Ludus Coventriæ : $b A collection of mysteries, formerly represented at Coventry on the feast of Corpus Christi
General
Ludus Coventriæ : $b A collection of mysteries, formerly represented at Coventry on the feast of Corpus Christi
English drama -- To 1500; English language -- Middle English, 1100-1500 -- Glossaries, vocabularies, etc.; Mysteries and miracle-plays, English
Allas! my body is ful of peyne,
I am fastened sore to this bere,
Myn handys are ser bothe tweyne.
O! Peter, now prey thi God for me here:
In Cayfas halle when thou were seyne,
And of the, Peter, a mayde acusid there,
I halpe the tho; now helpe me ageyne;
That I were hol outh of this fere,
Sum medycyne me lere.
_Petrus._ I may not tend to the, sere, at this hour,
ffor ocupacyon of this body of honour;
But nevertheles beleve in Jhesu Criste oure Saveyour,
And that this was his moder that we bere on bere.
_Primus Princeps._ I beleve in Jhesu, mannys salvacyon.
_Petrus._ In Goddis name go doun than, and this body honure.
_Primus Princeps._ Now mercy, God, and gromercy of this savacyon!
In Jhesu and his moder to beleve ever I senere.
_Petrus._ Than take youe holy palme, and go to thi nacyon,
And bid hem beleve in God, yif they wyl be pure;
And towche hem ther wyth, both hed, hand, and facyon,
And of her sekenesse they schal have cure;
And ellis in here peynys indure.
_Primus Princeps._ Gromercy, holy fader Peter,
I schal do as the me teche her,
Thankyng God ever in my speche her,
Wyth hye repentaunce and herte most mure.
_Hic portabunt feretrum ad locum sepulture._
_Petrus._ Now, holy brether, this body let us take,
And, wyth alle the worschepe we may, ley it in the grave,
Kyssyng it alle at onys for here sonys sake:
Now insence ye, and we schal put here in this cave.
_Hic ponent corpus in sepulcrum, insensantes et cantantes._
_Johannes._ De terra plasmasti me et carne induisti me,
Redemptor meus, Domine, resuscita me in novissimo die!
Now God blysse this body and we oure synge make.
_Hic unanimiter benedicent corpus “In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritûs
Sancti.”_
The fruth that it bar oure soules schal save.
Now rest we us, brother, upon this pleyn lake,
Tyl from oure God and oure lord tydyngis we have,
Here must we belave.
_Paulus._ So muste we, John, as ye say;
Thanne byde we here and pray,
Besekyng hym of comfort that best may,
Restyng here abowtyn this grave.
_Hic vadit Princeps ad Judæos cum palma._
_Primus Princeps._ Ye Jewys that langour in this gret infyrmyté,
Belevyth in Crist Jhesu, and ye schal have helthe,
Throw vertu of this holy palme that com fro the Trinyté,
Yowr sekenesse schal aswage and restore you to welthe.
_Secundus Princeps._ I beleve in Crist Jhesu, Goddis sone in unyté,
And forsake my maumentryes fals in here felthe.
_Hic tangat credentes cum palma, et sanati sunt._
A! I thanke the, gracyous Lord, and thy moder of peté,
Now are we hol of oure seknesse and of oure foule belthe!
_Tercius Princeps._ What, harlotys, forsake oure lawe?
_Secundus Princeps._ So hald I best the do.
_Tercius Princeps._ Hens fro me in the develis name ye go!
I deye, outh, outh, harro!
The wylde develys mot me to drawe!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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