ADAM of ST. VICTOR ~ LITURGICAL SEQUENCES

ADAM of ST. VICTOR ~ LITURGICAL SEQUENCES

The LITURGICAL SEQUENCES of ADAM of ST. VICTOR

From the TEXT of M. GAUTIER

With TRANSLATIONS into ENGLISH in the ORIGINAL METRES by DIGBY S. WRANGHAM

Originally PUBLISHED by KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH & COMPANY of LONDON ~ MDCCCLXXXI

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VOLUME I : VOLUME II : VOLUME III

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INDEX

I. NATIVITAS DOMINI
~I. CHRISTMAS
II. NATIVITAS DOMINI
~II. CHRISTMAS
III. NATIVITAS DOMINI
~III. CHRISTMAS
IV. NATIVITAS DOMINI
~IV. CHRISTMAS
V. NATIVITAS DOMINI
~V. CHRISTMAS
VI. NATIVITAS DOMINI
~VI. CHRISTMAS
VII. NATIVITAS DOMINI
~VII. CHRISTMAS
VIII. DIES CIRCUMCISIONIS
~VIII. CIRCUMCISION
IX. PASCHA
~IX. EASTER
X. PASCHA
~X. EASTER
XI. PASCHA
~XI. EASTER
XII. PASCHA
~XII. EASTER
XIII. PASCHA
~XIII. EASTER
XIV. PASCHA
~XIV. EASTER
XV. ASCENSIO
~XV. ASCENSION
XVI. PENTECOSTE
~XVI. WHITSUNTIDE
XVII. PENTECOSTE
~XVII. WHITSUNTIDE
XVIII. PENTECOSTE
~XVIII. WHITSUNTIDE
XIX. PENTECOSTE
~XIX. WHITSUNTIDE
XX. PENTECOSTE
~XX. WHITSUNTIDE
XXI. TRINITAS
~XXI. TRINITY
XXII. TRINITAS
~XXII. TRINITY

XXIII. DEDICATIO ECCLESIAE
~XXIII. On the DEDICATION of a CHURCH
XXIV. DEDICATIO ECCLESIAE
~XXIV. On the DEDICATION of a CHURCH 
XXV. DEDICATIO ECCLESIAE
~XXV. On the DEDICATION of a CHURCH 
XXVI. DEDICATIO ECCLESIAE
~XXVI. On the DEDICATION of a CHURCH 

XXVII. S. ANDREAS
~XXVII. ST. ANDREW
XXVIII. S. NICOLAUS
~XXVIII. ST. NICHOLAS
XXIX. S. STEPHANUS
~XXIX. ST. STEPHEN
XXX. S. STEPHANUS
~XXX. ST. STEPHEN
XXXI. S. JOANNES EVANGELISTA
~XXXI. ST. JOHN the EVANGELIST
XXXII. S. JOANNES EVANGELISTA
~XXXII. ST. JOHN the EVANGELIST
XXXIII. S. JOANNES EVANGELISTA
~XXXIII. ST. JOHN the EVANGELIST
XXXIV. S. JOANNES EVANGELISTA
~XXXIV. ST. JOHN the EVANGELIST
XXXV. S. THOMAS CANTUARIUS
~XXXV. ST. THOMAS of CANTERBURY
XXXVI. S. THOMAS CANTUARIUS
~XXXVI. ST. THOMAS of CANTERBURY
XXXVII. S. THOMAS CANTUARIUS
~XXXVII. ST. THOMAS of CANTERBURY
XXXVIII. S. GENOVEFA
~XXXVIII. ST. GENEVIEVE
XXXIX. S. AGNES
~XXXIX. ST. AGNES

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I. NATIVITAS DOMINI
[English]

Potestate, non natura,
Fit Creator creatura,
Reportetur ut factura
Factoris in gloria.
Praedicatus per prophetas,
Quem non capit locus, aetas,
Nostrae sortis intrat metas,
Non relinquens propria.

Castitatis in tenorem,
Plasma gignit plasmatorem,
Virgo parit amatorem,
Lactat patrem filia.
Argumentum geniturae
Hujus nescit jus naturae;
Suae legis fracto jure,
Stupet de potentia.

Coelum terris inclinatur,
Homo-Deus adunatur;
Adunato famulatur
Coelestis familia.
Rex sacerdos consecratur
Generalis, quod monstratur
Cum pax terris nuntiatur
Et in altis gloria.

Causa quaeris, modum rei:
Causa prius omnes rei,
Modus justum velle Dei,
Sed conditum gratia.
O quam dulce condimentum
Nobis mutans in pigmentum
Cum aceto fel cruentum
Degustante Messya!
O salubre sacramentum,
Quod nos ponit in jumentum
Plagis nostris dans unguentum
Ille se Samaria!

Ille alter Elyseus,
Reputatus homo reus,
Suscitavit homo-Deus
Sunamitis puerum.
Hic est gigas currens fortis
Qui, destructo lege mortis,
Ad amoena primae sortis
Ovem fert in humerum.
Vivat, regnat Deus-homo,
Trahens orco lapsum pomo;
Coelo tractus gaudet homo
Denum complens numerum.

Patris mater, meta vatum,
Ora Patrem, jube natum,
Nos ut ducat ad hunc statum
Plenum pace, gloria,
Quo refecti
Visu Dei
Cantemus Alleluia.
- Amen dicant omnia!
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I. CHRISTMAS
[Latin]

The Creator, not by nature
But by might, becomes a creature,
That with glory the Creator
May His creature once more crown.
Presaged in the prophets' pages,
He, Who of no place or age is,
Enters on our life's brief stages,
Not relinquishing His own.

Virgin still, the creature giveth
Birth to Him through Whom she liveth;
Maiden's womb her spouse conceiveth;
Daughter's breasts her father feed.
Nature's law no instance knoweth
Of such birth as this one showeth;
And, since it all law o'erthroweth,
Nature trembles at the deed.

Heaven to earth hath condescended;
Man is with the Godhead blended,
And the Man-God is attended
By celestial ministry.
That, as priest, is consecrated
Heaven's king, is demonstrated;
Peace on earth is promulgated;
Glory unto God on high!

Ask'st thou why? how? this beginneth.
Why? because mankind first sinneth;
How? God's just will then combineth
With His grace to break sin's thrall.
O how sweet their blended savour,
Changing into spiced wine's flavour,
When Christ tasted, man to favour,
Bitter vinegar and gall!
O dread mystery, soul-reviving!
When Samaria's son arriving
Sets, for wounds a balm contriving,
On His own beast those that fall!

He, Elisha's true successor,
God-man, counted a transgressor,
To the Shunamite, to bless her,
Hath restored her son again.
As a giant runs He joying,
Who, His shoulder's strength employing,
Bears His sheep, Death's law destroying,
Back to primal joys of men.
Ad God-man He lives and reigneth,
And lost man from hell restraineth;
Man with joy heaven's realms obtaineth,
Filling up its orders ten.

Heaven's Sire's mother, goal of sages!
Pray that Father through all ages,
Tell thy Son to point our stages
To where peace and glory reign;
Till there, being
Braced, God seeing,
Lift we Alleluia's strain,
Let creation say “Amen!”
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INDEX

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II. NATIVITAS DOMINI
[English]

In excelsis canitur
Nato regi gloria,
Per quem terrae redditur
Et coelo concordia.

Jure dies colitur
Christi natalitia
Quo nascente nascitur
Novae legis gratia.

Mediator nobis datus
In salutis pretium
Non naturae, sed reatus
Refugit consortium.

Non amittit claritatem
Stella fundens radium
Nec Maria castitatem
Pariendo filium.

Quid de monte lapis caesus
Sine manu, nisi Jesus
Qui de regnum linea,
Sine carnis opere,
De carne puerperae
Processit virginea?

Solitudo floreat
Et desertum gaudeat!
Virga Jesse floruit.
Radix virgam, virga florem,
Virgo profert Salvatorem,
Sicut lex praecinuit.

Radix David typum gessit,
Virga matris quae processit
Ex regali semine;
Flos est Puer nobis natus,
Jure flori comparatus
Prae mira dulcedine.

In praesepe reclinatur,
Cujus ortus celebratur
Coelesti praeconio.
Coeli cives jubilant,
Dum pastores vigilant
Sub noctis silentio.

Cuncta laudes intonant
Super partum Virginis;
Lex et psalmi consonant
Prophetarum paginis.

Angelorum et pastorum,
Stellae simul et magorum
Concordant indicia;
Reges currunt Orientis
Ad praesepe vagientis,
Gentium primordia.

Jesu, puer immortalis,
Ex aeterno temporalis,
Nos ab hujus vitae malis
Tu potenter erue.
Tu, post vitam hanc mortalem,
Sive mortem hanc vitalem,
Vitam nobis immortalem
Clementer restitue. Amen.
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II. CHRISTMAS
[Latin]

In the highest, hark! the strain,
“Glory to the new-born King!
Who doth with Him peace, again
Joining earth with heaven, bring!”

Honour thus is paid aright
Unto this, Christ's natal morn;
At Whose birth the grace so bright
Of a new-made law is born.

The appointed Mediator,
Our salvation's price to pay,
Not His share in human nature,
But in misdeeds, puts away.

Not a whit less bright appearing,
The life-giving star we see;
Nor doth Mary by child-bearing
Lose her spotless chastity.

What is this rock-stone so precious,
Quarried not by hand, but Jesus,
Scion of a line of kings,
Who, begot, without man's aid,
Of a pure yet pregnant maid,
From her fleshly nature springs?

Let the desert blossom forth;
Joy, waste places of the earth!
Jesse's rod doth flowers unfold.
Root it brancheth, branch it bloometh,
Virgin-born, a saviour cometh,
As the law of old foretold.

David's self that root portended;
Mary is that branch, descended
From that seed of royal line:
He, the son unto us given,
Is its flower, a flower from heaven,
Since its fragrance is divine.

He, whose birth's due celebration
Forms the angels' proclamation,
In a manger-cradle lies;
Heavenly hosts therein delight,
Whilst the shepherds watch by night
'Neath the silence of the skies.

All things shouts of joy upraise
For the Virgin's Son most high;
Him the law and psalms too praise
With the page of prophecy.

Angels', shepherds', salutations,
Stars' and wise men's indications,
In their object all agree:
Haste those Eastern kings where, crying,
In a crib a Babe is lying,
Who the Gentile first-fruits be.

Infant Jesu, death-bound never!
For a time and yet for ever!
By Thy might mankind deliver
From this life's adversity:
When this mortal life is ended,
From this living death ascended,
By Thy clemency befriended,
Grant us deathless life with Thee! Amen.
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INDEX

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III. NATIVITAS DOMINI
[English]

In natale Salvatoris
Angelorum nostra chorus
Succinat conditio:
Harmonia diversorum,
Sed in unum redactorum
Dulcis est connexio.

Felix dies hodiernus,
In quo patri coaeternus
Nascitur ex Virgine!
Felix dies et jocundus!
Illustrari gaudet mundus
Veri solis lumine.

Ne periret homo reus,
Redemptorum misit Deus,
Pater unigenitum;
Visitavit quos amavit
Nosque vitae revocavit
Gratia, non meritum.

Infinitus et immensus
Quem non capit ullus sensus
Nec locorum spatia,
Ex aeterno temporalis,
Ex immenso fit localis,
Ut restauret omnia!

Non peccatum, sed peccati
Formam sumens, vetustati
Nostrae se contemperat:
Immortalis se mortali,
Spiritalis corporali,
Ut natura conferat.

Sic concurrunt in personae
Singularis unione
Verbum, caro, spiritus,
Ut natura non mutetur,
Nec persona geminetur,
Sed sit una penitus.

Tantae rei sacramentum
Latet hostem fraudulentum;
Fallitur malitia.
Caecus hostis non praesagit
Quod sub nube carnis agit
Dei sapientia.

Hujus nodum sacramenti
Non subtilis argumenti
Solvit inquisitio.
Modum nosse non est meum;
Scio tamen posse Deum
Quod non capit ratio.

Quam subtile Dei consilium!
Quam sublime rei mysterium!
Virga florem,
Vellus rorem,
Virgo profert filium.

Nec pudorum laesit conceptio,
Nec virorem floris emissio;
Concipiens
Et pariens
Comparatur lilio.

O Maria, stella maris,
Post Deum spes singularis
Naufragantis saeculi,
Vide quam nos fraudulenter,
Quam nos vexant violenter
Tot et tales aemuli.

Per te virtus nobis detur
Per te, mater, exturbetur
Daemonum superbia;
Tuae proli nos commenda,
Ne nos brevis, sed tremenda
Feriat sententia.

Jesu, noster salutaris,
Qui prudenter operaris
Salutis mysterium,
His qui colunt hunc natalem
De salutem temporalem,
Da perhenne gaudium!
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III. CHRISTMAS
[Latin]

Since a Saviour is born for us,
With the angels in glad chorus
Let our race unite to-day:
Sweetly sound such hymns uprising,
Different voices harmonizing
All their praises in one lay.

Happy day, when the Supernal,
With the Father co-eternal,
Of a Virgin comes to birth!
Day of joy and jubilation,
When the bright illumination
Of the true Sun lights glad earth!

God hath a Redeemer given,
His, the Father's, Son from Heaven,
That a sinner should not die:
It is grace alone, not merit,
Gives us new life through the Spirit,
Visiting God's family.

Infinite and in all places,
He, whom sense and earth's wide spaces
Comprehend not nor contain,
Though eternal, time obeyeth,
And, though everywhere, here stayeth,
All things to restore again!

He sin's form, without sin, weareth,
And, to be made like us, shareth
Our worn-out existence here;
That the temporal and eternal,
That the spiritual and carnal,
Natures might thus linked appear.

So the Word and Flesh and Spirit
Doth one Person thus inherit
In mysterious union,
That no change its nature showeth,
Nor two-fold that Person groweth,
But is altogether one.

This great mystery lies ever
Hidden from man's base deceiver,
And at fault his malice is:
That the wisdom of the Godhead
'Neath the veil of flesh is shrouded
Our blind enemy ne'er sees.

This deep mystery's complication
No abstruse investigation
By induction can explain.
'Tis not mine to know its measure,
But I wot that God's good pleasure
Rules where reason cannot strain.

O how deep the counsel of God appears!
How sublime the mystery it declares!
Rod a flower,
Fleece a shower,
And a Son a Virgin bears.

Her conception hurt not her chastity,
Nor its blooming that ever verdant tree;
In conceiving
And birth-giving,
Lily-like, still pure is she!

Mar, star of ocean! giving
To this shipwrecked age we live in
After God its hope alone!
See what rival machinations,
And what fierce and dire temptations
Vex us sorely every one.

Virtue unto us be given,
And demonic pride be driven
Far away from us by Thee;
To thine offspring O commend us,
Lest His brief but most tremendous
Sentence crush us utterly.

Jesu, Who art out salvation,
Who its wondrous operation
With such wisdom watchest o'er!
Those, who keep this day, defending,
Here Thy help to them extending,
Grant them joy for evermore!
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INDEX

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IV. NATIVITAS DOMINI
[English]

Lux est orta gentibus,
In umbra sedentibus
Et mortis caligine.
Gaudet miser populus
Quia mundo parvulus
Nascitur de virgine.

Ut ascendat homo reus
Condescendit homo-Deus
Hominis miseriae.
Quis non laudet et laetetur?
Quis non gaudens admiretur
Opus novae gratiae?

Quidnam jocundius,
Quidnam secretius
Tali mysterio?
O quam laudabilis!
O quam mirabilis
Dei dignatio!

Hujus nodum sacramenti
Non subtilis argumenti
Solvit inquisitio.
Modum nosse non est meum;
Scio tamen posse Deum
Quod non capit ratio.

Quam subtile Dei consilium!
Quam sublime rei mysterium!
Virga florem,
Vellus rorem,
Virgo profert filium.

Nec pudorem laesit conceptio,
Nec virorem floris emissio;
Concipiens
Et pariens
Comparatur lilio.

O Maria, stella maris,
Post Deum spes singularis
Naufragantis saeculi,
Vide quam nos fraudulenter,
Quam nos vexant violenter
Tot et tales aemuli.

Per te virtus nobis detur
Per te, mater, exturbetur
Daemonum superbia;
Tuae proli nos commenda,
Ne nos brevis, sed tremenda
Feriat sententia.
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IV. CHRISTMAS
[Latin]

For the Gentiles up hath sprung
Light, for those that sate among
Darkness and in death's deep gloom.
Joys a people all forlorn,
That on earth a Child is born
From a spotless maiden's womb.

Guilty man to raise to heaven,
Condescends the God-man even
To our nature's misery.
Who would not with joy be praising,
Songs of wondering gladness raising,
Grace-work of such novelty?

What is more full of bliss,
What is more fathomless,
Than such a mystery?
How worthy all our praise,
How unlike human ways,
Is God's humility!

This deep mystery's complication
No abstruse investigation
By induction can explain.
'Tis not mine to know its measure,
But I wot that God's good pleasure
Rules where reason cannot strain.

O how deep the counsel of God appears!
How sublime the mystery it declares!
Rod a flower,
Fleece a shower,
And a Son a Virgin bears.

Her conception hurt not her chastity,
Nor its blooming that ever verdant tree;
In conceiving
And birth-giving,
Lily-like, still pure is she!

Mar, star of ocean! giving
To this shipwrecked age we live in
After God its hope alone!
See what rival machinations,
And what fierce and dire temptations
Vex us sorely every one.

Virtue unto us be given,
And demonic pride be driven
Far away from us by thee;
To thine offspring O commend us,
Lest His brief but most tremendous
Sentence crush us utterly.
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INDEX

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V. NATIVITAS DOMINI
[English]

Jubilemus Salvatori
Quen coelestes laudant chori
Concordi laetitia;
Pax de coelo nuntiatur,
Terra coelo foederatur,
Angelis Ecclesia.

Verbum carni counitum,
Sicut erat praefinitum,
Sine carnis copula
Virgo parit, Dei templum,
Nec exemplar, nec exemplum
Per tot habens saecula.

Res est nova, res insignis,
Quod in rubo rubet ignis
Nec rubum attaminat:
Coeli rorant, nubes pluunt,
Monts stillant, colles fluunt,
Radix Jesse germinat.

De radice flos ascendit
Quem prophetae praeostendit
Evidens oraculum:
Radix Jesse regem David,
Virga matrem designavit
Virginem, flos parvulum.

Ut ascendat homo reus,
Condescendit homo-Deus
Hominis miseriae.
Quis non laudet et laetetur?
Quis non gaudens admiretur
Opus novae gratiae?

Quidnam jocundius,
Quidnam secretius
Tali mysterio?
O quam mirabilis!
O quam laudabilis
Dei dignatio!

Mira floris pulchritudo
Quem commendat plenitudo
Septiformis gratiae.
Recreemur in hoc flore
Qui nos gustu, nos odore,
Nos invitat specie.

Jesu, puer immortalis,
Tuus nobis hic natalis
Pacem det et gaudia;
Flos et fructus virginalis,
Cujus odor est vitalis,
Tibi laus et gloria!
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