Penitential Poems

by: Karen Saupe (Editor)

from: Middle English Marian Lyrics  1997

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§66   Hayl Mari, Hic am sori; Haf pité of me and merci. Mi levedi, To thee I cri: For mi sinnis dred ham hi, Wen hi thenke that hi sal bi, That hi haf mis hi-don In worde, in worke, in thoith foli. Levedi, her mi bon.   Mi bon thu her, Levedi der, That hic aske wit reuful cher; Thu len me her Wil hic am fer. Do penanz in mi praier; Ne let me noth ler that thu ber At min endin day. The warlais, thai wil be her Forto take thair pray.   To take thar pray, Alse hi her say, Thai er redi boyt nite and day. So strange er thai That we ne may Agayneis thaim stond, so waylaway, But gif thu help us, mitteful may, Wit thi sunes grace; Wan thu comes thai flet awai, Dar thai not se thi face.   Thi face to se, Thu grant hit me, Lefdi fulfillid of pité, That hi may be In joy wit thee To se thi sone in Trinité, That sufferid pine and ded for me And for al mankyn. His flesse was sprade on rode tre To leys us al of sine.   Of sine and kar He maked us bar Wan he thollid pines sar. To drupe and dar We athe wel mare, Alse for the hondis doyt the har, Wan we thenke hu we sal far Wan he sal dem us alle; We sal haf ned thare Apan Mari to calle.                         §67   On hire is al mi lif ilong Of hwam ich wule singe, And herien hire ther among. Heo gon us bote bringe Of helle pine that is strong; Heo brohte us blisse that is long, Al thurht hire chilthinge. Ich bidde hire one mi song, Heo geove us god endinge Thah we don wrong.   Thu art hele and lif ond liht, And helpest al monkunne; Thu us havest ful wel idight, Thu geve us weole and wunne. Thu brohtest dai, and Eve night; Heo broghte woht, thu broghtest right, Thu almesse and heo sunne. Bisih to me, lavedi bright, Hwenne ich schal wende heonne, So wel thu miht.   Al this world schal ago With seorhe and with sore, And al this lif we schule forgo, Ne of thunche hit us so sore: This world nis butent ure ifo. Tharfore ich thenche hirne at go And do bi Godes lore; This lives blisse nis wurth a slo. Ich bidde, God, thin ore, Nu and everemo.   To longe ich habbe sot ibeo; Wel sore ich me adrede; Iluved ich habbe gomen and gleo And prude and feire wede. Al that is dweole, wel i seo; Tharfore ich thenche sunne fleo And alle mine sot dede. Ich bidde hire to me biseo And helpe me and rede, That is so freo.   Agult ich habbe, weilawei; Sunful ich am an wrecche. Awrec thee nu on me, levedi, Er deth me honne fecche. Do nim thee wreche — ich am redi — Other let me liven and amendi, That no feond me ne drecche. For mine sunnes ich am sori; Of this world ich ne recche. Levedi, merci. Amen.                         §68   Worsshipful maiden to the world, Marie, Modir moost lovynge unto al mankynde, Lady to whom al synful peple crie In hir distresse, have us in thy mynde! Thurgh thy benigne pitee, us unbynde Of our giltes, that in thy sones birthe To al the world broghtest the joie and mirthe.   To whom shal I truste so sikirly, To axen help in my necessitee As unto thee, thow modir of mercy? For to the world mercy cam in by thee: Thow baar the Lord of mercy, lady free; Who may so lightly mercy us purchace Of God thy sone as thow, modir of grace?   Lady, right as it is an impossible That thow sholdest nat have in remembrance Why thow baar God, so it is incredible To any wight of catholyk creaunce, Thee nat to reewe on our synful grevaunce. Forthy, lady benigne and merciable, Unto thy sone make us acceptable.   O God, that maad art sone unto womman, For mercy, and thow womman which also By grace art maade modir to God and man, Outhir reewe on us wrecches ful of wo, Thou sparyng and thow preyynge, Or elles wisse us whidir for to flee To hem that been mercyfullere than yee. If it so be as wel I woot it is, That so grevous is myn iniquitee And that I have wroght so moche amis, So smal my feith, so slow my charitee, And, Lord, so unkonnynge is unto thee And thy modir my lewde orisoun, So imparfyt my satisfaccioun,   That neithir of my giltes, indulgence, Ne grace of helthe in no maner wyse Disserved have I for my greet offense, Lo, that meene I that is my covetyse, That whereas my dissert may not souffyse, The grace and mercy of yow bothe tweye Ne faille nat: that is it that I preye.   Mercyful Lord, have upon me mercy, And lady, thy sone unto mercy meeve. With herte contryt preye I thee meekly, Lady, thy pitee on me, wrecche, preeve; Bisyly preye, for I fully leeve For whom thow preyest, God nat list denye Thyn axynge, blessid maiden Marie!                         §69   Salve                    Hayl, oure patron and lady of erthe, Regina                  Qwhene of heven and emprys of helle: mater                    Moder of al blis thu art, the ferth misericordie         Of mercy and grace the secunde welle. vita                       Lyfe come of thee as the sownde of a bell Dulcedo                Swetnes thu art both moder and mayde, et spes nostra       Oure hope with thee that we may dwelle Salve                     Hayl, ful of grace, as Gabriel sayd. Ad te                     To thee oure socour, our helpe, our trust, clamamus             We crye, we pray, we make oure complaynt. Exules                   Exylde to pryson fro gostly lust, filii                         The childer of Adam that so was ataynte, Eve                        Of Eve our moder here ar we dreynte. Ad te                      To thee that byndes the fendes whelpe suspiramus            We sighe, we grone; we wax al faynte, gementes               Wepyng for sorow, gode lady, now helpe.   Et flentes               Wepyng for syn and for oure payne In hac                     In this derknes oure tyme we spende; lacrimarum            Of teres the comforth is a swete rayne, valle                        In the wayle of grace it will discende. Eya                         Hafe done, gode lady, grace is thi frende; Ergo                       Therfore send us sum of thi grace. advocata                Oure advocate make us afore our ende, 1 nostra                     Oure synnes to wesche whils we hafe space.   Illos tuos miseri-   cordes oculos        Thi mercyful eene and lufly loke Ad nos converte      Cast opon us for oure disporte, Et Ihesum                And Jesu, thi babe, that thi flesche toke, Benedictum             So blyssed a Lord make us supporte, Fructum                  That fruyt of lyfe may us comfort. ventris tui                Of thi wome the fruyt may suffyse nobis                        To us whorby we may resorte post hoc                   Aftyr this exyle to paradyse.   exilium                     Exyle is grevos in this derk werre; ostende                    Schewe us thi luf, the stronger to fyght. Benignum                 Benygne lady and our se sterre O clemens                O buxum lanterne, gyf us thi lyght. O pia                        O meke, o chaste, o blistfull syght O dulcis                    O swete, o kynde, o gentyll and fre, maria                       Mary, with Jesu that joyful knyght, Salve                        Hayle and fare wele and thinke on me.                      §                                                   Amen                         §70   Mayden moder milde, Oiez cel oreysoun, From shome thou me shilde E de ly mal feloun. For love of thine childe, Me menez de tresoun: Ich wes wod ant wilde, Ore su en prisoun.   Thou art feyr ant fre E plein de doucour; Of thee sprong the ble, Ly soverein creatour; Mayde, byseche y thee, Vostre seint socour, Meoke and mylde be with me, Pur la sue amour.   Tho Judas Jesum founde, Donque ly beysa, He wes bete ant bounde, Que nus tous fourma. Wyde were is wounde Qe le gyw ly dona; He tholede hard stounde, Me poi le greva.   On stou ase thou stode, Pucele, tot pensaunt, Thou restest thee under rode, Ton fitz veites pendant; Thou seghe is sides of blode, L'alme de ly partaunt. He ferede uch an fode En mound que fust vivaunt.   Ys siden were sore, Le sang de ly cora; That lond wes forlore, Mes il le rechata. Uch bern that wes ybore En enfern descenda; He tholede deth ther fore, En ciel puis mounta.   Tho Pilat herde the tydynge — Molt fu joyous baroun — He lette byfore him brynge Jesu Nazaroun. He was ycrouned kynge Pur nostre redempcioun; Whose wol me synge Avera grant pardoun.

(see note)     I am sorry pity lady   fearful am I When I think about what I shall be What I have misdone foolish thought; (see note) hear my prayer; (see note)   My prayer you hear Lady dear What I ask with rueful heart You support me here; (see note) While I am far away; (see note) Cause penance Deny me not your countenance; (see note) my final day devils (warlocks); here capture their prey; (see note)     As I hear They are ready both night strong are they may not Against them stand, alas Unless you; courageous maiden With your son's When you come, they flee away Dare   see Please grant me full of pity I with you (see note) Who; pain and death mankind body; stretched; cross release us all from sin   sin; care made us bare (stripped us) When he suffered pains sore droop; remain still; (see note) ought all the more As the hare does for the hounds When we imagine how we should fare shall judge shall have need there; (see note) Upon; (see note)     (see note)   her; life's longing whom I will sing praise her; (see note) She has brought us remedy; (see note) From hell's suffering; fierce She brought; endures; (see note) through her birth-giving I pray [to] her in my song; (see note) [That] she give us good ending Though we do   health; life and light; (see note) mankind You have; treated abundance; joy; (see note) You brought She brought woe; you brought; (see note) You charity; she sin Look after me, lady; (see note) When I shall go hence; (see note) As well you might   shall go; (see note) sorrow; pain; (see note) life; shall give up; (see note) Nor think sorrowfully of it; (see note) is nothing but our enemy; (see note) Therefore I think of her always; (see note) according to God's teaching; (see note) life's; is not worth a berry; (see note) I pray; your mercy; (see note) Now; evermore   Too long I have been a fool sorely; fear I have loved games and glee pride; fine clothing; (see note) error, well I see; (see note) I think to flee [from] sin; (see note) my foolish deeds; (see note) beg her to look after me; (see note) counsel; (see note) Who; noble; (see note)   Guilt I have, alas I am sinful and wretched Chastise me now, lady; (see note) Before death takes me hence; (see note) Take your vengeance — I am ready; (see note) Or; live and amend no fiend torment me; (see note) sins; sorry I do not value this world; (see note) Lady, [have] mercy     (see note)     Mother most loving people cry their; mind Through; kind pity unbind us sins, who; son's birth joy   surely ask   came bore easily; obtain you, mother   just as; impossibility should not remember you bore person of catholic (universal) belief not to pity our sinfulness Therefore; merciful son   who is made son of woman     Either pity us wretches; woe You (God) sparing; you (Mary) praying; (see note) Or else advise us where to flee To any who be more merciful than you know grievous; sinfulness done so much wrong inadequate my faith unpleasing ignorant prayer imperfect; satisfaction; (see note)   neither for my guilt forgiveness Nor; salvation in any manner Deserved; great offense by which I mean my covetousness merit; suffice you both two Shall not fail     move heart contrite pray prove your pity on me, [a] wretch Busily; believe God will not deny Your request     (see note)   (see note) Queen; empress; (see note) bliss; estuary; (see note) second well; (see note) comes from; sound Sweetness (see note)   you our aide   spiritual desire children; tainted overwhelmed binds; fiend's offspring grow faint good; (see note)   (see note) darkness tears; rain Into; valley   some   wash [away]; have     eyes; lovely gaze; (see note) pleasure took     womb; suffice whereby; return After   grievous; dark confusion show; love; (see note) Kind; sea gracious; give blissful noble (see note)         (see note)   (see note) Hear this prayer shame; shield And from the evil villain   Lead me from treachery I was mad and wayward Now I am in prison   fair and noble And full of gentleness (sweetness) person The sovereign creator; (see note) I beseech you Your holy aid   For love of him   When Judas found Jesus Then kissed him beaten and bound Who made us all Wide; his wounds Which the Jews gave him suffered great pain But little did he grieve   In [the] place where you stood; (see note) Maiden, lost in melancholy You pause (rest yourself) under the cross See your son hanging You see his bloody sides The soul parting from him caused fear in everyone; (see note) Who lived in the world   His sides The blood ran from them That land (the world) was lost But he redeemed it Every child who was born Descended to hell suffered death therefore [for them] Then rose to heaven   When Pilate heard the news He was a most joyful nobleman commanded Jesus of Nazareth crowned For our redemption Whoever sings [with] me Will receive great pardon

Go To The Joys of Mary

Footnotes

PENITENTIAL POEMS: FOOTNOTE

1 Be our advocate before we die

PENITENTIAL POEMS: NOTES

          §66

Hayl Mari, / Hic am sori. Index no. 1066. MS: Bodl. 1603 (Digby 2), fol. 6b (late thirteenth century). Editions: F. J. Furnivall, Archiv 97 (1896), 311; F. J. Furnivall, Minor Poems, p. 755; Patterson, no. 29; B13, no. 65; Sisam, Oxford, no. 19.

9 In worde, in worke, in thoith foli. Compare the lines of confession from the Ordinary of the Mass: "I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed" (Warren, Sarum Missal, Part 1, p. 21).

10-11 her mi bon. / Mi bon thu her. Each stanza of this poem is linked to the next with a repeated phrase (concatenation), a technique common to French secular lyrics, particularly the chanson d'aventure. The speaker's plea for the lady's pity also echoes secular conventions.

14 her. MS: her lefdi der, with lefdi der marked for deletion.

15 fer. Sisam glosses as "in health." It could also mean "fearful."

17 Ne let me noth ler that thu ber. Sisam's gloss is "Do not deny me the countenance you bear."

20 Forto. MS: fort. Furnivall's emendation.

36 Trinité. The idea of God as three persons in one being - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - is central to Christian theology. The Athanasian Creed elaborates on the doctrine.

44 drupe and dar. MED daren, v.2.c.113, cites the Promptorium parvulorum: "Darynn or drowpyn or prively to be hydde," which suggests a common alliterative phrase meaning "to slink or hide or remain motionless." Thus, in lines 46-48, the speaker compares himself at Judgment Day to a hare freezing motionless as the hounds close in. Though he cries out to Mary now in his terror (line 15), at Judgment he would be silent as Christ enduring the fiend's blows.

49 Furnivall emends to read haf ned[e þan &] þare.

50 The MS line concludes with &c, suggesting that the text may be incomplete.


          §67

On hire is al mi lif ilong. Index no. 2687. MS: BL Cotton Caligula A.9, fol. 246b (thirteenth century). Also in Jesus College Oxford 29, Part 2, fol. 180b (lines 1-31, thirteenth century); Trinity College Cambridge 323 (B.14.39), fol. 81b, incomplete due to misbinding (thirteenth century); and BL Royal 2.F.8, fol. 1b (late thirteenth century). Editions of Cotton Caligula: Morris, EETS o.s. 49, pp. 158-62; Wright, Religious Songs, Percy Society 11 (London: T. Richards, 1844), pp. 65-66; B13, no. 32B; Patterson, no. 31. Edition of Trinity: CS, p. 94; B13 no. 32A; Stevick, no. 12. Edition of Jesus College: Morris, EETS o.s. 49, p. 159-63. Edition of Royal: B13, no. 32C.

3 ther among. Singling out Mary as the one most praiseworthy among women is commonplace. She is one among ten thousand; compare Chaucer's use of the Marian epithet in praise of the good fair White in The Book of the Duchess, lines 972 and 818-19.

4 Heo. Trinity: Thad. Royal: That.

6 Heo. Trinity, Royal: Ant.

8 Ich . . . mi. Trinity: We . . . ur.

10 Thah we. MS: thah the. Brown's emendation. Trinity: Than we. Royal: Then we. It is conceivable that Thah the is the right reading, however, and the subject (we) understood: "though we have done wrong to you (Mary)." The shift to second person (the) would thus anticipate the next stanza.

11 Thu art. Trinity: Ho is. Trinity gives Ho for Thu at lines 13 and 14 as well. The Trinity scribe evidently wished to maintain an objective tone by employing third person until midway in the stanza, where Mary is juxtaposed with Eve.
11-20 Here the tone shifts to a more personal level as the speaker begins to address Mary directly. The Trinity scribe maintains use of the third person until midway through the stanza. (In Trinity this stanza occurs after line 40 in the present text.)

14 geve. Royal: broht.

weole. The word suggests "satisfaction," "opulence," "worthiness," "status," or "opportunities."
and. Omitted in Royal.

wunne. MS: thunne. Brown's emendation.

16 woht. Jesus College: wo.

18 Bisih to me. Trinity: Thu do us merci.

19 ich. Trinity: we.

21-30 In Royal and Trinity, this stanza follows the first.

22 Omitted in Jesus College.

23 lif we schule forgo. Trinity: blisse ic mot forgon. Royal gives blisse for lif.

we. MS: the. Brown's emendation.

24 Ne of thunche hit us so sore. Trinity: Nofthingit me so sore.

25 This world nis butent ure ifo. Trinity: This worldis blis nis wrd a slo. Royal: Thes worldes blysse nys wrt a slo.

26 thenche hirne at go. Trinity: wille henne gon.

hirne. Jesus College: hire.

26-28 These lines are omitted in Trinity.

27 do bi. Trinity: lernin.

28 This lives blisse nis wurth a slo. See note to line 25. Royal: Thes world nys bote hure yfoh.

lives. Trinity: worldis.

slo. The sloe is the small, sour fruit of a blackthorn tree.

29 Ich bidde, God, thin ore. Royal: Levedy, thyn horee.

34 prude and feire wede. Trinity: hevir [ever] fayre wedin. Royal: Heyte and fayre ywede.

35 dweole. Trinity: nout. The MED provides several applicable meanings for dwele: "a wandering course," "trickery," "false belief; heresy," or "delusion."

36 ich thenche sunne fleo. Trinity: we sulin [should] ur sunnis flen. Royal: yg wlle hem flee.

37 And alle mine sot dede. Trinity: And ure sothede. Royal: And lete my sothede.

38 Ich bidde hire to me biseo. Trinity: We biddirt hire us to seo. Royal: Hy bydde hyre thet ys so fre.

39 And helpe me and rede. Trinity: Thad con wissin and redin. Royal: Helpen hus and rede.

40 That is so freo. Royal: Wel hit may be.

43 Awrec thee nu on me, levedi. Trinity: Thu do me merci, lavedi brit. Royal: Bysy to me, suete levedy. The literal sense in Cotton Caligula is "avenge yourself now on me, lady."

44 fecche. Trinity: wecche. Royal: dregche.

45-46 Do nim thee wreche . . . / Other let me. Trinity: Yif me thi love . . . / Let me. Royal: To nyme bote . . . / And let me.

47 That no feond me ne drecche. Trinity: Thad fendes me ne letten (release). Royal: Here deed me hynne veyge.
49 Of this world. Trinity: Of my lif. Royal: That lyves.


          §68

Worsshipful maiden to the world, Marie. By Thomas Hoccleve. Index no. 4233. MS: Hunting-ton HM 744, fol. 33b (1422-26). Edition: Frederick J. Furnivall and I. Gollancz, eds., Hoccleve's Works: The Minor Poems, EETS e.s. 61 and 73 (1892 and 1925; rpt. as one volume, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1970), pp. 283-85.

26 Thou sparyng and thow preyynge. In the MS, "s. deus" appears above sparyng; "s. domina" appears above preyynge. The s is an abbreviation for scilicet, "that is to say."

35 Satisfaccioun is the reward of penance; see Chaucer's The Parson's Tale with its progress from "Contricioun of herte" to "Confession of Mouthe" to "Satisfaccioun" (CT X[I]107), or the fruit of the tree of charity being defined as satisfaction (CT X[I]113). But humankind's lot is often said to be a state of perpetual anxiety, and here the speaker worries that his penance has been inadequate. See Boethius' Consolation of Philosophy and such lyrics as "In the vale of resteles mynde" (Index no. 1463; Stevick, no. 50).


          §69

Hayl, oure patron and lady of erthe. Index no. 1073. MS: BL Addit. 37049, fols. 29b-30a (fifteenth century). Editions: Karl Brunner, "Kirchenlieder aus dem 15.Jahrhundert," Anglia 61 (1937), 140; B15, no. 26; LH, no. 182. MS facsimile: James Hogg, ed. An Illustrated Yorkshire Carthusian Religious Miscellany, British Library London Additional MS. 37049, Vol. 3: The Illustrations, Analecta Cartusiana 95 (Salzburg: Universität Salzburg, 1981), pp. 38-39.

In the MS, the poem is preceded by a picture in which Mary sits holding the infant Christ. She holds a scepter; Jesus holds an orb in one hand and raises the other hand in a gesture of benediction. A monk kneels before them, saying, "O suete lady, mayden mylde, pray for me to Jesu thi childe." Mary says, "I am redy for all to pray, that my son wil luf god verray."

The poem is an expanded translation of the antiphon Salve Regina (Connelly, no. 33; Julian, 2:991). In the MS, the abbreviated Latin words appear in red to the left of the English text.
1 Salve. The Latin words correspond to the first words of each English line.

2 emprys of helle. See note to §56, line 10.

3 ferth. The word may be a derivation of the Scottish firth, estuary, suggesting Mary's function as contributor to mercy; or it may be a form of the Northern frith, preserve, wood, or hunting-ground, presenting an image of Mary as a "place" where mercy may be found.

4 secunde welle. The first is the well of Jacob, where Jesus meets the woman of Samaria and tells her about the "living water" of everlasting life (John 4:1-30).

7 et spes nostra. The MS reads mea, but the English text translates the Latin nostra from the hymn.

16 for. Added above the line.

17 payne. The word rayne is blotted out before payne.

25 Illos tuos misericordes oculos: abbreviated in MS.

34 luf. Brown reads lust.

39 joyful. In margin, to replace canceled gentyl.


          §70

Mayden moder milde. Index no. 2039. MS: BL Harley 2253, fol. 83a (West Midlands, early fourteenth century). Editions: Wright, Specimens, pp. 97-98; Böddekker, pp. 220-22; Wülcker, 1:49-50; CS, no. 49; B13, no. 87; Brook, no. 28; LH, no. 191; Silverstein, no. 28.

1-8 Brook calls attention to the similarity of the short prayer which concludes Dan Michel's version of the Ayenbite of Inwit (MS Arundel 57, fol. 96b): "Mayde and moder mylde, uor loue of þine childe, þet is god an man, Me þet am zuo wylde uram zenne þou me ssylde ase ich þe bydde can. Amen."

12 Ly soverein creatour. One of the mysteries of Mary is that she gave birth to her creator, the author of the universe. But creatour might also be translated as "creature" or "created thing," which sometimes is spelled creatur as well as creature in Old French.

25 stou. Possibly ston, as Brown reads; Brook also admits ston (stony ground) as a possible reading.

31 ferede. Brook argues that "the syntax of the line demands the transitive sense 'to cause fear to': 'He caused fear in every living creature.'"