O! swete soule of Mary, prey thy sone us defende,
Have mynde of thy pore brether when thou comyst to thi tron!
Chorus Mart. Quæ est ista quæ assendit de deserto, Deliciis affluens injunxa super dilectum suum? Ordo Angelus. Ista est speciosa inter filias Jherusalem sicut vidistis eam, Plenam caritate et dilectione sicque in cœlum gandeus suscipitur, Et a dextris filii in trono gloriæ collocatur.
Hic cantabit omnis celestis curia.
Prima virgo. Now, suster, I beseke you let us do oure attendaunce, And wasche this glorious body that here in oure sith is, As is the use among us wythoutyn ony varyaunce: Now blessid be this persone that bar God of mythtis. Secunda virgo. I am redy, suster, wyth alle myn hol affyaunce, To wesche and worschepe this body that so brith is; Alle creaturys therto owyn dew obeschaunce, ffor this body resseyvid the holy gostis flithtis.
Et osculabunt corpus Mariæ.
Johannes. Now, holy brother Peter, I hertely you pray
To bere this holy palme before this gloryous body,
ffor ye ben Prince of Apostelis and hed of oure fay,
Therfore it semyth you best to do this offis treuly.
Petrus. Sere, and ye slept on Cristis brest seyng alle celestly,
Ye are Goddis clene mayde wythoutyn any nay;
This observaunce is most like you to do dewly,
Wherfore tak it upon you, brother, we pray;
And I schal helpe for to bere the bere.
Paulus. And I, Peter, wyth oure brether in fere,
This blessid body schal helpe to the ground;
This holy cors now take we up here,
Seyng oure observaunce wyth devouth sound.
