No More Learning

Comfort is noon, but in yow, lady dere,
For lo, my sinne and my confusioun,
Which oughten not in thy presence appere,
Han take on me a grevous accioun 20
Of verrey right and desperacioun;
And, as by right, they mighten wel sustene
That I were worthy my dampnacioun,
Nere mercy of you, blisful hevene quene.

Doute is ther noon, thou queen of misericorde, 25
That thou nart cause of grace and mercy here;
God vouched sauf thurgh thee with us tacorde.
For certes, Cristes blisful moder dere,

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Bien voy que par toy confortes
Sera mes cuers desconfortes,
Quer tu es de salu porte.
Se je me suis mal tresportez
Par . vij. larrons, pechies mortez,
Et erre par voie torte,
Esperance me conforte
Qui a toy hui me raporte 20
A ce que soie deportez.
Ma povre arme je t'aporte:
Sauve la: ne vaut que morte;
En li sont tous biens avortez.

Contre moy font une accion
Ma vergoigne et confusion,
Que devant toy ne doy venir
Pour ma tres grant transgression.
Rayson et desperacion
Contre moy veulent maintenir; 30
Mes pour ce que veil plait fenir,
Devant toy les fes convenir
En faisant replicacion.
C'est que je di appartenir
A toy du tout et convenir
Pitie et miseracion.

Dame es de misericorde
Par qui Diex bien se recorde
A sa gent estre racorde.
Par toy vint pes et concorde, 40

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Were now the bowe bent in swich manere,
As it was first, of Iustice and of yre, 30
The rightful God nolde of no mercy here;
But thurgh thee han we grace, as we desyre.

Ever hath myn hope of refut been in thee,
For heer-biforn ful ofte, in many a wyse,
Hast thou to misericorde receyved me. 35
But mercy, lady, at the grete assyse,
Whan we shul come bifore the hye Iustyse!
So litel fruit shal thanne in me be founde,
That, but thou er that day me wel chastyse,
Of verrey right my werk me wol confounde.
40

Fleeing, I flee for socour to thy tente
Me for to hyde from tempest ful of drede,
Biseching you that ye you not absente,
Though I be wikke. O help yit at this nede!

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Et fu pour oster discorde
L'arc de justice descorde;
Et pour ce me sui acorde
Toi mercier et concorde,
Pour ce que ostas la corde;
Quar, ainsi com j'ay recorde,
S'encore fust l'arc encorde
Compare l'eust ma vie orde.

En toy ay m'esperance eu
Quant a merci m'as receu 50
Autre foys en mainte guise,
Du bien qui ou ciel fu creu
As ravive et repeu
M'ame qui estoit occise.
Las! mes quant la grant assise
Sera, se n'y es assise
Pour moy mal y seray veu.
De bien n'ay nulle reprise.
Las m'en clain quant bien m'avise,
Souvent en doy dire heu! 60

Fuiant m'en viens a ta tente
Moy mucier pour la tormente
Qui ou monde me tempeste.
Pour mon pechie ne t'absente,

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Al have I been a beste in wille and dede, 45
Yit, lady, thou me clothe with thy grace.
Thyn enemy and myn--lady, tak hede,
Un-to my deth in poynt is me to chace.

Glorious mayde and moder, which that never
Were bitter, neither in erthe nor in see, 50
But ful of swetnesse and of mercy ever,
Help that my fader be not wroth with me!
Spek thou, for I ne dar not him y-see.
So have I doon in erthe, allas ther-whyle!
That certes, but-if thou my socour be, 55
To stink eterne he wol my gost exyle.

He vouched sauf, tel him, as was his wille,
Bicome a man, to have our alliaunce,
And with his precious blood he wroot the bille
Up-on the crois, as general acquitaunce, 60
To every penitent in ful creaunce;
And therfor, lady bright, thou for us praye.