Ludus Coventriæ

by Unknown

IX. MARY IN THE TEMPLE.

Contemplacio. Sovereynes, ȝe han sen shewyd ȝow before,

Of Joachym and Anne here botheres holy metynge,

How our lady was conseyvid, and how she was bore;

We passe ovyr that, breffnes of tyme consyderynge.

And how our lady, in here tendyr age and ȝyng,

Into the temple was offryd, and so forthe proced,

This sentens sayd xal be hire begynnyng,

Now the Modyr of mercy in this be our sped!

And as a childe of iij. ȝere age here she xal appere,

To alle pepyl that ben here present,

And of here grett grace now xal ȝe here,

How she levyd evyr to Goddys entent

With grace.

That holy matere we wole declare,

Tyl ffortene ȝere how sche dyd ffare;

Now of ȝour speche I pray ȝow spare,

Alle that ben in this place.

Here Joachym and Anne, with oure lady betwen hem, beyng al in whyte as a childe of iij. ȝere age, presente here into the temple, thus seyng Joachym,

Joachym. Blyssyd be oure Lord, ffayr ffrute have we now!

Anne, wyff, remembyr wole ȝe,

That we made to God an holy avow,

That oure fyrst childe the servaunt of God xulde be!

The age of Mary oure dowtere is ȝeres thre,

Therfore to thre personys and on God lete us here present;

The ȝonger she be drawyn the bettyr semyth me,

And for teryeng of our avow of God we myth be shent!

Anne. It is as ȝe say, husbond, indede,

Late us take Mary our dowter us betwen,

And to the temple with here procede:

Dowtere, the aungel tolde us ȝe xulde be a qwen!

Wole ȝe go se that lord ȝour husbond xal ben,

And lerne for to love hym and lede with hym ȝour lyf?

Telle ȝour ffadyr and me her, ȝour answere let sen;

Wole ȝe be pure maydyn and also Goddys wyff?

Maria. ffadyr and modyr, if it plesynge to ȝow be,

ȝe han mad ȝour avow, so ssothly wole I,

To be Goddys chast servaunt whil lyff is in me,

But to be Goddys wyff I was nevyr wurthy;

I am the sympelest that evyr was born of body.

I have herd ȝow seyd God xulde have a modyr swete,

That I may leve to se hire, God graunt me for his mercy,

And abyl me to ley my handys undyr hire fayr fete.

Et genuflectet ad Deum.

Joachym. I-wys, dowtere, it is wel seyd,

ȝe answere and ȝe were twenty ȝere olde.

Anne. Whith ȝour speche, Mary, I am wel payd,

Can ȝe gon alone? lett se beth bolde.

Maria. To go to Goddys hous wole ȝe now beholde,

I am joyful thedyrward, as I may be.

Joachym. Wyff, I ryght joyful oure dowter to beholde.

Anne. So am I wys, husbond; now in Goddys name go we!

Joachym. Sere, prince of prestes, and it plese ȝow,

We that were barreyn God hath sent a childe,

To offre here to Goddys service we mad oure avow,

Here is the same mayde, Mary most mylde.

Isakar. Joachym, I have good mende how I ȝow revyled,

I am ryght joyful that God hath ȝove ȝow this grace,

To be amonge fruteful now be ȝe reconsylid,

Come, swete Mary, come, ȝe have a gracyous face!

Joachym flectendo ad Deum, sic dicens,

Joachym. Now, ffadyr, and Sone, and Holy Gost,

On God and personys thre!

We offre to the, Lorde of myghtes most,

Oure dowtere thi servaunt evyr more to be!

Anna. Ther-to most bounde evyr more be we:

Mary, in this holy place leve ȝow we xalle;

In Goddys name now up go ȝe!

Oure fadyr, oure prest, lo! doth ȝow calle.

Maria. Modyr, and it plese ȝow, fyrst wole I take my leve

Of my fadyr and ȝow my modyr i-wys;

I have a fadyr in hefne, this I beleve,

Now, good ffadyr, with that fadyr ȝe me blysse!

Joachym. In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti!

Maria. Amen! Now ȝe, good modyr.

Anne. In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti!

Maria. Amen!

Maria. Now, oure Lord, thank ȝow for this!

Here is my fadyr and my modyr bothe,

Most mekely I beseche I may ȝow kys;—

Now forȝeve me yf evyr I made ȝow wrothe!

Et explexendo osculabit patrem et matrem.

Joachym. Nay, dowtere, ȝe offendyd nevyr God nor man;

Lovyd be that lord ȝow so doth kepe!

Anne. Swete dowtyr, thynk on ȝour modyr An,

ȝour swemynge smytyht to myn hert depe.

Maria. ffadyr and modyr, I xal pray for ȝow and wepe,

To God with al myn hert specyaly;

Blysse me day and nyght evyr her ȝe slepe,

Good ffadyr and modyr, and be mery.

Joachym. A! ho had evyr suche a chylde?

Nevyr creature ȝit that evyr was bore!

Sche is so gracyous, she is so mylde,—

So xulde childyr to fadyr and modyr evyr more.

Anne. Than xulde thei be blyssyd and plese God sore!

Husbond, and it plese ȝow not hens go we xal,

Tyl Mary be in the temple above thore,

I wold not for al erthe se here fal.

Episcopus. Come, gode Mary, come, babe, I the calle;

Thi pas pratyly to this plas pretende,

Thou xalt be the dowtere of God eternalle,

If the fyftene grees thou may ascende;

It is meracle if thou do; now God the dyffende!

ffrom Babylony to hevynly Jherusalem this is the way;

Every man that thynk his lyf to amende,

The fyftene psalmys in memorye of this mayde say, Maria!

Maria! et sic deinceps usque ad finem quindecim psalmorum.

The fyrst degré gostly applyed,

It is holy desyre with God to be,

In trobyl to God I have cryed,

And in sped that lord hath herde me.

Ad Dominum cum tribularer clamavi, et exaudivit me.

The secunde is stody with meke inquysissyon veryly,

How I xal have knowynge of Godys wylle,

To the mownteynes of hefne I have lyfte myn ey,

ffrom qwens xal comyn helpe me tylle.

Levavi oculos meos in montes, unde veniat auxilium mihi.

The thrydde is gladnes in mende in hope to be,

That we xalle be savyd alle thus;

I am glad of these tydynges ben seyd to me,—

Now xal we go into Goddys hous.

Lætatus sum in hiis, quæ dicta sunt mihi: in domum Domini ibimus.

The fourte is meke obedyence, as is dette,

To hym that is above the planetes sefne;

To the I have myn eyn sette,

That dwellys above the skyes in hefne!

Ad te levavi oculos meos, qui habitas in cælis.

The ffyfte is propyr confessyon,

That we be nought withowth God thus;

But God in us have habytacion,

Peraventure oure enemyes shulde swelle us.

Nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis, dicat nunc Israel: nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis.

The sexte is confidens in Goddys strenght alon,

ffor of alle grace from hym comyth the strem:

They that trust in God, as the mownt Syon,

He xal not be steryd endles, that dwellyth in Jherusalem.

Qui confidunt in Domino, sicut mons Syon, non commovebitur in æternum, qui habitat in Hierusalem.

The sefte is undowteful hope of immortalyté,

In oure Lorde is as gracy and mercy;

Whan oure Lord convertyth oure captivité,

Than are we mad as joyful mery.

In convertendo domus captivitatem Syon: facti sumus sicut consolati.

The eyted is contempt of veyn glory in us,

ffor hym that al mankende hath multyplyed;

But yf oure Lord make here oure hous,

They an laboryd in veyn that it have edyfied.

Nisi Dominus ædificaverit domum, in vanum laboraverunt qui ædificant eam.

The nynte is a childely for in dede,

With a longyng love in oure Lorde that ay is;

Blyssyd arn alle they that God drede,

Whiche that gon in his holy weys.

Beati omnes, qui timent Dominum, qui ambulant in viis ejus.

The tende is myghty soferauns of carnal temptacion,

ffor the fleschly syghtes ben fers and fel;

Ofte ȝoughe is ffowthe with sueche vexacion,

Than seynge God say, so clepyd Israel.

Sæpe expugnaverunt me a juventute mea, dicat nunc Israel.

The elefnte is accusatyff confessyon of iniquité,

Of whiche ful noyous is the noyis;

Fro depnes, Lord, I have cryed to the!

Lord, here in sped my sympyl voys!

De profundus clamavi ad te, Domine! Domine, exaudi vocem meam!

The twelfte is mekenes, that is fayr and softe,

In mannys sowle withinne and withowte;

Lord, myn herte is not heyved on lofte,

Nyn myn eyn be not lokynge abowte.

Domine, non est exaltatum cor meum, neque elati sunt oculi mei.

The threttene is ffeyth therwith,

With holy dedys don expresse;

Have mende, Lorde of Davyth,

And of alle his swettnes!

Memento, Domine, David, et omnis mansuetudinis ejus.

The ffourtene is brothyrly concorde i-wys,

That norchych love of creatures echon;

Se how good and how glad it is,

Bretheryn, ffor to dwelle in on.

Ecce quam bonum, et quam jocundum habitare fratres in unum.

The fyftene is gracyous with on acorde,

Whiche is syne of Godly love, semyth me;

Se now blysse, oure Lorde,

Alle that oure lordys servauntes be.

Ecce nunc, benedicite Dominum, omnes servi Domini!

Episcopus. A! gracyous Lord, this is a mervelyous thynge,

That we se here alle in syght,

A babe of thre ȝer age so ȝynge,

To come up these greeys so up ryght;

It is an hey meracle, and by Goddys myght

No dowth of she xal be gracyous.

Maria. Holy ffadyr, I beseche ȝow forthe ryght,

Sey how I xal be rewlyd in Goddys hous.

Episcopus. Dowtere, God hath ȝovyn us commaundementes ten,

Whiche shortely to say be comprehendyd in tweyn,

And tho must be kept of alle Crysten men,

Or ellys here jugement is perpetual peyn.

ȝe must love God severeynly and ȝour evyn Crystyn pleyn,

God fyrsst ffor his hyȝ and sovereyn dygnyté:

He lovyd ȝow fyrst, love hym ageyn,

ffor of love to his owyn lyknes he made the.

Love ffadyr, Sone, and Holy Gost!

Love God the Fadyr, ffor he gevyth myght;

Love God the Sone, ffor he gevyth wysdom thou wost;

Love God the Holy Gost, ffor he gevyth love and lyght.

Thre personys and on God thus love of ryght,

With alle thin hert, with alle thi sowle, with alle thi mende,

And with alle the strenghthis in the be dyght,

Than love thin evyn Crystyn as thiself withowtyn ende.

Thu xalt hate nothynge but the devyl and synne:

God byddyth the lovyn thi bodyly enmy;

And as for ȝourself here, thus xal ȝe begynne,—

ȝe must serve and wurchep God here dayly;

ffor what prayȝer with grace and mercy,

Sethe have a resonable tyme to fede,

Thanne to have a labour bodyly,

That therin be gostly and bodely mede.

ȝour abydynge xal be with ȝour maydenys ffyve,

Whyche tyme as ȝe wole have consolacion.

Maria. This lyff me lyketh as my lyve:

Of her namys I beseche ȝow to have informacion.

Episcopus. There is the fyrst Meditacion,

Contryssyon, Compassyon, and Clennes,

And that holy mayde Fruyssyon:

With these blyssyd maydenes xal be ȝour besynes.

Maria. Here is an holy ffelachepp, I fele

I am not wurthy amonge hem to be:

Swete systeres, to ȝow alle I knele,

To receyve, I beseche, ȝour charyté.

Episcopus. They xal, dowtere, and on the tothere syde se,

Ther ben sefne prestys indede,

To schryve, to teche, and to mynystryn to the,

To lerne the Goddys lawys and Scrypture to rede.

Maria. ffadyr, knew I here namys, wele were I.

Episcopus. Ther is Dyscressyon, Devocion, Dylexcion, and Deliberacion,—

They xal tende upon ȝow besyly;

With Declaracion, Determynacion, Dyvynacion;

Now go ȝe, maydenys, to ȝour occupacion,

And loke ȝe tende this childe tendyrly;

And ȝe, serys, knelyth, and I xal gyve ȝow Goddys benyson,

In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti!

Et recedent cum ministris suis omnes virgines, dicentes “Amen.”

To ȝow, ffadyr and modyr, I me comende,

Blyssyd be the tyme ȝe me hedyr brought.

Joachym. Dowtere, the ffadere of oure feyth the mot defende,

As he of his myght made alle thynge of nowth.

Anne. Mary, to the sowle solas he sende,

In whos wysdam alle this werd was wrought!

Go we now hens, husbonde so hende,

For owth of care now are we brought.

Hic Joachim et Anna recedent domum.

Maria. Be the Holy Gost at hom be ȝe brought,

Systeres (ad virgines) ȝe may go do what ȝe xalle,

To serve God fyrst here is al my thought,

Beforn this holy awtere on my knes I falle!

Lord, sefne petycions I beseche ȝow of here,

ffyrst that I may kepe thi love and thi lawe;

The secunde to lovyn myn evyn Crystyn as myself dere;

The thrydde from alle that thou hatyst me to withdrawe;

The fourte alle vertuys to thi plesauns knawe;

The fyfte to obey the ordenaryes of the temple echeon;

The sexte, and that alle pepyl may serve the with awe,

That in this holy tempyl fawte be non.

The sefnte, Lord, I haske with grett ffere,

That I may se onys in my lyve,

That lady that xal Goddys sone bere,

That I may serve here with my wyttes fyve.

If it plese ȝow, and ellys it is not therwith to stryve,

With prayers prostrat ffor these gracys I wepe:

O, my God! devocion depe in me dryve,

That my hert may wake in the, thow my body slepe.

Here the aungel bryngyth manna in a cowpe of gold lyke to confeccions, the hefne syngynye, the aungel seyth,

Merveyle not, mekest maydone, of my mynystracion,

I am a good aungel sent of God alle-myght,

With aungelys mete ffor ȝour sustentacion,

ȝe to receyve it ffor natural myght;

We aungellys xul serve ȝow day and nyght:

Now fede ȝow therwith in Goddys name.

We xal lerne ȝow the lyberary of oure Lordys lawe lyght,

ffor my sawys in ȝow shewyth sygnes of shame.

Maria. To thank oure soveryen Lord not sufficyth my mende,

I xal fede me of this fode my Lord hath me sent;

Alle maner of savowres in this mete I fynde,

I felt nevyr non so swete ner so redolent.

Angelus. Eche day therwith ȝe xal be content;

Aunge alle howrys xal to ȝow apere.

Maria. Mercy, my makere, how may this be ment?

I am the sympelest creature that is levynge here.

Angelus. In ȝour name Maria ffyve letterys we han,—

M. Mayde most mercyfulle and mekest in mende;

A. Averte of the anguysche that Adam began;

R. Regina of regyon reyneng withowtyn ende;

I. Innocent be influens of Jesses kende;

A. Advocat most autentyk ȝour autecer Anna,

Hefne and helle here kneys down bende,

Whan this holy name of ȝow is seyd, Maria.

Maria. I qwake grettly ffor dred to here this comendacion!

Good swete aungel, why wole ȝe sey thus?

Aungelle. ffor ȝe xal hereaftere have a salutacion,

That xal this excede, it is seyd amonge us;

The Deyté that dede xal determyn and dyscus,

ȝe xal nevyr, lady, be lefte here alone.

Maria. I crye the mercy, Lorde, and thin erthe cus,

Recomendyng me to that Godhyd that is tryne in trone.

Hic osculet terram. Here xal comyn alwey an aungel with dyvers presentes, goynge and comynge, and in the tyme thei xal synge in hefne this hympne. “Jhesu corona virginum.” And after ther comyth a minister fro the buschop with a present and seyth,

Minister. Prynce of oure prestes, Ysakare be name,

He hath sent ȝow hymself his servyce in dede;

And bad ȝe xulde ffede ȝow spare for no shame,

In this tyme of mete no lenger ȝe rede.

Maria. Recomende me to my fadyr, sere, and God do hym mede,

These vesselys aȝen sone I xal hym sende;

I xal bere it my systeres, I trowe thei have more nede,

Goddys foyson is evyr to his servauntes hendyr than we wende.

Systeres, oure holy ffadyr Isakare

Hath sent us hese servyce here ryght now;

ffede ȝow therof hertyly, I pray ȝow nat spare,

And if owght beleve, specyaly I pray ȝow,

That the pore men the relevys ther of have now;

ffayn and I myth I wolde do the dedys of mercy;

Pore ffolk ffaryn God knowyth how,

On hem evyr I have grett pety.

Contemplacio. Lo! sofreynes here ȝe have seyn,

In the temple of oure ladyes presentacion,

She was nevyr occapyed in thynges veyn,

But evyr besy in holy ocupacyon;

And we beseche ȝow of ȝoure pacyens,

That we pace these materes so lythly away,

If thei xulde be do with good prevydens,

Eche on wolde suffyce ffor an hoole day.

Now xal we precede to here dissponsacion,

Whiche aftere this was xiiij. ȝere,

Tyme sufficyth not to make pawsacion,

Hath pacyens with us, we beseche ȝow here,

And in short spas,

The parlement of hefne sone xal ȝe se,

And how Goddys sone come man xal he,

And how the salutacion aftere xal be,

Be Goddys holy gras.