Ah, gentle Jesu (Sheryngham)
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CPDL #22143:
Sibelius 5
- Editor: Byrt Janssen (submitted 2010-08-19). Score information: A4, 4 pages, 39 kB Copyright: CPDL
- Edition notes:
CPDL: #21892
- Editor: Richard Mix (submitted 2010-07-1). Score information: Letter, 8 pages
- Edition notes: Still at proofreading stage; comments welcome!
General Information
Title: Ah, gentle Jesu
Composer: Sheryngham
Lyricist: John Lydgate (d.1451)
Number of voices: 4vv Voicing: SATB
Genre: Sacred, Carol, Partsong
Language: English
Instruments: a cappella
Published: Fayrfax manuscript c.1500, edited in Musica Britanica vol. 36
Description:
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
‘Ah, gentle Jesu!’
Who is that, that doth me call?
‘I, a sinner, that oft doth fall.’
What would’st thou have?
‘Mercy, Lord, of thee I crave.’
Why, lov’st thou me?
‘Yea, my Maker I call thee.’
Then leave thy sin, or I nill thee,
And think on this lesson that now I teach thee.
‘Ah, I will, I will, gentle Jesu.’
Upon the cross nailed I was for thee,
Suffered death to pay thy ransom;
Forsake thy sin, man, for the love of me
Be repentant, make plain confession;
To contrite hearts I do remission;
Be not despaired, for I am not vengeable;
Gain’ ghostly en’mies think on my passion;
Why art thou froward, sith I am merciable?
Ah, gentle Jesu!
My bloody woundes down railing by this tree,
Look on them well and have compassion;
The crown of thorn, the spear, the nailes three,
Pierced hand and foot of indignation,
My heart riven for thy redemption.
Let now us twain in this thing be treatable:
Love for love by just convention.
Why art thou froward, sith I am merciable?
Ah, gentle Jesu!
I had on Peter and Mawdlen pity;
Forthi contrite of thy contrition;
Saint Thomas of Indes incrudelity
He put his hands deep in my side a-down.
Roll up this matter; grave it in thy reason!
Sith I am kind, why art thou unstable?
My blood best triacle for thy transgression;
Be thou not froward, sith I am merciable!
Ah, gentle Jesu!
Think again, pride, on my humility!
Come to school, record well this lesson;
‘Gain false envy think on my charity,
My blood all spent by distillation.
Why did I this? To save thee from prison;
Afore thine heart hang this little table,
Sweeter than balm ‘gain ghostly poison:
Be thou not afraid, sith I am merciable.
Ah, gentle Jesu!
Lord, on all sinful, here kneeling on knee,
Thy death remembering of humble affection,
O Jesu, grant of thy benignity
That thy five wells plenteous offusion,
Called thy five wounds by computation,
May wash us all from surfeits reprovable.
Now for thy mother’s meek mediation,
At her request be to us merciable.
Ah, gentle Jesu!