There is a flower sprung of a tree, The root thereof is called Jesse, A flower of price; There is none such in paradise. This flower is fair and fresh of hue, It fadeth never, but ever is new; The blessed branch this flower on grew Was Mary mild that bare Jesu; A flower of grace: Against all sorrow it is solace. The seed hereof was Goddes sand That God himself sowed with his hand, In Nazareth, that holy land, Amidst her arbour a maiden found; This blessed flower Sprang never but in Mary’s bower. When Gabriel this maid did meet, With Ave Maria he did her greet; Between them two this flower was set And safe was kept, no man should wit Till on a day In Bethlehem it could spread and spray. When that fair flower began to spread And his sweet blossom began to bed Then rich and poor of every land They marvelled how this flower might spread, Till kinges three That blessed flower came to see. [sand = gift, wit = know, bed = bud]John Audelay
Let all the world in every corner sing, My God and King! The heavens are not too high, His praise may thither fly; The earth is not too low, His praises there may grow. Let all the world in every corner sing, My God and King! Let all the world in every corner sing, My God and King! The Church with psalms must shout, No door can keep them out; But above all the heart Must bear the longest part. Let all the world in every corner sing, My God and King!George Herbert (1593-1633)
O taste and see how gracious the Lord is: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.Psalm 34 v.8
Rise heart; thy Lord is risen. Sing his praise without delays, Who takes thee by the hand, that thou likewise with him may'st rise, That, as his death calcined thee to dust, His life may make thee gold, and much more just. Awake, my lute, and struggle for thy part with all thy art. The cross taught all wood to resound his name who bore the same. His stretched sinews taught all strings, what key Is best to celebrate this most high day. Consort both heart and lute, and twist a song pleasant and long: Or since all music is but three parts vied and multiplied, Oh let thy blessed Spirit bear a part, And make up our defects with his sweet art.George Herbert (1593-1633)
Love bade me welcome, yet my soul drew back, Guilty of dust and sin. But quick-ey’d Love, observing me grow slack From my first entrance in, Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning If I lack’d anything. “A guest,” I answer’d, “worthy to be here”; Love said, “You shall be he.” “I, the unkind, the ungrateful? ah my dear, I cannot look on thee.” Love took my hand and smiling did reply, “Who made the eyes but I?” “Truth, Lord, but I have marr’d them; let my shame Go where it doth deserve.” “And know you not,” says Love, “who bore the blame?” “My dear, then I will serve.” “You must sit down,” says Love, “and taste my meat.” So I did sit and eat.George Herbert
This is the truth sent from above, The truth of God, the God of love; Therefore don’t turn me from the door, But hearken all, both rich and poor. The first thing that I will relate, That God at first did man create; The next thing which to you I tell Woman was made with him to dwell. Thus we were heirs to endless woes Till God the Lord did interpose; And so a promise soon did run: That he’d redeem us by his Son. And at this season of the year Our blest redeemer did appear, And here did live, and here did preach, And many thousands he did teach. Thus he in love to us behaved, To show us how we must be saved; And if you want to know the way, Be pleased to hear what he did say.version 2
This is the truth sent from above The truth of God, the God of love; Therefore don’t turn me from your door But hearken all both rich and poor. The first thing which I do relate Is that God did man create, The next thing which to you I’ll tell, Woman was made with man to dwell. Then after this ’twas God’s own choice To place them both in paradise, There to remain from evil free, Except they ate of such a tree. And they did eat, which was a sin, And thus their ruin did begin; Ruined themselves, both you and me And all of their posterity. Thus we were heirs to endless woes, Till God the Lord did interpose, And so a promise soon did run That he would redeem us by His Son.Herefordshire Carol
Sweet baby, sleep! What ailes my dear? What ailes my darling thus to cry? Be still, my childe, and lend thine ear To heare me sing thy lullaby. My pretty lambe, forbeare to weep; Be still, my dear; sweet babie, sleep! Thou blessed soul, what canst thou fear? What thing to thee can mischief do? Thy God is now thy Father dear, His holy spouse thy mother, too. Sweet babie, then, forbear to weep; Be still, my babe; sweet babie, sleep! Sweet babie sleep, and nothing fear, For whosoever thee offends By thy Protector threatened are, And God, and angels are thy friends. Sweet babie, then, forbear to weep; Be still, my dear; sweet babie, sleep!17th centruty words
Exsultate, justi, in Domino; rectos decet collaudatio. Confitemini Domino in cithara; in psalterio decem chordarum psallite illi. Cantate ei canticum novum; bene psallite ei in vociferatione. Exsultate, justi, in Domino; rectos decet collaudatio.
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous : for it becometh well the just to be thankful. Praise the Lord with harp : sing praises unto him with the lute, and instrument of ten strings. Sing unto the Lord a new song : sing praises lustily unto him with a good courage. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous : for it becometh well the just to be thankful.Psalm 33, vv1-3
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen.
Domine, non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum: Sed tantum dic verbo et sanabitur anima mea.
O quam gloriosum est regnum in quo Christo gaudent omnes sancti! Amicti stolis albis Agnum sequuntur quocunque ierit.Antiphon for All Saints
O quam gloriosum est regnum in quo Christo gaudent omnes sancti! Amicti stolis albis Agnum sequuntur quocunque ierit.Antiphon for All Saints
O vos omnes qui transitis per viam Attendite et videte Si est dolor similis Sicut dolor meus. Attendite universi populi, Videte dolorem meum.
Quam pulchri sunt gressus tui, filia principis! collum tuum sicut turris eburnea, oculi tui divini, et comae capitis tui sicut purpurea regis. Quam pulchra es, et quam decora, carissima! Alleluia.
How beautiful are your footsteps, O prince's daughter! Your neck, like a tower of ivory; Your divine eyes; And the hair of your head, like a king's purple. How beautiful you are, and how gracious, dearest one! Alleluia.
Senex puerum portabat: puer autem senem regebat: quem virgo peperit, et post partum virgo permansit: ipsum quem genuit, adoravit.
The old man carried the boy, but the boy ruled the old man. Whom the virgin bore, and afterwards remained a virgin, the very same to whom she gave birth, she worshipped.Antiphon of the Purification
Vere languores nostros ipse tulit et dolores nostros ipse portavit cujus livore sanati sumus Dulce lignum, dulce clavos, dulcia ferens pondera quae sola fuistis digna sustinere regem coelorum et Dominum
Truly, our failings he has taken upon himself and our sorrows he has borne By his wounds we have been saved O sweet wood, O sweet nails that bore this sweet burden which alone were worthy to support the King of heaven and Lord
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