Sequence 92. Of the Blessed Virgin

VIRGIN, hail ! like none before thee !
Hail to thee, all virgins' glory !

Gate of life, and ocean's star !
Though a mother, virgin doubtless !

Chaste in heart, in body spotless,
When thou Christ, the Lord, didst bear !

Mother, whose own Son created
And adorned and decorated
Heaven and earth and every sea ;
Who lives, rules, and power possesses,
And whose glorious rule ne'er ceases
Throughout all eternity !

Him how shall we be pourtraying ?
In what words a name displaying,
Which is so divine indeed ?

To describe his greatness fully,
Goodness, honour, beauty truly
Doth man's highest thoughts exceed 1
io6 DE BE ATA VIRGINE.

Res mutando, die, natura,
Or again, O nature ! tell us,
Where thy laws are that compel us ?

A pure maid bears progeny,
Who, when Truth her womb encloses,
Nathless ne'er the lily loses
Of corruptless chastity !

Virgin ere the birth appearing,
At the birth and after bearing,
Soul and body, she is pure.

Word of Father without mother,
Holy mother ! without other
Father she in due time bore.

Star bore sun, and rod bore flower,
And Him of co-equal power
With the Father bore a maid :
Light that sun and grace completest,
Fruit that flower and scents the sweetest,
Through the whole world have conveyed.

For He is, — 'tis witness given
By Himself, — true Light from heaven,
Food that faileth nevermore.

Bread of life for him that seeks it,
Which for him, who trusts and takes it.

Can his loving heart restore.
io8 DE BE ATA VIRGINE.

Eve, our mother, through transgression,
Bringing on mankind death's passion,
Life's bright robe from them hath torn ;
Guilt is o'er, hence death is driven,
Life brought back, salvation given.

Of the Virgin Mary born.
Kind and mighty Virgin! worthy
That the angels sing before thee !

Full of God Almighty*s grace !
In our songs true praise we pay thee.

And with our whole heart we pray thee.
That thou wilt our sins erase !

We confess with contrite spirit
Deeds of sin, for which we merit
God's corrective chastening :
Thine own flock commiserate thou,
And our Judge's wrath abate thou,
O Queen-Mother of our King !

Loved of God ! God e'er adjure thou
For the wretched, and implore thou
Pardon for our sinful race :
Thine own servants' cause thus urging,
For them now renew, O Virgin !

Jesus Christ, Thine own Son's, grace !
lo DE BE ATA VIRGINE.

O Maria, Redemptoris
Creatura, Creatoris
Genetrix magnifica.

OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. in
Mary, our Redeemer's creature !

Mother of thine own Creator !
O most high and noble one !

Through thee, as our life's reviver,
Through thee, as our comfort-giver,
May we have thine only Son !

With a right mind may He bless us,
Patient, whene'er woes distress us.

Humble in prosperity ;
Faith unspotted, hope firm rooted,
Charity that lasts, reputed
Therefore greatest of the three :
Deeds too of true pious duty,
Joined with chastity's chaste beauty,
Both within us and without,
That our life here of the fairest,
And our death at last the dearest,
In the Lord's sight may be thought.

To the Godhead, Son, and Father,
And to Him, from both together
Come ere time began to be,
Glory, rule, and power supernal,.

Honour, goodness, might eternal.
Now and everlastingly ! Amen.