Page:Ludus Coventriae (1841).djvu/195

 pleyeth with the child, and qwhan the psalme is endyd, he seyth,

Now lete me dye, Lord, and hens pace! ffor I thi servaunt in this place Have sen my Savyour dere; Whiche thou hast ordeyned beforn the face Of al mankynde, this tyme of grace, Opynly to appere. That lyth is shynand clere, To alle mankyndys savacion; Mary, take ȝour childe now here, And kepe wel this manis savacion.

Anna prophetissa. Ne I rowth nere to dye also, ffor more than ffowre skore ȝere and to            This tyme hath bede to se. And sythe that it is come therto, What Goddys wyl is with me to do,            Ryght ȝeven so mot it be. Joseph. Take here these candelys thre,—  Mary, Symeon, and Anne; And I xal take the fowrte to me,   To offre oure childe up thanne. Maria. Hyest ffadyr, God of powere! ȝour owyn dere son I offre ȝow here,            As I to ȝour lawe am sworn. Receyve thi childe in glad manere, For he is the fyrst, this childe so dere,            That of his modyr is born. But ȝow I offre hym ȝow beforn,  Good Lord, ȝit ȝyf me hym aȝen! ffor my comforte were fully lorn,  If we xulde longe a-sondyr ben. Mari leyth the childe on the autere.