A Becket Carol, also known as Lestnytgh, Lordynges, or Nunc gaudet Ecclesia

Originale	Current English translation / Traduzione in inglese corrente...
A BECKET CAROL, ALSO KNOWN AS LESTNYTGH, LORDYNGES, OR NUNC GAUDET ECCLESIA	A Song for St Thomas Becket
Refrain: A, a, a, a,	Refrain: A, a, a, a,
Nunc gaudet ecclesia.	Now the Church rejoices.
Lestnytgh, lordynges, bothe grete and smale,	Listen, lords, both great and small,
I xal you telyn a wonder tale,	I shall you tell a wonderous tale,
How Holy Cherche was browt in bale	How Holy Church was brought in bale [1]
Cum magna iniuria.	By a great wrong.
The greteste clerk of al this lond,	The greatest cleric in all this land,
Of Cauntyrbury, ye understonde,	Of Canterbury, you understand,
Slawyn he was with wykkyd hond,	Slain he was with wicked hand,
Demonis potencia.	By the power of the devil.
Knytes kemyn fro Henry kyng,	Knights came from Henry the king,
Wykkyd men, withoute lesyng;	Wicked men, without lying;
Ther they dedyn a wonder thing,	There they did a terrible thing,
Ferventes insania.	Raging in madness.
They sowntyn hym al abowtyn,	They sought for him all about,
Withine the paleys and withoutyn;	Within the palace and without;
Of Jhesu Cryst hadde they non dowte	Of Jesu Christ had they no thought
In sua malicia.	In their wickedness.
They openyd here mowthis wonder wyde:	They opened their mouths very wide:
To Thomas they spokyn mekyl pryde,	To Thomas they spoke in their great pride,
'Here, tretour, thou xalt abide,	'Here, traitor, thou shalt abide,
Ferens mortis tedia.'	To suffer the pain of death.
Thomas answerid with mylde chere,	Thomas answered with mild chere, [2]
'If ye wil me slon in this manere,	'If ye will me slay in this manner,
Let hem pasyn, alle tho arn here,	Let them go, all those who are here,
Sine contumilia.'	Without injury.'
Beforn his aunter he knelyd adoun;	Before his altar he kneeled down;
Ther they gunne to paryn his crown;	There they began to cut off his crown;
He sterdyn the braynys up and doun,	They stirred the brains up and down;
Optans celi gaudia.	He hoped for the joys of heaven.
The turmentowres abowtyn sterte;	The tormentors began their work;
With dedly wondys thei gunne him hurte.	With deadly wounds they began to hurt.
Thomas deyid in Moder Cherche	Thomas died in Mother Church
Pergens ad celestia.	Attaining to heaven.
Moder, clerk, wedue and wyf,	Mothers, clerics, widows and wives,
Worchepe ye Thomas in al your lyf;	Worship Thomas all your lives;
For lii poyntes he les his lyf,	For 52 points he lost his life,
Contra regis consilia.	Against the king's counsels.
	[1] Into sorrow. [2] In a meek manner.