A.B.C. A prayer to Our Lady by Geoffrey Chaucer (N > P)

Chaucer. England,16th century.
Note his beads. British Library [CC0]

This is the fifth in a series of posts publishing a remarkable English poem written in the 14th century in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

‘An A.B.C.', 'la Prière de Nostre Dame', was written by Chaucer in the 1370's. One of his earliest poems, it was based on a French work written by Guillaume de Deguileville  (1295 - c1358, a French Cistercian and writer).

Each of the 23 eight-line stanzas begins with a successive letter of the alphabet (but excluding the later letters J, U and W). The line numbers are indicated by [L-]. The metre is iambic pentameter and the rhyming scheme is a-b-a-b-c-d-c-d.

The poem is reproduced below with explanatory notes. Numbers in brackets [ ] refer to footnotes that follow the relevant text. They are not hyperlinked so readers will need to scroll down.

Noble princesse, that nevere haddest peere,
Certes[1] if any comfort in us bee,
That[2] cometh of thee, thou Cristes mooder deere. [99]
We han noon oother melodye or glee [3]
Us to rejoyse in oure adversitee,
Ne advocat noon that wole[4] and dar[5] so preye [102]
For us, and that for litel hire as yee
That helpen for an Ave-Marie[6] or tweye.[7]

[1] Certes: Of a truth, of a certainty, certainly, assuredly.
[2] That: referring to 'Comfort'. 
[3] glee: Musical entertainment, playing; music, melody. OED cites c1366   Chaucer A.B.C. 100   We han none other melody ne glee Us to rejoyce in our adversitee.
[4] wole: ME for will: 1390   J. Gower Confessio Amantis I. 7   The werre wol no pes purchace.
[5] dar: ME form of dare. 
[6] Ave-Marie: The name of the Latin prayer beginning with the words Ave Maria: Hail Mary. 
[7] tweye: two

O verrey[1] light of eyen[2] that ben blynde, [105]
O verrey lust[3] of labour and distresse,
O tresoreere of bountee[4] to mankynde,
Thee whom God ches to mooder for humblesse![5] [108]
From his ancille [6] he made the maistresse
Of hevene and erthe, oure bille up for to beede.
This world awaiteth evere on thi goodnesse [111]
For thou ne failest nevere wight at neede.

[1] verrey:  Really or truly entitled to the name or designation; possessing the true character of the person or thing named; properly so called or designated; a1300   Cursor Mundi 22729   A clude..bar him vp, wonder bright; Warrai man and godd warrai.
[2] eyen: eyes.
[3] lust: (1)  Pleasure, delight. For those who labour or are in distress, Our Lady offers in answer to their prayers, the hope of delight. (2)  Desire, appetite, relish or inclination for something. Our Lady has a desire and friendly inclination to help those who labour or are in distress. Perhaps the sense here is that Our Lady can mediate Our Lord's promise: [28] Come to me, all you that labour, and are burdened, and I will refresh you.[Matt 11]
[4] bountee: bounty: Goodness in general, worth, virtue; Warlike prowess, valour; Kindness, beneficence; c1386   Chaucer Parson's Tale ⁋451   Agayn wikked dede of his enemy, he shal doon hym bountee. Goodness shown in giving, gracious liberality, munificence: usually attributed to God. 
[5] ches to mooder for humblesse: chose as mother on account of her humility.  Here are words from her Magnificat: [48] Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae : ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes, [Luke 1]
[6] ancille: ancilla: handmaid. See [5] 
[7] bille: See also L60.A release from trouble, etc. (rare). Chiefly spec. (in allusion to Romans 5:15): release or deliverance from death or eternal punishment; forgiveness of sins; an instance of this. c1430  (▸c1370)    Chaucer A.B.C. (Cambr. Gg.4.27) (1878) l. 60   With his blod he wrot þat blisful bille Vp on þe cros as general acquetaunce [c1450 Cambr. Ff.5.30 acquitaunce] To euery penytent in ful cryaunce.
[7] beede: To offer. c1386   Chaucer Clerk's Tale 304   Thilk honour that ye me bede. To make known, indicate, declare.   To press, entreat, beg, ask, pray (a person). Const. for a thing. To bid a bene, bone, bede, prayer, etc.: orig. to pray, or offer a prayer. oure bille up for to beede: the sense seems to be as follows: to offer up a prayer for the forgiveness of our sins and our deliversance from eternal punishment. This harmonises with the prayer Our Lady taught to the Fatima seers in 1917: O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy.
[8] wighte: A human being, man or woman, person. 1387-95: Chaucer Canterbury Tales Prol. (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 71   Ne neuere yet no vileynye ne sayde In al his lyf vn to no manerr wight.

Purpos I have sum time for to enquere
Wherfore and whi[1] the Holi Gost thee soughte [114]
Whan Gabrielles vois cam to thin ere.[2]
He not to werre[3] us swich a wonder wroughte,
But for to save us that he sithen [4] boughte. [117]
Thanne needeth us no wepen us for to save,
But oonly ther we dide not, as us oughte,
Doo penitence, and merci axe [5] and have.[120]

[1] whi: why.
[2] ere: ear.
[3] werre: To make war upon. 1390   J. Gower Confessio Amantis I. 363   To passe over the grete See To werre and sle the Sarazin.
[4] sithen: Then, thereupon; afterwards, subsequently; Langland Piers Plowman (Huntington HM 137) (1873) C. xxii. l. 143   Iuwes..culled hym on croys-wyse.., And sutthen buriede hus body.
[5] axe: ask (for).