Holy Maydyn, Blyssid Thou Be

For Christmas

Words and Music: English Traditional

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.

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.

Source: Thomas Wright, Songs and Carols from a Manuscript in the British Museum of the Fifteenth Century (London: Printed by Richards for The Warton Club, 1856), Hymn #50, pp. 71-72.

Synge we, synge we,
Regina celi, letare.

HOLY maydyn, blyssid thou be,
Godes sone is born of the ;
The fader of hevene worchepe we,
    Regina celi, letare.

Heyl, wyf ! heyl, maydyn ! heyl, brytȝ of ble !
Heyl, dowter ! heyl, suster ! heyl, ful of peté
Heyl, chosyn to tho personys thre !
    Regina, etc.

Thou art empresse of hevene so fre,
Worthi maydyn in magesté ;
Now worchepe we the trenyté,
    Regina, etc.

Lady so lovely, so goodly to see,
So buxsum in thi body to be,
Thou art his moder for humylité,
    Regina celi, letare.

These ben curteys kynges of solunté,
They worchepyd thi sone with umylité ;
Mylde Mary, thus rede we.
    Regina, etc.

So gracius, so precyows in ryalté ;
Thus jentyl, thus good, thus fynde we
Ther is non swych in non cuntré.
    Regina, etc.

And therfore knel we doun on our kne,
This blyssid berthe worchepe we ;
This is a song of humylyté.
    Regina, etc.

Note:

Another version of this song on this web site:

• Holy maiden, blessed thou be (Rickert)

Regina celi, letare is translated by Rickert as "Queen of Heaven, rejoice."

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