And as for ȝourself here, thus xal ȝe begynne,—
ȝe must serve and wurchep God here dayly;
ffor what prayȝer with grace and mercy,
Sethe have a resonable tyme to fede,
Thanne to have a labour bodyly,
That therin be gostly and bodely mede.
ȝour abydynge xal be with ȝour maydenys ffyve,
Whyche tyme as ȝe wole have consolacion.
Maria. This lyff me lyketh as my lyve: Of her namys I beseche ȝow to have informacion. Episcopus. There is the fyrst Meditacion, Contryssyon, Compassyon, and Clennes, And that holy mayde Fruyssyon: With these blyssyd maydenes xal be ȝour besynes. Maria. Here is an holy ffelachepp, I fele I am not wurthy amonge hem to be: Swete systeres, to ȝow alle I knele, To receyve, I beseche, ȝour charyté. Episcopus. They xal, dowtere, and on the tothere syde se, Ther ben sefne prestys indede, To schryve, to teche, and to mynystryn to the, To lerne the Goddys lawys and Scrypture to rede. Maria. ffadyr, knew I here namys, wele were I. Episcopus. Ther is Dyscressyon, Devocion, Dylexcion, and Deliberacion,— They xal tende upon ȝow besyly; With Declaracion, Determynacion, Dyvynacion; Now go ȝe, maydenys, to ȝour occupacion, And loke ȝe tende this childe tendyrly; And ȝe, serys, knelyth,and I xal gyve ȝow Goddys benyson, In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti!
Et recedent cum ministris suis omnes virgines, dicentes "Amen."
To ȝow, ffadyr and modyr, I me comende,
Blyssyd be the tyme ȝe me hedyr brought.
