Henry Charles Beeching, ed. (1859–1919). Lyra Sacra: A Book of Religious Verse. 1903.
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JESUS 1 that sprang of Jesse’s root, | |
As us hath preached the prophete, | |
Flower and fruit both soft and soote 2 | |
To mannis soul of savour sweet; | |
Jesu, Thou broughtest man to boot | 5 |
When Gabriel gan Mary greet, | |
To fell our foemen under foot, | |
In her Thou sit’st a seemly seat; | |
A maiden was Thy mother meet, | |
Of whom Thou tookest flesh for us; | 10 |
As ye may both my balës beet, 3 | |
So be my comfort, Christ Jesus. | |
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Jesu, Thou art wisdom of wit, | |
Of Thy Father full of might! | |
Mannis soul to saven it, | 15 |
In poor apparel Thou wert dight. | |
Jesu, Thou were in cradle knit | |
In weedë wrapped both day and night, | |
In Bethlehem born, as the gospel writ, | |
With angels’ song and heaven light. | 20 |
Bairn y-born of a birdë 4 bright, | |
Full courteous was Thy comely cus; 5 | |
Through virtue of that sweetë light, | |
So be my comfort, Christ Jesus. | |
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Jesu, that were of yearës young, | 25 |
Fair and fresh of hide and hue, | |
When Thou were in thraldom throng 6 | |
And tormented with many a Jew; | |
When blood and water were out-wrong, | |
For beating was Thy body blue; | 30 |
As a clod of clay Thou were for-clong, 7 | |
So dead in trough 8 then men Thee threw. | |
But grace out of Thy gravë grew; | |
Thou rose up quick, comfort to us. | |
For her love that this counsel knew, | 35 |
So be my comfort, Christ Jesus. | |
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Jesu, soothfast God and Man, | |
Two kindis knit in one persone, | |
The wonder work that Thou began, | |
Thou hast fulfilled in flesh and bone. | 40 |
Out of this world wytely 9 Thou wan, | |
Lifting up Thyself alone; | |
For mightily Thou rose, and ran | |
Straight unto Thy Father in throne. | |
Now dare man make no morë moan; | 45 |
For man it is Thou wroughtë thus, | |
And God with man is made at one, | |
So be my comfort, Christ Jesus. | |
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Jesu, my sovereign Saviour, | |
Almighty God, there be no mo; | 50 |
Christ, be Thou my Governour, | |
Thy faith let me not fallen fro. | |
Jesu, my joy and my succour, | |
In my body and soul also, | |
God, be Thou my strongest food, | 55 |
And wis 10 Thou me when me is woe. | |
Lord, Thou makest friend of foe, | |
Let me not live in languor thus, | |
But see my sorrow, and say now “ho!” 11 | |
And be my comfort, Christ Jesus. | 60 |
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Jesu, to Thee I cry and greed, 12 | |
Prince of Peace, to Thee I pray; | |
Thou wouldest bleed for mannis need, | |
And suffer many a fearful fray. | |
Thou me feed in all my dread | 65 |
With patïencë now and ay | |
My life to lead in word and deed, | |
As is most pleasant to Thy pay, 13 | |
And to die well when it is my day. | |
Jesu, that died on tree for us, | 70 |
Let me not be the fiendis prey, | |
But be my comfort, Christ Jesus. Amen. | |