Poem by John Skelton

Vexilla Regis

Now sing we, as we were wont,
Vexilla regis prodeunt.

The King's banner on field is splayed,
The cross's myst'ry cannot be nay'd,
To whom our Saviour was betrayed,
And for our sake.
Thus saith he:
I suffer for thee,
My death I take,
Now sing we, as we were wont,
Vexilla regis prodeunt.

Behold my shanks, behold my knees,
Behold my head, arms, and thees,
Behold of me nothing thou sees
But sorrow and pine:
Thus was I spilt,
Man, for thy guilt,
And not for mine.
Now sing we, as we were wont,
Vexilla regis prodeunt.

Behold my body, how Jews it dong
With knots of whipcord and scourges strong:
As streams of a well the blood outsprong
On every side.
The knots were knit
Right well with wit,
They made woundes wide.
Now sing we, as we were wont,
Vexilla regis prodeunt.

Man, thou shalt now understand,
Of my head, both foot and hand,
Are four hundred and five thousand
Wounds and sixty;
Fifty and seven.
Were told full even
Upon my body.
Now sing we, as we were wont,
Vexilla regis prodeunt.

Sith I for love bought thee so dear,
As thou may see thyself here,
I pray thee with a right good cheer
Love me again,
That it likes me
To suffer for thee
Now all this pain.
Now sing we, as we were wont,
Vexilla regis prodeunt.

Man, understand now thou shall,
Instead of drink they gave me gal,
And eisel mingled therewithal,
The Jewes fell.
These pains on me
I suffered for thee
To bring thee fro hell.
Now sing we, as we were wont,
Vexilla regis prodeunt.

Now for thy life thou hast misled,
Mercy to ask be thou not adread:
The least drop of blood that I for thee shed
Might cleanse thee soon
Of all the sin
The world within
If thou hadst done.
Now sing we, as we were wont,
Vexilla regis prodeunt.

I was more wrother with Judas
For he would no mercy ask
Than I was for his trespass
When he me sold;
I was ever ready
To grant him mercy,
But he none wold.
Now sing we, as we were wont,
Vexilla regis prodeunt.

Lo, how I hold my arms abroad,
Thee to receive ready y-spread!
For the great love that I to thee had
Well may thou know.
Some love again
I would full fain
Thou wouldest to me show.
Now sing we, as we were wont,
Vexilla regis prodeunt.

For love I aske nothing of thee
But stand fast in faith, and sin thou flee,
And pain to live in honestie
Both night and day;
And thou shalt have bliss
That never shall miss
Withouten nay.
Now sing we, as we were wont,
Vexilla regis prodeunt.

Now, Jesu, for thy great goodness,
That for men suffered great hardness,
Save us from the devil's cruelness,
And to bliss us send,
And grant us grace
To see thy Face
Withouten end.
Now sing we, as we were wont,
Vexilla regis prodeunt.

1. Duke of Albany
2. A Lawde and Prayse
3. The Prelates
4. Woefully Arrayed
5. To the Second Person

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