5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95	CONTEMPLACIO Cryst conserve this congregacyon Fro perellys past, present, and future, And the personys here pleand, that the pronunciacyon Of here sentens to be seyd mote be sad and sure, And that non oblocucyon make this matere obscure, But it may profite and plese eche persone present From the gynnynge to the endynge so to endure That Cryst and every creature with the conceyte be content. This matere here mad is of the Modyr of Mercy: How be Joachym and Anne was here concepcyon, Sythe offred into the temple compiled breffly — Than maryed to Joseph, and so, folwyng the Salutacyon, Meting with Elyzabeth and ther with a conclusyon, In fewe wordys talkyd that it shulde nat be tedyous To lernyd nyn to lewd nyn to no man of reson.1 This is the processe — now preserve yow Jhesus! Therfore of pes I yow pray all that ben here present, And tak hed to oure talkyn, what we shal say. I beteche yow that Lorde that is evyr omnypotent, To governe yow in goodnes as he best may, In hevyn we may hym se. Now God that is Hevyn Kynge, Sende us all hese dere blyssynge, And to his towre he mote us brynge. Amen for charyté. YSAKAR The prestys of God offre sote ensens Unto here God, and therfore they be holy. We that mynistere here in Goddys presens, In us shuld be fownd no maner of foly. Ysakar, prynce of prestys, am I That this holyest day here have mynystracyon, Certyfyenge all tribus in my cure specyaly, That this is the hyest fest of oure solemnyzacyon. This we clepe Festum Encenniorum, The newe fest, of which thre in the yere we exercyse. Now all the kynredys to Jerusalem must cum Into the temple of God here to do sacryfyse: Tho that be cursyd, my dygnyté is to dysspyse, And tho that be blyssyd here holy sacrefyse to take. We be regal sacerdocium: it perteyneth us to be wysse Be fasting, be prayng, be almes, and at du tyme to wake.2 JOACHYM Now all this countré of Galylé With this cetye of Nazareth specyal, This fest to Jerusalem must go we To make sacrefyce to God eternal. My name is Joachym, a man in godys substancyall. “Joachym” is to say, “He that to God is redy.” So have I be and evyrmore shal, For the dredful domys of God sore dred I. I am clepyd ryghtful, why wole ye se, For my godys into thre partys I devyde: On to the temple and to hem that ther servyng be; Anodyr to the pylgrimys and pore men; the thryd for hem with me abyde. So shulde every curat in this werde wyde Geve a part to his chauncel, iwys; A part to his parochonerys that to povert slide; The thryd part to kepe for hym and his. But blyssyd wyff Anne, sore I drede In the temple this tyme to make sacryfice Becawse that no frute of us doth procede. I fere me grettly the prest wole me dysspice, Than grett slawndyr in the tribus of us shulde aryse.3 But this I avow to God with all the mekenes I can: Gyff of his mercy he wole a childe us devyse, We shal offre it up into the temple to be Goddys man. ANNE Youre swemful wurdys make terys trekyl down be my face. Iwys, swete husbond, the fawte is in me. My name is Anne, that is to sey, “grace.” We wete not how gracyous God wyl to us be. A woman shulde bere Cryst, these profecyes have we. If God send frute, and it be a mayd childe, With all reverens I vow to his magesté, Sche shal be her footmayd to mynyster her most mylde.4 JOACHYM Now lete be it as God wole: ther is no more. Tweyn turtelys for my sacryfice with me I take, And I beseche, wyff, and evyr we mete more That hese grett mercy us meryer mut make. ANNE For dred and for swem of youre wourdys I qwake! Thryes I kysse yow with syghys ful sad, And to the mercy of God mekely I yow betake. And tho that departe in sorwe, God make ther metyng glad. SENIOR TRIBUS Worchepful Sere Joachym, be ye redy now? All your kynrede is come yow to exorte, That thei may do sacrifice at the temple with yow, For ye be of grett wurchep as men yow report. JOACHYM All synfull, seke, and sory God mote comforte I wolde I were as men me name. Thedyr in Goddys name now late us all resorte. A, Anne, Anne, Anne, God sheeld us fro shame! ANNE Now am I left alone; sore may I wepe. A, husbond, ageyn God wel mote yow brynge And fro shame and sorwe he mote yow kepe. Tyl I se yow ageyn, I kannot sees of wepynge. SENIOR [TRIBUS] Prynce of oure prestys, if it be youre plesynge We be com mekely to make oure sacrefice. YSAKAR God do yow mede bothe elde and yynge! Than devowtly we wyl begynne servyse.	(see note); (t-note) perils; (t-note) playing; (see note) their words; may be weighty errors; matter But that remain idea made; (see note) by Afterwards then story; (t-note) peace heed; (t-note) entrust you to Heaven’s may sweet incense; (see note); (t-note) their God; (see note) God’s sinfulness (see note) authority tribes [of Israel]; care feast; rites Feast of Incense; (see note) three; celebrate Those those; their priests; wise; (see note) (see note); (t-note) feast goods been judgments called righteous; will goods One; them Another; them; (t-note) priest; wide world chancel, indeed parishioners; into poverty fruit (i.e., children) scorn promise God’s Surely; fault know (t-note) wills Two turtledoves His; merrier may sorrow; (t-note) Thrice; sighs entrust; (t-note) Those; (see note) Sir; (see note) kindred (t-note) sick; may (t-note) There; let from may bring you safely sorrow; may cease pleasure Then; (t-note)
	[There they shal synge this sequens — “Benedicta sit beata Trinitas.”5 And in that tyme, Ysakar with his ministerys ensensyth the autere, and than thei make her offryng, and Ysaker seyth: (see note)
100 105 110 115	Comyth up, serys, and offeryth all now, Ye that to do sacryfice worthy are. Abyde a qwyle, sere! Whedyr wytte thu? Thu and thi wyff arn barrany and bare! Neyther of yow fruteful nevyr yet ware. Whow durste thu amonge fruteful presume and abuse? It is a tokyn thu are cursyd thare! Wherffore with grett indygnacyon thin offeryng I refuse! [Et refudit sacrificium Joachim. Amonge all this pepyl, barreyn be no mo. Therefore comyth up and offeryth here alle. Thu, Joachym, I charge thee: fast out the temple thu go! [Et redit flendo. Than with Goddys holy wourde blysse yow I shalle. [Ministro cantando: Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini, CHORUS Qui fecit celum et terram. MINISTER Sit nomen Domini benedictum: CHORUS Ex hoc nunc et usque in seculum. EPISCOPUS Benedicat vos divina maiestas et una Deitas Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus.6 CHORUS Amen.	sirs; (see note) What are you doing barren were How dare your; (t-note) And he refuses Joachim’s sacrifice childless; not allowed; (see note) And he returns weeping Then; (t-note) With the minister singing Our help is in the name of the Lord; (see note); (t-note) Who made heaven and earth Blessed be the name of the Lord From this time on, and forevermore (see note) (t-note)
	[Signando manu cum cruce solemniter et recedant tribus extra templum.7 (t-note)
120 125 130 135 140 145 150 155 160 165 170	EPISCOPUS Now of God and man blyssyd be ye alle. Homward agen now returne ye, And in this temple abyde we shalle To servyn God in Trinyté. JOACHYM A, mercyfful Lord, what is this lyff? What have I do, Lorde, to have this blame? For hevynes I dare not go hom to my wyff, And amonge my neyborys, I dare not abyde for shame! A, Anne, Anne, Anne, al oure joye is turnyd to grame! From youre blyssyd felacheppe I am now exilyd — And ye here onys of this fowle fame, Sorwe wyl sle yow to se me thus revylyd. But sen God soferyth thys, us must sofron nede.8 Now wyl I go to my shepherdys and with hem abyde And ther evyrmore levyn in sorwe and in drede. Shame makyth many man his hed for to hyde. Ha, how do ye felas? In yow is lytel pryde. How fare ye and my bestys this wete wolde I, veryly.9 PASTOR 1 A, welcom hedyr blyssyd mayster! We pasture hem ful wyde.10 They be lusty and fayr and grettly multyply. How do ye mayster? Ye loke al hevyly. How doth oure dame? At hom sytt she and sowyht? JOACHYM To here thee speke of her, it sleyth myn hert, veryly. How I and sche doth, God hymself knowyth. The meke, God lyftyth up; the proude, overthrowyht. Go do what ye lyst! Se youre bestys not stray. PASTOR 2 Aftere grett sorwe, mayster, evyr gret grace growyht. Sympyl as we kan, we shal for yow pray. PASTOR 3 Ya, to pray for careful, it is grett nede. We all wul prey for yow knelende. God of his goodnes send yow good spede, And of youre sorwe yow sone amende! JOACHYM I am nott wurthy, Lord, to loke up to hefne. My synful steppys an venymyd the grounde. I, lothfolest that levyth — thu Lord hyest in thi setys sefne.11 What art thu, Lord? What, am I wrecche werse than an hownde? Thu hast sent me shame which myn hert doth wounde! I thank thee more herefore than for all my prosperité. This is a tokyn thu lovyst me; now to thee I am bounde. Thou seyst thu art with hem that in tribulacyon be. And hoso have thee, he nedyth not care thanne; My sorwe is feryng I have do sum offens. Punchyth me, Lorde, and spare my blyssyd wyff Anne, That syttyth and sorwyth ful sore of myn absens. Ther is not may profyte but prayour to youre presens. With prayorys prostrat byfore thi person I wepe. Have mende on oure avow for your mech magnyficens.12 And my lovyngest wyff, Anne, Lord, for thi mercy kepe. ANNE A, mercy, Lord! Mercy, mercy, mercy! We are synfolest! It shewyth that ye send us all this sorwe.13 Why do ye thus to myn husbond, Lord? Why, why, why? For my barynes, ye may amend this thiself and thu lyst tomorwe,14 And it plese so thi mercy. Thee, my Lord, I take to borwe. I shal kepe myn avow qwhyl I leve and leste. I fere me, I have offendyd thee; myn herte is ful of sorwe.15 Most mekely I pray thi pety, that this bale thu wyl breste.	(see note); (t-note) life done dejection; (t-note) grief If you hear once slay (t-note) them; (t-note) sorrow (t-note) (see note) (see note); (t-note) full of life sorrowful sews hear; (t-note) God knows [he] overthrows; (see note); (t-note) please! Make sure; [do] not; (t-note) sorrow; grows; (see note); (t-note) (see note) for the sorrowful; (t-note) kneeling sorrow; soon heaven; (t-note) steps have poisoned; (t-note) dog heart; (see note) then (see note) (see note) whoso; then sorrow; fearing; done; (t-note) Punish Nothing will (see note) (t-note) If; to witness pain; heal
	[Here the aungel descendith, the hefne syngyng:“Exultet celum laudibus, resultet terra gaudiis, angelorum gloria sacra canunt solemnia.” 16 (see note); (t-note)
175 180 185 190 195 200 205 210 215 220 225 230 235 240 245 250	JOACHYM Qwhat art thu in Goddys name that makyst me adrad? It is as lyth abowt me as al the werd were fere! ANGELUS I am an aungel of God com to make thee glad! God is plesyd with thin helmes and hath herd thi prayere. He seyth thi shame, thi repreff, and thi terys cler. God is avengere of synne and not nature doth lothe.17 Whos wombe that he sparyth and maketh barreyn here, He doth to shewe his myth and his mercy bothe. Thu seest that Sara was nynty yere bareyn: Sche had a son Ysaac to whom God gaff his blyssynge. Rachel also had the same peyn: She had a son Joseph that of Egypt was kynge, A strongere than Sampson nevyr was be wrytynge. Nor an holyere than Samuel, it is seyd thus, Yet here moderys were bareyn both in the gynnynge — The concepcyon of all swych, it is ful mervelyous. And in the lykewyse, Anne, thi blyssd wyf, Sche shal bere a childe shal hygth Mary Which shal be blyssyd in her body and have joys fyff. And ful of the Holy Goost inspyred syngulyrly, Sche shal be offryd into the temple solemply That of her non evyl fame shuld sprynge thus. And as sche shal be bore of a barrany body, So, of her shal be bore without nature Jhesus, That shal be Savyour unto al mankende. In tokyn, whan thu come to Jherusalem to the Gyldyn Gate,18 Thu shalt mete Anne thi wyff; have this in thi mende: I shal sey her the same her sorwys to rebate.19 JOACHYM Of this imcomparabyl comfort I shal nevyr forgete the date! My sorwe was nevyr so grett, but now my joy is more! I shal hom in hast, be it nevyr so late. A, Anne, blyssyd be that body of thee shal be bore! Now fare wel, myn shepherdys! Governe yow now wysly. PASTOR 1 Have ye good tydyngys, mayster? Than be we glad. JOACHYM Prayse God for me, for I am not wourthy. PASTOR 2 In feyth, sere, so we shal with all oure sowlys sad. PASTOR 3 I holde it helpfful that on of us with yow be had. JOACHYM Nay, abyde with youre bestys sone in Goddys blyssynge. PASTOR 1 We shal make us so mery, now this is bestad That a myle on your wey ye shal here us synge! ANNE Alas, for myn husbond, me is ful wo! I shal go seke hym whatsoevyr befalle. I wote not in erth which wey is he go. Fadyr of Hefne, for mercy, to youre fete I falle. ANGELUS Anne, thin husbond ryght now I was withall, The aungel of God that bar hym good tydynge. And as I seyd to hym, so to thee sey I shal: God hath herd thi preyour and thi wepynge. At the Goldyn Gate thu shalte mete hym ful mylde, And in grett gladnes returne to youre hous. So be proces, thu shalt conseyve and bere a childe Whiche shal hyght Mary, and Mary shal bere Jhesus, Which shal be Savyour of all the werd and us. Aftere grett sorwe evyr grett gladnes is had. Now myn inbassett I have seyd to yow thus. Gooth in oure Lordys name, and in God beth glad. ANNE Now blyssyd be oure Lorde and all his werkys ay! All heffne and erthe mut blysse yow for this! I am so joyful, I not what I may say! Ther can no tounge telle what joye in me is: I to bere a childe that shal bere all mannys blys, And have myn hosbonde ageyn — ho myth have joys more?20 No creature in erth is grauntyd more mercy, iwys. I shal hyye me to the gate to be ther before. [Here goth the aungel agen to hefne. A, blyssyd be oure Lord! Myn husbond I se! I shalle on myn knes and to hymward crepe. JOACHYM A, gracyous wyff, Anne, now fruteful shal ye be! For joy of this metyng in my sowle I wepe! Have this kusse of clennesse, and with yow it kepe. In Goddys name now go we wyff, hom to oure hous. ANNE Ther was nevyr joy sank in me so depe! Now may we sey husbond: God is to us gracyous, Veryly! JOACHYM Ya, and if we have levyd wel here before I pray thee, Lord, thin ore, So mote we levyn evyrmore, And be thi grace more holyly. ANNE Now homward, husbond, I rede we gon, Ryth hom al to oure place, To thank God that sytt in tron, That thus hath sent us his grace.	What; afraid; (see note); (t-note) light; as [if]; world; on fire your alms sees; reproof; tears barren here [on earth] might ninety years gave; (t-note) never was written of holier one their mothers such ones the same way be called Five; (see note) solemnly no infamy; (t-note) barren intercourse; (t-note) Who; (t-note) (see note) mind time; (t-note) sorrow yourselves master sir; souls one beasts soon is settled; (see note); (t-note) for a mile; hear; (t-note) woeful do not know; gone your; with bore humbly in due course be called world; (see note) (see note) message forever; (t-note) may man’s bliss surely hurry see; (see note) approach him; (see note) (t-note) pure kiss say (t-note) (t-note) lived mercy may live in by urge; (t-note) Straight home on [His] throne (t-note)