ENGL 203: Medieval Literature Dr. Debora B. Schwartz English Department, California Polytechnic State University Supplemental Readings: Marian Lyrics Angelus ad Virginem   Saint Godric (late 12th century): Sainte Marie viergene      Angelus ad virginem         suintrans in conclave,      Virginis formidinem         demulcens, inquit "Ave!      Ave regina virginum!      Caeli terraque dominum         concipies         et paries              intacta      salutem hominum,         tu, porta caeli facta,      medela criminum."   The angel, stealing into the room to the maiden, said, assuaging her fear, "Hail! Hail, queen of maidens! Thou shalt conceive and bear, undefiled, the lord of heaven and earth, the salvation of men -- thou, [who art] made the gate of heaven, the remedy for sin."     Sainte Marie   viergene   moder Jésu Cristes   Nazarene,   onfóo, schild,    help þin Godrich,   onfange, bring he3líche    wið þee in Godes riche. 5  Sainte Marie,    Cristes bur,    maidenes clenhad,   moderes flur,    dilie min sinne,   rix in min mood;    bring me to winne   wið þe selfe God.   St. Mary the Virgin, mother of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, receive, shield, help thy godrich; when received, bring [him] honourably with thee into God's kingdom.   St. Mary, Christ's bed-chamber (virginal purity, flower of mothers), blot out my sin, rule in my spirit, bring me to bliss with the very God.      In MS Arundel 248, a learned mansucript of the early 13th century, the Latin text is underlaid with the following song in Middle English:       Gabriel fram heven-king   Ther is no rose of swych virtu (15th century) 1. Gabriel, fram heven-king     sent to þe maide sweete,     broute hir blisfúl tiding     and fair he gan hir greete:  5  "Heil be þu, ful of grace ari3t!     For Godes son, þis heven-li3t,     for mannes love     wil man bicome     and take 10  fles of þee, maide bri3t,     mankén free for to make     of sen and devles mi3t. Gabriel, sent from the king of heaven to the sweet maiden, brought her happy news and greeted her courteously:  "Hail be thou, full of grace indeed!  For God's son, this light of heaven, for love of man will become man and take flesh from thee, fair maiden, to free mankind from sin and the devil's power."   Ther is no rose of swych virtu As is the rose that bar Jhesu.   Alleluia. For in this rose conteyned was Heven and erthe in lytle space.   Res miranda. Be that rose we may weel see That he is God in personys thre.   Pari forma. Leave we all this worldly mirth, And follow we this joyful birth.   Transeamus. The aungelys sungyn the sheperdes to: "Gloria in excelsis Deo."   Gaudeamus. There is no rose comparable in virtue to the rose that bore Jesus.  Hallelujah. // For heaven and earth were contained in this rose in a small space. Wondrous thing. //  Through that rose, we come to  understand the holy Trinity. Of the same/equal form.  // Let's leave the pleasures of this world behind and devote ourselves to the joy of this birth. Let us go over. // The angels sang to the shepherds, "Glory to God in the Highest."  Let us rejoice. 2. Mildëlich him gan andswere     þe milde maide þanne: 15 "Wichëwise sold ich bere     [a] child withute manne?"     þangel [hir] seid, "Ne dred tee nout:     þurw þoligast sal been iwrout     þis ilch þing 20 warof tiding     ich bringe:     al mánken wurth ibout     þurw þine sweet childínge     and ut of pine ibrout." The gentle maiden then gently answered him: "In what way should I bear a child without a husband?" The angel said to her, "Fear not; this very thing will be done by means of the Holy Spirit: all mankind will be redeemed by means of thy sweet child-bearing and brought out of torment."   Lullay, Lullay      Refrain: Lullay, lullay, lay, lay, lullay Mi dere moder, sing lullay. 1. As I lay on Yolis nyght, Alone in my longging, Me thought I saw a wel fayre syght A may hir child rokking.      [Refrain] Lullaby      Refrain: Lullay, lullay, lay, lay, lullay My dear mother, sing me a lullaby. 1. As I lay abed on Christmas eve, Alone in my longing, It seemed to me I saw a beautiful sight:  a maiden rocking her child.   [Refrain] 3.25 Wan þe maiden understood     and þangels wordes herde,     mildëlich with milde mood     to þangel hie andswerde:     "Ure lords þewe maid iwis 30  ich am, þat heer aboven is.     Anentis me     fulfurthed be     þi sawe     þat ich, sith his wil is, 35 [a] maid, withute lawe,     of moder have þe blis." When the maiden understood and heard the angel's words, she answered the angel gently, with gentle spirit: "I am indeed the bond-maid of our Lord, who is above.  Concerning me may the saying be fulfilled, that I, since it is his will, may as a maiden, contrary to natural law, have the bliss of a mother."   2. "Sing now, moder," seide the child,  "Wat schal to me befalle Hereafter wan I cum til eld -- For so done modres alle."      [Refrain.] 3. "Swete sone," seyde sche, "Weroffe shuld I singge? Ne wist I nevere yet more of the But Gabrieles gretingge.      [Refrain] 2. "Sing now, mother," said the child, "What will happen to me  later, when I am grown up? For that's what all mothers do."      [Refrain] 3. "Sweet son," said she, "What should I sing about? I know nothing more of you than what Gabriel said to me."      [Refrain] 4. Þangel went awei mid þan     al ut of hire si3te;     hire womb arise gan 40  þurw þoligastes mi3te.     In hir wes Crist bilok anon,     sooth God, sooth man in fles and bon,     and of hir fles       ibore wes 45  at time.     Warþurw us kam good won;     he bout us ut of pine     and let him for us slon. The angel went away with that, altogether out of her sight; he womb began to swell through the power of the Holy Spirit.  In her Christ was straightway enclosed, true God and true man in flesh and bone, and was born of her flesh in due time.  Whereby good hope came to us; he redeemed us from torment and let himself be slain for us.   4. He grette me godli on his kne, And seyde: "Hail Marie, Hail ful of grace, God is with the. Thou beren shalt Messye."      [Refrain] 5. Ther as he syde, I the bar. On midewynter nyght, In maydenhed, withouten care, Be grace of God Almyght."      [Refrain]   4. He knelt and greeted me reverently, saying, "Hail, Marie, Hail, full of grace; God is with thee. Thou shalt give birth to the Messiah."       [Refrain] 5. Just as he foretold, I gave birth to you,  on a midwinter night, my virginity intact, without suffering, by the grace of Almighty God."      [Refrain] 5. Maiden-moder makëles,1 50 of moder ful ibunde,     bid for us him þat tee ches,     at wam þu grace funde,     þat he forgive us sen and wrake     and clene of evri gelt us make 55 and heven-blis     wan ur time is     to sterve,     us give, for þine sake,     him so heer for to serve 60 þat he us to him take. Matchless maiden-mother, fully endowed with compassion, pray for us to him who chose thee, in whose sight thou didst find grace, that he forgive us sin and hostility and make us innocent of every offence, and, when it is our time to die, give us the bliss of heaven, and [grant us], for thy sake, so to serve him here that he may take us to himself.      1makëles:  for the triple pun, see "I Sing of a Maiden," NA 353 n. 1.   6. Serteynly this syght I saw, This song I herde singg. Als I me lay, this Yolis day, Alone in my longing. Lullay, lullay, lay, lay, lullay Mi dere moder, sing lullay. (Anonymous 14th-century carol) 6. Certainly, I saw this vision; I heard this song being sung, As I lay there, this Christmas day, Alone in my longing. Lullay, lullay, lay, lay, lullay My dear mother, sing me a lullaby.   Approximate pronunciation of bizarre Middle English letters:  i3t  = "ight" or "icht" ð   =  th þ   =  th (lower case) Þ  =  th (upper case) For educational use only.  Provided for students in medieval literature classes at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Click here for Devotional Literature: Humanizing God (Medieval Lyrics Study Questions) Click here for The Second Shepherds' Play Study Questions Click here for an Introduction to Medieval Allegory Click here for the Getty Museum Website Exercise Return to ENGL 203 homepage Return to Dr. Schwartz's Teaching Page Return to Dr. Schwartz's homepage Send me mail!