Sequences, Hymns, and Other Ecclesiastical Verses ::

When the earth was full of darkness,
when the hope of man burnt low,
In time's fulness came the Merchant
seeking goodly pearls below;
Seeking them through toil and peril,
seeking them through want and woe.

One He found beyond all others,
Pearl of great and countless price;
Thee that He might make His own one,
He devised a new device;
Gem of mothers, Pearl of maidens,
witness of His Sacrifice.

For He sold His whole possessions,
cast the goods He had away;
Left the glory, left the riches,
clad Himself in mortal clay;
Sealed His title with His life-blood,
so the needful cost to pay.

But to-day He found another,
Margaret, both in deed and name;
Whom, because He dearly loved her,
for our patron Saint we claim;
Finding in her pain our glory,
and our triumph in her shame.

For she stood before the Prefect,
spurning back those gods accursed,
Marked, serene in virgin beauty,
tyrants for her blood athirst;
And but saying, “I am a Christian,”
bade Olybrius do his worst.

In the place that first knew Christians
was the Christian Virgin tried;
Tried by shame and tried by torture,
perfected and purified;
For she saw her Jesus standing
for her at the Father's side.

Grant us all, then, Spouse of Virgins,
by her pattern and her prayer,
Trampling here the Ancient Dragon,
to rejoin our jewel There;
And with her and all Thy blest ones,
in the New Song have our share.

Glory be to God the Father;
glory be to God the Son,
Heavenly Bridegroom, Crown of Martyrs,
whose right arm this battle won;
Equal laud to God the Spirit
now and evermore be done.

Amen.

University of Virginia Library

S. Margaret's Day.

FIRST VESPERS.