Hymns of the Early Church / being translations from the poetry of the Latin church, arranged in the order of the Christian year

Epiphany

JESU, NOSTRA REDEMPTIO

Probably of the seventh or eighth century. Found in three MSS. of the eleventh century in the British Museum Library; also in the old Roman, Sarum, York, and Aberdeen Breviaries. Chandler’s rendering of this fine hymn—“O Christ, our hope, our heart’s desire,” and which is to be found in most collections, is the hymn for Evensong on Ascension Day in that author’s “Hymns of the Primitive Church.”

I

Thou our Redeemer art, O Christ,

Our heart’s desire, our fervent love;

Creator of the worlds, Thou cam’st

To wear our flesh, from heaven above.

II

’Twas love that brought Thee to our aid,

To bear the burden of our woe,

To bow the head in shameful death,

And life, immortal life, bestow.

III

Asunder burst the bands of hell,

The captives hailed the glorious day;

And by Thy mighty triumph crowned,

Thou art at God’s right hand for aye.

IV

O may Thy mercy still abound,

That, by the goodness of Thy grace,

We daily o’er our sin may rise,

And see the beauty of Thy face.

V

Spring of our joy, be Thou, O Christ;

Our great reward, hereafter be;

And while the endless ages run,

Our praises shall be all of Thee.

EI CANAMUS GLORIAM

By C. Coffin. (See p. 3.)

I

Now let us tune our hearts to sing

The glory of the Almighty King;

His hand unrolled the spacious skies,

Whose beauty lures our wondering eyes.

II

There are the clouds with treasure rare,

Slow floating in the higher air,

Whence come the soft refreshing showers,

To bless the springing of the flowers.

III

Rich is the treasure of Thy grace,

Prepared for us who seek Thy face;

It falls from clouds that earthward roll,

And penetrates the inmost soul.

IV

And faithful hearts that thirsting pine,

Drink deeply of the draught divine,

And with an heavenly impulse rise,

To greet the sunlight in the skies.

V

O happy souls that evermore

Drink of the bliss Thou hast in store;

May grateful love responsive flow

To all the love Thou dost bestow.

VI

Now, glory to the Three in One,

To God the Father, God the Son,

And to the Spirit, one in Three,

From age to age eternally.

DEUS-HOMO, REX CŒLORUM

By Bishop Marbodus. Born in Anjou, 1035; successively Archdeacon of Angers and Bishop of Rennes; died in 1125. Was author of a poem De Gemmis, which gives a mystical explanation of precious stones much in favour in the Middle Ages.

I

King of heaven, our nature wearing,

Pity lend the sad despairing;

’Neath the sway of sin repining,

Formed from dust, to dust declining—

Tottering in our ruined state,

Strengthen by Thy goodness great.

II

What is man from sin descending?

Child of death, all woes attending.

What is man? a worm that clingeth

To the earth from which he springeth.

Wilt Thou forth Thine anger bring,

On a weak, defenceless thing?

III

Shall not man, who earthward tendeth,

Look to God, who mercy sendeth?

’Twere a task most unbefitting,

God o’er man in judgment sitting—

Yet should God in judgment speak,

Where shall man an answer seek?

IV

As the shadow quickly flying,

Faint our life and sure our dying;

As the cloud by tempest driven,

As the grass cut down at even;—

King of heaven, in mercy great,

Pity the disconsolate.

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