Wednesday, October 14, 2009

A Latin Sequence for Nuptial Mass

Something amusing I've found, for Latinists to look at: a sequence for use at Nuptial Masses, according to the Neo-Gallican Paris Missal of 1738. The opening stanza (cf. Tobit viii, 5) would not be very acceptable in English these days!

[PROSA] DE SPONSALIBUS

Sub cantu Pentecostes [i.e. Veni Sancte Spiritus]

Instar infidelium
Deum nescientium
Nefas sanctos nubere.
Dæmoni subjaceat,
Brutus cujus audeat
Mens Deum excludere.

Huc ades, et fortibus
Hostem liga funibus,
Sacræ dux militiæ.
Deus, ipse venias;
Has ades ad nuptias,
Fons, o Christe, gratiæ.

Magnum o mysterium!
O Dei consortium
In Christo cum homine!
O sacra commercia
Christi cum Ecclesia,
Virginis cum virgine!

Vir uxorem diligat,
Sociam dux dirigat,
Christus ut Ecclesiam.
Christo crux, opprobria;
Puram ut Ecclesia
Consequatur gloriam.

Christum ut Ecclesia;
Docilis ad omnia,
Uxor virum timeat.
Metum amor pariat;
Læta mens obediat;
Cor apertum pateat.

Jam duo non eritis;
Unum corpus stabitis:
Sit et unus spiritus.
Purus omni macula,
Casta servet vincula
Thorus Deo cognitus.

Quidquid hic est carneum,
Et e terra terreum,
Tollet mors propinquior.
Sacramenti pietas,
Spiritus societas
Mortem vincet fortior.

Hic, si præsis, prospera;
Si recedis, aspera
Erunt, Deus, omnia.
Quod sacrat oblatio,
Firmet benedictio
Et mansura gratia. Amen.

2 comments:

Schütz said...

There is a good book available on many of the old Sequences that have been abolished.

"A Garland of Faith", by John Blakesley (see Google books at http://books.google.com.au/books?id=DGK-J_ivsr8C&dq=%22a+garland+of+faith%22&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=9iyzXZgPyc&sig=5L7d-XuAfHX_ewTz2zZclufTeeM&hl=en&ei=dC7XSraXFI3gsQP9i7nXAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAsQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=&f=false)

I have found that these texts make a good basis for composing new hymnody.

Joshua said...

Thanks for the link - unfortunately the pages free to view cut out just before the section on Matrimony.

Anyway, this is a late 18th C. composition, and so is probably not in the book...

I must ask Fraser et al. to help me translate this nicely.