Of On That Is So Fayr and Bri3t

A Song to the Virgin

Words: English Traditional from Egerton Ms. 613, Leaf 2.
Compare: Of On That Is So Fayr and Bright (Chambers and Sidgwick, 1907)

Music: Not Stated

Source: Rev. Richard Morris, ed., An Old English Miscellany (London, E.E.T.S. 1872), Carol #XXVIII, p. 194-195.

This carol requires the installation of the "Junicode" font for best display.
You can obtain a copy of this font from Old English at the University of Virginia, or right click here, and then select "Save File As" to save a copy of the zipped file to your computer. See notes in F A Q.

Note: Because Middle English contains letters not found in modern English, I've used a special font, "Junicode" created by Professor Peter S. Baker, Professor of English, University of Virginia on some pages.  I will note on the individual carol's page which ones need this font. You can obtain a copy of this font from his website Old English at the University of Virginia (select "Windows TrueType," or right click here, and then select "Save File As" to save a copy of the zipped file to your computer).  This font must be downloaded and installed before these pages will display accurately.

A Song To The Virgin.

Of on þat is so fayr and briƺt.
        velud maris stella.
Briƺter  þan  þe day-is liƺt.
        parens et puella.
Ic crie to  þe  þou se to me.
Leuedy preye  þi sone for me. [Lady, pray to thy Son for me,]
        tam pia.
 þat ic mote come to  þe [that I may come to thee]
        maria.

Of kare conseil  þou ert best. 12 [Thou art the best counsel of the sorrowful;]
        felix fecundata.
Of alle wery  þou ert rest. [and thou art rest to the weary.]
        mater honorata.
Bi-sek him wiz milde mod. [Beseech thy Son that we may come to him.]
 þat for ous alle sad is blod.
        in cruce. 16
 þat we moten komen til him.
        In luce.

Al  þis world was for-lore. [All this world was forlorn]
        eua peccatrice!
Tyl our lord was y-bore [until our Lord was born.]
        de te genitnce.
With aue it went a-way.
 þuster nyth and comet phte day 24 [The dark night departed and the day of salvation came.]
        salutis
 þe welle springet hut of  þe [In thee is the well of virtue.]
        uirtutis.

Leuedi flour of alle  þing. 28 [Thou, O Lady, the thornless rose,]
        rosa sire spina.
 þu bere ihesu heuene king. [didst bear heaven's King--]
        gratia diuina.
Of alle  þu berst  þe pris. 32
Leuedi quene of parays. [thou art Queen of Paradise.]
        electa.
Mayde milde. Moder.
        es effecta. 36

Wei he wot he is  þi sone. [Well does Jesus know that he is thy Son.]
        uentre quem portasti.
He wyl nout werne  þe  þi bone. [He will not refuse thee thy requests.]
        paruum quem lactasti ! 40
So hende and so god he his.
He hauet brout ous to blis. [He has brought us to bliss,]
        superni.
 þat hauez hi-dut  þe foule put. 44 [he closed the foul pit of hell.]
        inferni.
Explicit cantus iste.

Editor's Note:

Text contained in square brackets, ie., [ ], are from Rev. Morris.

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