<County: Yorkshire West Riding>
<Code: L0032>
<MS reference: Oxford, Bodleian Library, Hatton 12>
<Text: Rolle's Commentary on the Psalter>
<Tranche 1>
<fol. 4ra>GRete habundans of gastly conforth
and ioy in god comes in ye her
tes of þaime þat says or synges devotly
þe psalmes in louynge of ihesu crist . Þai
drop swetnes in mans saule & helles
delites in þeir~ thoghtes and kyndelis
yair~ willes with ye fire of luf mak
and þam hate and brynnand wtin .
and fair~ and lufly in cristes eghen .
And þam þat lastes in þaire devoci
oun þai rayse þam in-to contemplatif
lyf . and ofte syth in-to soun and myrth
of heuen . Þe sange of psalmes chaces
fendes . excites aungels tille our~ help .
it dose oway synne . it qwemes god .
it enfourmes parfitnes . it dose oway
& destroys noy and angers of saule . &
makes pees bytwix body and saule . it
bringes desire of heuen & despite of erth
ly thinge . Sothely yis shinand boke
es a chosen sange bifor god . als laumpe
lyghtenand our~ lyf . hele of a seke
hert ; huny til a bitter saule . Dignite
of gastly persones . Tunge of priue vertus
þe whilke heldes þe proude tille mek
nes . & kynges til pouer menne makis
vnderloute . fosterand barnes wt hame
lynes . In yaime es so mekil fairehede
of vnderstandynge & medicyne of wor
des ; þat þis boke es called . garth en
closed wele . enseled . paradys fulle of
appelles Nowe with halsom lar~ . dru
uyd and stormy saules [it] bringes in-tille
clere & peesfulle lyf Now amones
tand to [forthink] synne with teres . Now hygh
tand ioy til rightwys menne now
manassand helle tille wicked . þe sang
þat delites tille hertes & leres þe
saule es made a voyce of syngand &
wt . aungelis [of] wham we may noght
<fol. 4rb> here . we menge wordes of louynge swa
þat worthily he may trow hym alien
fra verray lyf wha sa haues noght
þe delitabil of þis of þis gifte of won
derfulle swetnes . þe whilk waxes not
soure . thurgh ye corrupciouns of yis
werld . bot [is] ay lastand in ye dignite of
it in grace of purest softenes es wax
and alle gladnes and delite of erth
vanys[es away] . & at ye last witys to noght
bot it þe langer tyme it has . þe mar~
it es . and althermast agaynes a+mans
dede when luf es parfitest . Þis boke es
called þe psauter þe whilke name it has
of [a] instrument of musyke . þat in Ebru
es Nablum . jn Grek sautery of psal
me in Inglis es to touche & it es of
tenne cordes & gyues ye soune fra ye
ouerer thurgh touchinge of hende Als
so þis boke leres to kepe þe tenne co
maundementys . & to wirk noght for
erthly thinge . bot for heuen þat es obo
uen . & so we gyf soune fro vpward
at þe touchinge of our~ hend . when
alle þat we wele do es for goddes luf.
Als-so þis boke es distynged in thris
fyfty psalmes . in ye whilke . iij . states
of cristens mans religioun ere sig
nyfyed . Þe first in penaunce . þe to
þer in rightwisenes . þe thrid in lo
uynge . of endeles lyf . Þe first fyfty
es endyd in . myserer~ <lat></lat> . þe toþer
in <lat></lat> . þe thrid
at <lat></lat> . Þis boke
of alle haly writte es mast vsed in
haly kirkes seruys . forthi þat in it
es perfeccioun of dyuyne pagine . For
it contenes al þat other bokes dra
wes langely . þat es ye lare of ye ald
testament & of ye new . þar~ in [es] descri
<fol. 4va>ued ye medes of gode menne þe py
nes of ille menne . þe disciplyne of
penaunce . þe waxinge in rightwis
lyf . ye perfeccioun of haly menne . þe
whilke passes til heuen . þe lyf of ac
tyf menne . þe meditacioun of contem
platyf . & ye ioye of contemplaciouns
ye heghe state may be in mans lyf
and in body and feld Als-so what
synne reues fro mans saule . what
penaunce restores . it es no nede to
telle ilkane here . for thurgh þe grace
of god þou sal fynde þem oppynd in
þair~ stedes . Þis scriptur~ es called boke
of ympnes of crist . Þmpne es louyng
of god with sange . Til ane ympne fal
les thre thinges . louynge of god ioy
inge of hert . or thoght . affectuous 3er
nynge of godes
luf . Sange es a gret
gladnes of thoght of lastand thinge
& endeles ioy . brestand in voyce of lo
uynge . wele þan es it sayde ye boke
of þmpnes . For it leres vs to loue god
with glad chere . and myrth . & softnes
in saule . noght anely in hert bot
als-so with voyce . loueand & kennand
þaime þat are vnkunand .Þe mater
of yis boke es crist & his spouse þat
es haly kirk . Or ilke a rightwys
mans saule . Þe entent es to con
fourme [yo] þat er~ fyled in Adam tille
crist in newnes of lyf . Þe maner of
lare es swilke ; vmstunt he spekys
of crist in his godhede . vmstunt in
his manhede . vmstunt in þat . þat he
vses þe voyce of his seruauntes
Als-so he spekys of haly kirk in thre
maners vmwhile in ye persone of par
fite men . summe-tyme [in persoun] of vnparfit
menne . summe-tyme of ille menne
<fol. 4vb> þe whilke ar~ in haly kirk be body
noght be thoght . be name noght be
dede . in noumbyr noght in merite .
In yis werk . i . seke no strange Inglis
bot lightest & comunest & swilke yt
es mast like vnto þe latyn . so þat
þai þat knawes noght be þe jnglis
may cum tille many latþn wordes .
Jn þe translacioun . i . folow þe letter
als mekil als . i . may . & þare . i . fynde
na propir inglys . i . folow þe witte of
þe word . so þat þai þat sal rede it
þam thar+noght dred errynge . Jn ex
pounynge . i . folow haly doctours . For
it may cum in[to] sum enuyouse mans
hand . þat knawys noght what he
suld suld say . þat wille say þat . i . wist
noght what . i . sayde & so do harme
tille hym & tille other if he despise þe
werk þat es prophetabil tille hym & other
<Tranche 2>
<fol. 8ra><line 20> Lord whartille ere þei
manyfald þat angers me ; many
rises ogaynes me . Þe voyce of cris
ten mans saule saþs til crist for perse
cucioun of gastly enmys & bodily .
Lord whartille . þat es . wheþer til þair~
schendeschipe or myne . if . i . ouercome
þaime it es til my coroun . if þai ouer
come me it es my dampnacioun .
Multiplyed ere þat angers me . þt es
vices & fleschely couaþtys agaþnes
wham ilke a+rightwise man feghtes
alle his lyue her~ . il men feghtes
noght bot ogaynes god . for til hym
þai make þaime contrarie & a-cor
des þaime til synne . many þat es
fendes & þe fendes lyms rises ogay
nes me . for to put me dowon and bring
me oute of charite als þei er~ . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . Many
saþs til my saule þar~ es na hele til
him in god of it . Þis saw es of þe
deuel and of many syns þat waytes
to bringe men in til despayr~ . als wo
say þou has mekil synned . & it es
hard to leue lust of þi flesche & li
kynge of þe werld . do forth & lede þi
<fol. 8rb> lyf als þe list . for-þi god wil noght
hele yi saule . þir ere lighers & þai
say to bigile ye . for goddes mercy es
ay redy til al þat forsakes syn . and
þis þe prophet schewþs and says <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . Bot þou lord es myn
vptaker my ioy & hegh & my heued .
þus þai sayde to desaþue me . bot
þou takes me vp in-tille þi grace .
þat . i . assented noght tille þair~ saw .
& forthi þou ert my ioy . þat es . i . ioy
in ye & sekys anely þine honour~
Noght vanite ne louynge of men .
& þou es heghand my heued fra erth
ly luf . in contemplacioun & luf of
heuen so þat . i . be noght put dowen
in what tribulacioun or temptacioun
þat bifalles . for . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . with my voyce
. i . cried til [oure] lord ; & he me herd fra
his haly hille . Voyce of hert þat es
grete gernynge <yogh added above g?> of Goddes luf
sounes bifore crist . his praier he
calles cryinge . for þe force of fir~
of luf es in his saule . þat makis
his prayer to thrille heuen . & so he
herd hym fro his haly hille . þat
es of his rightwisnes . for it es
rightwise byfor god to help hym
yat es in angwys for his luf <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . J . slepe & i . am soked
and . i . rase for [oure] Lord vptoke me . what
did he . i . slepe yat es . i . rested me
first in synful lyf & in sclawnes .
& . i . am soked in my [synne] lange liggand
<fol. 8va>þare-in . and sithen . i . ras fra dede
tille lyf . fra ydelnes til exercise in god
des seruys . & þis noght by my-self .
bot for my lord toke me til penance
and enspirid my hert for to hate syn &
þare-fore . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . J sal noght drede
thousandes of folke vngifand
me rise lord make me saf my
god . þis thusand of folke es alle
þe deuelis of helle & þaire tempta
ciouns & alle vices . þe whilke vm
gyues men to desayue þaime and
twyn þaime fra god . bot alle þir
thar hym noght drede . wham god
has vptakyn & at it be so rise
lord . þat es . ger me rise parfitely
in til þi luf . and make me saf my [god]
forthi luf saues fra drede of alle
thinges . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . For
þou has smyten alle my conrariand
tille me with-outen cheson . þe
teyth of synful þou sal to-breke .
þou sal saue me & þou sal smite
þe deuel and al his lyms . in dampna
cioun . with-outen cheson he says .
for na man has cheson to noy a
rightwise man þat noyes na
man . Forthi na+man may be ex
cused þat harmes a gode man
in word or dede . for alle er~ halden
to help hym in his myster and to luf
him in [his] godenes . þe teyth of synful
er~ þe maliciouse gnaþstynges
of backebiters . & þe desayuabil
wordes of flaters . þe whilke crist
<fol. 8vb> sal alto-breke . in þair~ dede . for þan
þai sal noght kun say il ogaynes
rightwise menne . na gode of il men .
wham now þei flater for aw . [or] for fauor .
Bot þan þai sal lose þare teyth and brin
for þaime in þe fire of helle <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . Of lord es hele
& on þi folke þi blissynge . Trowe
þat es sayde ; & hopis in crist & noght
in 3our~self . for hele es anely of
hym & he wil noght saue bot his
lufers . and lord þi folke . þat es on
ilkane of vs be yi blissynge . þt may
bringe vs to þi luf . & so til endeles
lyf in heven
<Tranche 3>
<fol. 21ra><line 4> <lat></lat> . Hou lange lord
forgetys [þow] me in þe endynge . hou
lange oway-turnes þou þi face
fra me . þe voyce of haly men
þat couetþs & 3ernys þe comyng
of ihesu crist . þat þai mught lyf
with hym in ioþ and plenand þam
of delaynge & says . lord hou lange
forgetys þou me in þe endynge þt
. i . couaþte to haue & . hald þt es how
lange delays you me fra ye syght
of ihesu crist þat es right endynge of
myne entent . and hou lange turnes
þou þi face fra me . þat es . when
wil-tow gif me parfit knawynge
of þe . þis wordes may nane say [sothli] bot
a parfite man or woman þat has
gederd to-geder al þe desires of þair~
saule & with þe nayle of luf fested
þam in Ihesu crist . so þat þam think
an our~ of þe day war~ . ouer lange
to duelle fra hym for þam langes
aþ til hym . bot þa þat lufes noght
so has no langinge þat he come for
þair~ consciens says þam þat yai haf
noght lufed hym als þai suld haf
done <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . Hou
lange sal . i . sette consayles in my
saule sorow in my hert be day .
3ete þe longinge of a clene gast
es schewed hou lange sal . i . [set] coun
sayle in my hert of diuers thinges
Grete brynnynge of ye sufferand
here es sene als so say hou lange
sal . i . be in aduersites for men has no
<fol. 21rb> myster of consaile ˆ [in aduersite] bot i am [in] angwys & so
row in my saule of delayinge . by
day þat es continuelly whiles my lyf
lastes . For when we couayte a+thinge
& þat thinge es delayd þe sororow of
3ernynge waxes . And for na+man lyfs
her~ with-outyn temptacioun yof he
be neuer so parfite . he says . <lat></lat>
<lat><3 lines></lat>
Hou lange sal myne enmy be he[i]ghed
obouen me ; loke & here me lord my
god . his enmy he calles þe deuel or fles
chely custome þat es heghed obouen
hym whiles god suffers hym haue
myght to temp hym or turment him .
bot þat . i . be lesed of yat enmy loke
whas lokynge es help & here me in yis
<lat><3 lines></lat>
<lat></lat> . Lygh
ten myne eghen þat . i . noght þat . i .
noght any tyme sclepe in dede . les
when myne enmy say . i . had þe maystri
ogaynes hym . Lyghten with yi luf
þe eghen of my hert þat . i . slepe
noght ˆ <mrg><4 words?></mrg> louked in delite of syn . þan we
slepe in dede . when ye light of goddes
luf es grauen and slokend in vs . &
we haue our~ delite in fleschely lust .
or in any other dedely syn . les when
myne enmy þat es þe devel say . i .
had maystri agaþnes hym he makþs
his saute in vs . & bost byfore god to
ger~ vs be dampned yf he may ouer
come vs in any temptacioun .
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<fol. 21va><lat></lat> Þai þat
angers me sal be glade if . i . war stird
bot [i] in yi mercy hoped . þe deuelis þat
tempis vs nyght and day . has nan no
ther ioþ þan if þai stir vs fra stabil
nes . of thoght & ger vs falle in syn .
þai anger me for to stir me & sythen
eftir [stirring] waþtes when . i . falle þat þai so
myght make hethinge at me . Bot . i .
lord hoped in þi mercþ to stand & sette
noght be þair~ stirynge no more þan
a gyaunt dos at [<ill><1 word></ill> of] a+wayke man . <lat></lat>
<lat><3 lines></lat>
<lat></lat> . My hert sal ioy in þi hele . i .
sal synge til [oure] lord þat gaf godes tille
me : & . i . sal synge til þe name of lord
heghest . J . Sal noght anely make me
bright & brynnand in luf for me . bot
als so þat myne enmy ioy noght for
if he be overcommyn he sal have so
row . & my hert sal ioy in þi hele . þat
es in ihesu wham . i . bþhald in thoght
& til hym . i . sal synge in gladnes of
saule . when al þe myghtes of my hert
er~ raysed in til þe soune of heuen þan
may . i . synge with ioþ . and wonder
fulle cryinge þat falles tille contemplatif
lyf for he gaf godes gastlþ til me for to
synge til hym in swilke louþnge &
. i . sal synge with werk til honour of him
þt falles til actif lyf . als-so say . i . sal
thanke hym with ioy in thoght & dede
<Tranche 4>
<fol. 84vb> <line 34> <lat></lat>. Haue mercy of me god
haue mercy of me : for in þe traþstes
my saule . Haue mercy of me þat . i .
rise oute of al synnes . haue mercy of
me þat it be wele sufferand in angwys
for in þe noght in it-self traystes my
saule 3ernand þi luf <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . And in þe scha
dow of þi wynges . i . sal hope til wic
kednes passe . þat es in hilþnge & ko
lþnge of þi godenes and þi pite fro þe
<fol. 85ra>hete of vices . i . sal hope to be saued
to wickednes pas . þat es enterly atte
endynge fulfilled . for aþ til þam wc
kednes angerand wil noght want . <lat></lat>.
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . I sal crye til god hegh
est til god yat wele did til me . J . sal
noght be þdel bot . i . sal crþ with alle
þe myght of my hert tille god heghest
forthi me bihoues nede cry bot . i . haf
proued his godenes for he did wele til me .
þat he herd me criand . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . He sent fra heuen & he deliuerd
me & gaf into reproue þe tredand me
He sent his sone fro heuen thurgh
hym deliuered me of þe deuelis prisoun
& he gaf in reproue of endeles pyne
tredand me . þat es þe deuel & his lyms
þat pynes rightwise menne . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> God
sent his mercy & his sothfastnes and
he toke oute my saule fro þe myd
des of þe whelpes of þe leones . & . i .
sclepe druuþd God sent mercy til my
soule forgifand [my] synne in his sothfast
nes punyssand me mercifullþ & so he
toke me oute my saule þat was bun
den in bandes of synne . fro þe myddes
of whelpes of lyouns . þat es fro þe
comune lþf of werldely lufers þat ar~
þe whelpis of þe deuel o-mange þam
. i . scleped þat es . i . rested me in vices
in filth and synne . Bot . i . was druuþd
of þam þat es turmentid . þat gert
me soner depart me fro þam & hast
<fol. 85rb> me to god <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> Sones
of menne þair~ te3th ar~ armes
& arrowes . þe tonge of þam are
scharp swerd . Sones of men þat ar~
elded in malice . þe te3th of þam
þat es þair~ gnawynges in backe
bitynges are armes þat þai defen
de þam with fro god & arowþs wt
þe whilke þat þai wounde other
and þair~ tonge þat es þair~ venummous
speche es scharp swerd slaand sa<u?>
les . <lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . Þai graþ
thed snare til my fete & þai croked
mþ saule . þat es til affecciouns
of mþ saule þai sette þe snar~
of dampnacioun vnder bodilþ
delite & þai croked mþ saule .
þat es þai thoght to draw it fra
þe luf of god in til þe erth .
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat>
<lat></lat> . Þai groue a pitte
bþ-fore mþ face & þai felle þar
inne . þat es þai graythed stu
dþouselþ . þat . i . knew flescheli
lust to take me with þat es a
depe pitte til al þat folowys it
& þai felle þar~-in þat es þai
noyed til þam-self noght tille
me for . i . vnderstode þat alle
þe ioþ of þis werld es bot als
a flour~ of þe feld .