With thy blode precious our finaunce thou dyd pay,
And us redemed, from the fendys pray;
To thé pray we, as prince incomperable,
As thou art of mercy and pite the well,
Thou bringe unto thy joye etermynable
The soull of this lorde from all daunger of hell,
In endles blis with thé to byde and dwell
In thy palace above the orient,
Where thou art lorde, and God omnipotent.
O quene of mercy, O lady full of grace,
Maiden moste pure, and Goddes moder dere,
To sorowfull harts chef comfort and solace,
Of all women O flowre withouten pere!
Pray to thy son above the sterris clere,
He to vouchesaf by thy mediacion
To pardon thy servant, and bringe to salvacion.
In joy triumphaunt the hevenly yerarchy,
With all the hole sorte of that glorious place,
His soule mot receyve into ther company
Thorowe bounte of hym that formed all solace:
Well of pite, of mercy, and of grace,
The father, the son, and the holy goste
In Trinitate one God of myghts moste!
***I have placed the foregoing poem of Skelton's before the following extract from
Hawes, not only because it was written first, but because I think Skelton is in general
to be considered as the earlier poet; many of his poems being written long before
Hawes'sGraunde Amour.
NOTES
- Percy's text has been carefully revised by collation with the reading of the Elegy as
given by the Rev. Alexander Dyce.-- Editor. - The mother of Henry, first Earl of Northumberland, was Mary, daughter to Henry,
Earl of Lancaster, whose father Edmond was second son of King Henry III. The
mother and wife of the second Earl of Northumberland were both lineal descendants
of King Edward III. The Percys also were lineally descended from the Emperor
Charlemagne and the ancient Kings of France, by his ancestor Josceline du Lovain
(Son of Godfrey, Duke of Brabant), who took the name of PERCY on marrying the
heiress of that house in the reign of Henry II. Vide. Camden'sBritan. Edmondson,
&c. - Alluding to his crest and supporters.Douttedis contracted forredoubted.