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11. The Five Joys of Our Lady Saint Mary

fol. 181rHer bigynneth the vif blyssen of ure Levedi Seynte Marie.

Levedy, for thare blissethat thu heddest at the frumeTho thu wistest myd iwissethat Jhesu wolde beo thi SuneThe hwile we beoth on lyve thisse,sunnen to don is ure wune;Help us nu that we ne mysseof that lif that is to cume.

line5Moder, blithe were thu thohwanne thu iseye heoven King,Of the ibore withute wo, that scop the and alle thing.Beo ure scheld from ure Ivo, and yef us thine blessyng,And biwyte us evermofrom alle kunnes suneging.

Levedi, al myd rihtethu were gled and blithe line10Tho Crist thureh his myhtearos from dethe to lyve,That alle thing con dihte,and wes iboren of wyve.He make us clene and bryhtefor his wundes fyve.

From the Munt of Olyvete,tho thi Sone to heovene steyh,Thu hit byheolde myd eye swete, for he wes thin heorte neyh —line15Ther he haveth imaked thi setein o stude that is ful heyh,Ther the schulen engles grete,for thu ert bothe hende and sleyh.

The King that wes of the ibore,to heovene he the vette,To thare blisse that wes forlore,and bi hymseolve sette,Vor he hedde the icore;wel veyre he the grette.line20Blythe were thu thervoretho engles the imette.

Moder of milce and mayde hende,ich the bidde as I con,Ne let thu noht the world us blende,that is ful of ure ivon,Ac help us at ure lyves ende,thu that bere God and mon,And us alle to heovene sendehwenne we schulle this lif forgon.

fol. 181vJhesu, for thire moder bene,that is so veyr and so bryht,line26Al so wis, so heo is queneof heovene and eorthe, and thet is ryht,Of ure sunnes make us clene,and yef us that eche lyht,And to heovene us alle imene, Louerd, thu bryng, for wel thu miht.

fol. 181rHere begin the five joys of our Lady Saint Mary.

Lady, for the joythat you had in the beginningWhen you knew with certaintythat Jesus would be your Son —In the time while we’re in this life,doing sin is our habit;Help us now so that we not miss outon the life that is to come.

line5Mother, then you were joyfulwhen you saw heaven’s King,Born from you painlessly,who’d created you and all things.Be our shield against our Foe,and give us your blessing,And keep us forevermorefrom all types of sinning.

Lady, quite rightlywere you glad and joyfulline10When Christ by his mightarose from death to life,Who can direct all things,and was born of woman.He makes us clean and brightby his five wounds.

From the Mount of Olives,when your Son rose to heaven,You beheld it sweetly with eye,for he was near your heart —line15Where he’d made your seatin a place that’s very high,Where angels will greet you,for you’re both gracious and wise.

The King born from you,to heaven he fetched you,To the joy that had been lost,and set you beside himself,For he had chosen you;courteously he greeted you.line20You were joyful thereforewhen angels welcomed you.

Mother of mercy and gentle virgin,I pray to you as I’m able,Don’t allow the world to blind us,which is full of our foes,But help us at our lives’ end,you who bore God and man,And send us all to heavenwhen we must forfeit this life.

fol. 181vJesus, for your mother’s petition,who is so fair and bright,line26And wise, too, for she’s queenof heaven and earth, and that’s good,Make us clean of our sins,and give us that eternal light,And all together to heavenbring us, Lord, for well you might.