Benedicite omnia opera.

LLE werkes of the Lord, blesse ye to the Lord praise ye and overheie yee him in to the worldes.

A

Aungels of the Lord, blesse ye to the Lord: heuenes, blesse ye to the Lord.

Alle watres that ben aboven heuenes, blesse ye to the Lord: alle vertues of the Lord, blesse yee to the Lord.

Sonne and mone, blesse ye to the Lord: sterres of heven, blesse ye to the Lord.

Reyn and dewe, blesse ye to the Lord: alle spirites of God, blesse ye to the Lord.

Fier and swellynge hete, blesse ye to the Lord: cold and somer, blesse ye to the Lord.

Dewes and hoor frost, blesse ye to the Lord; frost and colde, blesse ye to the Lord.

Yses and snowes, blesse ye to the Lord: niztes and daies, blesse ye to the Lord.

Lizt and darknesse, blesse ye to the Lord: liztnynges and clowdes, blesse ye to the Lord.

The erthe blesse he the Lord: preise and overheie he hym in to the worldes.

Hilles bothe more and lasse, bless ye to the Lord : alle that burgeneth in erthe, blesse ye to the Lord. Welles, blesse ye to the Lord: sees and flodes, blesse yee to the Lord.

5 Douce, MS. 275, fol. 9. b. In the Bodleian Library, Oxford.

Whales and alle that moven in watres, blesse ye to the Lord: alle foules of heuene, blesse ye to the Lord. Alle bestis bothe moore and lasse, blesse ye to the Lord: mennes sones, blesse ye to the Lord.

Folk of Israel, blesse ye to the Lord: preise thei him and overhie him into the worldes.

Prestes of the Lord, blesse ye to the Lord: servauntis of the Lord, blesse ye to the Lord.

Spirites and soules of riztful men, blesse ye to the Lord: holi and meke of herte, blesse ye to the Lord. Ananye, Azarie, Mysael, blesse ye to the Lord: preise and overheie ye him in to the worldes.

Blesse we the Fader, and the Sone, with the Holi Gost preise we hym and overheie we hym into the worldes.

Blessed art thou, Lord, in the firmament of heuene: and preisable and glorious and overheied, in to the worldes.

Magnificat.

I soule magnifie the lord: and my spirit hath gladid in god myn helthe.

For he hath biholden the mekeness of

his hondmaiden: lo, forsothe, of this alle

generaciouns schulen sein me blessid.

For he that is my3ti hath don to me greet thingis: and his name is holy.

And his merci fro kinrede into kinredis: to men dredynge him.

He made myste in his arme he scateride proude men with mynde of his herte.

He puttide doun my3ti men fro sete and enhaunside meke men.

He hath fulfilled hungry men with goode thingis: and he hath lefte riche men voide.

He havinge mynde of his merci : took up

child.

israel his

Has he hath spoken to oure fadris: to habraham and to his seed into worldis.

Amen.

6 From MS. Harleian, 2343, fol. 2. In the British Museum.

schullen

Magnificat anima mea."

I soule magnifieth the Lord: and my goost maad joye in God myn helthe.

For he lokede the mekenesse of his hondmaide lo therfore alle generaciouns say I am blessed.

For he that is mysti hath do grete thinges to me: and his name holi.

And his mercy is fro kynredes in to kynredes: to hem that beth dredynge him.

He dide myzt in his arme: he scatereth proude men with thou3t of his herte.

He putte doun my3ti men of the sete: and heizede meke.

Hungry men he fulled with goodes: and riche he lefte empti.

He toke up Israel his child: thenkynge on his mercy.

As he hadde spoken to our fadres Abraham and to his seed for evere.

Glory be to the Fader.

Nunc dimittis servum.8

WOW thou levest thi servaunt, Lord: after thi word

NOW

in pees.

For myn eizen han seien thin helthe: whiche thou hast greithed to fore the face of alle folkes.

List to revelacioun of hethen folk and glory of thi folk of Israel.

Glorie be to the.

7 Douce, MS. 275. fol. 26. In the Bodleian Library, Oxford. 8 Douce, MS. 275, fol. 29.

Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel: quia visitavit.? LESSED be the Lord God of Israel: for he hath visited us and made redempcioun of his folke.

helthe to us

And he hath rered up the horne of in the hous of David his childe.

As he hath spoken by the mowthe of seyntis: the whiche fro the world ben of his prophetis.

Helthe of oure enemys: and of the honde of alle that hateden us.

Merci to be don with oure faders: and have mynde of his holy testament.

The othe that he swor to Abraham oure fader: to zifen hym self to us.

That we with outen drede delyvered of oure enemys hondes: serven to hym.

In holynesse and ryztewisnesse by fore hym: alle oure dayes.

And thou childe schalt be clepyd prophete of the heyest for why, thou schalt goo byfore the face of the Lord to make redy his weyes.

Connynge of helthe to be zoven to his folke: in to forzevenesse of here synnes.

By the entrailles of mercy of oure God: in whiche he hath visited us growing from anheye.

To zeven ligte to hem that sytten in derknesses, and in schadew of deeth: oure feet to be dressyd in to the weye of peese.

Glorie be to the fader. As it was in the bygynnyng.

9 Douce, MS. 246. fol. 23. In the Bodleian Library.