CONTENTS.

PARAPHRASE ON THE SEVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMS:--

Introduction, stanzas I.-VI. .

Psalm VI. (VI.) Domine, ne in furore, stanzas VII.-XVI.

-

XXXI. (XXXII.) Beati quorum remissæ, stanzas XVII.-

XXX.

XXXVII. (XXXVIII.) Domine, ne in furore, stanzas

XXXI.-LIII.

L. (LI.) Miserere mei, Deus, stanzas LIV.-LXXIII.

PAGE

1

3

12

21

CI. (CII.) Domine exaudi orationem, stanzas LXXIV.-CII.

28

CXXIX. (cxxx.) De profundis clamavi, stanzas

CIII.-CX.

39

CXLII. (CXLIII.) Domine, exaudi orationem, stanzas

CXI.-CXXIV.

42

APPENDIX I. Legend of Saint Bernard and the Devil, about

eight verses in the Psalter; together with those

verses and prayers in Latin

APPENDIX II. The same Legend in English; with Para-

phrase of the eight verses, in metre

49

51

55

. 61,62

HIC INCIPIUNT

SEPTEM PSALMI PENITENCIALES,

DE LATINO TRANSLATI IN ANGLICUM.

I.

IN wynter, whan the wedir was cold,

I ros at mydny3t fro my rest,
And prayed to Jesu that he wold,

Be myn helpe, for he my3t best.

In

myn herte anon I kest

How I had synned, and what degré :

I cryëd, knockyng up on my brest,

"Ne reminiscaris, Domine!"

II.

Ne reminiscaris, Domine, delicta nostra, vel parentum nostrorum; neque vindictam sumas de peccatis nostris. Parce, Domine, parce populo tuo, quem redemisti precioso sanguine tuo; et ne ineternum irascaris nobis ; et ne des hereditatem tuam in perdicionem.

That is to seye, "Lord! thynke no more

"Of my mysdedis that I have wrought,

B

"I or my faderys here be fore,

"That me in to this world have brought. "Of my mysdedys venge thé nought:

"But graunte me mercy and pyté.

My woordys, my werkys, and wycked thought, "Ne reminiscaris, Domine !'

III.

"Spare thy peple that is outerage,
"We crye to the ful pytously;
"Lese no3t ly3tly thyn herytage,

"That thou hast lovyd so hertily.

"Have mynde, Lord, how thou woldyst dy,

"And hange ful hye up on a tre,

"To save hym that wolde wilfully

With sorwefull herte and repentaunce,
Un to my Confessour I zede,

To schryve me clene and aske penaunce;
Ther to me thouzte I hadde gret nede.
Myn herte for sorwe began to blede,
And cowthe non other coumfort se,
For wyl, and woord, and wicked dede,
But 'Ne reminiscaris, Domine !'

V.

My Confessour coumfortyd me blyve,
And seyde, "Thi synnes forzevyn are,
"Zyf thou purpose to amende thi lyve,
"God of his
will thé spare.

mercy

"No synful man he wille forfare,
"That sory of his synnes wylle be:

"This woord schal coumforte all thi kare,
"Ne reminiscaris, Domine !'

VI.

"And ferthermore, for thi trespace,

"That thou hast don to God of hevene,
"Zif God wille sende thé lyif and space,—
"Thou shalt seyn thisě Psalměs sevene:
"The bettyr with God thou mayst ben evene,
"Or evere thi soulě passe fro thé.

Begynne, and seye with myldě stevene, “Ne reminiscaris, Domine !'"

VII.

DOMINE, ne in furore tuo arguas me: neque in ira tua corripias me.

LORD! will thou nozt me schame ne schende,

Whan thou schalt be in thi fersnesse,

To dredfull dome whan I schal wende?
Helde nozt thi wretthe on my frealnessse,
Thi derworthi childeryn whan thou schalt blesse,
And bydde hem come to blysse with thé :
Mi synfull werkys more and lesse,

'Ne reminiscaris Domine !'

VIII.

Miserere mei, Domine, quoniam infirmus sum: sana me, Domine, quoniam conturbata sunt omnia

ossa mea.