From An English Ladymass, Anonymous Four
Edi beo thu
Blessed be Thou, Queen of heaven,
comfort of men and bliss of angels,
unblemished mother and pure virgin,
such as no other is in the world.
As for Thee, it is most readily seen
that of all women Thou hast that prize.
My sweet Lady, hear my prayer
and have pity on me, if Thou wilt.
Thou didst ascend like the first dawn
that brings dark night to an end;
from Thee sprang a new light
that has lightened the whole world.
There is no other maid like Thee,
so fair, so beautiful, so ruddy,
so radiant, so bright; sweet Lady, pity me
and have mercy on Thy knight.
O blossom sprung forth from a root,
the Holy Ghost reposed upon Thee;
that was for mankind's salvation
to deliver their soul in exchange for one.
Gracious Lady, gentle and sweet,
I cry to Thee for mercy;
I am Thy man with hand and foot,
in every way I can.
Thou art earth for good seed;
the dew from heaven came down upon Thee;
from Thee sprang forth the blessed fruit —
the Holy Ghost has sown it on Thee here.
Bring us out of the grief and dread
that Eve has wickedly caused us;
Thou shalt lead us into heaven —
right sweet is that same dew.
Mother, full of gracious virtues,
maiden patient and well-taught,
I am in the bonds of Thy love,
and everything draws me to Thee.
Wouldst Thou shield me from the fiend,
as Thou art noble, willing and able;
help me to my life's end
and reconcile me with Thy son.
Translation by Ernest H. Sanders
More here from the Yoolis Night set and others.
Gabriel, fram heven-king
Gabriel, fram heven-king
sent to þe maide sweete,
broute hir blisful tiding
and fair he gan hir greete:
‘Heil be þu, ful of grace ari3t!
For Godes son, þis heven-li3t,
for mannes love
wil man bicome
and take
fles of þee, maide bri3t,
manken free for to make
of sen and devles mi3t.’
Mildelich him gan andswere
þe milde maide þanne:
‘Wichewise sold ich bere
a child withute manne?’
Þangel hir seid, ‘Ne dred tee nout;
þurw þoligast sal been iwrout
þis ilche þing
warof tiding
ich bringe;
al manken wurth ibout
þurw þine sweet childinge
and ut of pine ibrout.’
Wan þe maiden understood
and þangels wordes herde,
mildelich with milde mood
to þangel hie andswerde:
‘Ure lords þewe maid iwis
ich am, þat heer aboven is.
Anentis me
fulfurthed be
þi sawe
þat ich, sith his wil is,
a maid, withute law,
of moder have þe blis.’
Þangel went awei mid þan
al ut of hire si3te;
hire womb arise gan
þurw þoligastes mi3te.
in hir wes Crist bilok anon,
sooth God, sooth man in fles and bon,
and of hir fles
ibore wes
at time.
Warþurw us kam good won;
he bout us ut of pine
and let him for us slon.
Maiden-moder makeles,
of milce 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
and heven-blis,
wan ur time is
to sterve,
us give, for þine sake,
him so heer for to serve
þat he us to him take.
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, !
And more for listening and meditating............words above.
