36 



UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO STUDIES 



I>e kynd of luf es {)is, tar it es trayst and trew: 



To stand styll in stabylnes. & chaunge it for na new. 



t»e lyfe ^at lufe myght fynd or euer in hert it knew, 



Fra kare it tomes tat kyend, & lendes in msrth & 



glew. 



For now, lufe tow, I rede, Cryste, as I te tell: 

 And with aungels take ti stede-tat ioy loke fou 



noght sell ! 

 In erth fow hate, I rede, all tat ti lufe may fell: 

 For luf es stalworth as te dede, luf es hard as hell. 



Luf es a lyght byrthen, lufe gladdes zong and aide, 

 Lufe es with-owten pyne, als lofers has me talde; 

 Lufe es a gastly wynne, tat makes men bygge & 



balde, 

 Of lufe sale he na thyng tyne tat hit in hert will 



halde 



Lufe es e swettest thyng tat man in erth has tane, 

 Lufe es goddes derlyng, lufe byndes blode & bane. 

 In lufe be owre lykyng, Ine wate na better wane, 

 Fore me & my lufyng lufe makes bath be ane. 



Bot fleschly lufe sal fare as dose te flowre in may, 

 And lastand be na mare tan ane houre of a day, 

 And sythen syghe ful sare tar lust, tar pryde, tar 



play, 

 When tai er casten in kare, til pyne tat lastes ay. 



When tair bodys lyse in syn tair sawls mai qwake 

 & drede: 

 For vp sal ryse al men and answer for tair dede; 

 If tai be fonden in syn. als now tair lyfe tai lede, 

 t>ai sal sytt hel with-in, & myrknes hafe to mede. 



Riche men tair handles sal wryng, & wicked 



werkes sal by 

 In flawme of fyre bath knyght & keyng, with sorrow 



schamfully. 

 If tou wil lufe, tan may tou syng til Cryst in melody, 

 I>e lufe of hym ouercoms al thyng, tarto tou traiste 



trewly. 



My loue is euere in sijinge , 



While y dwelle in tis way; 

 Mi loue is in tee longynge, 



I>al bindit me nijt & day i8o 



Tille y come vnto my king, 



I>ere y wone with him may. 

 And se his fair schynynge 



In lijf tat lastit ay. 



Longinge is in me so lent 



For loue, tat y ne can lete; 

 His oue he hat me now sent 



I>at euery bale may bete; 

 Siten tat myn herte was brent 



In cristis loue so sweete, 190 



Al woo fro me awei is went 



And we neuere ajen schulen mete. 



I sitte and synge of loue longynge 



Pat in my brest is now bred. 

 Ihesu, my king and my ioiynge! 



Whi ne were y to tee led ? 

 Ful weel y woot in al my Jernynge, 



In al ioie, y schulde be fed. 

 Ihesu ! me brynge to ti woniynge. 



For te blood tat tou hast bleed. 200 



Demed he was on a crosse to heng, 



I>e fair aungelis foode; 

 Wit scourgis tei gan him sore swing 



Whanne tat he bounden stoode; 

 His brist was bloo in betyng. 



Not spilt was his blood; 

 I>e torn crowned tat king 



I^at doon was on te roode. 



White was his nakid breest, 



& reed his bloodi side, 210 



Wan was his face fairest, 



Rise woundis depe & wide. 

 I>he iewis wolde not tan reste 



To pyne him more in tat tide; 

 Al he suffride tat was wisest. 



His blood to lete doun glide. 



Blyndid were hise faire y3en. 

 And al his fleisch bloodi for-bete; 



Hise louesum lijf at alle men sije [n], 

 Ful myldeli he out gan lete. 220 



Deed & lijf bigunne to striuen 



Wheter my3t be maister tere; 

 Liif was slayn, & roos a-3en; 



In-to blis ful fair may we fare. 

 He tat tee boujt haue al ti toujt 



And lede he it in to his loore; 

 3eue al tin herte to crist in qwarte, 



And so to loue him euermore. 



