ра

TEXT B.

[fol. 3]

Of things on

earth, the mass is
of most worth;

its praises have

been told in

church books at

all times,

but authors,

however learned,

The Lay Folks Mass Book,

o worthyest ping, most of godnesse,
In al pis world, [hit] is po messe.
In alle po bokes of holy kyrc,

pate holy men, pat tyme, con wyrc,
po messe is praysed mony-folde;
po [vertus might neuer be [t]olde,
for if [thousand] clerkes d[id nogh]t ellis,
After pat [po boke] tellis,

bot tolde [po vertus of] messe syngynge,

and po [profet of m]esse herynge,

zit shuld þa[i never po] fift parte

could not tell the for al paire wit & alle paire arte,

fifth part of

them,

TEXT C.

[fol. 250 b.]

telle po vertu [me]des & pardoun
to hom pat [with devocyoJun

(Incip. Præmia Missæ.)

He worthyest thynge, pe maste of gudnes,
In alle pe werlde, pan is the mes.

In alle pe bokes of haly kyrke,

bat haly men, pat tyme, gone wyrke,

be messe is praysed many falde ;
be vertues may neuere be talde;
For if a M' clerkes did noght els,
After pat pe boke tels,

Bot talde pe vertus of messe singynge,
And be profet of the messe herynge,
3itte soulde thay neuere fifte parte

4

8

12

4

8

For alle pere crafte and pere arte,
Telle pe vertus, medes, [and] pardone
To pame pat with deuocyon

12

or Manner of Hearing Mass.

Worthy þyng, moste of godnesse,
In all be world, hit is be messe.
In al bokus of holy kyrke,

þat holy tyme men con) wyrke
be messe is preysud mony-folde;
be vertuus may neuer be tolde.
paf a Me clerkus dyd noght ellus,
But after as pis boke tellus,
But told pe vertuus of messyngynge,
And be profettus of messe herynge,

3yt schuld þei neuer telle þe fyfte parte,
ffor all hore wytte and aH artte

Telle pe vertuus medus and pardon)

To hom pat han) deuocion)

m

an or woman þat wol lere,

A masse deuou[t]ly for to here,
Gode entent pou zeue pereto,

And as pis boke techeth, so pow do,

For hit is wretyn what pou schalt say,

Whane pow schalt rest, whane pou schalt pray
Bothe for pe quyke and for pe dede;

As pow fyndest wryte, so make thy bede.
Whiles the prest maketh hym boune,
Vpon thi knees sette the doune;

And hew vp thyn herte wyt gode entente,
The whiles he doth on his westemente,

To god thu pray on þis manere,
As next thu fyndest wrytyn here.
Now lord god, for thi godenesse,
At the begynnynge of this messe,
Thou graunte to alle that hit schal here,

TEXT E. [page 178]

4

[page 173]

8

121

TEXT F.

Adapted to the practice of smaller churches and chapels in 4 England, where the priest vested before the people.

8

12

A prayer whilst the priest is 16 vesting;

TEXT B.

where men of a clear conscience are minded to reverence it aright.

Dan Jeremy gives

weighty examples

In clennes [and in gode ent]ent
dos worship [to] pis sacrament.
In boke fynde I [wryten] of ane,
dam Ieremy was his name, (1)
a deuoute mon & a religyus,
In his boke he spekis pus;

he saies, pou shulde gode tent take,

against talking at pat pou at po messe no ianglyng make;

mass,

grett saumpel he settis per-to,

whi hit is ful ille to do;

als-so he telles po manere,

and directions

for hearing it,

how pou shulde þi messe here.

whether sung or when po preste saies he, or if he singe,

said,

TEXT C.

[fol. 251]

to him pou gyue gode herknynge;

when po preste praies in priuete,

tyme of prayere is pen to pe.

In clennes and gode entente
Dos worschyp to pat sacramente.
In boke fynde I writen of ane,
Saynte Ierome was his name, (1)
A deuoute man and religyous,
In his buke he spekes thus:

16

20

24

28

16

20

And alle that hit hereth to here soules helthe,

TEXT B.

which I English.

The priest fully

vested, except the

from off the altar.

when I vp-on po boke know hit,
In-til englishe pus I draw hit.
when po auter is al dight,

& po preste is reuysht right,

chasuble, takes it ben [he] takes in bothe his hende
a clothe o-pon po auter ende,
and comes obac a litel doune,

dos hit o-pon him al a-boune.

[fol. 3 b.]

alle men knelen, bot he stondes,

He stands to make his confession to the people,

and the clerks confess to him.

He pronounces absolution to literate and lay, who are willing to confess,

and haldes to god vp bothe his hondes;
pere, or he po messe bi-gynne,

wil he meke him for his synne;

til alle po folk he shryues him pare
of alle his synnes lesse & mare:
so dos po clerk a-gayn to him
shryuen hom pere of al hor synn,
and askes god forgyuenes,
or þai bigynne to here po mes.
po preste assoyles hom pere belyue,
lered & lewed þat wil hom shryue,
& knowe to god pat pai are ille,
wheper hit be in loude or stille.
perfore knelande on þi knese,
als pou bisyde pe oper sese,

wherefore do thou shryue pe pere of alle þi synnes,

confess thy sins;

and that thou

mayest receive

bigynnande pus when he bigynnes,

the benefit, add a als next binethe pis robrik standes,

40

44

48

52

56

Hail-mary to

Pater-noster,

and per-with ioyntly hold þi handes;

and þat hit so may be

eke to pater and* aue,

60

TEXT C.

If pou apon the boke kan knawe it,

Into Inglische pou drawe it.

Readers who may

be able to construe Latin may translate for themselves.

When pe priest hym revistis, and pe messe bigynnes,

And mekes hym to god for his synnes, (1)

32

336

32