CHRIST'S dear Mother, Mary mild, Light of life, Maid undefiled, Low I bow and bend the knee, Mine heart's blood I offer thee. Thou my soul's light, mine heart's bliss, Life, and hope, and health, I wis, I thy praise sing, day and night, Honouring thee with all my might. Thou hast helped me passing well, Brought my soul from out of Hell E'en to Heaven -- so thanks I give, Lady dear, the while I live. Christian men should worship here, Sing thy praise with gladsome cheer, Since thou, freed from Satan's hand, Brought them to the Angel's land; So we owe thee, lady sweet, Our heart's love, and worship meet. Fairest, blest o'er women thou, Dearest to God's Heart, I trow; Maidens worship thee alone, Flower of Maids, before God's throne. None on earth be like to thee, None in Heaven thy peer shall be; High thy throne o'er Cherubim, Christ thou see'st 'mid Seraphim; 'Fore thee angels merry sing, Music make, with carolling, In thy presence glad to be, Never sad thy face to see. None thy bliss may understand -- Heaven lies within thine hand, Of thy friends thou makest Kings; Royal robes, and golden rings Thou dost give -- and rest full fair, Safe from sorrow, death, or care. There in bliss bloom, red and white, Blossoms frost nor snow may smite, Ever fresh, in summer glad -- There no man is weak or sad; There they rest who served thee here, Kept their lives from evil clear, Free from sorrow, toil, or tears, Groans of Hell ne'er vex their ears. There they quaff, from cups of gold, Draughts of life, with bliss untold. Never heart of man may reach, Never tongue may tell with speech, What their share of Heaven's delight Who have served thee day and night! White the robes thine household wear, Crown of gold doth each one bear; White as lily, red as rose, Glad the songs that each one knows! In each crown the gems gleam fair; Never wish is thwarted there; Christ their King, their Queen art thou; Wind nor rain may vex them now. -- Endless day they have for night, Song for sorrow, peace for fight. Theirs is bliss without annoy, Game and gladness, endless joy, -- Lady dear, too long the day Till thou fetchest us away! Perfect joy we ne'er may know Till thy bliss thou dost us show. Chosen Maid, God's Mother dear, Earth hath never seen thy peer, Mother thou, and Maid confest, Holy, high, in Angel's rest! Saints and angels ever sing, Hailing thee of life the spring; Mercy aye is found in thee, None who trusts thee lost shall be. Save thy Son, all things above, In my heart, I do thee love! Heaven fulfilled is with thy bliss, Earth with this, thy gentleness; Such thy grace, thy mercy free, None lack help who cry to thee! Mercy dost refuse to none Tho' he wrong 'gainst thee have done. Holy Queen of Heaven, I pray, Thou wilt list my bede to-day, -- "Lady, by that greeting fair Gabriel from on high did bear, For the Sake of Jesu's Blood Shed for us on Holy Rood, Mother's pain, and sorrow sore, When thou stood'st His Cross before, Make me clean, without, within, That I be not lost thro' sin. The foul fiend, and all his train Banish, keep me free from stain; From thy love I'll ne'er depart, Thou my life, my safety, art; For thy love I toil and sigh, For thy love thy thrall am I; For thy love forswore, I wis, All things dear -- think thou on this! Sore I rue what grieveth thee, For Christ's Five Wounds, pity me! Save for that, I know full well, I shall burn in fires of Hell. Silent, all my deeds didst see, Where, and what, yet bore with me; Hadst thou 'venged thee of my sin Paradise I ne'er might win. Since thou, merciful, didst spare, Pardon full I hope to share, Ne'er in pains of Hell to fall Since I yield me here thy thrall. Thine I am, and thine will be -- On God's Mercy, and on thee, Rests my life -- For thee I long With desire exceeding strong! Without thee no joy I know -- Be thou near when hence I go, Show thy love at my last breath, Shield my soul from lasting death. Would I thrive? Look well to me, No weal cometh save thro' thee. With vile sins my soul is bound, Healing in thine hand is found; Thee I trust, next to thy Son, For His Name, my life, as loan Grant me, keep the fiend away, Lest of Hell I be the prey. For the best rule thou my days, If I thrive, be thine the praise; Never sinner didst forsake Who did true repentance make. Lightly could'st my grief allay, Grant me more than I could pray, Thou could'st still my sorrow now When I, weeping, lowly bow; Nothing fair in me to see, Nothing fit to offer thee, Wash me, clothe me, at this tide, Thro' thy mercy, spreading wide. Small thine honour if I fall, Great the Devil's joy withal, He doth grudge thee worship fair And the bliss thy servants share. Well thou know'st he hateth me Most, because I honour thee! Watch me, ward me, so I pray, From his toils, from error's way; An thou dost, thou 'lt grant, I wis, Portion fair of Heavenly bliss. Sinning much, I'll much repent, Shrive me, pray as penitent, Yea, while life and health be mine Ever servant true of thine At thy feet I'll lie, and grieve, Till my misdeeds thou forgive. Life, and love, and heart's blood, thine, Lady, I dare claim thee mine. Have thou praise on Heaven and earth, And the joy that 'seems thy worth. Do thou, of Christ's Charitie, Love and blessing give to me; Keep my body pure alway -- God in mercy grant, I pray, I may see thee throned in bliss; -- And my friends may be, I wis, Better for this Lay I sung Here to-day, in English tongue. Mary, for thy holiness, Bring this monk to joyfulness Who this song hath made of thee, Christ's dear Mother, Saint Marie!" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TROILUS AND CRESSIDA: SONG by JOHN DRYDEN A SONG OF FREEDOM by ALICE MILLIGAN HALSTED STREET CAR by CARL SANDBURG ON A PIECE OF TAPESTRY by GEORGE SANTAYANA A PRAYER, LIVING AND DYING by AUGUSTUS MONTAGUE TOPLADY THE ADORATION OF DISK BY KING AKHNATEN AND PRINCESS NEFER NEFERIU ATEN by AKHENATEN SEVEN SAD SONNETS: 2. THE OTHER ONE COMES TO HER by MARY REYNOLDS ALDIS |