THREE MIDDLE ENGLISH RELIGIOUS LYRICS 



35 



Lere to luf , if pou wyl lyfe when tou sail hethen 



fare. 

 All ti thoght til hym tou gyf , tat may t>e kepe fra 



kare, 

 Loke ti bert fra hym noght twyn, if t>o\i in wandreth 



ware, 

 Sa t>ou may hym welde & wyn and luf hym euer- 20 



mare. 



Riche men her hondis schal wrynge, 



And her wicked werkes abie 

 In flawmes of tier bitterU brennynge 



Wijp care and sorewe schamefastli. 

 If I)ou wolt loue, tan may pon synge 



To ti lord exist in melodic: 

 Pe loue of him ouercomel) al t>ing; 



In loue lyue we & die. 



Ihesu tat me lyfe hase lent. In til ti lufe me bryng, 

 Take til l>e al myne entent, tat tow be my zhemyng. 

 Wa fra me away wat went & comne war my couay- 



tyng, 

 If tat my sawle had herd & hent te sang of ti louyng. 



Ihesu! god-is sone tou art, 



lord of moost hi,^ magiste, 

 Sende verrili loue in-to myn herte 



Oonly to coueite tee ! 

 Reue me likinge of tis world, 



Mi loue tat tou may be; 

 Take myn herte in-to ti ward, 



And sette tou me in stabilte! 



I*i lufe es ay lastand, fra tat we may it fele: 

 I>are-in make me bymand, tat na thyng gar ti kele. 

 My thoght take in to ti hand, & stabyl it ylk a dele, 

 Pat I be noght heldand to luf tis worldes wele. 



Ihesu ! tou, te maidens sone, 



Pat with ti blood me boujte, 

 Pirle my soule with ti spere anoon, 



Pat myche loue in men hast wroujt. 

 Me longit tou lede me into ti sijt. 



And fastne tere in tee my toujt; 

 In ti swetnes make myn herte lijt, 



Pat al my woo wexe to noujt. 



150 



If I lufe any erthly thyng tat payes to my wyll, 

 & settes my ioy & my lykyng when it may com me 



tyU, 

 I mai drede of partyng, tat wyll be hate and yll: 

 For al my welth es bot wepyng, when pyne mi saule 

 sal spyll. 



Ihesu, my god & my loueli king! 

 30 Forsake tou not my desijr; 



Mi toujt make to be meekinge; 



I hate bote pride & ire. 

 Pi wil is al my desirynge; 



Of loue kyndele tou te fier, 

 Pat y with ti sweete louynge 



Wit aungils take myn hire. 



160 



Pe ioy tat men hase sene, es lyckend tyl te haye, 

 Pat now es fayre & grene, and now wytes awaye. 

 Swylk es tis worlde, I wene, & bees till domes-daye. 

 All in trauel & tene, fle tat na man it maye. 



Woimde tou myn herte wit-inne, 



And weelde me at ti wille; 

 Of blis tat neuere schal blynne, 



Pou fastne me tat y not sille. 

 Pat y ti loue may wynne. 



Of grace my toujt tou fiUe, 

 And make me cleene of synne 



Pat y may come tee tille. 



If tou luf in all ti thoght, and hate te fylth of syn. 

 And gyf hym ti sawle tat it boght, tat he te dwell 



with-in: 

 Als Crist ti sawle hase soght & ter-of walde night 



blyn, 

 Sa tou sal to blys be broght, & heuen won with-in. 40 



Ihesu! putte in-to myn herte 



Pe memorie of ti pyne! 

 In sijknes, and eek in qwarte. 



Pi loue be euere myne ! 

 Mi ioie is al of tee; 



My soule, take it as tine; 

 Mi loue euere wexinge be. 



So tat y neuere dwynne. 



