MOTHER OF GOD. PHILLIPPS MS.

103

MOTHER OF GOD.

[Phillipps MS. (of Hoccleve's Minor Poems) 8151, Cheltenham, leaf 34.]

MR

Ad beatam virginem.

(1) (I. 1)

Todir of god, and virgyne vndeffouled,
O blisful queene, of queenes Emperice,

Preye for me pat am in synne mowled
To god thy sone, punyssher of vice

hat of his mercy thogħ þat I be nyce

1

4

And negligent in keepyng of his lawe
His hy mercy my soule / vn to him drawe.

7

[leaf 34, back]

15

Syn for my gilt I fully me repente

(3) (I. 3)

Benigne confort of vs wrecches aH

Be at myn endyng' whan pat I shal deye

O Welle of pitee / vn to thee I cał
fful of swetnesse / helpe me to weye
Ageyn the feend, þat with his handes tweye
And his might plukke wole / at the balance
To weye vs doun keepe vs from his nusance.

18

21

104

MOTHER OF GOD. PHILLIPPS MS.

(4) (II. 1

And for thow art ensaumple of chastitee
And of virgynes worsship and honour
Among a wommen blessid thow be
Now speke and preye to our Sauueour
hat he me sende swich grace & fauour
bat al the hete of brennyng Leccherie
He qwenche in me blessid maiden Marie

(5) (II. 2)

22

25

28

O blessid lady / the cleer light of day

29

Temple of our Lord / and roote of al goodnesse

So pat the wil fulfild be of thy sone

And pat of the holy goost he menlumyne
Preye for vs as ay hath be thy wone

Lady/all swiche emprises been thyne

39

Swich an aduocatrice who can dyuyne

As thow right noon, our greeues to redresse.
In thy refuyt is al our sikirnesse.

42

105

MOTHER OF GOD. PHILLIPPS MS.

(8) (III. 2)

Thow art the way of our Redempcion
ffor cryst of thee hath deyned for to take
fflessh and eek' blood / for this entencion
Vp on a crois to die for our sake

His precious deeth made the feendes qwake
And cristen folk' for to reioisen euere
ffrom his mercy / helpe / be we nat disseuere

(9) (III. 3)

Tendrely remembre on the wo & peyne
pat thow souffridist in his passion

Whan watir & blood out of thyn yen tweyne
ffor sorwe of him ran by this cheekes doun
And syn thow knowest pat the enchesoun
Of his deeth was, for to saue al man kynde
Modir of mercy þat haue in thy mynde

(10) (IV. 1)

[leaf 35, back]

57

60

63

Wel ogħten we thee worsshipe & honure

64

Paleys of Cryst, flour of virginitee

Syn vp on thee / was leid the charge & cure

The lord to ber' of heuene & eerthe & see

67

[ Stanza 12, or IV. 3, the real lines 78-84, lost.]

106

MOTHER OF GOD. PHILLIPPS MS.

(12) (V. 1)

By thee Lady y makid is the pees
Betwixt Angels and men / it is no doute
Blessid be god pat swich a modir chees
Thy gracious bountee spredith al aboute
Thogħ þat our hertes steerne been & stoute
Thow to thy sone canst be swich a mene
That all our giltes he foryeueth clene,

(13) (V. 2)

Paradys yates opned been by thee

And broken been the yates eek' of helle
By thee the world restored is pardee
Of al vertu, thow art the spryng & wel
By thee al bountee / shortly for to tel
In heuene & eerthe by thyn ordenance
Parforned is our soules sustenance.

(14) (V. 3)

Now syn thow art of swich auctoritee

92

Lady pitous/virgyne wemmelees

bat our Lord god nat list to werne thee

Of thy requeste / I wot wel/ doutelees
Than spare nat, foorth thee to putte in prees
To preye for vs Crystes modir deere
Benygnely wole he thyn axyng heere

95

98

Of our lord god, now do your bysy peyne

To him an hows / wherfore I to yow crye

116

Hangyng/ and vn to oon of yow seide he

Than preye
Of the hy loue, pat god twixt yow two
With his mowth made / and of his noblesse
Conioyned hath yow / thurgh his blisfulnesse
As modir and sone helpe vs in our neede
And for our giltes make our hertes bleede

I thee / pat for the greet swetnesse

130

133