Angelus ad virginem
Angelus ad Virginem (or its English title, Gabriel, From Heven King Was To The Maide Sende) was a popular medieval carol, whose text is a poetic version of the Hail Mary and the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary.
Background
Probably Franciscan in origin, it was brought to Britain by French friars in the 13th century. It is said to have originally consisted of 27 stanzas, with each following stanza beginning with the consecutive letter of the alphabet.
Surviving manuscripts may be found in a c. 1361 Dublin Troper (a music book for use at Mass) and a 13th or 14th century vellum Sequentiale that may have been connected with the Church of Addle, Yorkshire. Its lyrics also appear in the works of John Audelay (perhaps a priest, he definitely spent the last years of his life at Haughmond Abbey, where he wrote for the monks), in a group of four Marian poems.
It appears in Geoffrey Chaucer's Miller's Tale, where the scholar Nicholas sings it in Latin to the accompaniment of his psaltery:
- And over all there lay a psaltery
- Whereon he made an evening's melody,
- Playing so sweetly that the chamber rang;
- And Angelus ad virginem he sang;
- And after that he warbled the King's Note:
- Often in good voice was his merry throat.
Lyrics
1.
- Angelus ad virginem,
- Subintrans in conclave,
- Virginis formidinem
- Demulcens, inquit "Ave!
- Ave, regina virginum:
- Coeli terraeque dominum
- Concipies et paries intacta
- Salutem hominum;
- Tu porta coeli facta,
- Medela criminum."
- The angel came to the Virgin,
- entering secretly into her room;
- calming the Virgin's fear, he said, "Hail!
- Hail, queen of virgins:
- you will conceive the Lord of heaven and earth
- and bear him, still a virgin,
- to be the salvation of mankind;
- you will be made the gate of heaven,
- the cure of sins."
2.
- "Quomodo conciperem,
- Quae virum non cognovi?
- Qualiter infringerem,
- Quae firma mente vovi?"
- "Spiritus sancti gratia
- Perficiet haec omnia.
- Ne timeas, sed gaudeas
- Secura, quod castimonia
- Manebit in te pura
- Dei potentia."
- "How can I conceive,
- When I have never known a man?
- How can I transgress
- resolutions that I have vowed with a firm mind?"
- "The grace of the Holy Spirit
- shall do all this.
- Do not be afraid, but rejoice
- without a care, since your chastity
- will remain in you unspoilt
- through the power of God."
3.
- Ad haec, virgo nobilis
- Respondens inquit ei,
- "Ancilla sum humilis
- Omnipotentis Dei.
- Tibi coelesti nuntio,
- Tanti secreti conscio,
- Consentiens et cupiens videre
- Factum quod audio,
- Parata sum parere
- Dei consilio."
- To this, the noble Virgin,
- replying, said to him,
- "I am the humble maidservant
- of almighty God.
- To you, heavenly messenger,
- and bearer of such a great secret,
- I give my consent, and wishing to see
- done what I hear,
- I am ready to obey
- the will of God."
4.
- Angelus disparuit
- Et statim puellaris
- Uterus intumuit
- Vi partus salutaris.
- Qui, circumdatus utero
- Novem mensium numero,
- Hinc exiit et iniit conflictum,
- Affigens humero
- Crucem, qua dedit ictum
- Hosti mortifero.
- The angel vanished,
- and at once the girl's
- womb swelled
- with the force of the pregnancy of salvation.
- He, protected by the womb
- for nine months in number,
- left it and began the struggle,
- fixing to his shoulder
- a cross, with which he dealt the blow
- to the deadly Enemy.
5.
- Eia Mater Domini,
- Quae pacem reddidisti
- Angelis et homini
- Cum Christum genuisti!
- Tuum exora filium
- Ut se nobis propitium
- Exhibeat, et deleat peccata,
- Praestans auxilium
- Vita frui beata
- Post hoc exsilium.
- Hail, Mother of our Lord,
- who brought peace back
- to angels and men
- when you bore Christ!
- Pray your son
- that he may show favor to us
- and blot out our sins,
- giving us help
- to enjoy a blessed life
- after this exile.
Middle English version
A 14th middle-English version begins:
- Gabriel fram Heven-King / Sent to the Maide sweete,
- Broute hir blisful tiding / And fair he gan hir greete:
- 'Heil be thu, ful of grace aright! / For Godes Son, this Heven Light,
- For mannes love / Will man bicome / And take / Fles of thee,
- Maide bright, / Manken free for to make / Of sen and devles might.'
Music
This is the music of the carol, as it is known today, with the first verse of the Latin words:
Recent use
For many years, "Angelus Ad Virginem" was the first piece of music sung at the annual Bracebridge Dinner, a lavish Christmas feast held at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park. It was sung as the guests entered the dining room. This piece of music was selected by Ansel Adams in 1929, who was director of the pageant at that time.
