Scottish “The Vertewis of the Mess” and Its English Counterparts[1]
| The Vertewis of the Mess | Dicta Sanctorum |
| Item, sanct ambroß sais that quhat-euir met or drink a persone tak eftir meß profitis hyme mar till his heil and lang lyf, na It that he ettis befor meß. | Seynt Ambrose doctour · whyche Affermyd wasOone of the foure · seythe As I shalle the telle A man that ete or drynkethe · Aftyr masThe mete or drynke dygestythe Alle so welle And to hys body · As trewe as gospelle Profytythe more · then be fore mas to eteTherfore here mas · or thou take drynke or mete. |
| Item, os aurij sais that quhat woman that takis hir childbed that day that scho has hard meß, scho sal ber hir birth with leß payne & dolour na scho had nocht hard meß that day. | Ioħn Crisostom · Doctoure of gret renowne,Seythe yif hyt be so þat ony womane Wythe child · to be delyuered were bowne That day she here mas · yf hyt plese god whane The chyld shalle be borne · wythe oute sorow thane.Grete to þe pregnaunt · thys is a gret graceNow here thy mas whyls þou hast tyme and space. |
Sources:
Girvan, Ritchie. 1939. Ratis Raving and Other Early Scots Poems on Morals. Edinburgh, pp. 192-194.
Simmons, Thomas Frederick. 1879. The Lay Folks’ Mass Book. London, pp. 368-370.
[1] This work was funded by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project no. 18-012-00131 А).
Medieval and Early Modern Student Association 