Rampolli

X.  THE CREED

     In one true God we all believe,     Maker of the earth and heaven;     Who, us as children to receive,     Hath himself as father given.     Now and henceforth he will feed us;     Soul and body, will be round us;     ‘Gainst mischances all will heed us;     Nought shall come on us to wound us.     He watches for us, cares, defends;     And everything to his might bends.     And we believe in Jesus Christ,     His son, our Lord. Evermore he     Sits beside the Father high’st,     Equal God in might and glory.     He of Mary, the young maiden,     Verily was born true human     By the Holy Ghost. Grief-laden     For our sakes, lost man and woman,     He on the cross expired in faith,     And rose again, through God, from death.     We believe in the Holy Ghost     With the Father and the Saviour,     In whom the fearful learn to boast,     Who the meek doth crown with favour.     Christendom, in earth and heaven,     Of one heart and mind he keepeth.     Here all sins shall be forgiven;     Wake too shall the flesh that sleepeth;     After these sufferings there shall be     Life to all eternity. Amen.

XI.  PRAYER

ITHE LORD’S PRAYER, BRIEFLY AND PLAINLY SET FORTH, AND TURNED INTO METRE     Our Father in the heaven who art,     Who tellest all of us, in heart     Brothers to be, and on thee call,     And wilt have prayer from us all—     Grant, not from mouth alone it flow;     From deepest heart oh let it go!     Hallowed be thy name, O Lord;     Amongst us oh keep pure thy word,     That we too may live holily,     And in thy true name worthily!     Defend us, Lord, from lying lore;     Thy poor misguided folk restore.     Thy kingdom come now here below!     And after there on ever go!     The Holy Ghost his temple hold     In us with graces manifold!     The devil’s wrath and greatness strong     Crush, that he do thy church no wrong.     Thy will be done the same, Lord God,     On earth as in thy high abode!     In pain give patience for relief,     Obedience in love and grief;     All flesh and blood keep off and check     That ‘gainst thy will makes a stiff neck.     Give us this day our daily bread,     And all that doth the body stead;     From strife and war, Lord, keep us free,     From sickness and from scarcity;     That we in happy peace may rest,     By care and greed all undistrest.     Forgive, Lord, all our trespasses,     That they to us have no access;     As to our debtors we gladly let     Pass every wrong and every debt.     To serve make us all ready be     In honest love and unity.     Into temptation lead us not.     When th’ evil spirit makes battle hot     Upon the left and the right hand,     Help us with vigour to withstand     Firm in the faith, armed ‘gainst a host     Through comfort of the Holy Ghost.     From all that’s evil free thy sons—     The time, the days are wicked ones.     Deliver us from endless death;     Comfort us in our latest breath;     Grant us also a blessed end:     Our spirit take into thy hand.     Amen! that is, let this come true!     Strengthen our faith ever anew,     That we may never be in doubt     Of that we here have prayed about.     In thy name, trusting in thy word,     We say a soft Amen, O Lord.     II     THE LITANY             1. Chorus: Kyrie,           2. Chorus: Eleison.             1. Christe,                 2. Eleison.             1. Kyrie,                   2. Eleison.             1. O Christ,                2. Hear us!     1. Lord God, the Father in heaven,     1. Lord God, the Son, Saviour of the world,     1. Lord God, the Holy Ghost,     2. Have pity upon us.     1. Be gracious unto us.     2. Spare us, dear Lord God.     1. Be gracious unto us.     2. Help us, dear Lord God.     1. From all sins,        From all error,        From all evil,     2. Defend us, dear Lord God.     1. From the deceit and wiles of the devil,        From violent, sudden death,        From pestilence and famine,        From war and bloodshed,        From uproar and discord,        From fire and flood,        From hail and tempest,        From the eternal death,     2. Defend us, dear Lord God.     1. Through thy holy birth,        Through thy death-struggle and bloody sweat,        Through thy cross and death,     2. Help us, dear Lord God.     1. Through thy holy resurrection and ascension,        In our final distress,        At the last judgement,     2. Help us, dear Lord God.     1. We poor sinners pray     2. That thou wouldst hear us, dear Lord God!     1. And thy holy Church govern and lead.        All bishops, parsons, and clerks, keep in the wholesome word and holy     life.        All factions and offences prevent.        All that wander and all that are led astray, bring back.        Tread Satan under our feet.        Into thy harvest send forth true labourers.        Give to the word thy spirit and power.        All that are troubled and faint-hearted help and comfort them.        To all kings and princes give peace and concord.        To our emperor grant constant victory over his enemies.        Our governors, and all their mighty ones, guide and defend.        Our council, school, and congregation, bless and protect.        To all in distress and on a journey, appear with help.        To all that are with child and that give suck, grant happy result and     good success.        All children and sick persons foster and tend.        All prisoners loose and unburden.        All widows and orphans defend and provide for.        Take pity upon all men.        Our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, forgive and convert.        The fruits of the earth give and preserve;        And graciously hear us.     2. Hear us, dear Lord God.     1. O Jesus Christ, God’s Son,     2. Have pity upon us.     1. O thou Lamb of God, that bearest the sins of the world,     2. Have pity upon us.     1. O thou Lamb of God, that bearest the sins of the world,     2. Have pity upon us.     1. O thou Lamb of God, that bearest the sins of the world,     2. Grant us lasting peace.            1. Christ,                 2. Hear us.            1. Lord,                   2. Have pity,            1. Christ,                 2. Have pity,               1. 2. Lord, have pity. Amen.     III     Peach to us in thy mercy grant;       In our times, Lord, it settle;     Sure there is not another one       Able to fight our battle         Except thee, our Lord God, only.

XII.  BAPTISM

     A SPIRITUAL SONG, CONCERNING OUR HOLY BAPTISM, WHEREIN IS BRIEFLY     CONTAINED WHAT IT IS, WHO HAS INSTITUTED IT, WHERETO IT SERVES, &C     To Jordan when our Lord had gone,     His Father’s pleasure willing,     He took his baptism of St. John,     His work and charge fulfilling;     Therein he did appoint a bath     To wash us from defilement,     And there to drown that cruel Death     In his blood of assoilment:     ‘Twas no less than a new life.     Let all then hear and right receive     The baptism of the Father;     And learn what Christians must believe,     Shunning where heretics gather.     Water indeed, not water mere     Therein can work his pleasure:     His holy Word is also there     With Spirit rich, unmeasured:     He is the one baptizer.     This clearly showed He by his word     Of open recognition;     The Father’s voice men plainly heard     At Jordan claim his mission.     God said, This is my own dear Son     In whom I am well contented;     To you I send him, every one—     That all may hear I have sent him,     And follow what he teaches.     Also God’s Son himself here stands     In human presentation;     On him the Holy Ghost descends     In dove-like shape and fashion,     That not a doubt should ever rise     That, when we are baptized,     All the three Persons do baptize;     And they be recognized     Themselves come to dwell with us.     Christ to his scholars says: Go forth,     Give to all men acquaintance     That lost in sin lies the whole earth,     And must turn to repentance.     Believe, and be baptized, and then     Each man is blest for ever;     From that hour he’s a new-born man,     And thenceforth, dying never,     The kingdom shall inherit.     But who in this grace puts no faith     Abides in sin, life misses;     He is condemned to endless death     Deep down in hell’s abysses.     Nothing avails his righteousness,     And lost are all his merits;     Sin original holds its place—     The sin which he inherits;     And help himself he cannot.     The eye but water doth behold     As from man’s hand it floweth;     But inward faith the power untold     Of Jesus Christ’s blood knoweth:     Faith sees therein a red flood roll,     With Christ’s blood dyed and blended,     Which hurt of every kind makes whole,     Whether from Adam heired     Or by ourselves committed.

XIII.  REPENTANCE

     THE HUNDRED AND THIRTIETH PSALM     From trouble deep I cry to thee;     Lord God, hear thou my crying;     Thy gracious ear oh turn to me,     Open it to thy sighing.     For if thou mean’st to look upon     The wrong and evil that is done,     Who, Lord, can stand before thee?     With thee availeth nought but grace     To cover trespass mortal;     Our good deeds cannot show their face,     In best life they come short all.     Before thee no one glory can,     And so must tremble every man,     And live by thy grace only.     Hope therefore in my God will I,     On my deserts nought founding;     Upon him shall my heart rely,     All on his goodness grounding.     What his true word doth promise me     My comfort shall and refuge be;     That will I always wait for.     And if it last into the night,     And last again till morning,     Yet shall my heart hope in God’s might,     Despair and foresight scorning.     Thus Israel must keep his post,     For he was born of the Holy Ghost,     And for his God must tarry.     Although our sin be great; God’s grace     Is greater to relieve us;     His hand from helping nothing stays,     Howe’er the hurt be grievous.     The shepherd good alone is He,     Who will at last set Israel free,     From all and every trespass.

XIV.  THE LORD’S SUPPER

     I     A SONG OF ST. JOHN HUSS, IMPROVED BY DR. MARTIN LUTHER     Christ Jesus, our Redeemer born,     Who from us did God’s anger turn     Through his sufferings sore and main     Help he us all out of hell-pain!     That we never should forget it,     Gave he us his flesh, to eat it,     Hid in poor bread, gift divine,     And, to drink, his blood in the wine.     Who will draw near to that table,     Must take heed, all he is able!     Who unworthy thither goes,     Thence death instead of life he sows.     God the Father praise thou duly,     That he thee would feed so truly,     And for ill deeds by thee done     Up unto death has given his son.     Have this faith, and do not waver,     ‘Tis a food for every craver     Who, his heart with sin opprest,     Can no more for its anguish rest.     Such kindness and such grace to get     Seeks a heart with labour great.     Is it well with thee? take care     Lest at last thou shouldst evil fare.     He doth say, Come hither, O ye     Poor, that I may pity show ye:     From the leech the sound will start,     And make a mockery of his art.     Hadst thou any skill to offer     Why for thee should I then suffer?     Table this is not for thee     If saviour thou thine own canst be.     If such faith thy heart possesses     And the same thy mouth confesses,     Fit guest then thou art indeed     And so this food thy soul will feed.     But bear fruit, or lose thy labour:     Take thou heed thou love thy neighbour,     That thou food to him mayst be     As thy God makes himself to thee.     II     A SONG OF PRAISE     Let God be blest, be praised, and be thanked,     Who to us himself hath granted     This his own flesh and blood to feed and save us!     May we take right what he gave us:       Lord, be merciful to us.     By thy holy body dead in shame,     Lord, which from thy mother, Mary, came,     And by thy holy blood     Ease us, Lord, from all our load:       Lord, be merciful to us.     The holy body is for us laid lowly     Down in death, that we live holy;     No greater goodness he to us could render     Than make us mind his love tender.       Lord, be merciful to us.     Lord, thy love so great was, it hath driven     Thee to death, and us great gifts hath given     Our old debt it has paid,     And God has gracious made:       Lord, be merciful to us.     God on us all his blessing free bestow now     That we in his ways may go now,     Right-hearted love and brother-truth ensuing,     Never the Lord’s supper ruing!       Lord, be merciful to us.     Let thy good Ghost us not forsake,     Let him make us the just way take     That thy poor Christendom     Into peace and union come!       Lord, be merciful to us.

XV.  DEATH

     I     In the midst of life, we are     Aye in Death’s embraces.     Who is there who help us can     And in safety place us?     Lord, thou art he, thou only.     From our ill deeds we sorrowing turn     That have made thy anger burn.     Holy, holy Lord God,     Holy, mighty Lord God,     Holy Saviour with the tender heart,     Everlasting God,     Let us not be swallowed     In the misery of death:       Lord, have mercy upon us.     In the midst of death, behold     Hell’s jaws gaping at us!     Who will from such dire distress     Free and scathless set us?     Lord, that dost thou, thou only:     It fills thy tender heart with woe     We should sin and suffer so.     Holy, holy Lord God,     Holy, mighty Lord God,     Holy Saviour with the tender heart,     Everlasting God,     Let us not be gasted     By hell’s hollows all aglow:       Lord, have mercy upon us.     When amidst the pains of hell     Us our sins are baiting;     Whither shall we flee away     Where relief is waiting?     To thee, Lord Christ, thee only     Who didst outpour thy precious blood     For our sins sufficing good:     Holy, holy Lord God,     Holy, mighty Lord God,     Holy Saviour with the tender heart,     Everlasting God,     Let us not fall from thee,     From comfort of the right faith:       Lord, have mercy upon us.     II     SIMEON THE PATRIARCH’S SONG OF PRAISE     In peace and joy I now depart,     For God hath willed it.     Comforted is my mind and heart,     For he hath stilled it;     As my God did promise me,     Death is grown only slumber.     That shows that Christ is God’s own Son,     And our saviour so,     Whom thou, O Lord, to me hast shown,     Making me know     Him the Life eternal,     And health in pain and dying.     In the fore-front thou hast him placed,     In him delighted;     The whole world to his kingdom blest     Hast invited     Through thy precious wholesome word     In every place resounding.     He is the health and happy light     Of the heathen,     To ope their eyes, and give them sight     Thee to see then.     He to thy people, Isr’el,     Is glory, honour, pleasure.

XVI.  THE PRAISE OF GOD

     I     Unto the seer, Isaiah, it was given     That, in the spirit, he saw the Lord of heaven     Up on a lofty throne, in radiance bright;     The skirt of his garment filled the temple quite;     Two seraphs at his side were standing there;     Six wings, he saw, each one of them did wear:     Two over their bright visages did meet,     With two of them they covered up their feet,     And with the other twain abroad did fly.     Each to the other called with a great cry,     Holy is God, the Lord of Zebaoth!     Holy is God, the Lord of Zebaoth!     Holy is God, the Lord of Zebaoth!     His glory great the whole world filled hath.     At the loud cry the beams and threshold shook,     And the whole house was full of cloud and smoke.     II     THE SONG OF PRAISE “TE TEUM LAUDAMUS,” TURNED INTO GERMAN BY DR. MART     LUTHER     The first Choir.—Lord God, thee praise do we.     The second Choir.—Lord, we give thanks to thee.         1. Thee, Father, eternal God,         2. Earth praises, far and broad.         1. All angels and heaven’s host,         2. All that in thy service boast,         1. The cherubim and seraphim         2.  Sing thee ever with lofty hymn:         1.  Holy is our Lord God!         2.  Holy is our Lord God!     Both Choirs.—Holy is our God, the Lord of Sabaoth.         1. Thy godlike might and lordship go         2. Wide over heaven and earth below.         1. To thee the holy twelve do call,         2. And thy beloved prophets all:         1. The precious martyrs, with one voice,         2. Praise thee, O Lord, with mighty noise.         1. From all thy worthy Christendom         2. To thee each day thy praises come;         1. To Thee, the Father, on highest throne,         2. Thy true and only-begotten Son;         1. The holy Comforter always,         2. With service true they thank and praise.         1. Thou, king of glory, Christ, alone         2. Art the Father’s eternal Son;         1. Didst not the virgin’s womb despise,         2. That so the human race might rise;         1. Thou on the might of Death didst tread,         2. And Christians all to heaven dost lead.         1. Thou sittest now at God’s right hand,         2. With glory of all i’ th’ heavenly land;         1. The hour shall come when thou shalt yet         2. To judge the dead and living sit;         1. Now to thy servants help afford,         2. Ransomed with thy dear blood, O Lord;         1. Let us in heaven have our dole,         2. And with the holy be always whole.         1. Thy folk, Lord Christ, help and advance,         2. And bless thine own inheritance;         1. Them watch and ward, Lord, every day,         2. And lift them always up, we pray.         1. Daily, Lord God, we honour thee,         2. And praise thy name continually.         1. O God of truth, keep us this day         2. From every sin and evil way.         1. Be gracious to us, Lord, we plead—         2. Be gracious to us in every need.         1. Show unto us thy pitying grace,         2. For all our hope in thee we place.         1. Dear Lord, our hope is in thy name;         2. Let us be never put to shame. Amen.

OF LIFE AT COURT

     To the tune—Ein Lappisch Mann: A Silly Man     Who number one     Keeps in the van,     And gently can     His hoop drive on     And fawn and fan,     And every man     Counts dust and bran—     Is now the cock to crow to Pan.     Who has in sight     To live upright,     Keep honour bright,     And be true quite—     In vain shall fight     And lose his might,     Shall meet with slight     And scorn and spite,     And serve the rest, unhappy wight.     By flattery’s rod     There’s many a lad     Great wealth has had,     And praises glad;     Down in the mud     He’ll others tread     And honour wed:     So goes the world heels over head!     Whatever man     Has no such plan,     From court must run;     Such never won     But scoff and ban.     Who flatter can,     And sting and tan—     He is at court the best o’ the clan!

1

Here I found the double or feminine rhyme impossible without the loss of the far more precious simplicity of the original, which could be retained only by a literal translation.

2

Pure English of Petrarch’s time.

3

Alba—where I suspect a hint at the lady’s name.

4

Luther’s own construction.

5

(Greek) kurie elxaeson: Lord, have mercy.

6

Certain eastern tales of rival enchanters seem to have been present to Luther’s mind when he thought of our Lord as the Death of Evil devouring the Death of Good. I have translated very closely.

7

The Scotch warsle would be perfect.