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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
Translation by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

I syng of a mayden
Language: Middle English 
Our translations:  FRE
I syng of a mayden
þat is makeles,
kyng of alle kynges
to here sone che ches.

He came also stylle
þer his moder was
as dew in aprylle,
þat fallyt on þe gras.

He cam also stylle
to his moderes bowr
as dew in aprille,
þat fallyt on þe flour.

He cam also stylle
þer his moder lay
as dew in Aprille,
þat fallyt on þe spray.;

Moder & mayden
was neuer non but che --
wel may swych a lady
Godes moder be.

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author, first published c1400 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Phyllis Campbell (1891 - 1974), "A carol", subtitle: "(Fifteenth century)", copyright © 2018 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Helen Gifford (b. 1935), "I syng of a mayden", 1955 [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Peter Warlock (1894 - 1930), "As dew in Aprylle" [sung text checked 1 time]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

  • Also set in English, a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , from "A Medieval Anthology", edited by Mary Segar ; composed by Henk Badings, Cecil Armstrong Gibbs, Gustav Holst.
    • Go to the text.
  • Also set in English, a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Benjamin Britten, John Theodore Livingston Raynor.
    • Go to the text.
  • Also set in English, a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Benjamin Burrows, Roger Quilter, Egon Joseph Wellesz.
    • Go to the text.
  • Also set in English, adapted by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Arnold Edward Trevor Bax, Sir.
    • Go to the text.

Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2011-01-06
Line count: 20
Word count: 84

I sing of a maiden
Language: English  after the Middle English 
I sing of a maiden
That is matchless;
King of all kings
To her son she chose.

He came all so still
There his mother was,
As dew in April
That falleth on the grass.

He came all so still
To his mother's bower,
As dew in April
That falleth on the flower.

He came all so still
There his mother lay, 
As dew in April
That falleth on the spray.

Mother and maiden
Was never none but she;
Well may such a lady
Goddes mother be.

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Based on:

  • a text in Middle English by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , first published c1400
    • Go to the text page.

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by Benjamin Burrows (1891 - 1966), "Carol to Our Lady", 1928 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Roger Quilter (1877 - 1953), "An old carol", op. 25 (Six songs) no. 3 (1923), published 1924, first performed 1923 [ voice and piano ], Winthrop Rogers [sung text checked 1 time]
  • by Egon Joseph Wellesz (1885 - 1974), "Carol", op. 62a (1944) [ women's chorus ] [sung text not yet checked]

Researcher for this page: Mike Pearson

This text was added to the website: 2012-12-06
Line count: 20
Word count: 87

Gentle Reminder

This website began in 1995 as a personal project by Emily Ezust, who has been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your help is greatly appreciated!
–Emily Ezust, Founder

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