Digital Index of Middle English Verse: No. 3388

DIMEV 3388

IMEV 2081

NIMEV 2081

Man to reform thine exile and thy loss

Lydgate’s ‘Complaint þat Crist maketh of his Passioun’ — fifteen 8-line stanzas (ababbcbc) including 8-line envoy, and various refrains: ‘thynke on my passyoun’ (st. 1-9, 14); ‘syth I am merciable’ (st. 15-19)

Note: See also 3974

Author(s): John Lydgate

Title(s): Complaint þat Crist maketh of his Passioun

Subjects: complaints; Christ, appeal of, to man; envoys

Versification: — eight-line — ababbcbc

Manuscript Witnesses:

1.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Laud misc. 683 (SC 798), ff. 12-14v

First Lines:

Man to refourme thyn exil and thy loos
fro paradys place of moost plesaunce…

Last Lines:

…no bettir socour nor support in your neede
than offte thynkyng on crystys passioun

Attributed Title: Here is a compleynt þat crist maketh of his passioun (f. 12)

Editions:

MacCracken, Henry Noble, ed. John Lydgate: The Minor Poems, Vol. I: Religious Poems. EETS e.s. 107 (1911; repr. 1961): 216-21 (with collation of other MSS).

2.Source: Cambridge UK, Cambridge University Library Kk.1.6, ff. 194-196

First Lines:

Man to reforme þyn exile & þy looss
ffro paradyse place of moste plesaunce…

Last Lines:

…No bettur socour ner support in ȝoureneede
Than ofte tymes thyngk on Cristus Passion

Attributed Author: Lydgate (f. 194); Ion lidgate late a monke of the house of Seynt Edmundus of Bery (f. 194)

Attributed Title: HEre begynneth an holy meditacioun to oure lord criste Ihesu hangyng on the Croose compiled & made by Ion lidgate late a monke of the house of Seynt Edmundus of Bery on whose sowle God haue mercy Amen (f. 194); Here enduth this holy preyere to the lord

3.Source: Cambridge UK, Trinity College R.3.21 (601), ff. 189v-191

First Lines:

man to reforme thyne exyle & thy losse
ffom paradyse place of most plesaunce…

Last Lines:

…No bettyr socour ne support in oure nede
Then oft thynke on crystes passyon Explicit

Note: 20 stanzas

Attributed Author: Lydgate (f. 189v; f. 191)

Attributed Title: vpon shriftes passyon (f. 189v)

4.Source: London, British Library Harley 372, ff. 54-55

First Lines:

Man to refourme thyn exil & thi los
fro paradis place of most plesaunce…

Last Lines:

…no bettre socoure nor support in your neede
than ofte thynkyng of cristis passioun

Attributed Title: An exhortacioun / of the crucifix (f. 54)

5.Source: London, British Library Harley 7333, f. 147ra-147va

First Lines:

MAn to Reforme þyne exile and þi losse
ffrome paradys place of moste plesaunce…

Last Lines:

…No better socoure ne supporte in oure neode
Þan ofte thenkynge on Cristes passioun

Attributed Title: Here nowe folowith and begynnethe / a devoute compleynte Off the / passioune of oure Lorde Ihesus Criste / made by lidgate with þe Refrayde man / thenke on my Passioune (f. 147ra, rubric)

6.Source: London, British Library Addit. 31042 [London Thornton Manuscript], ff. 94-96

First Lines:

Man to reforme thyne Exile and thi losse
ffrome Paradyce place of moste plesance…

Last Lines:

…No bettir socoure And Support in þaire nede
Than ofte to thynke one Cristes Passioun

Note: Nine lines only on f. 94, then begins again repeating these lines on 94v.

Attributed Title: Passionis Cristi Cantus. Hic Incipit quedam Tractatus Passionis Domini nostri Ihesu cristi in Anglice (f. 94); Explicit Passio Cristi (f. 96)

Editions:

Heuser, Wilhelm. “With an O and an I.” Anglia 27 (1904): 283-319: 210 (stanzas 1-2).