The Complaint of the Lover of Christ, Mary Magdalen

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PLonged in the wawe of mortall dystresse

Alas for wo to whome shall I complayne

Or who shall deuoyde this huge heuynesse

From me moost wofull mary_Magdeleyne

My lord is gone alas who wrought this tr[ey]n treyn] tryen 1520

This sodeyne chaunce perseth my herte so depe

That nothynge can I do but wayle and wepe

My lorde is gone that here in graue was layd

After his grete passyon and deth cruell

Who hath hym this agayne betrayde

Or what man here-aboute can me tell

Where he is becomen the prynce of Israell

Iesus of Nazareth / my goostly socoure

My perfyte loue / and hope of all honoure

What creature hath hym hens caryed

Or how myght this so sodeynly befall

I wolde I had here with hym taryed

And so sholde I haue hadde my purpos all

I bought oyntementes full precyous and ryall

Wherwith I thought his cors to haue anoynted

But he thus gone / my mynde is despoynted despoynted ='disappointed, balked'; see OED s.v. dispoint v1

Whyle I therfore aduertyse and by_holde

This pyteous chaunce here in my presence

Full lytell meruayle thoughe my herte be colde

Consyderynge loo my lordes abscence

Alas that I so full of neclygence

Sholde be founde / because that I come so late

All men may saye that I am in_fortunate

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Cause of my sorowe men may vnderstonde

(Quia tulerunt dominum meum)

Another is that I ne may vnderstande

I wote not (vbi posuerunt eum

Thus I muste be_wayle (dolorem meum

With herte wepynge I can no better deserue

Tyll deth approche my herte for to kerue

My herte opprest with sodeyne auenture

By feruent anguysshe is be_wrapped so

That longe this lyfe I may not endure

Suche is my payne / suche is my mortall wo

Nedeles / to what partye shall I go Nedeles ='without compulsion'?

In hope to fynde myne owne turtle true

My lyues Ioye my souerayne lorde Iesu

Syth all my Ioye / that I call his presence

I[s] th[u]s remoued now I am full of mone Is thus] I this 1520

Alas the whyle / I made no prouydence

For this myshap wherfore I syghe and grone

Socour to fynde to what place I myght gone

Full fayne I wolde to some man my herte breke

I note to whome I may complayne or speke note: =ne wot, 'know not'

Alas here I stande full sory and sadde

The whiche hoped to haue sene my lord and kynge

Small cause haue I to be mery or gladde

Remembrynge this bytter_full departynge

In this worlde is no creature lyuynge

That was to me so good and gracyous

His loue also / then golde more precyous

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Full sore I syghe withouten comforte agayne

There is no cure to my saluacyon

His brennynge loue my herte so doth constrayne

Alas here is a wofull permutacyon

Wherof I fynde Ioye nor consolation

Therfore my payne all-onely to confesse

With dethe I fere wyll ende my heuynes

This wo and anguysshe is intollerable

Yf I byde here lyfe I can not sustayne

Yf I go hens my paynes be in_curable

For hym to fynde I knowe no place certayne

And thus I note of these thynges twayne

Whiche I may take and whiche I may refuse

My herte is wounded here-on to thynke or muse

A whyle I shall stonde styll mornynge

In hope of ony vysyon wyll appere

That of my loue myght tell me some tydynges

Whiche in-to ioy myȜt chaunge my wepynge cher

I trust in his grace and in his mercy dere

But at the leest thoughe I therwith me kyll

I shall not spare to wayle and wepe my fyll

And yf that I dye in suche aduenture

I can no more but welcome is my chaunce

My bones shall rest here in this sepulcre

My lyfe / my deth is at his ordynaunce

It shall be tolde in lastynge remembraunce

Thus to departe it is to me no shame

And also therof I am nothynge to blame

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Hope a_gaynst me hath her course ytake

There is no more but this shall I dye this: =thus

I se ryght well my lorde hath me forsake

But in my concyte cause knowe I none why

Thoughe he be ferre hens and no-thynge nye

Yet my wofull herte after hym doth seke

And causeth teeres ren downe by my cheke

Thynkynge alas I haue loste his presence

Whiche in this worlde was all my sustenaunce

I crye and call / with herty dyly[g]ence dylygence] dylydence 1520

But here is no wytte gyued attendaunce

Me to certefye of myne inquiraunce

Wherfore I wyll to all this worlde bewray

How that my lorde is slayne and borne awa[y] away] awas 1520

Thoughe I morne it is no grete wonder

100

Sythe he is all my Ioye in specyall

And now I thynke we be so ferre a_sonder

That hym to se I fere neuer I shall

It helpeth no more after hym to call

Ne after hym to enquyre in ony cost

105

Alas how is he thus gone and lost

These Iewes I thynke full of mysery

Sette in malyce by theyr besy cure

With force and myght of gylefull trechery

Hath vndermyned my lordes sepulture

110

And borne a_waye that precyouse fygure

Leuynge of it nothynge / yf they done so

Marryd I am alas what shall I do

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With theyr vengeaunce insacyable

Now late they hym entreated so

115

That to reporte it full lamentable

They bete his body fro toppe to the to

Neuer man was borne that felte suche wo

They wounded hym alas with all greuaunce

The blode downe rayled in moost abundaunce

120

The blody rawes stremed downe ouer-all rawes: =rows, 'streaks, stripes'; this sense is not recorded in OED, but see MED s.v. reue(=row) n2, 2a

They hym assayled so malycyously

With theyr scourges and strokes bestyall

They spared hym not but smote incessauntly

To satysfye theyr malyce they were full besy

125

They spytte in his face they smote here and there

He groned full sore and swette many a tere

They crowned hym with thornes most sharp and kene

The vaynes rente the blode ran downe a_pace

With blode ouercomen bothe were his eyen

130

And bollen with strokes was his blessyd face

They hym entreated as men without grace

They kneled to hym and made many a scorne

Lyke hell-houndes they haue hym all to_torne

Upon a huge crosse in length and in brede

135

These tormentours shewed theyr cursydnesse

They nayled hym without pyte or drede

His precyous blode braste out in largenesse

And treyned hym a_longe as men mercylesse

Thy vere Ioyntes all to myn apparence

140

Ryued a_sondre for theyr grete vyolence

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All this I beholdynge with myn eyen twayne

Stode there-besyde with rufull attendaunce

And euer me-thought he beynge in that payne

Loked on me with deedly countenaunce

145

Fare-well magdaleyn departe must I nedes hens

As he that sayd in his specyall remembraunce

My herte is (Tanquam cera liquescens

Whiche ruthfull syght whan I [g]an be_holde gan] can 1520

Out of my wyt I was almoost dystrawght

150

I tare my here / my handes I wronge and folde folde ='clasped together'

And of that syght my hert dranke suche draught

That many a fall sownynge there I caught

I brosed my body fallynge on the grounde

Wherof I fele many a greuous wounde

155

Than these wretches full of all frowardnesse

Gaue hym to drynke aysell tempred with gall

Alas that poyson full of bytternesse

My loues chere caused then to be pall

And yet therof myght not he drynke at all

160

But spake these worde as hym thought best

Fader of heuen (Consummatum est

Than kneled I downe in paynes outrage

Clypynge the crosse within myn armes twayne

His blode dystylled downe on my vysage

165

My clothes eke the droppes began to steyne

To haue dyed for hym I wolde full fayne

But what sholde it auayle yf I dyde so

Sythen he is (Suspensus in patibulo)

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Thus my lorde full dere was all dysguysed

170

With blode / with payne / with woundes many one

His veynes breste / Ioyntes ryued

Partynge a_sonder the flesshe fro the bone

But I sawe he henge not there alone

For (Cum iniquis deputatus est)

175

Not lyke a man but lyke a leprouse best

A blyndfull knyght men called hym longyous blyndfull ='blind, blinded'; see OED s.v. blindful, where the sole attestation is dated 1621

With spere approched vnto my souerayne

Launsynge his syde alas full pyteouse

That precyous herte he clefte [in] peces twayne in] 1520 omits

180

The purple blode eke from that hertes vayne

Downe rayned ryght fast in most rewfull wyse

With crystall water brought out of paradyse

Whan I behelde this wofull passyon

I wote not how by sodayne auenture

185

My herte was perced with very compassyon

That in me remayned no lyfe of nature

Strokes of dethe I felte withouten mesure

My dethes wounde I caught with wo opprest

And brought to that poynt as my hert shold brest

190

That wounde that hert / that blode of my derlynge

Shall neuer slyde from my memoryall

The bytter paynes also of tormentynge

Within my soule be grauen pryncypall

The spere alas that was so sharpe withall

195

So tyrled my herte as to my felynge tyrled: =thirled 'pierced'

That body and soule were at departynge

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As sone as I myght I releued vp agayne releued ='raised (myself)'; see OED s.v. relieve v, 6a

My breth I coude not very well restore

Felynge my-selfe drowned in so grete payne

200

Bothe body and soule me-thought were all to_tore

Uyolent falles greued me ryght sore

I wepte I bled and with my-selfe fared

As one that for his lyfe nothynge had cared

I lokynge vp towarde that rufull rode

205

Sawe fyrst the vysage pale of that fygure

But so pyteous a syght spoted all with blode

Sawe neuer yet no lyuynge creature

So it exceded the boundes of mesure

That mannes mynde with all the wyttes fyue

210

Is nothynge able that payne to dyscryue dyscryue] dyschryue 1520

Than gan I there myne armes to vnbrace

Up-lyftynge my hande mournyngly

I syghed and sore sobbed in that place

Bothe heuen and erth myght haue herde me crye

215

Wepynge I sayd alas incessauntly

A my swete-herte my goostly peramoure

Alas I may not thy body socoure

O blessyd lorde how fyerse and how cruell

These cursed wyghtes now hath the be_slayne

220

Keruynge thy body alas euery-dele

Wounde within wounde full bytter is thy payne

Now wolde that I myght to the attayne

To nayle my body fast vnto a tree

So that of this wo thou myght go fre

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225

I can not reporte ne make rehersayle

Of my demeanynge with the cyrcumstaunce

But well I wote the spere with euery nayle

Tyrled my soule by inwarde resemblaunce

Whiche neuer shall out of my remembraunce

230

Durynge my lyfe it wyll cause me to wayle

As ofte as I remembre that batayle

A ye Iewes worse than dogges rabyate rabyate: this is the sole attestation in OED s.v. rabiate

What moued you thus cruelly hym to aray

He neuer dyspleased you nor caused debate

235

Your loue and trwe hertes he coueyted ay

He preched he teched he shewed you the ryght way

Wherfore ye lyke tyrauntes wood and waywarde

Now haue hym thus slayne for his rewarde

Ye ought to haue remembred one thynge specyal

240

His fauour his grace and magnyfycence

He was your prynce borne / and lorde ouer all

How-be-it ye toke hym in small reuerence

He was full meke in suffrynge your offence

Neuer-the-lesse ye deuoured hym with one assente

245

As hungry wolues doth the lambe Innocente

Where was your pyte / o people mercylesse

Armynge your-selfe with falshode and treason

On my lorde ye haue shewed your goodnesse

Lyke no man but beestes without reason

250

Your malyce he suffred all for the season

Your payne wyll come thynke it not slacke

Man hauynge no mercy mercy shall lacke

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O ye traytours and maynteners of madnesse

Unto your foly I scrybe all my payne

255

Ye haue me depryued of Ioye and gladnesse

So dealynge with my lorde and souerayne

Nothynge sholde I nede thus now to complayne

Yf he had lyued in peace and tranquylyte

Whome ye haue slayne thorowe your iniquite

260

Fare-well your noblenesse that somtyme dyde reyne

Fare-well your worshyp both glorye and fame

Here-after to lyue in hate and dysdeyne

Meruayle ye not for your trespasse and blame

Unto shame is torned all your name

265

Upon you wyll wondre now euery nacyon

As people of moost vyle reputacyon

These wycked wretches these houndes of hell

As I haue tolde playne here in this sentence

Were not content my dere loue thus to quell

270

But yet they moost enbesyle his presence enbesyle his presence ='make away with his person'

As I apperceyue by couerte vyolence

They haue hym conueyde to my displeasure

For here is lefte but naked sepulture

Wherfore of trouth and ryghtfull Iugement

275

That theyr malyce ayen may be acquyted

After my verdyte and aduysement

Of faulse murdre they shall be endyted

Of thefte also whiche shall not be respyted

And in all hast they shall be hanged and drawe

280

I wyll my-selfe plede this cause in the lawe

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Alas yf I with true attendaunce

Had styll a_byden with my lordes corse

And kepte it styll with trewe perseueraunce

Than had not befall this wofull deuorse

285

But as for my payne welcome and no force

This shall be my songe where-someuer I go

Departynge is grounde of all my wo

I se ryght well now in my paynes smerte

There is no wounde of so greuous doloure

290

As is the wounde of my carefull herte

Sythe I haue lost this my paramoure

All swetnesse is torned in-to soure

Myrth to my herte may nothynge conueye

But he that bereth therof bothe locke and keye

295

The Ioye excellent of blessed paradyse

May me alas in no wyse reconforte

Songe of aungell may me nothynge suffyse

As in my herte now to make dysporte

All I refuse but that I myght resorte

300

Unto my loue / the well of godlyhed

For whose longynge I trowe I shall be deed

Of paynfull labour and torment corporall

I make therof none excepcyon

Paynes of hell I wolde passe ouer-all

305

My loue to fynde in myne affeccyon

So grete to hym is my dyleccyon

A thousande tymes martyred wolde I be

His blessyd corse ones yf I myght se

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Aboute this worlde so large in all compace

310

I shall not spare to renne my lyfe durynge

My feet also shall not reste in place

Tyll of my loue I may here some tydynge

For whose absence my handes now I wrynge

To thynke on hym cease shall neuer my mynde

315

O trewe Iesu where shall I the fynde

Iherusalem wyll I serche frome place to place

Syon / the vale_of_Iosaphath also

And yf I fynde hym not in all this space

By mount_olyuyt to bethany wyll I go

320

These wayes wyll I wandre and many mo

Nazareth / Bethleem / Montana Iude

No trauayll shall me payne hym for to se

His blessyd face yf I myght se and hym to fynde

Serche I wolde euery coste and countre

325

The fardest parte of Egypte or hote ynde

Sholde be to me but a lytell Iourne

How is he thus gone or taken a_waye

Yf I knewe the full treuth and certaynte

Yet from this care released myght I be

330

In-to wyldernes[s]e I thynke best to go wyldernesse] wylderneste 1520

Syth I can no more tydynges of hym here

There may I my lyfe lede to and fro.

There may I dwelle and to no man appere

To towne nor yet village wyl I not drawe nere

335

Alone in woodes / in rockes / and caues depe

I may at myn owne wyll bothe wayle and wepe

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My Ioye is translate full ferre in exyle

My myrth is chaunged in-to paynes colde

My lyfe I thynke endureth but a whyle

340

Anguysshe and payne is all that I beholde

Wherfore my handes thus I wrynge and folde

In-to this graue I loke / I call / I pray

Dethe remayneth and lyfe is borne awaye

Now must I walke and wander here and there

345

God wote to what partyes I shall me dresse

With quakynge herte wepynge many a tere

To seke out my loue and all my swetnesse

I wolde he wyst what mortall heuynesse

Aboute my herte reneweth more and more

350

Then wolde he not kepe pyte longe in store

Without hym I may not endure

His loue so werketh all within my breste

And euer I wepe before this sepulture

Syghynge full sore as my herte sholde breste

355

Durynge my lyfe I shall optayne no reste

But mourne and wepe where that euer I go

Makynge complaynte of all my paynfull wo

Fast I crye but there is none audyence

My comynge hyther was hym for to please

360

My soule opprest is here with his abscence

Alas he lyste not to sette myne herte in ease

Wherfore to payne myselfe with all dysease

I shall not spare tyll he take me to grace

Or elles shall I sterue here in this place

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365

Ones yf I myght with hym now here speke

It were all my Ioye with perfyte pleasaunce

So that I myght to hym my herte out-breke

I sholde anone deuoyde all my greuaunce

For he is the blysse of veray recreaunce recreaunce ='recreation, refreshment'

370

But now alas I can nothynge do so

For in-stede of Ioye nought haue I but wo

His noble corse within my hertes rote

Depe is grauen whiche shall neuer slake

Now is he gone to what place I ne wote

375

I mourne I wepe and all is for his sake

Syth he is past here a_vow I make

With hertely promyse and therto I me bynde

Neuer to sease tyll I may hym fynde

Unto his moder I thynke best to go

380

Of her happy sone comforte may I take

But one thynge yet me fereth and no mo

If I ony mencyon of hym make

Of my wordes she wolde tremble and quake

And who coude her blame she hauyng but one

385

The sone borne away the moder wyll mone

Sorowes many hath she suffred truly

Syth that she hym fyrst conceyued and bare

And .vii. thynges there be moost specyall

That drowned her herte in sorowe and care

390

Yet lo in no wyse may they compare

With this one now the whiche yf she knewe

She wolde her paynes euery_chone renewe

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Grete was her sorowe by mannes seynge

Whan in the temple Symeon_Iustus

395

Shewed to her these wordes prophetynge

(Tuam animam pertransibit gladius)

Also whan Herode that tyraunt furyous

Her chylde pursued in euery place

She knewe for his lyfe went mercy ne grace

400

She mourned whan she thought hym lost and gone

Full longe she sought or she founde hym agayne

Whan he went to deth his crosse hym vpon

It was to her eye-syght a ruthfull payne

Whan he henge theron bytwene theuys twayne

405

And the spere vnto his hert was thryst ryght

She sowned downe to the grounde ther pyght

Whan deed and all blody in her lappe laye

His body with hande and fote all to_torne

She cryed out and sayd now wale_awaye

410

Thus arayed was neuer man be_forne

Whan hast was made his body to be borne

Unto this sepulture here to remayne

Unneth for wo she coude herselfe susteyne

These sorowes .vij. lyke swerdes euerychone

415

The moder herte wounded from syde to syde

But yf she knewe her sone were thus gone

Out of this worlde she sholde with deth ryde

For care she coude no lenger here abyde

Hauynge no more Ioye and consolacyon

420

Then I here stondynge in this stacyon

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Wherfore her to se I dare not presume

From her presence I wyll my-selfe with_drawe

Yet I had leuer to dye and consume

Then his moder sholde haue ony more payne

425

Nethelesse her sone wolde I se full fayne

His presence was very Ioye and swetnesse

His absence now but sorowe and sournesse

There is no more syth I hym may not mete

Whome I desyre aboue all other thynge

430

Nedes I must take the soure with the swete

For of his noble course I here no tydynge

Full ofte I crye my hondes ofte I wrynge

My herte alas relenteth all in payne

Whiche wyll brest I fere both senowe and vayne

435

Alas how vnhappy is this wofull houre

Wherin is thus spended my seruyce

For myne entent and eke my trewe laboure

To none e[f]fecte may come in ony wyse effecte] enfecte 1520

Alas I thynke yf he do me dyspyse

440

And lyste not to take my symple obseruaunce

There is no more but deth is my fynaunce fynaunce ='ending'; see OED s.v. finance n1, 1

I haue hym called (Sed non respondet mihi)

Wherfore my myrthe is chaunged in-to mornynge

O dere lorde (Quid mali tibi feci)

445

That me to comfort I fynde none erthely thynge

Alas haue compassyon of my cryenge

Yf from me (Faciem tuam abscondas)

There is no more but (Co[n]sumere me vis) Consumere] Comsumere 1520

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Within my herte is grounded thy fygure

450

That all this worlde the horryble tormente

May not it aswage it is without mesure

It is so brennynge it is so feruente

Remembre lorde I haue ben dylygente

Euer the to please onely and no mo

455

My herte is with the where-so-euer I go

Therfore my derlynge (trahe me post te)

And let me not stonde here thus desolate

(Quia non est qui consoletur me)

My herte for the is all dysconsolate

460

My paynes also nothynge may moderate

Now yf it lyste the to speke with me a_lyue

Come in hast for my herte asonder wyll ryue

To the I profer my poore seruyse

The for to please after myn owne entente

465

I offer here as in deuoute sacrefyce

My boxe replete with precyous oyntemente

Myn eyen twayne wepynge suffycyente

My herte with anguysshe fulfylled alas

My soule eke redy for loue about to pas

470

Nought elles haue I the to please or paye

For yf my herte were golde or precyous stone

It sholde be thyne without delaye

With hertly chere thou sholde haue it anone

Why suffrest thou me than to stonde alone

475

Thou hast I trowe my wepynge in dysdeyne

Or elles thou knowest not what is my name

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Yf thou with_drawe thy noble dalyaunce

For ought that euer I dyspleased the

Thou knowest ryght well it is but ignoraunce

480

And of no knowlege for certente

Yf I haue offended lorde forgyue me

Glad I am for to make full repentaunce

Of all thynges that hath ben to thy greuaunce

My herte alas he welleth within my chest

485

So sore oppressed for anguysshe and payne

That all to peces forsothe it wyll brest

But yf I se thy blessyd corse agayne

For lyfe ne deth I can not me refrayne

Yf thou make delay thou may be sure

490

My herte wyll lepe in-to this sepulture

Alas my lorde why farest thou thus with me

My trybulacyon yet haue in mynde

Where is thy mercy where is thy pyte

Whiche euer I trusted in the to fynde

495

Somtyme thou were to me both good and kynde

Late it please the my prayer to accepte

Whiche with teres I haue here be_wepte

On me thou ought to haue very rewth

Syth for the is all this mournynge

500

For syth I to the applyed fyrst my trewth

I neuer varyed with dyscordynge

That knowest thou best myn owne derlynge

Why constreynest thou me thus to wayle

My wo for-soth can the nothynge auayle

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505

I haue endured withouten varyaunce

Ryght as thou knowest thy louer Iust and trwe

With herte and thought ay at theyr ordenaunce

Lyke to the saphyre alway in one hewe

I neuer chaunged the for ony newe

510

Why withdrawest thou my presence

Syth all my thought is for thyn absence

With herte entyere swete lorde I crye to the

Inclyne thyne eeres to my petycyon

And come (Uelociter exaudi me)

515

Remembre my hertes dysposycyon

It may not endure in this condycyon

Therfore out of this paynes (Libera me)

And where thou arte (Pone me iuxta te

Let me beholde o Iesu thy blessyd face

520

Thy fayre gloryous aungelyke vysage

Bow thyn eeres to my complaynt

For to reconceyue me out of this eage reconceyue: an error for receyue?eage: =age

Alas my lorde take from me this domage

And for my desyre for mercy condecende

525

For none but thou my greuaunce may amende

Now yet good lorde the I beseche and praye

As thou reysed my broder Lazarus

From deth to lyfe vpon the .iij. daye

Come agayne in body and soule precyous

530

As grete a thynge mayst thou shewe vnto vs

Of thy-selfe by the power of thy god_hede

As thou dyde of hym lyenge in graue deed

sig: [B4v]

My herte is wounded with thy charyte

It brenneth it flameth incessauntly

535

Come my good lorde (ad iuuandum me) ad] ad ad 1520

Now be not longe my payne to multyply

Lest in the meane-tyme I departe and dy

In thy grace I put bothe hope and credence

To do it pleaseth thy magnyfycence

540

Floodes of deth and trybulacyon

In-to my soule I fele entred full depe

Alas that here is no consolacyon

Euer I wayle / euer I morne and wepe

Wherby care hath my herte wounded depe

545

O depe loue no meruayle it is though I dye

(Sagitte tue [f]ixe sunt michi) fixe] sixe 1520

Wandrynge in this place as in wyldernesse

No comforte haue I nor yet assuraunce

Desolate of Ioye replete with fayntnesse

550

None answere receyuynge of myn inquyraunce

My herte also greuyd with dyspleasure

Wherfore I may saye (O deus deus

Non est dolor sicut dolor meus)

My herte expresseth (Quod dilexi multum

555

I may not endure though I wolde full fayne

For now (Solum superest sepulcrum)

I knowe it ryght well by my huge payne

Thus for to loue I may not lyfe sustayne

But o god I muse what eyleth the

560

(Quod sic repente precipitas me)

sig: [B5]

Alas I se it wyll none other-wyse be

Now must I take my leue for euer-more

This bytter payne hath almoost dyscomfyte me

My loue[s] corse I can not in no wyse restore loues] loue 1520My loue[s] corse: cf. my loues chere, above

565

Alas to this wo that euer I was bore

Here at this tombe now must I dye and sterue

Deth is aboute my herte for to kerue

My testament I wyll begyn to make

To god the fader my soule I commende

570

To Iesu my loue that dyed for my sake

My herte-rote and all both I gyue and sende

In whose ardent loue my lyfe maketh an ende

My body also vnto this monumente

I here bequyeth with boxe and oyntemente

575

Of all my wylles lo now I make the laste

Ryght in this place within this sepulture

I wyll be buryed whan I am deed and paste

And vpon my graue I wyl haue this scrypture

Here within resteth a gostely creature

580

Crystes true louer mary_Magdeleyn

Whose herte for loue brast in peces tweyn

Ye vertuous women tender of nature

Full of pyte and of compassyon

Resorte I pray you vnto my sepulture

585

To synge my dyrige with grete deuocyon

Shewe your charyte in this condycyon

Synge with pyte and lette your hertes wepe

Remembrynge I am deed and layde a_slepe

sig: [B5v]

Than whan ye begynne to parte me fro

590

And ended haue your mournynge obseruaunce

Remembre where-someuer ye go

Alwaye to serche and make dewe inquiraunce

After my loue my hertes sustenaunce

In euery towne and euery vyllage

595

Yf ye may here of his noble ymage

And yf it happe by ony grace at the laste

That ye my trewe loue fynde in ony cost

Say that his magdaleyn is deed and paste

For his pure loue she hath yelde vp her goste

600

Say that of all-thynge I loued hym moost

And say that I myght not this deth exchewe

My paynes so sore dyde euer renewe

And in token of loue perpetuall

Whan I am buryed in this place present

605

Take out my herte the very rote and all

And close it within this boxe of oyntement

To my dere loue make therof a presente

Knelynge downe with worde lamentable

Do your message speke fayre and tretable

610

Say that I to hym my-selfe commende

A thousande tymes with herte so fre

This poore token say to hym I sende

Pleaseth it his goodnes to take it in gree

It is his owne of ryght it is his fee

615

Whiche he asked whan he sayd longe before

Gyue me thyn herte I desyre no more

sig: [B6]

Adieu my lorde my loue so fayre of face

Adieu my turtyll-doue frende of hewe frende of hewe ='of friendly appearance'

Adieu my myrth / Adieu all my solace

620

Adieu alas my sauyour lorde Iesu

Adieu the gentyllest that euer I knewe

Adieu my moost excellent peramoure

Fayrer than rose swetter than the lely-floure

Adieu my hope of pleasure eternall

625

My lyfe my welth and my prosperyte

My herte of golde / my perle orentall

My adamont of perfyte charyte

My chefe refuge and my felycyte

My conforte and all recreacyon

630

Fare-well parpetuall saluacyon

Fare-well myn emperour celestyall

Moost beaute_full prynce of mankynde

Adieu my lorde of herte moost lyberall

Fare-well swetenesse bothe soule and mynde

635

So louynge a spouse shall I neuer fynde

Adieu my souerayne and very gentylman

Fare-well dere lorde hertely as I can

Thy wordes eloquent flowynge in swetnesse

Shall no more alas my mynde recomforte

640

Wherfore my lyfe must ende in bytternesse

For in this worlde shall I neuer resorte

To the whiche were my heuenly dysporte

I se alas it wyll none other be

Now fare-well the grounde of all dygnyte

sig: [B6v]

645

Adieu my fayrest that euer was bore

Alas I may not se thy blessyd face

Now wayle_awaye that I shall se no more

Thy blessyd vysage so replete with grace

Wherin is prynted my perfyte solace

650

Adieu my herte-rote and all for euer

Now fare-well I must frome the dysceuer

My soule for anguysshe is now full thrysty

I faynt ryght sore for heuynesse

My lorde / my spouse (Cur me derelinquisti)

655

Syth I for the suffer all this dystresse

What causeth the to seme thus mercylesse

Syth the it pleaseth of me to make an ende

(In manus tuas) My spyryte I commende.

FINIS

¶Here endeth the complaynte of the louer of cryst Saynt mary_Magdaleyn. Enprynted at London in Fletestrete at the sygne of the Sonne by Wynkyn_de_Worde.