Alas alas for woo and bitter payne
Oppressed withe grefe and sorofull care
Bowe shall we frō hevy wepynge refrayne
Consyderynge the case that we in are.
We have now lost the pryce of oure welfare
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
Wo worth the time that ever we were born
To se the chaunce of this dolorours daye
For now ar we mocked ād laughed to skorn
Owre honour brought to extreme decaye
We maye well synge alas and well awaye
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
Aproche proud patriarkes; with youre pope
Bisshops arsbysshops ād Cardinalls gaye
With all other prelates; which had your hope
To be mayntayned by the masse all waye
Who shall finde oure belly ād ryche araye
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
Drawe nere ye prestes; in youre lōge gownes;
With all the fryres of the beggerly ordres
Com hither mōkes; with brode shavē crounes;
And all soche as are shorē above the ears
Helpe me to lamēt with dolourous teares
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
The dolfull destruction of noble troye
Was never to man haulfe so lamentable
Nor yett the subuersion of Rome oure ioye
Under whō we were counted honorable.
O fortune fortune: thou arte vnfauorable
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
Departed is nowe the masse ād clean gone
The chefe vpholder of oure liberte
Wherby our whores ād harlotes; every bone
Were mayntayned in ryche felicite.
Full sore we shall repent this daye to se
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
Our baudes; ād brothels have lost ther fīding
Oure bastardes compelled to go astraye
Oure wynnīge mill hath lost her gryndīge
Which we supposed never to decaye.
Alas therfore what shall we do or saye
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
Oure gay velvet gownes; furred with sables
Which werre wont to kepe vs from colde
The paulfreys ād hackencis in oure stables
Nowe to make chevesaunce must besolde
Adue forked mitres and crosses of golde
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
We shall nowe abate oure welthy tables
With delicate deyntyes so delicious
Oure mery iestes and plesaunt fables
Are nowe tourned to matters dolorous
We must laye downe oure estate so pōpous
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
Oure fyngres shynīge with precyous stōs
Sett in golden rynges of ryche valoure
Oure effeminate flesshe and tender bones
Shalbe cōstrayned to faule vnto laboure
For why decayed is all oure honoure
Seynge that gone is the masse.
Nowe deceased alas alas.
Where as we vsed apon mules to ryde
Nowe must we nedes prycke a fote a lone
Oure wantā daliaunce and bostīge pride
With wofull misery is over gone.
Oure glystrīge golde is turned to a stone
Seynge that gone is the masse.
Nowe deceased alas alas.
We had oure servātes in most courtly wyse
In greate multitude folowīge oure tayle
With garded lyverey after the newe gyse
Whome we frely supported to iest ād rayle
How be it nowe eache frō wother shall fayle
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
Oure povre kynred we lytell vnderstode
And of whatt vilnes oure pōpe did aryse.
We desdayned the estates of noble blode
Nothynge afrayde oure betters to despyse.
Wherfor agaynst vs they will nowe surmyse
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
We were called lordes ād doctours reverēte
Royally raignynge in the spretualte.
In every place wheare we were presente
They vayled their bonetes; and bowed a kne.
But it begynneth nowe wother wyse to be.
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
We devowred the sustenaunce of the poore
Wastynge the goodes of people temporall.
Wherwith we norysshed many a whore
To satisffye oure pleasure beastiall.
And yett we were counted spretuall.
Under faveoure of the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
Oure greate lordspippes ād dominacions
With oure ryche iuelles and somptous plate.
Oure places and large habitacions
Adorned with hangynges; ād beddes of state
From oure hondes shall nowe be seperate.
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
Adue oure ayde and supportacion
Wherby fortune so merely did smyle.
Farwele comforte and consolacion
Thus soddenly chaunged with in a whyle.
Oure vayne confydence dyd vs sore begyle.
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
By the masse we were exalted so hye
That scātly eny mā we wolde once knowe.
We thought for to ascende vnto the skye
Havynge oure seate above the rayne bowe
But we are come downe agayne full lowe.
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
The masse made vs lordes; ād kynges; over all
Farre and nere every wheare havyng power.
With honorable tytles they dyd vs call
Dredynge to offende vs at eny houre.
Thē were we as fressh as the gardē floure.
Under favoure of the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
Amonge all the people we went a fore
By pretence of oure fayned holynes.
They reputed vs for haulfe goddes ād more
Thorowe the masses beneficialnes.
Whiche is nowe tourned to oure hevines.
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
The masse was only oure singuler suffrage
To delivre the people from their synne.
There was no prest in towne nor village
But by the masse his lyvynge did wynne.
Whose superfluite shalbe full thynne.
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
O faythfull masse so constant and true.
In heven and erth continually.
We nowe thy chyldren shall morne and rue
The chaunce of thy dekaye so sodenly.
Constrayned we are all to wepe and crye.
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
By the masse we had hye authorite
In heven and erth takynge oure pleasure.
Rynges and prynces for all their dignite
To displease vs feared oute of measure.
Alas we have nowe lost oure chefe treasure.
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
The masse made vs so stronge and stordy
That agaynst hell gates we did prevayle.
Delyveringe soules oute of purgatory
And sendynge theym to heven with out fayle
Who is he then that wolde nott bewayle.
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
Of all maner thynges the comodyte
By the massis healpe only did depende.
From sycknes and pestilent mortalite
The socoure of the masse did vs defende.
All prosperite that oure lorde did sende.
Was for favoure of the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
The masse farre excedeth mānis reason
Oft tymes of foule wether makynge fayre.
It causeth frute for to rype in season
Puttynge awaye infeccions of the ayre.
Greate estates frendshippe stably to repayre.
Have confirmacion by the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
The masse in due tyme procureth rayne
Wherby floures ād erbes freshly do sprynge.
And masse maketh it forto seace agayne
When it so aboundeth to their hyndrynge.
All maner matrymony and maryinge.
Is solemnysed by the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
To soudears and men goynge a warre fare
The masse is ever a sure proteccion.
It preserveth people from wofull care
Dryvynge awaye all affliccion.
Alas who can shewe by descripcion.
All the proffettes; of the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
O wofull chaunce: most infortunate
So sodenly makynge comutacion.
Never sence the worlde was fyrst create
Was there a thynge of soche reputacion.
For in every londe and nacion.
All goodnes cam by the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
Whatt avayleth nowe to have a shavē hedde
Or to be aparelled with a longe gowne.
Oure anoynted hondes do vs lytle stedde
Wher as the masse is thus plucked downe
Unto oure dishonowre all doeth rebowne.
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
The gooddes of the churche are takē awaye
Geven to povre folkes soffrynge indigence.
The devyne servyce vtterly doeth decaye
With halowed oyle salt and frankynsence.
To holy water they have no reverence.
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
All people because the masse is departed
Seketh nowe Ceremonies to confounde.
The aultres of the lorde are subuerted
With ymages which cost many a pounde.
The temples also are throwē to the grounde
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
Wherfore nowe of my lamentacion
To make an ende with oute delaye.
Fare wele O holy consecracion
With blyssed sanctus and agnus dei.
No lenger nowe with you we can praye.
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.
A due gentle dominus vobiscum
With comfortable ite missa est.
Requiem eternam is nowe vndon
By whom we had many a fest.
Requiescat in pace and goode rest.
Seynge that gone is the masse
Nowe deceased alas alas.