The angel to the vergyn said,
Entreng into here boure,
Fore drede of quakyng of this mayd
He said, «Haile» with gret honour;
«Haile be thou, quene of maidyns mo!
Lord of heven and erth also
Consayve thou schalt, and bere withale the Lord of myght,
Hele of al monkyn.
He wil make the thee gate of heven bryght,
Medesyne of al our syn.»
«How schuld I consayve and get?
No syn never I knew.
How schuld I breke that I have forehete
Of thoght stedfast and trewe?»
«The grace al of the Holé Gost
Schal bryng ale forth, without boost;
Ne dred thou tak, bot joy thou make, serten and sere.
This message he send to thee
To dwel withyn thee ful pere
Throgh myght of his Fader fre.»
[From Middle English Marian Lyrics (ed. Karen Saupe)]
