Classic and Contemporary Poetry
BALLAD, by CHARLES D'ORLEANS Poem Explanation Poet's Biography First Line: O praye for peace, sweet mayde marie Last Line: That peace, joy's treasure, maye befall. Alternate Author Name(s): D'orleans, Duc; Orleans, Charles Of Subject(s): Jesus Christ; Mary. Mother Of Jesus; Prayer; Women In The Bible; Virgin Mary | ||||||||
O PRAYE for peace, sweet mayde Marie High Queene of Heaven and world's mistrésse, Make praye your holy companie By gentle favour, and addresse Your Sonne that from his loftinesse He maye his wayward people heede For whom in ransom he did bleede, Nowe prone for warre that wasteth all; O praye and never cease to plead That peace, joy's treasure, maye befall. Praye priests and who live holilie; Sleeke friars leave your slothfulnesse; Praye learnéd men lest warre should be That setteth studie in sore stresse; The ruined shrine you shall not blesse Who there nor missal write nor read, Nor followe where Lord Godde doth lead. Then loudly nowe upon Hym call, For soe ordaineth church and creed) That peace, joy's treasure, maye befall. Praye Princes who hold landes in fee, Kynges, Dukes, Earls, all of knightly fesse, And gentlemen of chivalrie, Lest churls o'ercome your gentlenesse; In graspynge hands your wealth growes lesse, From hot dispute and evil greede, As you maye see. O intercede, (For they growe proude and rich with all Wherwith your people you should feede) That peace, joy's treasure, maye befall. Praye folk that bear hard tyrannie, For sore is your lords' feeblenesse Who cannot holde their masterie Nor help you in your evil stresse; Praye merchant in sore paine noe lesse, Too long a-straddle on your steede, (For you noe more afar maye speede To barter in the baron's hall, Such peril doth the highwaye breede) That peace, joy's treasure, maye befall. Lord Godde Almightie doth us heede. From Earth, Sky, Ocean, in our neede Let prayer rise unto Him from all, Who onlye can amend ill deede, That peace, joy's treasure, maye befall. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MADONNA by KATHARINE LEE BATES BALLADE TO OUR LADY OF CZESTOCHOWA by HILAIRE BELLOC OUR LORD AND OUR LADY by HILAIRE BELLOC PLASTIC BEATITUDE by LAURE-ANNE BOSSELAAR A SONG OF MARY by LUCILLE CLIFTON ISLAND MARY by LUCILLE CLIFTON MARY'S DREAM by LUCILLE CLIFTON HOMAGE TO SEXTUS PROPERTIUS: 8 by EZRA POUND |
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