He fully ioide as a giaunt to renne his weie: his goyng out was fro hizeste heuene. And his goyng agen was to the hizeste therof: and noon is that hidith himsilf fro his heete. The lawe of the lord is without wem,13 and conuertith soulis: the witnessyng of the lord is feithful, and gyueth wisdom to litle children. The riztfulnessis of the lord ben riztful, gladynge hertis: the comaundement of the lord is cleer, liztnynge izen. The holi drede of the lord dwellith into world of world the domes of the lord ben trewe iustified in to hemsilf. Desirable more than gold and a stone myche precious and swetter than hony, and hony coomb. For whi? thi seruaunt kepith tho: moche 3elding1 is in tho to be kept. Who undirstondith trespassis, make thou me clene fro my pryue synnes: and of alien synnes spare thi seruaunt. If the forseid defautis ben not lord of me, thanne I schal be witoute wem: and I schal be clensid of the moost synne. And the spechis of my mouth schulen be that tho plese: and the thenkyng of myn herte euer in thi sight. Lord, myn helper: and myn azenbier.15 THE Ps. Domini est. HE erthe. and the fulnesse therof is the lordis: the world and alle that dwellyn therinne is the lordis. For he foundide it on the sees: and maad it redi on the flodis. Who schal stize 16 in to the hil of the lord? eithir who schal stonde in the hooli place of him? The innocent in hondis and in clene herte: whiche toke not his soule in veyn, neithir swoor in gile to his neizbor. This man schal take blessyng of the lord: and merci of god his heelthe. This is the generacioun of men sekynge him: of men sekynge the face of god of iacob. Ye pryncis take up your 3atis: and ye euerlastinge 3atis be reisid and the kyng of glorie schal entre. Who is this kyng of glorie: the lord strong and mizti, the lord mizti in batel. Ye princes take up youre 3atis: and ye euerlastyng 3atis be reisid: and the king of glorie schal entre. Who is this kyng of glorie: the lord of vertues, he is kyng of glorie. Glorie be to. As it. Ant." Blessid be thou among wymmen and blessid be the fruyt of thi wombe. Versus. Hooli goddis modir euer maide marie. Resp. Bidde for us to the lord oure god. Oure fadir. Heil marie. Versus. And lede us not in to temptacioun. Versus. Lord comaunde us to blesse. Benisoun. Hooli maide of maidens praie for us to the lord. So be it. SEYN EYNT marie maide of maidens, modir and douztir of the kyng of kyngis: solace us that we moun haue bi thee the meede of heuenli kingdom and with the chosen of god regne withouten ende. Thou, lord, haue merci on us. Thanke we god. Resp.19 Hooli maidenhood and with oute wem: I noot 20 what preising I may seie to thee. For him that heuenes my3ten not take thou beer in thi wombe. Vers. Blessid be thou among alle wymmen: and blessid be the fruyt of thi wombe. Repeet. For him that heuene my3t not take, thou beer in thi wombe. Vers. Lord commaunde us to blesse. Benisoun.21 Maide marie praie for us with meke thouzte. So be it. SEYNT ij lect.22 EYNT marie moost piteuous of alle piteuouse wymmen: hoolieste of alle hooly wymmen; preie for us that bi thee maiden he take oure synnes: that 18 The first lesson. Egredietur virga. A rod shall come furth of the stock of Jesse. &c." 1545. 19 All these omitted in 1545. So also those below. 20 I wote nat." Edit. 1538. 21"The blessyng. God the sonne of God, vouchesafe to blesse and succour us." 1545. "Missus est angelus. The angel Gabriel was sent. &c." 1545. for us was born and regneth aboue heuenes: that bi his charite oure synnes be forgouun to us. Thou, lord, haue merci on us. Thanke we god. Resp. Blessid thou art maide marie, that baar the lord maker of the world: thou hast engenderid him that made thee, and thou dwellist mayde with outen ende. Vers. Heil marie ful of grace, the lord is with thee. Repet. Thou hast engendrid him that made thee, and thou dwellist mayde with outen ende. Vers. Lord, comaunde us to blesse. Benisoun.23 Goddis hooli modir be helper to us. So be it. iij lect.24 TOOLI modir of god, that deseruedist worthili HOOLI to conceyue him that al the world my3te not holde with thi meek bisechynge waische awei oure giltis, that wee azenbou3t25 bi thee mou3t stize up to the ceete of endeles blesse: there thou dwellist with thi sone withouten tyme. Thou, lord, haue merci on us. Thanke we god. Resp. Cely 26 art thou, hooli virgyne marie, and worthiest al maner preisyng. For of thee is risun the sunne of riztwisnesse, crist oure god. Vers. Preie for the peple: bidde for the clergie: biseche for the devoute womman kynde: lete alle fele thin help: that worthili maken mynde of thee. 23❝ The blessyng. The grace of the holy gost illumine us in heart and body. Amen." 1545. 24 Dixit autem Maria. Then sayd Mari to the Aungel. &c." 1545. 25 "Thou were leder in thi merci to thi puple, the whiche thou agenboughtist," Wiclif. MS. Bodl. 277. Archaic Dict. 26 Cely? "Felix namque es, sacra virgo Maria." The Cambridge MS.reads: "Sikirli maide marie thou art holi and worthi to haue al maner preisinge." Repet. For of thee is born the sunne of riztwisnesse, crist oure god. Glorie be to the fadir and to the sone and to the hooli goost. Repet. Crist oure god. WE Ps. Te deum laudamus.27 E herien thee god: we knowlechyn thee lord. chipith. To thee alle aungelis: to thee heuenes and alle maner poweris. To thee cherubyn and seraphym: crien with uncecynge vois. 66 "The praise of God, the Father, the sonne, and the holy gost." 1545. ¶ The songe of Austyn and Ambrose." 1538. and others." Comitatus mox turbis Conventus procedit in oratorium, et Ambrosianum illum sollenniter prosequitur laudis hymnum." Hist. Croylandensis Contin. Rerum Angl. Script. Fulman. Tom. i. 541. "Te Deum laudamus. Saynt Austyn and saynt Ambrose made fyrste thys Hympne. For after saint Austyn had lyued not only out of crysten faythe, but also as an herytyke, and an enmy of cristen byleue, tyl he was aboute thyrty yere of age, And then by the prayer of hys mother, and by prechynge of saynte Ambrose was conuerted unto the ryghte faythe. When saynte Ambrose had bap tized hym, he gaue thankynges to god and sayde. Te deum laudamus. And saynt Austyn answered Te dominum confitemur. And then saynte Ambrose. Te eternum patrem omnis terra veneratur. And then saynt Austyn the nexte verse: and so fourthe the tone one verse, and the tother a nother vnto the ende, as the feruente grace of the holy gooste wroughte in theyre soulles, and enfourmed theyr tongues." Mirrour of oure Ladye. Fol. lxij. Whosoever was the author or authors of this most noble hymn, it is certain that in the 5th and 6th centuries it was already known. The Rule of S. Benedict orders it to be sung after the fourth response and another writer, Teredius, in the sixth makes mention of it. The general opinion seems |