58. REGINA CELI LETARE.
[_]
[MS. Trin. Coll. Camb. R. 3. 21, leaves 162, back, to 163.]
1
O thow ioyfull lyght! eternall ye shyne,
In glory with Laureat coronall,
Descendyd from Dauid, worthyest on lyne,
Modyr to your soueraynes, & Lord imperyall;
Elect to grace from synne oryginall,
Floure of clennes and pure virginite!
Sith ye be mayde and moder in speciall,
Regina celi, letare!
2
Remembre Lady, how synne was cause
Of youre preferryng to hygh worthynes,
Howe ye exclude by text outher clause
They that causyd you all thys worthynes,
Thynke, nature in yow dyd all hys besynes
Of all faire to set yow the soueraynte;
Yet for vs dyed the son of ryghtwsnes,
Et tu meruisti ipsum portare.
3
O felix culpa! thus may we syng,
Reioysyng in your ladyes high honour,
So many a thousand to haue vndyr your wyng
Thorough the byrthe of that blessed creatour
That lyst to dy, that were dettour,
So verrey God & man with good chere,
Thy blessyd son thyn owne fygure,
Resurrexit sicut dixit.
4
O filia Pharaonis! whom oure lady kept,
Preseruyd Moyses in hys cage,
And Iudyth þat sauyd that fayre cyte,
Fygureth Crystes modyr and Image
Oure verray resorte, when lost was oure herytage,
When we shuld apere before the dome,
Before thy dredefull sonnys vysage,
Ora pro nobis tunc apud deum.
5
O blysfull quene of eternall glory!
O Ioy to euery wyght with felycite!
In whos laude and worthy memory
We sey, lady y-blessed thow be!
For thy pure and meke virginite
Of thy blessyd moder, maydyn Maria,
Banysshyd ys oure sorow and aduersite,
Dicamus omnes Alleluya!
