Above Every Crown (Middle English)

Verse I No mortal kyng, no president, No rewler crowned by mennes handes, May stonden aboven Goddes trone, Ne claymen glorie that He comaundes. Call hym a leeder, call hym greet— But never clepe a mortal man Goddes yifte to save al worlde. Verse II God yeveth us lyf, God yeveth us breth, God yeveth His mercy fro hevene above; But dar nat cloth a mortal man In wordes that bihoven God alone. A politicien is yet but dust, And dust hath never ben the Lord. Verse III Whan folwieres proclamen, “He cam As hevenes answere unto erthe,” Beware the wordes that maken a man A figure of divine worth. For Crist alone is Saviour, And no president may take His place. Verse IV Thou mayst defenden hym, yeve thy vote, Thou mayst trowe his cause be right; But whan a partie boweth hir knee And clepeth hir champioun hevenes light, The Crosse must answere every trone: “Thou shalt have noon other god.” Verse V So lat the baneres aryse and falle, Lat presidentes comen and passen; But never sette a mortal kyng Upon the auter of thyn herte. No man is Goddes yifte to put God aside. No rewler stant above the Sone. No erthely coroune hath more might Than hath the Holy Crosse— For God alone is God.