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
_Primus Demon._ Herke, Belsabub and Belyal, sere Sathan in the herne,
Us fettyn oure servauntis to this presone,
Blow flamys of fer to make hem to brenne,
Mak redy ageyn we com to this demon.
_Secundus Demon._ ffaste for tho harlotis now let us renne,
To cast hem in this pet here that depe is adon,
They schul brenne and boyle and chille in oure denne;
Gowe now, a dewelys name, as fast as we mone!
Harrow! harrow! we com to town.
_Primus demon._ Drag we these harlotis in hye,
Into the pet of helle for to lye.
_Secundus demon._ Gowe now, helle houndis, ye crye,
Sere Sathan may heryn oure sone.
_Dominus._ Now, aungyl and alle this court celestyalle,
Into herthe now discendith with me,
To reyse the body of my moder terestyalle,
And bryng we it to the blysse of my deyt
Assent ye here to now the unyté?
_Angeli._ Ya, for yowre hye mercy, Lord, al hefne makyth melodé.
_Hic discendit et venit ad apostolos, dicens_,
_Dominus._ Pes be to yow alle, my postelis so dere!
Lo! me here, yowre Lord, and youre God now rythtis.
_Petrus._ A! welcom, Criste, oure comfort, in thy manhed clere!
Gret merveylous God, mekyl now thy myth is!
_Dominus._ What worschepe and grace semyth you now here,
That I do to this body, Mary that hythtis?
_Johannes._ Lord, as thou rese from deth and requyst in thyn empere,
So reyse thou this body to thy blysse that lyth is,
Us semyth this ryth is.
_Mychael._ Ya, gloryous God, lo! the sowle here prest, now,
To this blissid body likyth you to fest, now,
Hefne and erthe wold thynke this the best, now,
In as myche as sche bare you, God, in youre mythtis.
_Hic vadit anima in corpus Mariæ._
_Dominus._ Go thanne, blyssid soule, to that body ageyn:
Arys now, my dowe, my nehebour, and my swete frende,
Tabernacle of joye, vessel of lyf, hefnely temple, to reyn,
Ye schal have the blysse wyth me moder that hath non ende;
ffor as ye were clene in erthe of alle synnys greyn,
So schal ye reyne in hefne clennest in mend.
_Maria._ A! endles worchepe be to you, Jhesu, relesere of peyn!
I and alle erthe may blisse the, com of owre kend:
Lo! me redy with you for to wend.
_Dominus._ Aboven hefnys, moder, assende than we,
In endles blysse for to be.
_Michael._ Hefne and erthe now injoye may ye,
ffor God throw Mary is mad mannys frend.
_Et hic assendent in cœlum cantantibus organis, Assumpta es Maria in
cœlum!_
_Dominus._ Yow to worchepe, moder, it likyth the hol Trinyté,
Wherfore I crowne you here in this kyndam of glorye:
Of alle my chosyn thus schul ye clepyd be,
Qwen of Hefne and Moder of Mercy!
_Michael._ Now blissid be youre namys we cry!
ffor this holy assumpcyon alle hefne makyth melody.
_Deo gracias._
XLII. DOOMSDAY.
_Hic incipit dies Judicii, et Jhesu descendente cum Michaele et Gabriele
Archangeletis Michaelus dicet, etc._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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