Of on that is so fayr and bright
Velut maris stella,
Brighter than the day is light,
Parens et puella:
Ic crie to the, thou see to me,
Levedy, preye thi Sone for me,
Tam pia,
That ic mote come to thee
Maria.
[ ... ]
Levedy, flour of alle thing,
Rose sine spina,
Thu bere Jhesu, hevene king,
Gratia divina:
Of alle thu ber'st the pris,
Levedy, quene of paradys
Electa:
Mayde milde, moder es
Effecta.
Three Middle English Songs
Song Cycle by Michael (Stockwin) Howard (1922 - 2002)
1. A hymn to the Virgin  [sung text checked 1 time]
Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author, "A hymn to the Virgin", written c1300 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- GER German (Deutsch) (Bertram Kottmann) , "Loblied auf die Jungfrau Maria", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Confirmed with Quiller-Couch, Arthur Thomas, Sir. The Oxford Book of English Verse, Oxford: Clarendon, 1919.
GLOSS: on] one. levedy] lady. thuster] dark. pris] prize.
Modernized version (used by Britten) :Of one that is so fair and bright Velut maris stella, Brighter than the day is light, Parens et puella: I cry to thee, thou see to me, Lady, pray thy Son for me Tam pia, That I may come to thee. Maria! All this world was forlorn Eva peccatrice, Till our Lord was y-born De te genetrice. With ave it went away Darkest night, and comes the day Salutis The well springeth out of thee. Virtutis. Lady, flow'r of ev'rything, Rosa sine spina, Thou bare Jesu, Heaven's King, Gratia divina: Of all thou bear'st the prize, Lady, queen of paradise Electa: Maid mild, mother es Effecta. Effecta.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
2. May in the Grenewode  [sung text checked 1 time]
In somer when the shawes be sheyne, And leves be large and long, Hit is full merry in feyre foreste To here the foulys song. To se the dere draw to the dale And leve the hilles [hee]1, And shadow him in the leves grene Under the green-wode tree. Hit befell on Whitsontide Early in a May mornyng, The Sonne up faire can shyne, And the briddis mery can syng. 'This is a mery mornyng,' said Litulle Johne, 'Be Hym that dyed on tre; A more mery man than I am one Lyves not in Christiantè. 'Pluk up thi hert, my dere mayster,' Litulle Johne can say, 'And thynk hit is a fulle fayre tyme In a mornynge of May.'
Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author ( 15th century ) , "May in the Green-Wood" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Glossary: sheyne = bright.
1 Howard: "so hee"
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
3. This Worldes Joie  [sung text checked 1 time]
Winter wakeneth al my care, Now thise leves waxeth bare; Ofte I sike and mourne sare When hit cometh in my thoht Of this worldes joie, hou hit geth al to noht. Nou hit is, and nou hit nys, Al so hit ner nere, ywys; Al goth bote Godes wille: Alle we shule deye, thah us like ylle. Al that gren me graveth grene, Nou hit faleweth al bydene: Jehsu, help that hit be sene, And shild us from helle! For y not whider y shal, ne hou longe her duelle.
Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author, Ludlow 1340 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
See other settings of this text.
Glossary: sike = sighResearcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Total word count: 319