6 (ii)
Responcio
A SOUN tres chere et special,
Fer and ner and overal
In mundo,
Que soy ou saltz et gré
With mouth, word and herte free
Jocundo.
Jeo vous pry sans debat
That ye wolde of myn estat
Audire;
Sertfyés a vous jeo fay
I wil in time whan I may
Venire.
Pur vostre amour, allas, allas!
I am werse than I was
Per multa:
Jeo suy dolourouse en tut manere,
Woulde God in youre armes I were
Sepulta!
Vous estes ma morte et ma vye,
I preye you for your curteisie
Amate,
Cestes maundés jeo vous pry
In youre herté stedefastly
Notate.
7 This World’s Joy
c. 1300
WYNTER wakeneth al my care,
Nou thise leves1 waxeth bare;
Ofte I sike2 and mourne sare
When hit cometh in my thoht
Of this worldes joie, hou hit geth al to noht.
Nou hit is, and nou hit nys,3
Al so hit ner nere,4 ywys;
That moni mon seith, soth5 hit ys:
Al goth bote Godes wille:
Alle we shule deye, thah6 us like ylle.
Al that gren me graveth grene,
Nou hit faleweth7 al bydene:8
Jehsu, help that hit be sene
And shild us from helle!
For y not whider9 y shal, ne hou longe her duelle.10
8 Our Lady’s Song
c. 1375
IESU, swete sone dere!
On porful bed list thou here,
And that me greveth sore;
For thi cradel is ase a bere,1
Oxe and asse beth thi fere:2
Weepe ich mai tharfore.
Iesu, swete, beo noth wroth,
Thou ich nabbe clout ne cloth
The on for to folde,
The on to folde ne to wrappe,
For ich nabbe clout ne lappe;3
Bote ley thou thi fet to my pappe,
And wite4 the from the colde.
9 A Hymn to the Virgin
c. 1300
OF on1 that is so fayr and bright
Velut maris stella,
Brighter than the day is light,
Parens et puella:
Ic crie to the, thou see to me,
Levedy,2 preye thi Sone for me,
Tam pia,
That ic mote come to thee
Maria.
Al this world was for-lore
Eva peccatrice,
Tyl our Lord was y-bore
De te genetrice.
With ave it went away
Thuster3 nyth and cometh the day
Salutis;
The welle springeth ut of the
Virtutis.
Levedy, flour of alle thing,
Rosa sine spina,
Thu bere Jhesu, hevene king,
Gratia divina:
Of alle thu berst the pris,4
Levedy, quene of paradys
Electa:
Mayde milde, Moder es
Effecta.
10 Of a rose, a lovely rose,
Of a rose is al myn song.
c. 1400