ADAM of ST. VICTOR ~ LITURGICAL SEQUENCES

XVI. PENTECOSTE
[English]

Lux jucunda, lux insignis,
Qua de throno missus ignis
In Christi discipulos
Corda replet, linguas ditat,
Ad concordes nos invitat
Linguae cordis modulos.

Christus misit quod promisit
Pignus sponsae, quam revisit
Die quinquagesima;
Post dulcorem melleum
Petra fudit oleum,
Petra jam firmissima.

In tabellis saxeis,
Non in linguis igneis
Lex de monte populo;
Paucis cordis novitas
Et linguarum unitas
Datur in coenaculo.

O quam felix, quam festiva
Dies, in qua primitiva
Fundatur ecclesia!
Vivae sunt primitiae
Nascentis ecclesiae,
Tria primum millia.

Panes legis primitivi
Sub una sunt adoptivi
Fide duo populi:
Se duobus interjecit
Sicque duos unum fecit
Lapis, caput anguli.

Utres novi, non vetusti,
Sunt capaces novi musti;
Vasa parat vidua;
Liquorem dat Eliseus;
Nobis sacrum rorem Deus,
Si corda sunt congrua.

Non hoc musto vel liquore,
Non hoc sumus digni rore,
Si discordes moribus.
In obscuris vel divisis
No potest haec Paraclisis
Habitare cordibus.

Consolator alme, veni;
Linguas rege, corda leni;
Nihil fellis aut veneni
Sub tua praesentia.
Nil jocundum, nil amoenum,
Nil salubre, nil serenum,
Nihil dulce, nihil plenum,
Nisi tua gratia.

Tu lumen es et unguentum,
To coeleste condimentum
Aquae ditans elementum
Virtute mysterii.
Nova facti creatura,
Te laudamus mente pura,
Gratiae nunc, sed natura
Prius irae filii.

Tu qui dator es et donum,
Tu qui condis omne bonum,
Cor ad laudem redde pronum,
Nostrae linguae formans sonum
In tua praeconia.
Tu nos purga a peccatis,
Auctor ipse puritatis,
Et in Christo renovatis
Da perfectae novitatis
Plena nobis gaudia. Amen.
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XVI. WHITSUNTIDE
[Latin]

Day delightful! day most noted!
When o'er Christ's disciples floated
Fire sent from the throne on high,
Filling hearts and tongues endowing,
And on hearts and tongues bestowing
Words and thoughts in harmony!

Christ, as once His word had spoken,
Sent his spouse a pledge and token,
Coming back the fiftieth day.
After streams of honey sweet
Oil that rock poured forth from it,
Which is now man's firmest stay.

From the mount to Jewry came
God's law, not in tongues of flame,
But on tables wrought from stone:
In a furnished upper room,
Given but to few, there come
Hearts renewed, and tongues as one.

O the joy and jubilation
Of that day, when first foundation
Of the early Church was laid:
When the Church, then first begun,
Should three hundred to it won,
Lively first-fruits of it made.

Thus one faith binds earth's two nations,
Like the early dispensation's
Twofold offering of bread:
The Head Corner-stone two races
By his presence interlaces,
And thus one the two are made.

In new bottles, not in olden,
Must the new-made wine be holden:
Brings the widow but the cruse;
Oil is by Elijah given:
So doth God for dew from heaven
Hearts, if fitting vessels, use.

Of this wine or oil before Thee,
Of this dew, are we unworthy,
If we have not peace within:
Not in hearts 'gainst God rebelling,
Can this Comforter be dwelling,
Nor in those made dark through sin.

Come, Thou Comforter benignest!
Rule our hearts and tongues, Divinest!
Gall or poison, where Thou shinest,
May not any more be found:
There is not a joy or pleasure,
Health and rest are not a treasure,
Nought is sweet, all scant in measure,
Where Thy grace doth not abound.

Thou, for light and unction given,
A sweet savour sent from heaven,
Fillest simple water even
With a new mysterious power:
We, re-made by Thy creation,
Give Thee, with pure hearts, laudation;
Sons of grace, by generation
Sons of wrath who were before.

Thou, Who art both gift and giver,
Helping every good endeavour,
Cause our hearts to praise Thee ever,
And our lips, O let us never
But in blessing Thee employ:
Wash out every evil passion,
Who alone canst purge transgression!
And in Christ our souls refashion,
That we may, in full possession,
Our new nature's bliss enjoy! Amen.
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INDEX

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XVII. PENTECOSTE
[English]

Qui procedis ab utroque,
Genitore Genitoque
Pariter, Paraclite,
Redde linguas eloquentes,
Fac ferventes
In te mentes
Flamma tua divite.

Amor Patris Filiique,
Par amborum et utrique
Compar et consimilis.
Cuncta reples, cuncta foves,
Astra regis, coelum moves,
Permanens immobilis.

Lumen carum,
Lumen clarum,
Internarum
Tenebrarum
Effugas caliginem;
Per te mundi sunt mundati;
Tu peccatum et peccati
Destruis rubiginem.

Veritatem notam facis
Et ostendis viam pacis
Et iter justitiae.
Perversorum
Corda vitas,
Et bonorum
Corda ditas
Munere scientiae.

Te docente
Nil obscurum,
Te prsesente
Nil impurum;
Sub tua praesentia
Gloriatur mens jocunda;
Per te laeta, per te munda
Gaudet conscientia.

Tu commutas elementa;
Per te suam sacramenta
Habent efficaciam:
Tu nocivam vim repellis,
Tu confutas et refellis
Hostium nequitiam.

Quando venis,
Corda lenis;
Quando subis
Atrae nubis
Effugit obscuritas;
Sacer ignis,
Pectus ignis;
Non comburis,
Sed a curis
Purgas, quando visitas.

Mentes prius imperitas
Et sopitas
Et oblitas
Erudis et excitas.
Foves linguas, formas sonum;
Cor ad bonum
Facit pronum
A te data charitas.

O juvamen
Oppressorum,
O solamen
Miserorum,
Pauperum refugium,
Da contemptum terrenorum,
Ad amorem supernorum
Trahe desiderium!

Consolator
Et fundator,
Habitator
Et amator
Cordium humilium,
Pelle mala, terge sordes,
Et discordes
Fac concordes,
Et affer praesidium.

Tu qui quondam visitasti,
Docuisti, confortasti
Timentes discipulos,
Visitare nos digneris;
Nos, si placet, consoleris
Et credentes populos.

Par majestas
Personarum,
Par potestas
Est earum,
Et communis Deitas:
Tu, procedens a duobus,
Coaequalis es ambobus;
In nullo disparitas.

Quia tantus es et talis
Quantus Pater est et qualis;
Servorum humilitas
Deo Patri, Filioque
Redemptori, Tibi quoque
Laudes reddat debitas. Amen.
-----

XVII. WHITSUNTIDE
[Latin]

Comforter, from both together,
From the Son and from the Father,
Who proceedest equally!
Eloquent our utterance render;
With Thy splendour
Bright engender
In our hearts true warmth for Thee.

Love of Father, Son, together;
Equal of them both; with either
One: the same in every part!
All Thou fillest, all Thou lovest,
Stars Thou rulest, heaven Thou movest,
Though immovable Thou art.

Light the dearest!
Light the clearest!
Off Thou scarest,
As Thou nearest,
From the heart its gloomy night:
All the pure Thou purifiest,
Thou it is that sin destroyest,
And its mildew's baleful blight.

Knowledge of the truth Thou spreadest;
On the way of peace Thou leadest,
And the path of righteousness.
From Thee thrusting
Hearts unruly,
Thou all trusting
Hearts and holy
Dost with gifts of wisdom bless.

When Thou teachest,
Nought obscure is!
Where Thou reachest,
Nought impure is;
And, if present Thou wilt be,
Hearts in Thee then blithely glory,
And the conscience joys before Thee,
Gladdened, purified by Thee.

Elements their mystic dower,
Sacraments their saving power,
But through Thee alone possess:
What can harm us Thou repellest,
Thou exposest and Thou quellest,
Adversaries' wickedness.

Where Thou lightest,
Hearts are brightest;
Gloom-enshrouded
Clouds that brooded
There, before Thee disappear;
Fire all-holy!
Hearts Thou truly
Never burnest,
But thence yearnest,
When Thou comest, cares to clear.

Thou the heart, experience needing,
Languor pleading,
Little heeding,
Dost instruct and rouse to right;
Speeches framing, tongues endowing,
And bestowing
Love all-glowing,
Hearts Thou mak'st in good delight.

Sustentation
In dejection!
Consolation
In affliction!
Only refuge of the poor!
Give us scorn for things terrestrial,
And to care for things celestial
Lead our longings more and more!

Comfort wholly,
Founder solely,
Inmate truly,
Lover throughly,
Of those hearts that bow to Thee!
Concord, where is discord, raising,
Ills thence chasing,
Guilt effacing,
Bring us true security!

Thou, Who once by visitation
Didst inform, and consolation
To Thy scared disciples give!
Deign Thou now to come unto us:
If it please Thee, comfort show us,
And all nations that believe!

One excelling
Greatness sharing,
One as well in
Power appearing,
But one God three Persons are.
Coming forth from two together,
Thou co-equal art with either,
No disparity is there.

Such as is the Father Thou art;
Since so great and such Thou now art,
By Thy servants unto Thee,
With the Sire, and Son, in heaven
Our Redeemer, praise be given,
As is due, most reverently! Amen.
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INDEX

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XVIII. PENTECOSTE
[English]

Simplex in essentia,
Septiformis gratia,
Nos illustret Spiritus;
Cordis lustret tenebras
Et carnis illecebras
Lux emissa coelitus!

Lex praecessit in figura,
Lex poenalis, lex obscura,
Lumen evangelicum.
Spiritalis intellectus,
Litterali fronde tectus,
Prodeat in publicum!

Lex de monte populo,
Paucis in coenaculo
Nova datur gratia.
Situs docet nos locorum,
Praeceptorum vel donorum
Quae sit eminentia.

Ignis, clangor buccinae,
Frago cum caligine,
Lampadum discursio,
Terrorem incutiunt
Nec amorem nutriunt,
Quem effudit unctio.

Sic in Sina
Lex divina
Reis est imposita;
Lex timoris,
Non amoris,
Puniens illicita.

Ecce patres praeelecti
Dii recentes sunt effecti:
Culpae solvunt vincula.
Pluunt verbo, tonant minis;
Novis linguis et doctrinis
Consonant miracula.

Exhibentes aegris curam,
Morbum damnant, non naturam.
Persequentes scelera,
Reos premunt et castigant:
Modo solvunt, modo ligant,
Potestate libera.

Typum gerit Jubilei
Dies iste, si diei
Requiris mysteria,
In quo, tribus millibus
Ad fidem currentibus,
Pullulat Ecclesia.

Jubilaeus est vocatus
Vel dimittens vel mulatus,
Ad priores vocans status
Res distractas libere.
Nos distractos sub peccatis,
Liberet lex charitatis
Et perfectae libertatis
Dignos reddat munere. Amen.
-----

XVIII. WHITSUNTIDE
[Latin]

May the Spirit on us shine,
One in essence all-divine,
Septiform in gifts of grace!
May His beams from Heaven's height
Flood the darkened heart with light
And our lusts' ensnaring ways!

First the penal Law came, clouded
O'er with types, in mystery shrouded,
Ere the Gospel light shone forth.
'Neath the foliage of the letter
May the spirit, free from fetter,
Of that Gospel spread o'er earth!

From the Mount the Law was given
Unto all; new grace from Heaven
In a chamber to a few;
The position of which places
Brings out the respective graces
Of their laws and gifts to view.

Flames of fire, the trump's loud sound,
Din and darkness all around,
Bickering lightnings sent abroad,
Strike wild terror to the heart,
Nor the fostering love impart,
Which that unction hath outpoured.

Thus were given
Out of heaven
Laws to sinners from the Mount;
Laws of terror,
Chastening error,
Making love of small account.

By the fathers, pre-elected,
God-like works are now effected;
They unloose sin's galling bond:
Rain their words, their threatenings thunder,
With their words their works of wonder,
New and startling, correspond.

Caring for each sickly creature,
They condemn disease, not nature;
Punishing iniquity,
Sinners they strike down and chasten;
Chains they loosen, chains they fasten,
With a power from limit free.

Like a jubilee appeareth
The appearance this day weareth, -
If its mystery thou would'st know; -
When three thousand souls make haste
'Mongst believers to be classed,
And the Church doth thrive and grow.

"Jubilee" is a provision
Made for change or for remission,
Freely to their first condition
Calling those in misery.
May the law, by love enacted,
Freeing us, by sin distracted,
Make us, to its gifts attracted,
Fit for perfect liberty! Amen.
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INDEX

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XIX. PENTECOSTE
[English]

Spiritus
Paraclitus,
Procedens divinitus,
Manet ante saecula;
Populis,
Discipulis
Ad salutem sedulis
Pacis dedit oscula.

Hodie
Cum tertiae
Surgit hora, veniae
Fit ampla donatio;
Criminum
Est hominum
Per actorem luminum
Facta relaxatio.

Micuit,
Aperuit,
Viros fortes imbuit
Suavis refectio;
Irruit
Et mituit
Et eosdem docuit
Suo magisterio.

Fragiles,
Indociles
Et adhuc inutiles,
Sermonum inopia,
Utiles
Amabiles
Et amici probabiles
Facti sunt ex gratia.

Tenere,
Non temere,
Dilectis occurrere
Vult ita benignitas;
Propere
Consumere
Culpas vult et tergere
Non exstincta caritas.

Audio
Cum gaudio
Quod ejus auxilio
Sit tanta felicitas
Cum tanto tripudio...

Cesset avaritia,
Fugetur iniquitas,
Cesset insolentia,
Cesset infidelitas!

Sit in ipsa veritas;
Mentem cum modestia
Scrutetur humilitas,
Gratiam pro gratia.

Reddat universitas
Ut Christi familia
Quam commendat sanctitas
Sit semper innoxia!

Sit in ipsa veritas,
Sit peccati nescia,
Sit perennis claritas
In coelesti patria! Amen.
-----

XIX. WHITSUNTIDE
[Latin]

The Spirit dear,
That Comforter,
Who, before all ages were,
By procession came from God,
On a race,
That sought His face,
Striving for His saving grace,
Hath the kiss of peace bestowed.

On this day,
When its first ray
The third hour doth display,
Comes full pardon's gift so bright,
Which is then
For all their sin
Freely offered to all men
By the Father of all light.

Its bright sheen
Was fully seen,
And inspired bold dauntless men
With a sweet refreshment there;
Ye, did tame
With rushing flame,
And instruct and teach the same
In its learning rich and rare.

Men, before
Devoid of lore,
Weak and frail, and lacking power
Through the lack of eloquence
Useful prove,
Friends worthy love,
An beloved where'er they move,
Through the grace it doth dispense.

Feelingly,
Not fearfully,
Thus would true benignity
To its well-belovéd come:
Instantly
Sin's infamy
Never-failing charity
Would wipe off us and consume.

O mine ear
With joy doth hear,
That, whene'er His help is near,
Such untold felicity
We shall meet with bounding feet...

Let all avarice vanish hence,
Far away, wrong-doing! flee:
No more pride and insolence,
No more infidelity!

Let the truth still hold its place,
And let but humility
Search the conscience, - grace for grace, -
With all meekness modestly.

May the All in All so bless
Christ the Lord's own family,
That it, marked by holiness,
Be from ills for ever free!

Let the truth there hold its place,
Let it sin ne'er understand:
Let its brightness never cease
In the heavenly fatherland! Amen.
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INDEX

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XX. PENTECOSTE
[English]

Veni, summe consolator,
Spes salutis, vitae dator,
Adsit tua gratia!
Dulcis ardor, ros divine,
Bonitatis germine
Eadem substantia.

Ab utroque derivatus
Et a neutro separatus,
Ad utrumque colligatus
Sempiterno foedere;
Ros et vapor utriusque,
Donet Pater Filiusque
Quod effluas ad nos usque
Largifluo munere.

Rorem audis et vaporem,
Crede simul et odorem
Quo Deus discernitur.
Rorem istum quem emittit
Qui plus gustat, magis eitit,
Nec ardor reprimitur.

Plebs ut sacra renascatur,
Per hunc unda consecratur,
Cui super ferebatur
In rerum exordium,
Fons, origo pietatis,
Fons emundans a peccatis,
Fons de fonte Deitatis,
Fons sacrator fontium!

De salice sine lignis
Haedum vorat manans ignis
Azymaque pariter;
Ignis dispar elementis,
In altari nostrae mentis
Accendaris jugiter!

Umbrâ septem mulierum
Figuratis ipsum verum,
Idem ipse forma rerum,
Septiformis Spiritus!
Speciebus designaris,
Nec specie variaris:
Absit unquam ut dicaris
Speciei deditus!

Ignis vive, vivax unda,
Munda sinus et fecunda,
Subministra gratiam;
Caritatis tactos igne,
Nosmet tibi fac benigne
Sanctitatis hostiam.

Patris, Nati pium flamen,
Vitiorum medicamen,
Fessis esto sublevamen,
Moestis consolatio.
Castus amor et honestus,
Aestus ardens, sed modestus,
Quos urit ardor incestus
Tua sanet unctio.

Vox non sono designata,
Vox subtilis, vox privata,
Vox beatis inspirata,
O vox dulcis, O vox grata,
Sona nostris mentibus!
Lux depellens falsitatem,
Lux inducens veritatem,
Vitam atque sanitatem
Et aeternam claritatem
Nobis confer omnibus. Amen.
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XX. WHITSUNTIDE
[Latin]

Come, our comfort's chief reviver!
Hope of saving-health, Life-giver!
May Thy grace here present be!
Pleasant heat, dew from above!
Outgrowth from the God of love!
One with it substantially!

Who from both proceedest, neither
Canst be separate from either,
Linked with both of them together
By an everlasting tie;
Dew and breath of both in heaven!
By both Sire and Son be given
Of Thy Spirit to us even
In rich plenty from on high.

Of this dew and breath thou hearest;
Deem him scent too, whereby clearest
Is His Godhead to us shown.
As this dew, that from it bursteth,
Tastes man more, the more he thirsteth
With a thirst that nought tones down.

For the world's regeneration
Is to water consecration
Gave, on which at the creation,
O'er its surface borne, it sate.
Fountain, source of love's devotion!
Fountain, cleansing sinful motion!
Fountain from the Godhead's ocean,
That all founts doth consecrate!

Fire, unfed by fuel, flowing
From the rod with ardent glowing
That devours both kid and bread!
Fire, unlike all fire, O may the
Altar of our soul, we pray Thee,
Ever with Thy flame be fed!

Darkly by the women seven
Art Thou figured, Truth of Heaven!
Inner life to all things given!
Spirit, Sevenfold in grace!
Thee all various types betoken,
Though Thy oneness be unbroken;
Nor of Thee may it be spoken,
That a type can Thee embrace.

Fire of life and life's bright river!
Cleanse and fertilize hearts ever,
Giving grace in everything;
Touched with fire of true love, take us
To Thee, and in mercy make us
Holiness's offering!

Sire and Son's blest emanation!
Be from sin our restoration,
When worn out, our sustenation,
And our comfort, when we mourn!
Love both pure and noble truly!
Heat that warms, but ne'er unduly!
May Thine unction heal those throughly,
Who with unchaste ardour burn!

Voice, that doth no sound deliver!
Still small voice, that whisperest ever,
Saints inspiring to endeavour!
Voice of joy and sweetness! never
Cease to sound within our heart!
Light, away all falsehood driving!
Light, to truth incentive giving!
Grant that - life, health, thence deriving, -
Of Thy brightness ever-living
All of us may have a part! Amen.
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