1   Aleph. Hou sitteth alone the cite ful of puple? mad is as a widewe the ladi of folc of kinde; prince of prouynces mad is vnder tribute. 2   Beth. Wepende she wepte in the ny&yogh;t, and the teres of hir in hir chekus; ther is not that coumforte hir, of alle hir derwrthe; alle her frendus dispiseden hir, and ben mad to hir enemys. 3   Gimel. Passyde Juda for the affliccioun and the multitude of seruage, dwellide among Jentiles, ne she fond reste; alle hir pursuerus ca&yogh;ten hir among anguysshis. 4   Deleth. The weies of Sion weilen, for thi that ther ben not, that come to the solempnete; alle hir &yogh;atus ben stro&yogh;ed, hir prestys weilende, hir maidenus foule, and she opressed with bitternesse. 5   He. Mad ben hir enemys in the hed, and hir enemys ben richid, for the Lord spac vp on hir. For the multitude of hir wickenesses hir litil childer ben lad in to caitifte, bifor the face of the trublende. 6   Vau. And wente out fro the do&yogh;ter of Sion `al hir fairnesse; mad ben hir princes as wetheres not fyndende leswis, and thei wenten

awei withoute strengthe bifor the face of the folewere. 7   Sai. And recordide Jerusalem of the daies of hir affliccioun and trespas, and of alle hir desirable thingus that she hadde fro the olde daies; whan shulde falle hir puple in the enemys hond, and ther was not an helpere; se&yogh;en hir the enemys, and scorneden hir sabatus. 8   Heth. A synne synnede Jerusalem, therfore vnstable she is mad; alle that glorifieden hir dispiseden hir, for thei se&yogh;en hir shenshipe; she forsothe weilende, and is turned bacward. 9   Teth. The filthis of hir in hir feet, and she recordide not of hir ende; do doun she is hugeli, not hauende a comfortour; see, Lord, my tormenting, for rered vp is the enemy. 10   Joth. His hond sente the enemy to alle hir desirable thingus; for she sa&yogh; Jentilis gon in to hir seyntuarie, of whiche thou haddist comaundid, that thei shulde not go in to thi chirche. 11   Caf. Al hir puple weilende and sechende bred, and &yogh;eeuen eche preciouse thingus for mete to be refreshid the soule; see, Lord, and behold, for mad Y am foul. 12   Lameth. O! alle &yogh;ee that passen bi the weie, taketh heed, and seeth, if ther is sorewe as my sorewe; for to-pullid me it hath, as the Lord spac in the dai of the wrathe of his wodnesse. 13   Men. Fro an hei&yogh; he sente fyr in my bonus, and lernede me; spredde out a net to my feet, turnede me bacward; he sette me desolat, al dai with mournyng defacid. 14   Nun. Wakide the &yogh;oc of my wickenesses in his hond, wrappid thei ben togidere, and leid on my necke; feblid is my vertu; &yogh;af me the Lord in the hond, of whiche Y shal not moun rise. 15   Sameth. Toc awei the Lord alle my grete wrthi doeres fro my myddel; he clepede a&yogh;en me tyme, that he to-brose my chosene; the presse trad the Lord to the maide, do&yogh;ter of Juda.

16   Ayn. Therfore Y wepende, and myn e&yogh;e ledende doun water; for ferr mad `fro me is the coumfortour, turnende my soule; mad ben my sonus lost, for mor my&yogh;ti was the enemy. 17   Fee. Stra&yogh;te out Sion hir hondus, ther is not that coumforte hir; the Lord sente a&yogh;en Jacob, in the cumpas of hir, hir enemys; mad is Jerusalem as defoulid with wymmen flux blodis among hem. 18   Sade. Ri&yogh;twis is the Lord, for his mouth to wrathe Y terrede; hereth, Y beseche, alle puplis, and seeth my sorewe; my maidenes and my &yogh;unge men wenten in to caitifte. 19   Cof. I clepede my frendus, and thei bigileden me; my prestus and myn olde men in the cite ben wastid; for thei so&yogh;ten mete to themself, that thei refreshe ther soule. 20   Res. See, Lord, for Y am trublid, al disturbid is my wombe; turned vp so doun is myn herte in myself, for of bitternesse ful Y am; withouteforth sleeth the sword, and at home deth is lyc. 21   Syn. Thei herden, for Y inwardli weile, and ther is not that coumforteth me; alle myn enemys herden myn euel, gladiden, for thou didist; thou bro&yogh;tist to dai of coumforting, and mad thei shul be lic me. 22   Tau. Go yn al the euel of hem bifor thee, and to-pulle hem, as thou to-pulledist me for my wickydnesses; manye forsothe my weilingis, and myn herte moornende. CAP. II.

1   Aleph. Hou aboute couerde with mystynesse the Lord in his wodnesse the do&yogh;ter of Sion? thre&yogh; aferr fro heuene in to the glorious lond of Irael; and recordede not of his litil ste&yogh;ing stol of his feet, in the dai of his wodnesse. 2   Beth. `The Lord thre&yogh; doun, and sparede not, alle

the faire thingus of Jacob; destro&yogh;ede in his wodnesse the strengthingis of the maiden of Juda, thre&yogh; doun in to erthe; defoulide the reume, and his princes. 3   Gimel. He to-brac in the wrathe of his wodnesse eche horn of Irael; turnede awey bacward his ri&yogh;t hond fro the face of the enemy; and brende vp in to Jacob, as fyr of deuourende flawme in cumpas. 4   Deleth. He bente his bowe as an inward enemy, and he fastnede his ri&yogh;t hond as an vttermor enemy; and slo&yogh; al that was fair in si&yogh;t in the tabernacles of the do&yogh;ter of Sion; heeldide out as fyr his indignacioun. 5   He. Mad is the Lord as an enemy; tumblede doun Irael, he tumblede doun alle his walles; wastede his strengthingus, and fulfilde in the do&yogh;ter of Juda the lowid man and the lowid womman. 6   Vau. And he wastide as a gardyn his tent, destro&yogh;ede his tabernacle; to for&yogh;eting toc the Lord in Sion feste dai, and sabat; and repref, and indignacioun of his wodnesse, king and prest. 7   Sai. Putte abac the Lord his auter, cursede to his halewing; toc in to the hondus of the enemy the wallis of his toures; vois thei &yogh;eeuen in `the hous of the Lord, as in solempne dai. 8   Heth. Tho&yogh;te the Lord to scateren the wal of the do&yogh;ter of Sion; he stra&yogh;te out his litil corde, and turnede not awei his hond fro perdicioun; and he weilede biforn the walling, and the wal togidere is scatered. 9   Teth. Doun pi&yogh;t in the erthe ben hir &yogh;atus, he loste and to-broside hir barres; his kingis and hys princes in Jentiles; ther is not lawe, and his profetis founden not viseoun of the Lord. 10   Joth. Seten in the erthe, alle stille weren the olde men; the do&yogh;tris of Sion springden with askus ther hedis, ben gird to with heires; threwen awei in the erthe ther hedus the maidenus of Jerusalem, gird to thei ben with heires; threwen awei in the

erthe ther hedus the maidenus of Juda. 11   Caph. Faileden for teres myn e&yogh;en, disturbid ben my bowelis; held out is in the erthe my mawe vp on the to-treding of the do&yogh;ter of my puple; whan shulde faile the litil child and the soukende in the stretus of the bur&yogh;toun. 12   Lameth. To ther modris thei seiden, Wher is the whete, and wyn? whan thei shulden faile as woundid in the stretus of the cite; whan thei shulde brethen out ther soulis in the bosum of ther modris. 13   Men. To whom shal Y comparisoune thee? or to whom shal Y licnen thee, thou do&yogh;ter of Jerusalem? to whom shal Y euenen thee, and coumforte thee, thou maiden do&yogh;ter of Sion? gret forsothe as the se thi contricioun; who shal lechen thee. 14   Nun. Thi profetus see&yogh;en to thee false, and fool thingus; and openeden not thi wickenesse, that thee to penaunce thei shulde stere; thei se&yogh;en forsothe to thee fals takingis to, and throwingis out. 15   Sameth. Flappeden `vp on thee with hondus alle the passeres bi the wey; whistleden, and moueden ther hed vp on the do&yogh;ter of Jerusalem; seiende, Whether this is not the cheef cite of parfit fairnesse, the io&yogh;e of al erthe? 16   Ayn. Openeden vp on thee ther mouth alle thin enemyes; whistleden, and gnasteden with ther teeth, and seiden, Wee shul deuoure; lo! this is the dai that wee abiden, wee han founde, and seen. 17   Fee. The Lord dide that he tho&yogh;te, he fulfilde his wrd that he comaundide fro the olde da&yogh;es; he destro&yogh;ede, and sparede not; and gladide vp on thee the enemy, and enhauncede the horn of thin enemys. 18   Sade. Criede the herte of hem to the Lord, vp on the wallis of the do&yogh;ter of Sion; bring doun as a stef strem teres, bi dai and ny&yogh;t; &yogh;yue thou not reste to thee, ne be stille the appil of thin e&yogh;e. 19   Coph. Ris, preise thou in the ny&yogh;t, in the bigynnyng of wacchis; heeld out as water thin herte, byfor the si&yogh;t of the Lord;

rere to hym thin hondus for the soule of thi litil childer, that for hunger pershen `in the hed of alle many weies `in to oon. 20   Res. See, Lord, and behold, whom thou hast to-pullid; so therfore lest shuln ete wymmen ther frut, litil childer at the mesure of a spanne; for slayn is in the seyntuarie of the Lord the prest, and the profete. 21   Syn. Le&yogh;en in the erthe withouteforth the child and the olde man; my maidenes and my &yogh;unge men fellen in swerd slayn; in the dai of thi wodnesse thou smyte, ne thou shalt han reuthe. 22   Tau. Thou clepedest, as to a solempne day, that shulden fere me of the cumpas; and ther was not that shulde scape in the dai of the wodnesse of the Lord, and be laft; whom Y bro&yogh;te forth and nurshede, myn enemy wastede them. CAP. III.

1   Aleph. I `a man seende my porenesse in the &yogh;erde of his indignacioun. 2   Aleph. Me he drof, and bro&yogh;t in to dercnessis, and not in to li&yogh;t. 3   Aleph. Onli in to me turnede, and conuertede his hond al dai. 4   Beth. For eldid he made my skyn, and my flesh; he to-brosyde my bonus. 5   Beth. He bilde vp in my cumpas, and cumpassede me with galle and with trauaile. 6   Beth. In derke thingus he sette me, as deade men euere durende. 7   Gimel. He bilde aboute a&yogh;en me, that Y go not out; he agreggede myn gyues. 8   Gimel. But and whan Y shal crien and pre&yogh;e, he closede out myn orysoun. 9   Gimel. He closede my weyes with squar stonus; my styes he turnede vp so doun. 10   Deleth. A waitende bere maad he is to me, a leoun in hid thingus. 11   Deleth. My pathis he turnede vp so doun, and to-brac

me; he putte me desolat. 12   Deleth. He bente his bowe, and sette me as a signe to the arewe. 13   He. He putte in my reynes the do&yogh;tris of his arewe cas. 14   Hee. Y am mad in to scorne to al puple, the song of them al dai. 15   He. He fulfilde me with bitternesses; he drunknede me with wrmod. 16   Vau. He to-brac at noumbre my teeth; he fedde me with askus. 17   Vau. And put a bac is my soule; Y for&yogh;at of goodus. 18   Vau. And Y seide, Pershede myn ende, and myn hope fro the Lord. 19   Sai. Recorde of porenesse and of myn ouergoing, and of wrmod and of galle. 20   Say. Bi mynde Y shal be myndeful; and failen in me shal my soule. 21   Sai. These thingus thenkende in myn herte, in God Y shal hope. 22   Heth. The mercyes of the Lord manye, forsothe wee ben not wastid; for his mercyes faileden not. 23   Heth. Y kne&yogh; the morutid; myche is thi feith. 24   Heth. My partie the Lord, seide my soule; therfore Y shal abiden hym. 25   Teth. Good is the Lord to men hopende in hym, to the soule sechende hym. 26   Teth. Good is to abide with silence the helthe &yogh;yuere of God. 27   Teth. Good is to the man, that hath born the &yogh;oc of the Lord fro his waxende &yogh;outhe. 28   Joth. He shal sitte solitarie, and be stille; for he rerede hymself aboue hymself. 29   Joth. He shal sette in pouder his mouth, if par auenture ther be hope. 30   Joth. He shal &yogh;yue to the smytende hym the cheke; he shal be fulfyld with repreues. 31   Caph. For putten abac shul not the Lord in to euermor. 32   Caph. For if he haue cast awei, and he shal haue mercy after the multitude of his mercies. 33   Caph. Forsothe he loewede not of his herte; and caste awei the sonus of man. 34   Lameth. That he shulde tobrose vnder his feet alle the gyuede of the lond. 35   Lameth. That he shulde boowe

doun the dom of man, in the si&yogh;te of the chere of the he&yogh;est. 36   Lameth. That he schuld mysturne a man in his dom, the Lord kne&yogh; not. 37   Men. Who ys this that seide, that shulde be don, the Lord not comaundende? 38   Men. Of the mouth of the he&yogh;est shul not go out ne goode thingus ne euele. 39   Men. What grucchede a man lyuende, a man for his synnes? 40   Nun. Serche we oure weies, and seche, and be wee turned a&yogh;een to the Lord. 41   Nun. Rere wee oure hertus with hondus, to the Lord in to heuenus. 42   Nun. Wee wickeli diden, and to wrathe terreden; therfore thou art vnpreiable. 43   Sameth. Thou coueridist in wodnesse, and smyte vs; thou slowe, and sparedist not. 44   Sameth. Thou puttest a&yogh;en a cloude to thee, lest passe the preieer. 45   Sameth. Pulling vp bi the roote, and casting awei, thou puttist me, in the myddel of puplus. 46   Ain. Myn e&yogh;e is tormentid, and was not stille; forthi that ther was not reste. 47   Ayn. To the tyme that shulde biholde and looke the Lord fro heuenus. 48   Ayn. Myn e&yogh;e robbede my soule in alle the do&yogh;tris of my cheef cite. 49   Fe. Openeden vp on vs ther mouth, alle the enemys. 50   Fe. Ferd and gren don is to vs, profeciyng and contricioun. 51   Fe. My e&yogh;en bro&yogh;ten doun deuyseouns of watris, in the contricioun of the do&yogh;ter of my puple. 52   Sade. Bi hunting thei token me as a brid, myn enemys freeli. 53   Sade. Slyden is in to a grene my lyf; thei setten a ston vp on me. 54   Sade. Floweden watris vp on myn hed; Y seide, Y pershede. 55   Coph. I inwardli clepede thi name, Lord, fro the laste grene. 56   Cof. My vois thou herdest; ne turne thou awei thin ere fro my sobbing and cries. 57   Coph. Thou ne&yogh;hedist in the dai, whan Y inwardli clepede thee; thou seidist, Ne drede thou. 58   Res. Thou demedest, Lord, the cause of my soule,

thou a&yogh;een biere of my lif. 59   Res. Thou see&yogh;e, Lord, the wickenesse of them a&yogh;en me; deme thou my dom. 60   Res. Thou se&yogh;e eche wodnesse, alle the tho&yogh;tus of hem a&yogh;ens me. 61   Syn. Thou hast herd the repreues of hem, Lord; alle the tho&yogh;tus of hem a&yogh;en me. 62   Sin. The lippis of men inrisende to me, and the bithenkingus of hem a&yogh;en me al day. 63   Sin. The sitting of hem and the a&yogh;een rising of hem see; Y am the salm of hem. 64   Tau. Thou shalt &yogh;elde to them the while, Lord, after the werkis of ther hondus. 65   Tau. Thou shalt &yogh;yue to them the sheld of herte, thi trauaile. 66   Tau. Thou shalt pursue in thi wodnesse, and to-trede them vnder heuenus, Lord. CAP. IV.

1   Aleph. Hou bicome derc is gold, chaungid is the best colour? scatered ben the stonus of the seyntuarie in the hed of alle stretus. 2   Beth. The sonus of Sion glorious, and wrappid with the chef gold, in to erthene vesseles, werk of the hondis of a crockere. 3   Gimel. But and the cruel beestis clepid lamya, nakeden ther tetes, &yogh;eeuen ther whelpus souken; the do&yogh;ter of my puple cruel, as an ostrich in desert. 4   Deleth. Cleuede to the tonge of the soukende to his palet in thrist; the litil childer askeden bred, and ther was not that shulde breke to them. 5   He. That eeten voluptuously, dieden in weies; that weren nurshid in `faire clois of saffroun, han clippid thostus. 6   Vau. And more mad is the wickednesse of the do&yogh;ter of my puple than the synne of Sodomys, that is turned vp so doun in a moment, and toc not in to it hondus. 7   Sai. Whittere is Nazareis than sno&yogh;, shynendere than mylc; reddere than old yuer, than safyr fairere. 8   Heth. Gretli blakid is aboue colis the face of hem, and thei ben not knowen in stretus; cleuede to the skyn to the bonus of hem, it driede,

and mad is as a tree. 9   Teth. Betere was to the slayn men with swerd, than to the slayn men with hungir; for thei anoen ben dead, these ful out faileden, ben towastid of the bareynesse of the erthe. 10   Joth. The hondus of merciful wymmen setheden ther sonus; mad thei ben the metus of hem in the contricioun of the do&yogh;ter of my puple. 11   Caf. The Lord fulfilde his wodnesse, helde out the wrathe of his indignacioun; and the Lord tende vp fyr in Sion, and deuourede his foundemens. 12   Lameth. Leeueden not the kingis of the lond, and alle the dwelleris of the world, that gon in shulde the ferr enemy and the ny&yogh; enemy bi the &yogh;atus of Jerusalem. 13   Men. For the synnes of his profetus, and the wickidnessis of his prestus, that heeldeden out in his myddil the blod of ri&yogh;twis men. 14   Nun. Erreden the blinde in stretus, defoulid ben in blod; and whan thei my&yogh;te not entre, thei heelden ther swolwis. 15   Sameth. Goth awei, &yogh;ee defoulid, thei crieden to them, departeth awei, goth awei, wileth not touche; forsothe thei iangleden, and ben to-stired; seiden among Jentiles, He shal no more lei to, that he dwelle in hem. 16   Ain. The face of the Lord deuydede them, he shal not adde, that he beholde them; the faces of prestus thei shameden not, ne of the olde men thei reweden. 17   Fee. Whan &yogh;it wee shulde stonden alyue, faileden oure e&yogh;en to oure veyn help; whanne wee bihelden takende heed to the folc of kinde, that saue vs my&yogh;te not. 18   Sade. Thei maden slidery oure steppis in the weie of oure stretes; ne&yogh;hede oure ende, fulfild ben oure da&yogh;es, for comen is oure ende. 19   Cof. Swiftere weren oure pursueres than egles of heuene vp on the mounteinus; thei pursueden vs, in desert thei setteden aspies to vs. 20   Res. The spirit of oure mouth, Crist Lord, taken is in oure synnes; to whom we seiden, In

thi shadewe wee shul lyue in folkus of kinde. 21   Syn. Io&yogh;e, and glade, thou do&yogh;ter of Edom, that dwellist in the lond of Hus; to thee also shal come the chalis, thou shalt be drunke, and nakened. 22   Tau. Fulfilde is thi wickenesse, thou do&yogh;ter of Sion; he shal no more adde, that he ouerpasse thee; he shal visite thi wickenesse, thou do&yogh;ter of Edom, discouere he shal thi synnes. The Orisoun of Jeremye, profete.

1   Recorde, Lord, what hath falle to vs; inwardly looke, and behold oure repref. 2   Oure eretage turned is to alienes, oure houses to straungeres. 3   Faderles childer we ben mad with oute fader; oure moders as widewis. 4   Oure water in monee wee han drunke, oure trees for pris wee han bo&yogh;t. 5   Bi oure nollis we were dryue, and to the weri was not &yogh;oue reste. 6   To Egipt wee &yogh;eeuen hond, and to Assiries, that wee shulde be fulfild with bred. 7   Oure faders synneden, and ben not, and wee the wickidnesses of hem han born. 8   Seruauns lordshipeden of vs, and ther was not, that a&yogh;een shulde bie fro the hond of hem. 9   In oure lyues we bro&yogh;ten to bred to vs, fro the face of the swerd in desert. 10   Oure skin as an ouene is tobrent, fro the face of tempestus of hunger. 11   Wymmen in Sion thei meekiden, and maidenus in the cites of Juda. 12   Princes bi the hond ben hangid vp; faces of olde men thei shameden not. 13   The &yogh;unge wymmen

vnchastli thei mysvseden, and the childer in tree togidere fellen. 14   Olde men faileden of the &yogh;atus; &yogh;unge men of the quer of syngeres. 15   Failede the io&yogh;e of oure herte; turned is in to weiling oure quer. 16   Fel the croune of oure hed; wo to vs! for wee han synned. 17   Therfore dreri mad is oure herte, therfore to-dercned ben oure e&yogh;en. 18   For the mount of Sion, for it disperisht; wlues &yogh;iden in it. 19   Thou, forsothe, Lord, in to with oute ende shalt abide stille; thi see in to ieneracioun and to ieneracioun. 20   Whi in to with oute ende thou shalt for&yogh;eten vs, thou shalt forsake vs in to the lengthe of da&yogh;is? 21   Conuerte vs, Lord, to thee, and we shul be conuertid; newe thou oure da&yogh;es, as fro the bigynnyng. 22   But castende awei thou hast put vs out; thou wrathedist a&yogh;en vs hugely. Her endeth Jeremye, and gynneth the prolog in the boc clepid Baruch.

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