Ludus Coventriæ

by Unknown

XLI. THE ASSUMPTION OF THE VIRGIN.

Ad mea facta pater assit Deus et sua mater!

Doctor. Ryhte worchepful sovereynes, liketh yow to here

Of the assumpcion of the gloryous moder Mary?

That seynt Jhon the evangelist wrot and tauht, as I lere,

In a book clepid Apocriphun, wythowtyn dyswary.

At fourten yer sche conseyved Cryste in hire matere clere,

And in the fiftene yer sche chyldyd, this avowe dare I;

Here lyvyng wyth that swete sone thre and thretty yere,

And after his deth in erthe xij. yer dede sche tary.

Now acounte me thise yeris wysely,

And I sey the age was of this maide Marye,

When sche assumpte above the Ierarchye,

Thre score yer, as Scripture dothe specyfye,

Legenda Sanctorum autorysyth this trewely.

She was inhabith in Juré by the mounte of Syon,

After the assencion of hir sone conseyved in spoused,

Alle the holy placys in erthe that Criste duellyd on,

Devouthly sche went hem honoryng the Godhed;

fferste to the place there Criste cristenyd was clepid fflum Jordone,

There he fastyd and takyn was by malicious falshed,

There he beryed was and roos victoryously alon,

There he assendid alle hevenys God in his manned;

Thus was sche occupyed I rede.

And meche sche was in the temple preyand.

Now blissid mot sche be! we owe to be seyand,

How sche was assumpte here men schul be pleyand,

Preyng you of audience, now ses and tak hede.

Ces now youre blaberyng in the develis name,

What, lousy begchis, now ye not se,

Owre worthy prynsis, lo! are gaderid in same,

That are statis of this lond hye men of degré?

By there hye wisdom they shal now attayne.

How alle Juré beste governyd may be,

And of this pillid prechouris that oure lawis defame,

They schul ben slayn as they se or fayn for to fle.

Wherfore in pes be ye,

And herkenyth onto hem moste stillyn I,

ffor what boy bragge outh, hym spilly I,

As knave wyth this craggyd knad hym kylle I, —

Now herkenyth oure pryncis alle kneland on kne.

Episcopus. Now ye prynsis i-prest of the lawe,

Of this demaunde responcyon I aske here anon,

Ys there ony renogat among us fer as ye knawe,

Or ony that pervertyth the pepil wyth gay eloquens alon?

Yif there be, we muste onto hem set awe.

ffor they feyne falsly oure feyth, hem preve I houre fon,

Sweche schul ben bounden up be the beltys til flyes hem blowe,

And gnaggyd up by the gomys tyl the devyl doth hem grone.

We may not won,

To sweche harlotis settyn reddure,

That geynseyn oure lawe and oure scripture,

Now let, sere pryncis in purpure,

In savynge of oure lawys now telle on.

Primus Princeps. Sere, syn we slew hym that clepid hym oure king,

And seyde he was Goddis sone Lord over alle;

Syn his deth I herd of no maner rysyng,

And, lo, yif he hadde levyd he had mad us his thrall.

Episcopus. Therfore oure wysdam was to schortyn his endyng;

Who so clyme over hie he hath a foule falle.

Secundus Princeps. Ya, yit of on thing I warne yow at the gynnyng,

His dame is levyng, Mary that men calle;

Myche pepil halt hire wythall;

Wherfore in peyne of reprefe,

Yif we suffre hyre thus to relefe,

Oure lawys sche schal make to myschefe,

And meche schame don us sche schalle.

Episcopus. A! sere, ye ben bolde i-now, art thou ferd of a wenche?

What trowyste that sche myht don us agayn?

Tertius Princeps. Sere, there are other in the centre that clenche,

And prechyn he is levyng that we slewe, they seyn;

And yif they ben sufferyd thus, this wille bredyn a stench,

ffor thorow here fayre speche oure lawys they steyn.

And therfore devyse we now upon this pleyn benche,

What is beste for to do hem for to atteyn:

We are but loste, yif they reyn.

Episcopus. Why, let se than, sey me youre ententis.

Primus. Lete us preson hem, til here myght schent is.

Secundus. Bettyr is to slen hem wyth dentis.

Tercius. Nay, best is to hang hem wyth peyn.

Episcopus. Nay, seris, nowth so youre better avyse,

Have in syth before what after may tide;

Yif we slewe hem it wolde cause the comownys to ryse,

And rathere the devyl sle hym than we schulde that abyde.

But be that senstere ded, Mary that fise,

We shal brenne here body and the aschis hide,

And don here alle the dispith we can here devise,

And than sle tho disciplis that walkyn so wyde,

And here bodyes devyde.

Halde ye not this beste, as is sayde?

Primus Episcopus. Wyth youre wysdam, sere, we are wel payed.

Than ye knyhtis, I charge yow, beth arayed,

And the turmentouris redy that tyde,

When Mary is ded.

And but she deye the sunere, the devyl smyte of here hed.

Hic est Maria in templo orans, et dicens,

Maria. O, hye wysdam, in youre dygne deyté,

Youre infynyth lovnesse mad oure salvacyon,

That it lyst you of me sympilest to take here humanité,

Wyth dew obeschyauns I make you gratulacyon.

And, glorious Lord and sone, yif it like youre benygnyté,

Nouth to ben displesid wyth my desideracyon,

Me longith to youre presense now conjunct to the unyté,

Wyth alle myn herte and my sowle be natures excitacyon,

To youre domynacyon.

ffor alle creaturis in you don affye,

And myche more owe I youre modyr be alye,

Syn ye wern born God and man of my bodye,

To desyre youre presens that were oure ferste formacyon.

Sapientia. My suete moderis preyere onto me doth assende,

Here holy herte and here love is only on me;

Wherfore, aungyl, to here thou schalt now dyssende,

Seyinge here sche schal comyn to myn eternyté.

Myn habundaunt mercy on here I extende,

Resservynge here to joye from worldly perplexité,

And in tokyn therof this palme now pretende,

Seyinge here sche fere no man of divercyté.

Angelus Primus. By youre myth I dissende to youre moder in virginité.

Angelus secundus. ffor qwyche message injoyeth the hefnely consorcyt.

Hic discendet Angelus; ludentibus citharis, et dicet Mariæ,

Primus Angelus. Heyl! excellent prynces, Mary, moste pure!

Heyl! radyant sterre, the sunne is not so bryth!

Heyl! moder of mercy, and mayde most mure!

The blessyng that God yaf Jacob upon you now is lyth!

Maria. Now welcom bryth berde, Goddis aungel I sen,

Ye ben messager of allemyhty, wolcom wyth my myhtis;

I beseke you now say me upon youre hie nortur,

What is the very name that to youre persone dith is?

Angelus. What nedith you, Lady, my name ben desyrand?

Maria. A! this, gracyows aungyl, I beseke you requyrand.

Angelus. My name is gret and merveylous, treuly you telland,

The hye God youre sone abidyth you in blis,

The thrydde day hens ye schul ben expirand,

And assende to the presence there my God youre sone is.

Maria. Mercy and gromercy, God, now may I be seyand,

Thankyng you suete aungyl for this message i-wys.

Angelus. In tokenyng whereof, Lady, I am here presentand

A braunce of palme, outh of paradis com this;

Before youre here God biddith it be bore.

Maria. Now thanke be to that Lord of his mercy evermore!

Angelus. Yowre meknesse, youre lovnesse, and youre hie lore,

Is most acceptable in the Trynité syth;

Youre sete ryall in hefne apparaled is thore:

Now dispose yow to deye, youre sone wyl thus rith.

Maria. I obbeye the commaundement of my God here before;

But on thyng I beseke that Lord of his myth,

That my brether the appostelis myht me be before,

To se me and I hem or I passe to that lyth;

But they ben so deseverid me thynkyth it nyl be.

Angelus. A! this, lady, inpossible to God nothyng trowe the,

ffor he that sent Abbacuc with mete to Babylonye from Juré

Into the lake of lyonys to Danyel the prophete

Be an her of his hed, lo, so myhty was he,

Se the same myht God make may the Appostolis here mete;

And therfore abasche you not, lady, in yowre holy mende.

Maria. No more I do, glorious aungyl in kynde;

Also I beseke my sone I se not the fende,

What tyme outh of this word I schal passe hens;

His horible lok wold fere me so hende,

Ther is nothyng I dowte but his dredfull presens.

Angelus. What nedith it to fere you, empres so hende?

Syn be the fruth of youre body was convycte his vyolens,

That horible serpent dare not nyhyn youre kende,

And yowre blosme schal make hym recistens,

That he schal not pretende.

Desyre ye outh ellys now rythis?

Maria. Nouth, but blessyd be my God in his myhtys!

Angelus. To yow I recomaunde me than, most excellent in sithis,

And wyth this agayn to God I assende.

Hic ascendit angelus.

Maria. Now, Lord, thy swete holy name wyth lovnesse I blysse,

Of qwyche hefne and erthe eche tyme pshalmodyeth;

That it lykyth youre mercy me to you to wysse,

My sympil sowle in serteyn youre name magnefyeth.

Now, holy maydenys, the servauntis of God as I gysse,

I schal passe from this world as the aungyl sertefyeth;

Therfore to my sympil habitacyon, I telle you now this,

I purpose me to go, besekyng yow replyeth,

And assedually wachith me be dayes and nythis.

Prima virgo. We schal, gracyous Lady, wyth alle oure mythis,

Schul ye from us passe, swete sonne of socoure,

That are oure sengler solas radyant in youre lythis,

Youre peynful absence schal make me doloure.

Virgo Secunda. Moste excellent princes in alle vertu that is dith,

Alle hefne and erthe, Lady, you doth honure;

We schal wachyn and wake, as oure dewe and ryth,

Into the tyme ye passe to that hye toure.

Maria. God thanke you and so do I;

Now I wyl dispose me to this jurné redy;

So wolde God my brether were here me by,

To bere my body that bare Jhesu oure savyoure.

Hic subito apparet sanctus Johannes evangelista ante portam Mariæ.

Johannes. A! myrable God, meche is thy myth,

Many wonderis thou werkyst evyn as thi wylle is;

In Pheso I was prechyng a fer contré ryth,

And by a whyte clowde I was rapt to these hyllys.

Here duellyth Cristis moder I se wel in syth,

Sum merveylous message is comyn that mayde tylle;

I wyl go saluse that berde that in vertu is moste brith,

And of my sodeyn comyng wete what is the skele.

Hic pulsabit super portam, intrante domum Mariæ sibi dicente,

Heyl! moder Mary, maydyn perpetualle!

Maria. A! welcome, mayde John, wyth alle myn herte in specyalle,

ffor joye of youre presence myn herte gynnyth sweme;

Thynke ye not, John, how my child eternalle,

When he hynge on cros sayd us this teme,

Lo! here thy sone, woman; so bad he me you calle,

And you me moder eche othir to queme;

He betok you the governayl there of my body terestyalle,

On mayde to another at convenyens wold seme;

And now that gracyows lord hath sent me yow sone.

Johannes. Now, good fayr lady, what is ther to done?

Tellyth the cause why I am heder sent.

Maria. Swete sone, John, so wylle I anone;

Owre lord God sent to me an aungyl that glent,

And sayde I schulde passe hens where thre were in one,

Tho I askyd the aungel to have you present.

Johannes. A! holy moder, schul ye from us gone?

My brether of this tydyngis sore wyl repent,

That ȝe schuld ben absent.

Ever trybulacyon, Lord, meche thou us sendyst,

Thou oure mayster and oure comfort from us ascendist.

And now oure joye, thy moder, to take thou pretendist,

Thanne alle oure comfort is from us detent.

But what seyde then aungyl, moder, onto you more?

Maria. He brouth me this palme from my sone thore;

Qwyche I beseke, as the aungyl me bad,

That aforn my bere by you it be bore,

Saynge my dirige devouthly and sad;

ffor, John, I have herde the Jewys meche of me spelle.

Johannes. A! good Lady, what likyth it you to telle?

Maria. Secretly they ordeyne in here conseytis felle,

When my sowle is paste where Godis sete is,

To brenne my body and schamly it quelle,

ffor Jhesu was of me born that they slew with here fistis;

And therfore I beseke you, John, both fleche and felle

Helpe I be beryed, for yn yow my tryst is.

Johannes. ffere yow not, Lady, for I schal wyth you duelle:

Wolde God my brether were here now and wyst this.

Hic subito omnes apostoli congregentur ante portum mirantes,

A! holy brether, wyth grace be ye met here now:

Lord God, what menyth this sodeyne congregacyon?

Now, swete brother Powle, wyl ye take this upon yow?

Preye to God for us alle we may have relacyon.

Paulus. Good brother Peter, how schuld I here pray now,

That am lest and most unworthy of this congregacyon?

I am not worthy to be clepyd apostle sothly I say yow,

ffor as a wood man ageyn Holy Cherche I mad persecucyon,

But nevertheles I am the grace of God in that that I am, lo!

Petrus. A! gret is youre lownesse, Powle, brother evermo!

Paulus. The keyes of hevene, Peter, God hath you betake,

And also ye ben peler of lith and prynce of us alle;

It is most sittyng to you this preyere to make,

And I unworthy wyth yow preyen here schalle.

Petrus. I take this upon me, Poule, for youre sake.

Now, almythty God, that sittiste above cherubyn halle;

In synge of thyn holy cros oure handis we make,

Besekyng thy mercy may upon us falle,

And why we ben thus met, yif it lyke, us lare.

Johannes. A! holy brether, alle welcom ye are:

Why ye be met here I schal you declare;

ffor Mary, Goddys moder, by message is sent,

That from this wrecchid world to blysse sche schal fare,

And at here deying sche desyryth to have us present.

Petrus. A! brother John, we may syhyn and care,

Xif it displese not God for these tydyngis ment.

Paulus. fforsothe so we may, Peter, hevyin evermore,

That oure moder and oure comfort schuld ben us absent.

But nevertheles the wyl of God fulfyllid mot be.

Johannes. That is wel seyd, Poule, but herof bewar ye,

That non of you for here deth schewe hevy speche,

ffor anon to the Jewys it schuld than notyd be,

That we were ferd of deth, and that is ageyn that we teche;

ffor we seyn alle tho belevyn in the hol Trynyté,

They schul ever leve and nouth deye, this truly we preche;

And yif we make hevynesse for here, than wyl it seyd be,

Lo! youe prechouris to deye they fere hem ful meche;

And therfore in God now beth glad everychon!

Petrus. We schal don as ye sey us, holy brother John:

Now we beseke you, let us se oure moder Marie.

Johannes. Now, in Goddys name, to here than alle let us gon;

Sche wyl ben ful glad to se this holy companye.

Petrus. Heyl! moder and maydyn, so was never non,

But only the most blissid treulye.

Paulus. Heyl! incomparabil quen Goddis holy tron!

Of you spreng salvacyon and alle oure glorye;

Heyl mene for mankynde and mendere of mys!

Maria. A! wyth alle myn hol herte, brether, ye are welcom i-wys:

I beseke you now to telle me of youre sodeyne metyng.

Petrus. In dyveris contreys we prechid of youre sone and his blis,

Diveris clowdys eche of us was sodeynely curyng;

And in on were brouth before youre yate here i-wys,

The cause why no man cowde telle of oure comyng.

Maria. Now I thanke God of his mercy, an hy merakle is this;

Now I wyl telle yow the cause of my sonys werkyng;

I desyrid his bodily presence to se.

Johannes. No wonder, Lady, thow so dede ye.

Maria. Tho my sone Jhesu of his hye peté

Sent to me an aungyl, and thus he sayd,

That the thredde nyth I schuld assende to my sone in deité;

Thanne to have youre presence, brether, hertly I prayed,

And thus at my request God hath you sent me.

Petrus. Wys gracyous Lady, we are ryth wel payed.

Maria. Blissid brethere, I beseke you than tent me;

Now wyl I rest me in this bed that for me is rayed;

Wachith me besily wyth youre laumpys and lithtis.

Paulus. We schal, Lady, redy alle thyng for you dith is.

Maria. Now, sone, schul ye se what Godis myth is,

My flech gynnyth feble be nature.

Hic erit decenter ornatus in lecto.

Petrus. Brether, eche of you a candele takyth nowe rithis,

And lith hem in haste, whil oure moder doth dure,

And bisyli let us wachyn in this virgyne sythis,

That when oure Lord comyth in his sponsed pure,

He may fynde us wakyng and redy wyth oure lithis,

ffor we knowe not the hour of his comyng now sure,

And yn clennesse alle loke ye be redy.

Maria. A! swete sone Jhesu, now mercy I cry,

Over alle synful thy mercy let sprede!

Hic dissendet Dominus cum omni celeste curia, et dicet,

Dominus. The voys of my moder me nyhith ful ny;

I am dyssend on to here of whom I dede sede.

Hic cantabunt org.

Maria. A! welcom, gracyous Lord Jhesu, sone and God of mercy!

An aungyl wold a ssuffysed me, hye kyng, at this nede.

Dominus. In propire persone, moder, I wyl ben here redy,

Wyth the hefnely quer yowre dirige to rede.

Veni tu, electa mea, et ponam in te thronum meum,

Quia concupivit rex speciem tuam.

Maria. Paratum cor meum, Deus, paratum cor meum,

Cantabo, et psalmum dicam Domino.

Apostoli. Hæc est quæ nescivit thorum in delictis,

Habebit requiem in respectu animarum sanctarum.

Maria. Beatam me dicent omnes generationes;

Quia fecit michi magna qui potens est, et sanctum nomen ejus.

Dominus. Veni de Libano, sponsa mea, veni, coronaberis:

Ecce, venio, quia in capite libri scriptum est de me.

Ut facerem voluntatem tuam, Deus meus,

Quia exultavit spes meus in Deo salutari mee.

Hic exiet anima Mariæ de corpore in sinu Dei.

Dominus. Now come, my swete soule, in clennesse most pure,

And reste in my bosom brithtest of ble.

Alle ye myn apostelis of this body takyth cure:

In the vallé of Josephat there fynde schul ye,

A grave new mad for Maryes sepulture,

There beryeth the body withe alle youre solempnité,

And bydyth me there stylle thre dayes severe,

And I schal pere ageyn to yow to comfort your advercyté:

Wyth this swete soule now from you I assende.

Petrus. In oure tribulacyons, Lord, thou us defende!

We have no comfort on erthe but of the alon.

O! swete soule of Mary, prey thy sone us defende,

Have mynde of thy pore brether when thou comyst to thi tron!

Chorus Mart. Quæ est ista quæ assendit de deserto,

Deliciis affluens injunxa super dilectum suum?

Ordo Angelus. Ista est speciosa inter filias Jherusalem sicut vidistis eam,

Plenam caritate et dilectione sicque in cœlum gandeus suscipitur,

Et a dextris filii in trono gloriæ collocatur.

Hic cantabit omnis celestis curia.

Prima virgo. Now, suster, I beseke you let us do oure attendaunce,

And wasche this glorious body that here in oure sith is,

As is the use among us wythoutyn ony varyaunce:

Now blessid be this persone that bar God of mythtis.

Secunda virgo. I am redy, suster, wyth alle myn hol affyaunce,

To wesche and worschepe this body that so brith is;

Alle creaturys therto owyn dew obeschaunce,

ffor this body resseyvid the holy gostis flithtis.

Et osculabunt corpus Mariæ.

Johannes. Now, holy brother Peter, I hertely you pray

To bere this holy palme before this gloryous body,

ffor ye ben Prince of Apostelis and hed of oure fay,

Therfore it semyth you best to do this offis treuly.

Petrus. Sere, and ye slept on Cristis brest seyng alle celestly,

Ye are Goddis clene mayde wythoutyn any nay;

This observaunce is most like you to do dewly,

Wherfore tak it upon you, brother, we pray;

And I schal helpe for to bere the bere.

Paulus. And I, Peter, wyth oure brether in fere,

This blessid body schal helpe to the ground;

This holy cors now take we up here,

Seyng oure observaunce wyth devouth sound.

Hic portabunt corpus versus sepulturam, cum eorum luminibus.

Petrus. Exiit Israel de Egipto, domus Jacob de populo barbaro! Allelujah!

Apostoli. Facta est Judea sanctificatio ejus, Israel potestas ejus! allelujah!

Hic angeli dulciter cantabunt in cœlo “allelujah!”

Episcopus. Herke, sere princys, what noyse is alle this?

The erthe and the eyer is ful of melodye;

I herde never er sweche a noyse now i-wys:

Con ye outh say what they signefye?

Primus Princeps. I not be my God that of myht meche is;

Whatsumever they be hougely they crye:

I am aferd there wylle be sumthyng amys,

It is good prevely among us we spye

Wythowte.

Secundus Princeps. Now I have levyd this thre skore yer,

But sweche another noyse herd I never er;

Myn herte gynnyth ogyl and quake for fer,

There is sum newe sorwe sprongyn I dowte.

Tertius Princeps. Ya that there is, sothly, I say yow,

The prophetis moder Mary is ded;

The disciplis here beryn in gret aray now,

And makyn alle this merthe in spyth of oure hed.

Episcopus. ffy on you, lousy doggys, they were better nay;

Outh, harrow! the devyl is in myn hed.

Ye dodemusyd prynces faste yow aray,

Or I make avow to Mahound youre bodyes schul blede.

Now that quene is ded,

The coward knytis in plate,

And the tormentours thryfe schul ye late,

ffaste, harlotys, go youre gate,

And brynge me that bychyd body, I red.

Primus Princeps. Dowte you not, sere byschop, in peyne of repref,

Ded schal don schame to that body to tho prechours.

Secundus Princeps. Sere, I schal geyne tho glaberis or gramly hem gref,

Tho teynt tretouris schul tene yif my loke on hem louris.

Tertius Princeps. To hurle wyth the harlotys me is ful lef,

I schal snarle tho sneveleris wyth rith scharp schouris.

Episcopus. Hens than, a develys name! and take me that thef,

And bringe me that bygyd body evyn to-fore thes touris,

And here disciplis ye slo.

Hye you hens, harlotis, at onys,

The devyl, boyes, mot breke youre bonys,

Go stent me yone body wyth youre stonys:

Outh, harrow! al wod now I go!

Hic discendunt Principes cum suis ministris, ut feroci pecucienter petras cum eorum capitibus.

Secundus Princeps. What, devyl, where is this mené?

I here here noyse but I se ryth nouth;

Allas! I have clene lost my posté,

I am ful wo, mad is my thowth.

Tertius Princeps. I am so ferd I would fayn fle,

The devyl hym spede hedyr me brouth;

I renne, I rappe, so wo is me,

Wynd and wod wo hath me wrouth!

To deye I ne routh.

Primus Princeps. A! cowardis, upon you now fy,

Are ye ferd of a ded body?

I schal sterte therto manly,

Alle that company fere I ryth nouth.

Hic saltat insanus adferetrum Mariæ et pendet per manus.

Allas! my body is ful of peyne,

I am fastened sore to this bere,

Myn handys are ser bothe tweyne.

O! Peter, now prey thi God for me here:

In Cayfas halle when thou were seyne,

And of the, Peter, a mayde acusid there,

I halpe the tho; now helpe me ageyne;

That I were hol outh of this fere,

Sum medycyne me lere.

Petrus. I may not tend to the, sere, at this hour,

ffor ocupacyon of this body of honour;

But nevertheles beleve in Jhesu Criste oure Saveyour,

And that this was his moder that we bere on bere.

Primus Princeps. I beleve in Jhesu, mannys salvacyon.

Petrus. In Goddis name go doun than, and this body honure.

Primus Princeps. Now mercy, God, and gromercy of this savacyon!

In Jhesu and his moder to beleve ever I senere.

Petrus. Than take youe holy palme, and go to thi nacyon,

And bid hem beleve in God, yif they wyl be pure;

And towche hem ther wyth, both hed, hand, and facyon,

And of her sekenesse they schal have cure;

And ellis in here peynys indure.

Primus Princeps. Gromercy, holy fader Peter,

I schal do as the me teche her,

Thankyng God ever in my speche her,

Wyth hye repentaunce and herte most mure.

Hic portabunt feretrum ad locum sepulture.

Petrus. Now, holy brether, this body let us take,

And, wyth alle the worschepe we may, ley it in the grave,

Kyssyng it alle at onys for here sonys sake:

Now insence ye, and we schal put here in this cave.

Hic ponent corpus in sepulcrum, insensantes et cantantes.

Johannes. De terra plasmasti me et carne induisti me,

Redemptor meus, Domine, resuscita me in novissimo die!

Now God blysse this body and we oure synge make.

Hic unanimiter benedicent corpus “In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritûs Sancti.”

The fruth that it bar oure soules schal save.

Now rest we us, brother, upon this pleyn lake,

Tyl from oure God and oure lord tydyngis we have,

Here must we belave.

Paulus. So muste we, John, as ye say;

Thanne byde we here and pray,

Besekyng hym of comfort that best may,

Restyng here abowtyn this grave.

Hic vadit Princeps ad Judæos cum palma.

Primus Princeps. Ye Jewys that langour in this gret infyrmyté,

Belevyth in Crist Jhesu, and ye schal have helthe,

Throw vertu of this holy palme that com fro the Trinyté,

Yowr sekenesse schal aswage and restore you to welthe.

Secundus Princeps. I beleve in Crist Jhesu, Goddis sone in unyté,

And forsake my maumentryes fals in here felthe.

Hic tangat credentes cum palma, et sanati sunt.

A! I thanke the, gracyous Lord, and thy moder of peté,

Now are we hol of oure seknesse and of oure foule belthe!

Tercius Princeps. What, harlotys, forsake oure lawe?

Secundus Princeps. So hald I best the do.

Tercius Princeps. Hens fro me in the develis name ye go!

I deye, outh, outh, harro!

The wylde develys mot me to drawe!

Primus Demon. Herke, Belsabub and Belyal, sere Sathan in the herne,

Us fettyn oure servauntis to this presone,

Blow flamys of fer to make hem to brenne,

Mak redy ageyn we com to this demon.

Secundus Demon. ffaste for tho harlotis now let us renne,

To cast hem in this pet here that depe is adon,

They schul brenne and boyle and chille in oure denne;

Gowe now, a dewelys name, as fast as we mone!

Harrow! harrow! we com to town.

Primus demon. Drag we these harlotis in hye,

Into the pet of helle for to lye.

Secundus demon. Gowe now, helle houndis, ye crye,

Sere Sathan may heryn oure sone.

Dominus. Now, aungyl and alle this court celestyalle,

Into herthe now discendith with me,

To reyse the body of my moder terestyalle,

And bryng we it to the blysse of my deyt

Assent ye here to now the unyté?

Angeli. Ya, for yowre hye mercy, Lord, al hefne makyth melodé.

Hic discendit et venit ad apostolos, dicens,

Dominus. Pes be to yow alle, my postelis so dere!

Lo! me here, yowre Lord, and youre God now rythtis.

Petrus. A! welcom, Criste, oure comfort, in thy manhed clere!

Gret merveylous God, mekyl now thy myth is!

Dominus. What worschepe and grace semyth you now here,

That I do to this body, Mary that hythtis?

Johannes. Lord, as thou rese from deth and requyst in thyn empere,

So reyse thou this body to thy blysse that lyth is,

Us semyth this ryth is.

Mychael. Ya, gloryous God, lo! the sowle here prest, now,

To this blissid body likyth you to fest, now,

Hefne and erthe wold thynke this the best, now,

In as myche as sche bare you, God, in youre mythtis.

Hic vadit anima in corpus Mariæ.

Dominus. Go thanne, blyssid soule, to that body ageyn:

Arys now, my dowe, my nehebour, and my swete frende,

Tabernacle of joye, vessel of lyf, hefnely temple, to reyn,

Ye schal have the blysse wyth me moder that hath non ende;

ffor as ye were clene in erthe of alle synnys greyn,

So schal ye reyne in hefne clennest in mend.

Maria. A! endles worchepe be to you, Jhesu, relesere of peyn!

I and alle erthe may blisse the, com of owre kend:

Lo! me redy with you for to wend.

Dominus. Aboven hefnys, moder, assende than we,

In endles blysse for to be.

Michael. Hefne and erthe now injoye may ye,

ffor God throw Mary is mad mannys frend.

Et hic assendent in cœlum cantantibus organis, Assumpta es Maria in cœlum!

Dominus. Yow to worchepe, moder, it likyth the hol Trinyté,

Wherfore I crowne you here in this kyndam of glorye:

Of alle my chosyn thus schul ye clepyd be,

Qwen of Hefne and Moder of Mercy!

Michael. Now blissid be youre namys we cry!

ffor this holy assumpcyon alle hefne makyth melody.

Deo gracias.