I. Alma redemptoris mater,
Quem de celis misit pater.
1
The aungell seyde of high degree:
‘Haile, full of grace: god is with the;
Of alle women blessed thou bee,
Alma redemptoris mater!’
2
When she harde this, that mayden free,
In his worde sore affrayde was sche
And thought, what greting this myght be,
Alma redemptoris mater.
3
‘Drede not, Marie,’ to here seyde he;
‘Thou haast founde grace, thou mayden free,
Of god, that is in persones three,
Alma redemptoris mater.
4
Thou shalt conceyve and bere the same,
A sonne of grete honoure and fame,
Whome thou shalt calle Ihesus by name,
Alma redemptoris mater.
5
This sonne, that shalle be borne of the,
That shall be of soo high degree,
The sonne of god called shall be,
Alma redemptoris mater.
6
And god shall geve hym Dauid see,
And in Iacobes howse reigne shall hee;
Of whoose kingdom none ende shall be,
Alma redemptoris mater.’
7
Mary seide to the aungell than:
‘How shall this be (tell, yf thou can),
Sith I purpose to knowe no man,
Alma redemptoris mater?’
8
The aungell seide: ‘O lady free,
The holy goost shalle light in thee;
Be whome Criste shalle conceyved be,
Alma redemptoris mater.
9
Elizabeth, thy cosyn, loo,
In here age, that bareyn did go,
Hath conceyved a childe also,
Alma redemptoris mater.’
10
To that aungell of high degree:
‘Goddes handemayde beholde,’ seide she.
‘As thou hast seide, be done to me,
Alma redemptoris mater.’
11
He toke his leve, that aungell bright,
Of here and went to blisse full right,
And she hath borne the king of myght,
Alma redemptoris mater.
12
Glorious lady, quene of blisse,
Of thy comforte late vs not mysse,
Sith thy swete name now callid is
Alma redemptoris mater.
13
Lete thy mercy bothe springe and sprede:
Forsake vs not for oure mysdede,
But out of drede to blisse vs lede,
Alma redemptoris mater.
