al mankynde For toward mydnyght shortly to deuyse Whan al was husshte holy writte makith mynde As sothely as he dyd hym wynde In the sydys of this holy mayde So esely this newe sonne abrayde Whan he was borne in to this mortal lyf Vpon the erthe to shede his brightnesse Withouten helpe of ony mydwyf Or of his moder trauayle or sekenesse For she that first conceyuyd in clennesse It sat right wel that she shold also Withouten trauayle or ony maner woo For to goo quyte at hir delyueraunce And specially haue a prerogatyf In hir chyldyng to fele no penaunce Sithen she was mayde moder and wyf Chosen of god for to stynte our stryf Of al wymmen by her self allone Wherfore hit sat not hir to crye and grone Lyke to other women that be Inly syke In the tyme of theyr trauelynge Wherfore sithen she was to none other lyke No payne felte she the houre of hir chyldyng And as I fynde at hir delyueryng Ther was no wyght but her self allone For thylke tyme Ioseph was out gone How Ioseph went to seche a mydwyf to our lady capitulo xxxvij iN ful grete haste to enquere and seke SoÌ„me mydwyf to helpe in this nede And in this while with her eyen meke She chylded hath this floure of maydenhede And home ageyn as Ioseph gan hym spede And to the place the mydwyues brought Euen at the dore abasshyd in her thought Stoden stylle astoned of that light And the brightnesse that shone in the place Ageyn kynde that tyme of the nyght That they ne myght susteyne in her face And no wonder for the sonne of grace Within whiche cast his light to ferre Of whom the mone and eche other sterre Receyuen her light eueriche in her spere Al by that he lay here in erthe lowe In a stable with his sacrid chere Sool with his moder that no man dyd knowe Of whom hir â—ook she mekely gan to throwe Godely beholdyng his fayr yonge face And knelyng doun began to enbrace His tender lymmes in her armes tweyne And wrawyd hym in clothes tenderlye And took hym vp sothely gan hym leyne In her lawe and ful humbly She behelde his fetures by and by So fayr shapen in party and in alle And with her mylke very celestyal And heuenly sycour of hir pappys smale His 〈◊〉 lymmes she spredde in euery coste The whyt bawme to make hit auale Fet from the conduyte of the holy ghoost Vpon the thynge that she louyd moste And gaue hym sowke of the pyment sote That spronge grewe out of the holy rote Of maydenhede from the chaste vyne Of al clennes was I tryed oute Wherwith she made her yonge chylde to dyne Whom heuen erthe must obeye and lowte All be that he with bestys hym aboute Laye humbly as ye haue herde deuyse And after this his moder dyd aryse And lift hym vp sothely in to the stalle Where the asse and the oxe stode And on hir knees she gan anone to falle And worshipped hym this beste of al good That yeuyâ—h to aungels and to man food And than this mayde with debonayr chere With face erecte and hondys eke in fere A deuout prayer that our lady maad whan cryste was born capitulo xxxviij tO god aboue began thus for to praye O lord qd she with al my ful myght To whom eche thynge Iustely must obeye To the I than as it is skylle and right That thou so godely list to haue a sight To my mekenes though I vnworthy be And not dysdayne of thy benygnyte To graunte onely of thy hygh goodnesse Me to encrece in to suche excellence To be a mayden and moder in clennesse To bere thy sone and thy sapyence That neuer twynneth out of thy presence But in heuen abydeth ay with the And in erthe mekely now with me Lyeth in a stable of chere most debonayr Tofore my face my ioye and my comforte Whiche with the lokyng of his eyen fayre Is hole my gladnes and fully my disporte Sothfast plesaunce and my cheef resorte My dere soÌ„ne and my lord also To whom with herte and alle that I can doo I thanke the lord that liggist me beforne That thou list chese to haue affeccion Of me so mekely in erthe to be borne And fro thy fader to discende adoun Onely for helpe and sauacioun Of mankynde frely of thy wylle My blessyd chylde that so good stylle Liggest now here mekely by sufferaunce Amyd the bestys so fayr Vpon to see And hast no wighte to thyn attendaunce Lyke thyn astate awaytyng vpon the Saue that thou hast so godely chosen me Of thy grace vpon the to abyde I to serue and thou to be my guyde As it is right Ioseph with vs tweyne To take his parte what fortune so betyde Lyke as thou list of grace to ordeyne And than anone right in the self tyde Ioseph cam ynne stode hir besyde And sodeynly whan he the chylde doth see Ful humbly knelyng on his kne How the mydwyf durst not entre wyth Ioseph in to the how 's for a grete light apperyd wythin capitulo xxxix WOrshypped hym with al his herte myght With al his wylle al his ful thought And tellyd marye for fere of the light The mydwyues that he had brought Astoned were that they durst nought Entre ynne but kepte hem aferre For cause onely that a newe sterre Ascended was vpon that mancion That spredde his light his bemys shene From este to weste thorow out the regyon That al they that dyd it sene Gan fast muse what it myght mene And in her hertes gretely for to charge That a sterre so bright so fayr and large Of newe dyd appere in that reem That neuer none suche was sene tofore Of whiche sterre prophetes in Iherusaleem That tyme were astonyd wonder sore Sayden playnly withouten ony more That this sterre dyd signefye Thylke sterre whiche in his prophecye How balam prophecyed the sterre that shewid Crystys byrthe capitulo xl bAlam the sone of beor as I fynde CoÌ„mendith so in al his best wyse Whan he sayd sothely of the kynde Of worthy Iacob a sterre shold aryse And eke also as he doth deuyse Ful opynly the byble can you telle How that a yerd out of Israhel Shal sprynge also to smyte and oppresse The felle dukes of moab with her myght And he shal waste in warre sothfastnesse The chyldren of sothe and of kynde right With the shynyng of his bemys bright Conquere also to
his subieccion Withouten obstacle and haue poscessyon Of ydume for his heritage With many another riche regyon And of Seyr the riche baronage Shal to hym lowte for his renoun So that this sterre in conclusion Whiche in bethleme brightest of sterris alle The whiche aboue the lytyl oxys stalle So shene shone at the natyuyte Of the chylde as ye haue herde me telle Betokeneth playnly as ye shul after here That the lord of heuen erthe and helle Wâ—iche may of moab the tyrannye felle Was there by look helde his hostage Iâ— a staâ—le narow as ony cage 〈◊〉 bestis though he were lord of alle 〈…〉 world may at his wylle gouerne Whicâ—e in his honde hangith as a balle In 〈…〉 his mâ—ght is so eterne And 〈…〉 thâ—ng marye gan concerne Within her self sâ—ker and ful â—â—oos And after that she mekely vp roos How our lady receyuyd the mydwyues capitulo xlj aNd to the dore wonder womanly She went a paas and whan she dyd see The mydwyues ful benygnely She brought hem in with al humylite Shephora and also Salomee And hem welcometh in ful lowe manere And whan that they thise signes sawe in fere Of the sterris and the bestys knele Toward the chylde to do hym reuerence And gan also by other tokens fele Of maydenhode that there was none offence And that she stood hole in that excellence Of parfyt clennesse and virgynyte And moder to be and floure in chastyte Withouten wemme on ony party founde Of al the preues that they make coude And whan they sawe her pappis so habounde With heuenly mylke sent from aboue the cloude Shephora gan theÌ„ne to crye ful lowde That a mayde hath a chylde borne The whiche thynge was not seen beforne In al this world who so list to take hede For it in soth the right of al nature Passith playnly also doth excede The wytte of man I do you wel assure But I see wel thrugh the myghty cure Of goddys honde this thynge is brought aboute Wherof platly I am no thynge in doubte But assentyd with herte and hole credence Hauyng theron none ambyguyte And theÌ„ne anone for the grete offence And for wantriste of her felow salome Opynly that al men myght see Wexe in that arme dede and colde as stone With whiche she was hardy for to gone How the honde of Salome wexyd drye capitulo xlij tHe childe to touche of presumpsion And his moder without reuerence Deuoyde of drede or of deuocion Or ony faithful humble aduertence Don as hir ought of his magnyficence Wherfore anone for hir hygh trespace Al opynly in the same place She punysshid was that al myght hit see And gan for sorow wepe and complayne And sayd lord haue pyte vpon me And of mercy rewe vpon my payne And of myn offence that thou not dysdayne Ne to thyn hyghnes hit be no displesaunce That I a wretche blynde of ignoraunce Offendyd gretely hath in thy sight Of moche vnkunnyng and Indiscressyon And sodeynly in al theyr syght Euen amyddes of that mancion An aungel bright sent from heuen doun Dyd appere byddyng hir anone With deuoute herte that she shold goon Ful humbly in her beste entente Vnto the chylde for to haue socoure And touche the hemme of his vestemente Reuerently and with grete honour For he in soth is the sauyour Of al the world and of al mankynde And power hath playnly to vnbynde Al tho that playnen and ben in distresse Whan they to hym mekely wyl calle And salome deuoutly gan hir dresse Toward the childe on her knees falle And said o lord that power hast of alle Let thy mercy on me sprede For to socour me in this grete nede Me wretchyd wyght punysshed rightfuâ—â—â— And lost for euer saue onely thy grace For in soth saue onely thy mercy I haue lost myn arme allas for my trespace And with that word as she dyd enbrace To touche the cloth that he laye in bounde Without more this salome hath founde Remedye and was made hole agayn Sodenly or she coude it spye And vp she rose and may no lenger fayn But in the strete opynly gan crye How the lord that al this world may gye Descendyd is and bycome man And whiles that she thus in the strete ran Tellyng the byrthe of the sterre also And of hir arme and of hir sodeyn cure The peple gan faste to drawe to To herken more of this aduenture For in her speche soÌ„me gan hem assure And that her wordes myght be credyble And specially for to them vysyle The sterre shone euer aboue the hous Ay lyke fyx wythout mocion So bright so longe so glad so ioyous That al that had Inspeccion In herte parfyte and trewe entencion â—hat they weren reioysid and made light And al this thynge felle vpon the nyght On a sonday myn auctour wyl not lye As ye may fynde yf ye list to rede The viij kalendis for sothe of Ianuarye Whan marye example of maydenhede Was of age who so wyl take hede Sixtene yere thys floure of nazareth At the vysion of saynt Elizabeth Playnly recordeth loke and ye may see And in this nyght of moste worthynesse Of crystys byrthe and natyuyte As the gospel saith and berith wytnesse Whan the shepherdes with grete besynesse Kepte her watche the longe wynters nyght Vpon her shepe an aungel with grete light How the aungels apperid to the shepherdis and tolde the birthe of cryst capitulo xliij aMyd the felde to hem dyd appere And gaue hem comfort in her grete drede And bad hem be light and glad of chere For I ad he shewe to you in dede A ioye that doth euery ioye excede That fynally shal of al dysease To al folke comforte be and ease And be to hem refuyte and socoure In al myscheues and aduersite For now this day mankyndes sauyour In bethleme of dauyd his cyte Is borne in soth lyke as ye may see Goth and beholdeth how that it is falle And ye shullen fynde in an oxes stalle How that he lyeth in clothis narow wounde This yonge faunte with chere ful benygne The whiche thyng when that ye haue founde That al is soth let be to you a signe And sodenly with lawde pryse condygne With the aungel the hole chyualrye Of al heuen by one armonye For ioye herof gan to say and synge Glorye and honour in the heuenly see Be vn to god eternally durynge And in erthe pees and reste be To al tho men that of one vnyte This hygh feste honoure and magnefye And we echone of one melodye O myghty lord we prayse and blesse the And worshyp eke with humble reuerence And glorefye thyn hygh mageste And thankyng gyue to thy magnyficence For thy glorye and thyn excellence O thou lord god o kyng celestyal O god the fader most myghty founde at alle And god the sone his chylde aboue eterne Crist Ihesu borne of this heuenly quene O god also the chosen lambe so derne
Sone of the fader withouten spotte al clene That doest away the worldes synne and tene Haue mercy on vs of thyn hygh goodnesse Syth thou thy self in parfyte holynesse Allone thou art sothely holy and no moo And lord allone ouer al thynge And worthyest and hyghest eke also O crist Ihesu of heuen and erthe kynge With the holy ghoost in glorye reynyng Ay with the fader by eternyte Thre knyt in one thrugh parfyte vnyte How the shepherdys founden cryst wyth our lady capitulo xliiij aNd whaÌ„ the aungels with this heueÌ„ly soÌ„ge The byrth of crist had magnefyed With parfyte gladnesse that was hem amonge To heuen anone ageyn they haue hem hyed And the hiâ—rdys by one accorde alyed Ben hastely vnto bethlem gone Where they founden when they came anone Marie and Ioseph and the chylde also Leyd in a stable accordyng euery dele As the aungel had sayd hem vnto And of the sight they lyked wonder wele And in hâ—m self gan knowe and fele That al was soth that they sayd afore Of the aungel how a chylde was bore In to this world mankynde for to saue After the recorde of olde prophecye Wherof they ganne so grete a ioye haue That al attones they gan magnefye God aboue deuoutly and to glorefye Retornyng hem deuoyde of euery smerte And marie choos within hir herte Conseruyd al that she dyd see Worde and dede and euery maner thynge That befylle in this natyuyte Ful secretly theron ymagenynge And prudently hir self gouernynge Kepte hir sone with al her besy cure Whiche on this day as sayth bonauenture Lyke a spouse from his chambre is goon His chosen chyldre thrugh his benygnyte In his chirche to ioye hem of syon By parfyte pees sothfast vnyte And he this day hath shewyd the beaute Of his face of excellente fayrnesse In whos honour this day of hygh gladnesse Was made the ympne the gospel sayth also Our alther myrthe and ioye to encrees Gloria in excelcis deo And in erthe this day a parfyt pees To man was shewyd withouten ony lees And as saith powle goddis benygnyte This day apperid in our humanyte How god wold not be borne but of a mayde moder and wyf capitulo xlv aNd ouer this as he eke telle can God was this day in symylitude In erthe honoured in liknesse of man And he this day his godhede dyd enclude In our manhode and shortely to conclude This day also yf I shal not feyne Befyl also other thynges tweyne The wonderfullest and most meruaylous That euer yet were seen tofore Wherof no wyght by kynde is capyous First how god to saue that was forlore Lowly in erthe list to be bore And how a mayde in hir virgynyte Myght also chylde and a moder be The whiche thynges passen and transende Reson of man by kyndes liknesse But fayth aboue must al comprehende And hit enbrace by parfyt stablenesse And make his grounde vpon the wytnesse Of propheâ—es whiche in her prophecye So longe aforne gan to speke and crye After the comyng of thys myghty kynge Our olde woo and trouble to enchace To whom dauyd sayd in his writyng O bâ—â—sful lord shewe to vs thy face And we in sothe onely thorugh thy grace Shullen saued be from al myschyef drede And also now in our grete nede Sende to vs thy comfortable light Vs to enlumyne liggyng in derknesse Eke ysaye with al his Inward sight Vp to heuen gan his loke to dresse And said lord of thy grete goodnesse Out of desert from the hard stone Vnto the doughter dwellyng in syone Send doun thy lambe fulfilled wyth mekenesse Tâ—at lordshyp hath and domynacion Of al the erthe our dole to redresse And wold god for our sauacion This myghty lord for to come a doun The hygh heuenes wold brekâ— on tweyne Vs to releue of that we so compleyne And dauyd spake eke this lord vnto In the sawter our sorowes for to fyne And sayd lord in relees of our woo In hygh heuyns thy mercy make enclyne And doun dyscende lat thy grace shyne Vpon vs wretchis in the vale of sorow And lord do dawe thy holy glad morowe Quod salamon and shewe to vs thy light Of thy mercy rewe on our distresse And with thy vertues that be so moche of myght That no man may counte theym ne expresse Fulfylle syon with hygh gladnesse Thy peples hertes make to renewe That thy prophetes may be founde trewe For out of the shal procede anone The myghty kyng and lord of Israel And now this day is coruen out of stone Without hondes of that holy helle Of whiche somtyme the prophete danyelle In his book wrote so longe aforne To signefye that there shold be borne At Iherusalem where as a myghty kynge Shal come in haste his peple to vysite And he shal brynge pees in his comynge Of whom the power shal not be a lyte For hit shal laste as hym lyst to wryte From see to see and al the erthe sprede Thorugh out the world in lengthe and brede And baruk commaunded to Iherusalem To be holde in al his beste entente Toward the brightnesse of the sonne beme And wysely loke in to the orient To see the gladnesse that this day is sent Doun to the erthe now that criyst is bore Of whos comyng so many a day afore Spake ysaye sayd in wordes playne The hygh heuens doo your grace adewe And sayd also the skyes shold rayne Vpon erthe her moysture for to shewe And bad the grounde eke in wordes fewe For to opyn and thus this heuenly shoure For to brynge our alther sauyour And Ieromye spake eke of this day And said on heyght god shold make sede A grayne of dauyd fayrer than floure in maye Whiche in fresshnes shal euer sprynge sprede And conserue Iuda out of drede And eke Israel kepe in sykernesse And he shal make dome and rightwysnesse Vpon the erthe of hygh and lowe degree And rightwysnes men shal his name calle Whan he cometh to sitte in the see Of kyng dauyd in his ryall stalle And he also tofore the prestys alle Bothe of Iuda and leuy shal deuyse With newe encence to do sacrefyse To god aboue for the grete offence Of the peple and ignoraunce With his offeryng make recompence Or that the swerde be whette of vengeaunce Euen lyke as made is remembraunce In malachye in the same wyse This sonne of lyf shal sprynge and aryse To al the that hym loue and drede And ben expectant with al humylite On his comyng to suche he shal out shede His light of grace at his natyuyte Wherfore be glad lyke as hit may be Thou bethleme y callyd effrata Though thou be lytyl namyd in Iuda For â—ut of the shal procede anone The myghty kyng and lord of Israel And now this day is coruen out of stone Withouten â—â—ndes of that holy helle Of the 〈◊〉 somtyme the prophete danyelle In his â—â—ke wrote so longe aforne â—o sigâ—efye