A short poem by the underrated John Lydgate

Two poems by the underrated John Lydgate (c. 1370 – c. 1451)

Vox ultima Crucis

Tarye no lenger; toward thyn heritage
Hast on thy weye, and be of ryght good chere.
Go eche day onward on thy pylgrymage;
Thynke howe short tyme thou hast abyden¹ here.
Thy place is bygged² above the sterres clere,
Noon³ erthly palys wrought in so statly wyse⁴.
Come on, my frend, my brother most entere⁵!
For the I offered my blood in sacryfice.

(Rendered Modern English)

The Final Voice of the Cross

Tarry⁶ no longer; toward your heritage

Make haste on your way, and be of right good cheer.

Go each day onward on your pilgrimage;

Thank how little time you abode here.

Your place is built clearly above the stars,

No earthly palace was ever made in so stately a guise,

Come on, my friend, my dearest brother!

For you I offered my blood in sacrifice.

(Cast.)
Vox ultima Crucis

La Última Voz de la Cruz

No tardes más hacia tu prosapia,

apúrate en tu camino, y estate de bien alborozo.

Vete cada día adelante en tu peregrinación;

Piensa en qué tan poco tiempo estuviste aquí.

Tu hogar está construido encima de las estrellas claramente,

Ningún palacio fue erigido de guisa tan augusta!

Venga, amigo mío, mi hermano más íntegro,

Ya que te ofrecí mi sangra como ofrenda.

Gallery

A print depicting Lydgate, from the middle of the 18th century 

by George Vertue (1684-1756)

1. abyden: abode.

2. bygged: built, established.

3. noon: no.

4. Wyse: guise, manner, from Proto-Germanic *wīsō.

5. entere: presumably from Old French “entiere”, meaning “complete”, “sincere”.

6. tarry: delay. Compare Chaucer’s The Clerke’s Tale: “For though we slepe or wake, or rome, or ryde, Ay fleeth the tyme, it nil no man abyde”. Lydgate probably read this. The refrain “time and tide tarry for no man” preserves the verb tarry to this day.