Angelus ad virginem
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- For the devotion known as the angelus, see Angelus, and for other meanings, see angelus (disambiguation).
Angelus ad Virginem (or its English title, Gabriel, From Heven King Was To The Maide Sende) was a popular medieval carol, whose text is a poetic version of the Hail Mary and the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary. Probably Franciscan in origin, it was brought to Britain by French friars in the 13th century. It is said to have originally consisted of 27 stanzas, with each following stanza beginning with the consecutive letter of the alphabet.
Surviving manuscripts may be found in a c. 1361 Dublin Troper (a music book for use at Mass) and a 13th or 14th century vellum Sequentiale that may have been connected with the Church of Addle, Yorkshire. It lyric also appears in the works of John Audelay (perhaps a priest, he definitely spent the last years of his life at Haughmond Abbey, where he wrote for the monks), in a group of four Marian poems.
It appears in Geoffrey Chaucer's Miller's Tale, where the scholar Nicholas sings it in Latin to the accompaniment of his psaltery:
- And over all there lay a psaltery
- Whereon he made an evening's melody,
- Playing so sweetly that the chamber rang;
- And Angelus ad virginem he sang;
- And after that he warbled the King's Note:
- Often in good voice was his merry throat.
[edit] Lyrics
1.Angelus ad virginem The angel, coming secretly
- Subintrans in conclave. to the Virgin's room
Virginis formidinum Calming the Virgin's fears, he said:
- Demulcens inquit "Ave." "Hail"
Ave regina virginum, Hail, Queen of Virgins!
Coeli terraeque dominum You shall conceive the Lord of Heaven and Earth
- Concipies
- Et paries and give birth,
- Intacta,whithout being touched,
- Salutem hominum. to the Salvation of mankind;
- Tu porta coeli facta you, made the Gateway of Heaven,
- Medela criminum. the cure for sins".
2. Quomodo conciperem, How shall I conceive,
- quae virum non cognovi? seeing that I know not a man?
Qualiter infringerem, How shall make an infraction
- quae firma mente vovi?, I who made a vow with my firm mind ?
'Spiritus sancti gratia The grace of the Holy ghost Perficiet haec omnia; will do all this;
- Ne timeas, don't be afraid
- sed gaudeas, But be pleased
- secura,and safe
- quod castimonia because castity
- Manebit in te pura will remain in you, pure
- Dei potentia.'power of God
3. Ad haec virgo nobilis "To these words the noble virgin"
- Respondens inquit ei; "answered to him"
Ancilla sum humilis 'I am the humble handmaiden'
- Omnipotentis Dei. 'Of the all powerful God'
Tibi coelesti nuntio, Tanta secreti conscio,
- Consentiens "I'm OK"
- Et cupiens "and I want"
- Videre "to see"
- factum quod audio, "what I hear done"
- Parata sum parere. "I'm ready to obey"
- Dei consilio. "God's will"
4. Angelus disparuit "The angel disappeared"
- Et statim puellaris "and at once"
Uterus intumuit "the womb of the maidden swelled"
- Vi partus salutaris. "by the force of the laying in of salvation"
Qui, circumdatus utero The one who, protected in thy womb Novem mensium numero, during nine months
- Hinc Exiit from here got out
- Et iniit and the conflict began
- Conflictum,
- Affigens humero He fixed his shoulder
- Crucem, qua dedit ictum On the cross, by which he gave a blow
- Hosti mortifero. to the mortal Ennemy
5. Eia Mater Domini, "Come on, mother of the Lord"
- Quae pacem reddidisti "who has given back peace"
- Angelis et homini, "to angels and man"
- Cum Christum genuisti; "when you bore Christ".
- Tuum exora filium. "Pray your Son"
- Ut se nobis propitium "to be good to us"
- Exhibeat, "Let Him show"
- Et deleat "and wash away"
- Peccata; "our sins"
- Praestans auxilium giving help
- Vita frui beata to enjoy a happy life
- Post hoc exsilium. "after this exile"
[edit] Middle English version
A 14th middle-English version begins:
- Gabriel fram Heven-King / Sent to the Maide sweete,
- Broute hir blisful tiding / And fair he gan hir greete:
- 'Heil be thu, ful of grace aright! / For Godes Son, this Heven Light,
- For mannes love / Will man bicome /And take / Fles of thee,
- Maide bright, / Manken free for to make / Of sen and devles might.'
