A SERMON ON THE LORD'S PRAYER
The following poem, which, I believe, has never been published, is interesting as an illustration of the use that the medieval clergy made of the best known parts of religious offices to inculcate lessons of virtue and uprightness. It is found in MS. Dd. xi. 89 of the Library of Cambridge University, and belongs, doubtless, to the early fifteenth century, or possibly the late fourteenth. In the same manuscript are a copy of 'Þe Prick of Conscience' and of 'Þe Sermon þat a clerk made þat was cleput Alguyn to Gwy of Warwyk.' The manuscript is described in the 'Catalogue of MSS preserved in the Library of Cambridge University,' vol. I, p. 482 where the first line of the present poem is given as 'God of hesus þat sittest in trone'.
God of hefne, þat sittest in trone,
and euere is prest to mannes lone,
þo he on erþe ȝeode hym selue,
and with him þe aposteles twelue,
þe pater noster he hem tauȝte,
þe wiche mankynne owȝte syngen ofte;
þan beth þer inne bedes seuene:
ffader oure þat art in heuene
yhalewed be þi name so heye;
þy kyngdom vs come neye;
as þi wille in hefne is do
In eorþe mot hit ben don also;
þe bred þat we mowe euere byleue—
þis ilke day þat þou us ȝeue;
and oure dettes forȝiue þou wolle
as we hem doth þat dette us scholle;
ne lete vs come in no wicked fonding;
Delyuere vs fram þat foul þing;
amen is þus muche forto seie
as we bidde, so mot hit be.
þese beth bedes of gret pris,
ffor he hem made þat was most wis.
schort & good is euerich bone,
ffor men hem scholde konne sone;
and als lyȝtliche oure mone meue
To seggen hem ofte as wel as eue.
With þese bedes to & fyue
al þat toucheth to soules lyue
þat neodeful is we may þer with wynne,
and quenche away þe fulye of synne.
ffader oure, we schullen him calle,
þat is hit gret neode with alle
þat we us alle so be se
his kynde childrene þat we be,
And werche so by nyȝt & day
þat we mowen oure fader pay.
ac ȝif he hath a wetherwyn,
and we fonde to queme hym,
To werchen his wille alto gader,
with wrong we clepeth hym oure fader.
ffader, þat is kyng of all kynges,
and makere of man & alle þynges,
and lord men him clepeth bi olde lawe,
and him to queme we scholle be fawe,
and dreden hym as ech man schal,
ffor ryȝt þat he is lord of al.
Dauid seith þat he is lord of drede
for he is bygynnere of al wyshede.
for synne he dude him sulf deye,
More he preyseth loue þan eye.
ffader he clepeth him on his sawe,
þat is boþe riȝt and lawe.
his childrene worschipe him by his rede
ffor loue more þan for drede;
and þauȝ þe fend vs make mysdo,
and we ne wone vs nauȝt þerto,
and repenteth and wolleth lete,
he wole forȝyue or he hem bete.
As som tyme hit byfel,
y writen hit is in þe godspel,
A Riche man hadde sones tweye,
and muche he louede hem beye.
þe ȝonge wilnede on his mod
his deol of his fader good,
and seide he wolde faren of londe,
vnkouþe stedes forto fonde.
his fader grauntede, & forth he wente.
In fleschliche lustes al he despente;
an hongur on him fel so breme
þat he was fayn swyn to ȝeme,
and forto eten him þouȝte swete
þe leuyng of þat þe hogges ete.
longe he þolede so muche wo
he nuste what he miȝte do;
so longe him laste þat ilke pyne
þat he þouȝte on his fader hyne
þat þei trauailede at þe plow,
and þei hadde bred ynow.
To him selue he seide in þilke wo,
"hom aȝen y wole go,
and falle y wole my fader bifore;
ac þe name of sone ich haue forlore;
y wole him bidde par charite
þat he his hyne make me."
In þilke wille hom he ȝeode;
Ofte he auntreth þat hath neode.
þo he hit wiste, his fader so mylde,
he ros & wente aȝen his childe.
his sone seide & wep ful sore:
"þis sone may y be cleped namore."
his fader him kuste with outen cheste
& for ioye of hym he makede a feste,
& ofte sithe in litul stounde,
"My loren sone y haue yfounde."
ffram felde com þe eldere b[r]oþer,
& nauȝt ne wiste of þat oþer.
Croude he herde & symphonye;
What hit were he gan aspie.
þo he wyste þe selue soþe,
he held him þer oute & was wrothe.
his fader him clepede so, seide he:
"ffele ȝeres ich haue y serued þhe,
Ne neuere ne brak ich þin hefte
ne neuere ne madest þou swiche a feste.
Bote him þat hath þi goud forfare
To feste him þou art ful ȝare."
"Mi leue sone," quath he, "be stille;
Nys al my good at þi wille?
ne haue y founde þat was forlore?
Bliþe mon we be þerfore."
God oure fader is riȝt þus hende
Wenne we wole fram synne wende.
On schal clepe him fader oure,
as þhauȝ þere were thre or foure;
þer by men mowe sen his wille
þat our loue þerto tille.
Childrene þat beth nauȝt ysome
Chydeth & feȝteth ofte ylome,
& wollen nauȝt louen hem to gadere;
þei wynne þe wrathe of here fadere,
and bote þei wolle þat contek lete
þei mowe ben siker to ben ybete.
alle godes childrene we beth;
he wan vs with his sones deth.
wyche of alle he derrest bowte
Ne may nauȝt comen in mannes þowte,
Whan he so louede on & oþer;
Pay þi fader & loue þi broþer.
and þus bygynneth þi pater noster,
Boþe for broþer & eke for suster,—
and ȝet we scholle for oþer manye,—
þat oure fader in hefne wonye.
þhauȝ he be ouer al ful of myȝt,
We scholle þider oure willes diȝt,
and fonde forto be so sleiȝ
To come to heuene þat is so heiȝ.
Bote now hit is a gret maistrie,
heuye beren & heiȝe stie;
lyȝte þi pak & let folye;
heuy to helle þat þou ne sye,
and þus schalt þou þi lyf lede,
and ferly to þi fader drede.
God vs leue so begynne
þat we mowe heuene wynne,
and leue vs haue swich ende
þat we mote to blisse wende.
þe forme bone þat bidde we, Santificetur nomen tuum
y hale mote þi name be;
Ac holyere þan þi name is
Nis non oþer name iwis.
ffader & sone ynempned yfere
Scholle euere ben & euere were
and with hem þe holi gost.
þou cristene man, þus leuen þou most,
þe fader is strong, þe sone is wys,
þat holi gost þat with him ys
and queketh al as man may se,
Man and best, gras & tre.
and al is maked þorw þe fader,
þe sone hit halt in stat to gader,
þe gost is eueriche quykynge lyf.
leue þus, man, with outen strif,
ffor euere was & euere schal be
On god with persones þre,
and ȝif we leuen þus þorw myȝt
þanne halewy we his name aryȝt.
þo godes sones oure kynde nam
and to buggen man bicam.
þe angel seide to oure lady þus,
"þi sones name schal be Ihesus."
and god þat man þus to him tok
Cryst ys ycleped in holy bok.
we in þat water clere
his name nomen, & cristened were,
and dude vs after crist nempne.
ȝyf we kepen vs out of senne
þat cristendom al euerydel
þanne halewy we his name wel.
Ac man is recheles oþer wyle
þorw syȝte & lust of fendes gyle.
Whan pruide hath ischote a schete,
þanne cristendom is al forȝete,
and man wilneth his name be knowe
among heiȝe & eke lowe,
and nele be vnderling ne knaue
ac grete maistries wole he haue;
and seþthen fendy nyȝt & day
To greuen men al þat he may.
hys maisterlinges abouwen him nele,
Ne felawes wole haue nauȝt fele;
his vnderlinges he wole do schame
To litul he reccheth of cristus name.
Now byþenk þe prout of nauȝt
How þow were into þis world ybrouȝt,
Bygeten in synne, boren in wo,
In tene yleued al hider to.
þhauȝ þou be now an horse heiȝe
ar to morwe þou myȝt deye;
Ne þou nost nauȝt whider þou schalt wisse,
Wheþer to pyne, oþer to blisse.
þanne wolle men leten al eyȝe
Of þi name þat was so reyȝe,
ffor cristes name þus day and nyȝt
To vnhalwe þou dedest þi myȝt,
With bost & with vnbuksomnesse,
With gyle & with poppe holynesse,
With grete & smale, moren of pruite.
ac of hem nys non so luyte
þat hit ne helpeth man to helle,
With oute ende þar to dwelle.
þanne ich rede þat we ben war
þat non of vs ne come þar
þat we ne don crist no schame,
vnworthiliche to beren his name.
Holy is to siggen clene,
þanne þis bede nel non other mene
Bote make vs clene al to gadere,
To ben þe lictore crist oure fadere.
ȝif synne make þi soule smerte
and ȝif þou felest hit amidde þin herte,
anon anon þou sechest þi leche;
ffor men seyen in olde speche,
Grene wounde nys bote game,
and ole synne maketh newe schame.
Whan þou fallest þou late þe schryue,
þou nast no chartre of þy lyue;
Ne abyd þou nauȝt for to leute come
Lest þy lyf so be þe by nome.
ȝyt we biddeth alle & some
þat þi kyngdom to vs come,
alle þat schullen to heuene drawe,
þei mote bileue on cristene lawe,
and loue þe lore of holy cherche,
and þar aȝenst noþing werche.
þo þe angeles prout fram hefne alyȝte
Man of molde was maked þorw miȝte
To þulke wele forto wende
þat euere lasteth with oute ende.
Bote gode men beth to sewe
fforto fulfille þat swete rewe.
God vs clepeth his owene schep,
and vs to ȝemen he is euere ȝep,
and þat was toknynge of þe heorde
his luf he leide for þe ferede.
Oþere he haueth in his owene wolde
þat ben nauȝt of þat ilke folde;
Of þulke mot he to vs drawe
and maken hem leuen on oure lawe.
Iuwes þat nulleth nauȝt ȝet, y wene,
þat god & man beth y mene,
and hethene men þat fend biswiketh
þat bileuen als hem liketh.
Of alle men þat mowe ben y core
To here blisse þat weren forlore,
Whan god haueth þus fuld his trone,
þanne is his kyngdom ycome.
By lef, man, with wordliche wille,
and loue tresour þat nele nauȝ spille.
al þi wille þat þou caste
To catel þat wole euere ylaste,
þat is heuene with outen les,
þare is loue, ioye, & pees.
and þenk þou come hider ful bare
and so schalt þou hennes fare;
and þus coueteyse aquelle
ffor loue of hefne & drede of helle.
ac þer beth riche men ful fele
þat louen so muche worldliche wele,
ȝif þei moste haue pes for deþe
Of henuene þei wolde we eþe,
Ne neuere more he nolde
þat domes day come scholde.
þe whyles þou leuest, man, in londe,
and art riche þorw godes sonde,
Ne lay þou nauȝt þin herte þeron,
So techeth dauid þe wise mon.
ac vse hit euere in swich manere
þat þou haue þank in heuene & erþe.
God hit graunte Kyng of heuene
þat was þat oþer bede of seuene.
Here we biddeth god also
þat his wille be ido,
as in heuene with outen synne,
also in eorþe among man kynne.
þer nys noþing in eorþe i wrouȝt,
Word i spoken ne þouȝt iþouȝt,
þat hit nys al at cristus wille
Be hit loude, be hit stille.
In eorþe hit scholde so bifalle
ȝif hit were as we bidden alle.
ac ho so worcheþ werkes vnwreste,
and al day breketh godes heste,
and seiȝ þis bede, is þe þridde of seuene,
Hit þink he scorneth god of heuene;
ffor godes wille in hefne bryȝt
ys so fulfeld boþ day & nyȝt
þat þer nys aungel ne no seynt
Him to queme þat is feynt,
ffor euerich fondeth oþer to paye
Of oþeres wille nel non definaiȝe.
To selde hit falleth þus on eorþe,
ffor þre afreteth now þe ferþe.
ȝif þou art riche & hast maistrie,
anon men haueth to þe enuye;
ȝif þou art poure and hast noþing,
þi name is loren and foundling;
ȝif þou fallest & chacchest schame,
an oþer lauweth & haueth god game.
loue wel cherche & halmesdede,
ffor poppeholy men wole þe grede.
To do penaunce men asketh anon,
ȝif þou art a quelle man.
Riȝt þus reigneth nyþe & onde
Ouer al nouþe in eche londe.
ȝif god þe sende fulle of corn & fruyt,
ech man telleth þer of riȝt luyt.
ȝif he sende þe wele þin hele,
þou him forȝetest & wexest vnvele.
With siknesse ȝif he wole þe afayte,
þou þinkest his bondes beth to strayte.
ȝif he vseth his maistrye
Of hete, of chele, of whet, of dreye,
and hit leste a monþe or two,
vs þinketh þe world is al for do.
anon arist toward god þe cheste,
and þei he were at oure heste,
hard and nesche, wele and tene,
al we scholden hit take ymene,
and þanke him wiþ herte & mouthe;
ffor al þei scholde ho so cowthe;
ffor al hit is for som þinge
þat us cometh fram hefne kynge.
Now he þat wrouȝte sonne & mone,
Graunt vs þe þridde bone,
fforto bidde with tonge & þouȝt
þat hit ne derie þe soule nouȝt.
þe ferthe bone is al for brede,
ffor þe manere byhoueth vs neode
On to strengthe þe body to thryue
þe while we beth here on eorþe alyue.
Of corn iwrouȝt þe folk to fothre
þat neodful is to riche & pore;
ffor þauȝ þou come to a gestyng,
and hast þi fulle of other þing,
and bred faille þe ar hit scholde
an hongry feste þou wolt hit holde.
with bred al one þou myȝt þe saue
þhauȝ þou non other mete ne haue.
þat þou ne schalt for hunger deye,
þe soule hath nede of other tweye;
þat on is godes wordes to here,
as þe precheth prest and frere;
and ofte schewe hit with þi þouȝt,
Or hit ne helpeth þi soule nouȝt,
ffor as þou willenest bred on bord,
so doth þi soule godes word.
þe þridde bred ich telle iwys,
cristes owne body hit is,
wyche þe aposteles eten yfere
A schereþorsday at þe sopere.
þe holi gost þorw godes word,
þat he spak þere ate þe bord,
þare changede bred to god alone,
þorw prestes wordes on þe auter stone.
þat þat be soth, we moten bileue,
Or hit wole oure soule greue.
Ne wondere no man, þauȝ hit be so,
ffor many wondres hath god ydo.
Erthe of nauȝt & man of molde,
Him self wrouȝte als he wolde.
þorw a word þat þe angel seyde
To marye, þat mylde mayde,
Him self he kered hire with Inne.
þorw þe holi gostes gynne,
al þat is in heuene & helle
and in erþe, for sothe to telle,
saue synne, al was his werk;
so redeth bothe prest and clerk,
how he browte al þis to riȝte. (MS. how how)
Ne þenk hit nauȝt, he is ful of myȝte,
and for he wolde þat men him ete,
þe lyf of soule forto gete,
him self he tornede in forme of brede.
leue hit ȝif þou wolt haue mede.
ȝif þou him seye in flesch and blode,
as he was ar he heng on rode,
Or as he was fram deth arisen,
him to eten we wolen agrysen.
þerfore he maketh him in bredes heuwe
To make hardy þe him do cheuwe.
ȝif þou art man of clene lyue,—
and bote þou be, þou lete þe schryue,—
Be þou clerk or lewed man,
and leuest þis sacrament vpon,
þheiȝ þou afonge him aȝer bote ene,
He bileueth with þe while þou art clene,
and wilnest oft bi þi myȝt
To hauen in cherche of him a syȝt.
ffor wyse men siggeth and sleyre
War is þi loue þare is þin eyre.
Bothe at cherche and elles whare
God to þe is euere ȝare;
ȝark þou þe him to fonge,
laste þi soule faste to longe.
ffor ȝif slewþe þe haueth ynome,
and nast no wille to cherche come
þar crist is schewed in fourme of brede,
þy part no part þou myȝt drede.
þe fend is euere ful of gyle,
and with wrenches other while
þat hat onde to alle gode,
Maketh þe lese þi soule fode.
and for þou art of slepere witte,
and nost how longe go is mytte,
Bide for hit is a good red.
Ofte þat he ȝeue þe þat bred,
þese bredes bidde we him þat may
þat he ȝeue vs þis ilke day.
Lawe of moyses vs tauȝte & het,
þat Iewes helden & holden ȝet,
In boke hit is cleped nyȝt,
and cristene lawe for hit is bryt.
Day is cleped in holy bok
þat fram þe tyme þat ihesu tok
Oure kuynde of þat mayden hende,
ffor oure neode þe feond to schende.
Day is cleped nym non gome
Euere til þe day of dome.
While body & soule beth to gader,
Bidde we bred of oure fader,
þat swich bred vs euere ȝeue,
þat bodi & soule mote byleue.
ȝif þe soule is þorw þe body y pyned,
þanne is þe maister euele y hyned.
þe more þat ich þe bodi awlent,
þe rather is þe soule yschent.
þe glotoun nis neuere apayd
ar his soule be so bitrayed
þat no fet ne mowe him bere,
Ne his tonge ȝyue non answere;
þat bok hem corseth þat beth of myȝt
To drinke fram erne morwe to nyȝt;
and ydel men þat loþ beth to swynke,
þe bok hem forbedeth mete & drinke.
On hem god telleth his bred forlore
þat nulleth do no good þerfore.
Now crist us grante our lyues fode;
Methfulliche with milde mode,
So to fonge þorw his maistrie
þat we ne fallen in no glotenye.
þis ilke was þe ferthe bone;
þe fifte y wole bigynne sone.
Here we biddeth an hardy bone
To him þat weldeth sonne & mone,
and maketh with him a foreward
þat þinketh many man ful hard,
þat he forȝeue vs oure dette,
þat blisse may fram soule lette,
Riȝt in þulke selue wise,
as we forȝyueth in eny gyse
þulke þat vs haueth agult,
With word, with werk, with dunt, or pult.
We ben in godes dettes ibrouȝt
as ofte as we synegen ouȝt
þe fendes werkes euerichone,
We forsoken ate fullingstone,
and nameden vs to god aboue,
þat man bicam for oure loue,
þat forward breke we fele siþe;
þer of þe fend is ofte bliþe.
He þat swiche tresoun wercheth alle,
In godes dettes þei beth falle.
ȝit nele he nauȝt þat he be dede
þheiȝ þei ofte don to quede.
ac þei leuen & turnen & bete
With betternesse hire synnes swete.
ac herbes gode to see of eyȝe
To sore fet þei nulleth feyȝe.
To hote eueles aswage pyne
cold mot be þe medicine.
ȝif chele is on þe vnsete
þou most hit driuen away with hete.
Wratthe harde in herte y frore,
Many a soule hit maketh forlore.
þerfore paye we god aboue,
and þanne wynne we hit with trewe loue.
ȝif god wolde ate furste gulte
Euerich man to peyne pulte,
hit were wonder bote men holi were,
Nauȝt for loue at al for fere.
So ne scholde neuere men spede
Riȝtfulliche to hauen mede.
God delayeth þe day of dome.
ffor he wold þat we to him come.
Bote ate laste comen he schal,
Good & euel, gret & smal,
þat ilke day schal fonge his mede
Riȝt acordaunt to his dede
Godes sone þe riȝte wyse
þat day schal ben heiȝe iustice.
Do we nauȝt þanne here þat folie
To binymen him his baillie,
ffor so doth ech wrechful man,
as ferforth as he may or can.
he ne reccheth þheiȝ his soule spille.
Mowe he hauen his herte wille.
þow prout of nauȝt to þe i speke;
þat wolt of euerich gilt ben a wreke,
ffor ȝif as clene out of þin herte,
þat hit ne do þi soule smerte,
ffor þou hauest neode on god to grede,
ffor þine owene wickede dede.
But skilful mercy ne wynnest þou nauȝt
þe whiles þat wratthe is in þi þouȝt.
and ȝif þou art on wratthe yteyd,
and leues þerfore þi bedes vnseyd,
þi synne is double þanne is þe beste;
To laten þin herte in love rest,
and euere pleye in loue gynne.
ȝif þou wilnest heuene to wynne.
To kyn and frend and to fo,
Cristene lore vs lereth so,
ffer and neir, he is in mynde
þat loueth his frendes & his kynde.
þerfore he haueth graces fele,
long lyf & hele & wordles wele;
what schal more þi mede be,
þat louest na ma þan loueth þe?
þarfore, fiȝt, man, with þin herte,
þhauȝ þe þinke þat hit smerte.
and þou myȝt wynne cristus þhank,
ȝif þou for ȝyuest þat doth þe wrong.
þe Iewes seynt steuene stenede.
a knes he sat, his mone he menede,
And bad þe while he myȝte leue
þat god scholde hire gult forȝeue,
and seide þei ne whoteth what þei doth.
Me þinketh þar by he nas nauȝt wroth;
Brennynge was his loue, ich wene,
þat bad for hem þat deden him tene.
þis was now þe fifte bone
ffof synnes þat were er idone.
Now for synnes þat mowe bifalle,
We schullen oure fader bisechen alle,
as he is kyng of alle kynges,
þat we ne be y cauȝt in fondinges;
þat we so fonde, for hit is nede,
Of flesch, of world, & of þe qued.
þe bok hit telleth bote ȝif we fiȝte
Mede ne gete we non with riȝte.
þe sterne knyȝt in turnament
þat duntes deleth in harmes hent,
and leseth and wynneth and maketh hem hot,
He worth y preysed wel, y wot,
More þan þilke þat holdeth hem þer oute,
and noþing cometh in fiȝting route.
Dauid biddeth with herte fre,
Het me, lord, & fond me.
Gold and seluer and other metal,
With hete hit me assaye schal.
Gold with fuyr hit worth al newe,.
and deleth þe false fram þe trewe.
Ac ȝif hit lyȝth in hete stronge,
fforto hit brenne, hit lyth to longe;
So fareth a man þat schal be asayed,
ȝif he for branneth, he is bitraied;
ȝif ayse & hete and mete & drinke
Make þi soule to synne swynke,
With draw þe fuyr, and fond to werne,
þat þi pot nauȝt ouer ȝerne.
Riche nyþing be wel y ware,
þhauȝ þow be riche, þow worth al bare.
þheiȝ þow be loth þou schalt be lene,
al þi god by cas or ene.
Pruyde, wratthe, slowthe, enuye,
ȝeuernesse, lecherie, glotenye,
þese beth grete hokes seuene
þat draweth soules framward heuene.
and al hit is þe fendes werk
To hale hem into helle derk.
aȝenst alle þese we mote fiȝte
Nyȝt and day bi oure myȝte.
and bidde we schulle oure lady alle,
In swych a faute þat we ne falle,
ac stonden styf in euerich stede.
swich schal be now oure sixte bede.
þe seuene bede, and þe laste,
ȝerneth of deliueraunce faste.
Of bondes þat we liggen Inne,
Whan we ben cauȝt with fendes gynne.
ffor helpes arise ne mowe nauȝt
Whanne we beth so to grounde ybrouȝt.
Now bidde we Ihesu þe riȝtte wyse
þat he us helpe vp to aryse,
ffor loue of his moder dere;
Amen, sigge we alle yfere.
Amen.
FRANK A. PATTERSON
Columbia University.