Gabriel To Mary Came
Words: Angelus Ad Virginem, Anonymous 13th or 14th Century Latin
Translation by W. A. Pickard-Cambridge
Tune: Irish Medieval Carol
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF
Meter: 77 77 88 11 6 7 6
1. Gabriel to Mary came,1
And entered at her dwelling,
With his salutation glad,
Her maiden fears dispelling
'All hail, thou queen of virgins bright!2
God, Lord of earth and heaven's height,3
Thy very Son
Shall soon be born
in pureness,
The Saviour of mankind.
Thou art the gate of heaven bright,
The sinners' healer kind.'
2. 'How could I a mother be
That am to man a stranger?
How should I my strong resolve,
My solemn vows endanger?'
'Pow'r from the Holy Ghost on high4
Shall bring to pass this mystery.
Then have no fear:
Be of good cheer,
Believing
That still thy chastity
In God's Almighty keeping
Shall all unsullied be.'
3. Then to him the maid replied,
With noble mien supernatural
'Lo! the humble handmaid I5
Of God the Lord eternal
With thee, bright messenger of heav'n,
By whom this wondrous news is giv'n,
I well agree
And long to see
Fulfilled
Thy gracious prophecy.
As God my Lord doth will it,
So be it unto me!"
4. Hail! thou Mother of the Lord,
Who bring'st of gifts the rarest,6
Peace to angels and to men
When Christ the Lord thou barest!
Do thou, we pray, entreat thy Son
For us our long'd redemption
Himself to win
And from our sin
Release us;
His succor for to give7
That, when we hence are taken
We too in heav'n may live.
1. Or: Gabriel to the Virgin came. Return
2. Or: All hail, thou queen of maidens bright! Return
3. Or: The Lord of earth and heaven's height. Return
4. Or: "The Spirit's power from on high. Return
5. Or: "Lo! the lowly handmaid I. Return
6. Or: Giver of gifts the rarest. Return
7. Or: His succour too to give. Return
Also found in Erik Routley, University Carol Book (Brighton: H. Freeman & Co., 1961), #8, under the title of Angelus Ad Virginem, with the first line of: Gabriel to the Virgin came.