Sequence 56. S Margaret

July 2oth.
WHILST now Sion's trump rejoices,
Let the clergy's measured voices
In the church sing joyfully !

For to-day a spouse of heaven
To her rest on high is given
With supreme felicity.

Margaret, a virgin martyr,
In glad triumph her departure
Takes to heaven's heights far away :
Thus for ever there she shareth lo
Its rewards, since here she feareth
Not the tortures of a day.

She, a simple shepherdess,
As a sheep before the face
Of a wicked wolf, is made
Prey for cruel butchers' blade.

Ii6 S. MARGARETA.
But no tortures break her down,
Nor by soft words is she won ;
For she weighs the wage she gains,
In preferring penal pains.

She, when in her prison sleeping,
Ever careful watch there keeping,
Prays that no seducer creep in
Through those butchers' cunning fraud.

To the Bridegroom, bowed, she prayeth,
Boldly spurns what Satan sayeth,
And in each case thus obeyeth
The commandment of the Lord.

From prison brought,
Is she stretched out,
Whilst upon a rack they tie her :
Beat black and blue,
Nigh burnt up too.

Is she with scourge and flames of fire.
The blood doth from her gush
And cover o'er the flesh
Wholly of this virgin :
Though of such impious fame,
Olybrius feeleth shame.

Whilst the foul crime urging.
ii8 S. MARGARETA.

In aquis mortificatur
Into water plunged, she smarteth,
As the chill that it imparteth
Doth to burnings' heat succeed.

But, therein regenerated,
She the dove's wage contemplated
In the heavens above her head.

Lo ! a dragon, as she lay
In her prison's inmost bay.

Doth the maid devour;
But the Cross of high renown,
Signed ere she was swallowed down,
Frees her from its power.

To the devil, as she pressed him
Underneath her virgin feet,
Spake this dove, ere she released him,
When he sought her from the pit.

Time she gained for prayer, then offered
To the sword her head and suffered,
Living victim of the Lord !

O'er the world she triumphed, dying,
And, the second death defying,
To the heavenly mansions soared.

"o . MARGARETA.
In hac, virgo, laetabundus
Gratuletur luce mundus
Christo sine termino !

Turba praesens dicat Iseta :
" Salve, virgo Margareta,
Martyr digna Domino ! "
This bright day let gratulations,
Virgin ! by earth's joyful nations
Evermore to Christ be poured !

Sing, ye glad crowd now before us !
" Virgin Margaret, hail ! " in chorus,
" Martyr worthy of the Lord ! "
With the heavenly company,
In the sight of light most high,
Thou enjoyest endlessly
Comfort for thy pain and woe :
Of the Bridegroom ask, that He
With the price He deigned to be,
As our Saviour, us would free
From destruction by the foe ! Amen.