Brussels 5557:
Masses by Frye and Plummer

The Clerks' Group
directed by Edward Wickham

Music manuscripts often reveal their histories like trees: in a series of expanding rings. Brussels, Bibliothèque Royale Albert Ier, MS 5557 is one such manuscript. Its outer ring contains motets by Antoine Busnois, added to the manuscript sometime in the late 1470s, and pre-dating it by only a few years is Ockeghem's Missa Quinti toni. Inner rings contain music by Dufay and Regis, making this an important anthology of a Northern European polyphony whose principal sources lie in Italy. However, the true core of Brussels 5557 is made up not of continental music but of the masses of English composers: Plummer, Cox and, most importantly, Frye. Five masses are collected at the start of this manuscript: masses which are a testament to England's influence in the development of Renaissance mass composition.

This inner ring of Brussels 5557 was probably compiled for the marriage of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, and Margaret of York in July 1468. A number of illuminations, including one at the start of Missa Flos Regalis, develop a theme of chastity and fidelity which accords with the nuptial spirit. However, the music itself belongs to the 1450s or even earlier: that it remained in circulation until the late 1460s, in a musical environment which was experiencing dramatic and unprecedented change, is a reflection of the esteem with which these works were regarded. These masses are the late-bottled vintage of a style which, in a poem of circa 1440, Martin le Franc refers to as 'la contenance angloise'. They are harmonically rich and fruity, but built to last: structurally they adopt the techniques of the isorhythmic motet, while linking mass movements either with similar melodic material or with a tenor cantus firmus, and in these respects at least would not have been out of place in the repertoire of a choir of the 1480s.

At the time of their composition, the English masses in Brussels 5557 would have been considered innovatory and demanding works: not least the two masses recorded here, ground-breaking cycles in their own ways. Frye's Missa Flos Regalis comes from the stable of four-part English masses of the mid-15th century which was led by the anonymous English Missa Caput. However, unlike the Caput mass which treats the tenor cantus firmus material strictly, Frye takes liberties with his tenor, adapting it melodically and rhythmically so as to create a far more integrated vocal texture, in which the tenor is allowed to participate fully in the action. One glorious example among many comes at the end of the first half of the Gloria, where a rhythmic pattern re-echoes through all the voices, in a passage which foreshadows the 'rush to the cadence' so favoured by Jean Ockeghem.

This is just one way in which Frye might organise his material so as to create peaks and troughs, moments of repose and moments of excitement. But the mass is not principally about the articulation of text through these musical contours. Certain textual divisions in the mass are obvious, as when one duet stops and another starts, or when the full choir enters; but the overall effect of the dense sonorities in this mass is of magisterial abstraction rather than rhetorical declamation. This is a mass setting which seems to make little effort to engage in the minutiae of text setting. This is not to say that the setting is not profoundly spiritual, or that the text was unimportant, but rather to suggest that to Frye the text was too important. The music elevates the text rather than interpreting it.

The apparent disregard for detailed text articulation makes the task of interpreting the manuscript notation all the more difficult; and in the process of rehearsing, performing and recording Missa Flos Regalis, which The Clerks' Group undertook using only the Brussels 5557 source, the problem of how to fit words to music was by far the most irksome. Nevertheless, the longer we worked on the mass, the firmer became our conviction that Brussels 5557 transmits a version of the mass which could be used in practical performance, and that it was not simply a presentation copy. Hence we have, as far as possible, remained true to the texting of
the source where it does appear, rather than revise it, as some modern editors have done. It was encouraging to find small dashes over the superius part at the start of the Credo in Brussels 5557, which indicate the division of breves (and therefore act like barlines in a notation where no barlines of the modern type exist): clearly someone in centuries long gone also found the passage difficult.

While Frye's mass might be called innovatory, Plummer's is eccentric. In its scoring it is decidedly modern for the 1450s, employing a three-voice format in which all three parts inhabit distinct ranges. But more unusual still is the counterpoint which results from the use of flat signs on E, A and even D. The result is a constant oscillation between modalities which nevertheless is rarely so perverse as to be confusing to the ear. It is as if the constant modal shifts are another way, like the contrasts of duos and trios, of characterising and delineating melodic and textual phrases. There might also be at the bottom of this Sine nomine mass a name: a chanson, perhaps, which is responsible not only for the curious modal contrasts but also the large amount of material shared by all the movements. What a fascinating piece that would be!

Plummer's mass is fortunate in having its Kyrie still intact. Since continental liturgies had no use for the English troped Kyries, few were transmitted in continental manuscripts in their original form, though some appear as motets with contrafactum texts. In the case of Frye's mass, therefore, we have appended the chant Kyrie Deus Creator omnium, used on all high feast days in England at this time. Another distinctly English trait is the curtailing of the Credo text. In Missa Flos Regalis this seems to be restricted to the 'Et in Spiritum Sanctum' clause, but Plummer's setting is far more brutal, cutting some of the Gloria as well. This may be because of the lowlier liturgical status of the Plummer mass-intended for a double feast, as indicated by its Kyrie trope: at the same time, the result is a cycle of five movements of almost exactly equal length.

Frustratingly little is known of the biographies of any of the composers featured on this recording: that they all at one time or another in their careers were members of the London Guild of Parish Clerks is a rare fact which neatly links them. The proximity of Frye and Bedyngham in age, career path and musical style is further suggested by the conflicting attributions of songs which afflict their work-lists. Bedyngham was perhaps less well-known on the continent than either Frye or Dunstaple: hence the reason for much of his music being attributed to his contemporaries. The captivating So ys emprentid is probably by Bedyngham, though Frye has often received the credit in the past, and Bedyngham is certainly also the author of Mi verry joy which has, under the title Mon seul plaisir, been attributed to Dufay. We complement the two Brussels masses on this recording with six such English songs from a variety of manuscripts. Just as scribes on the continent lopped off unwanted Kyries from English masses, so they adapted English songs for a continental market by fitting new texts. The fate of three of the six songs recorded here was to appear in continental manuscripts with French, Spanish or Italian texts, and only with the scholarship of David Fallows have English words been reunited with music. (For a detailed discussion, see 'Words and Music in Two English Songs of the Mid-Fifteenth Century' in Early Music, Jan.1977: we thank David Fallows for allowing us to record his editions of Mi verry joy and Pryncesse of youthe.) Perhaps the most famous of these adapted songs is Fortune alas which appears elsewhere under the title Gentil madonna. So ys emprentid and Alas, alas did, however, make it into the sources unscathed: the first was a particular hit, inspiring more than one mass setting. All but one of these songs-Mi verry joy, which is a rondeau-is in the ballade form, and in many cases only one stanza of text survives. We have presented them in two different ways- either with each voice texted, or with vocalised lower parts-since the sources rarely give specific indications of how the lower voices should be treated.

Edward Wickham, 1999

English texts

(1) Kyrie Deus creator omnium

Deus creator omnium tu theos ymon nostri pie eleyson.
Tibi laudes coniubilantes regum rex Christe oramus eleyson.
Laus virtus pax et imperium cui est semper sine fine eleyson.
Christe rex unice Patris almi nate coeterne eleyson.
Qui perditum hominem salvasti de morte reddens vite eleyson.
Ne pereant pascue oves tue Jesu pastor bone eleyson.
Consolator Spiritus supplices ymas te exoramus eleyson.
Virtus nostra Domine atque salus nostra in eternum eleyson.
Summe Deus et une vite dona nobis tribue misertus nostrique tu digneris eleyson.


Deus creator omnium tu theos ymon nostri pie eleyson.
Tibi laudes coniubilantes regum rex Christe oramus eleyson.
Laus virtus pax et imperium cui est semper sine fine eleyson.
Christe rex unice Patris almi nate coeterne eleyson.
Qui perditum hominem salvasti de morte reddens vite eleyson.
Ne pereant pascue oves tue Jesu pastor bone eleyson.
Consolator Spiritus supplices ymas te exoramus eleyson.
Virtus nostra Domine atque salus nostra in eternum eleyson.
Summe Deus et une vite dona nobis tribue misertus nostrique tu digneris eleyson.


O Gott, Schöpfer aller Dinge, Du, der gütige Gott, erbarme Dich unser.
O Christus, König aller Könige, wir beten dich an, gemeinsam frohlockend, erbarme Dich.
Lob, Kraft, Frieden und Macht sind ihm gegeben für immer und ohne Ende, erbarme Dich.
O Christus, gemeinsam ewiger König, einziger Sproß eines gütigen Vaters, erbarme Dich.
Du, der die Menschheit vom Tod errettet hast und uns das Leben wiedergegeben hast, erbarme Dich.
Jesus, guter Hirte, laß die Schafe auf Deiner Weide nicht verschmachten, erbarme Dich.
O Heiliger Geist, Tröster, wir flehen Dich an, für uns zu beten, erbarme Dich.
O Herr, unsere Kraft und unser Schirm für alle Ewigkeit, erbarme Dich.
O höchster und ewig lebender Gott, Du, der sich unser erbarmt, teile Deine Geschenke an jene aus, die du als würdig erachtest, erbarme Dich.


O Dieu, créateur de toutes choses, toi, notre Dieu miséricordieux, aie pitié de nous.
O Christ, roi des rois, nous t'adressons nos prières, et ensemble nous nous réjouissons ; aie pitié de nous.
Les louanges, la force, la paix et la puissance lui sont donnés pour toute éternité ; aie pitié de nous.
O Christ, le roi coéternel, le seul fils de notre père miséricordieux ; aie pitié de nous.
Qui a sauvé l'humanité perdue de la mort, nous rendant à la vie ; aie pitié de nous.
Jésus, ô bon berger, ne laisse pas périr les brebis de ta pâture ; aie pitié de nous.
O Saint Esprit, qui donne le réconfort, nous te demandons de prier pour nous ; aie pitié de nous.
O Seigneur, notre force et notre sauvegarde dans les siècles des siècles ; aie pitié de nous.
O Dieu très haut et éternel, toi qui nous as pris en pitié, dispense tes dons à ceux dont tu considères qu'ils les auront mérités ; aie pitié de nous.


(2) / (13) Gloria

Gloria in excelsis Deo. Et in terra pax hominibus bone voluntatis. Laudamus te. Benedicimus te. Adoramus te. Glorificamus te. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam.
[Domine Deus, rex caelestis, Deus pater omnipotens]**. Domine fili unigenite, Jesu Christe. Domine Deus, agnus Dei, filius patris. 
Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. [Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram.]** Qui sedes ad dexteram patris,
miserere nobis. 
Quoniam tu solus sanctus. Tu solus Dominus. Tu solus altissimus, Jesu Christe. Cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei patris. Amen.


Glory be to God on high, and in earth peace towards men of goodwill. We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory,
[O Lord God, heavenly king, God the father almighty]**. O Lord, the only-begotten son Jesus Christ; O Lord God, lamb of God, son of the father. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. [Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer.]** Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the father, have mercy upon us.
For thou only art holy, thou only art the Lord, thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the father. Amen.


Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe und auf Erden Frieden den Menschen mit gutem Willen. Wir loben Dich, wir segnen Dich, wir beten Dich an, wir lobpreisen Dich, wir danken Dir für Deine große Herrlichkeit, [O Gott der Herr, himmlischer König, allmächtiger Gott Vater.]**
Herr, eingeborener Sohn Jesu Christ, O Gott der Herr, Lamm Gottes, Sohn des Vaters, der Du trägst die Sünden der Welt, erbarme Dich unser. Du, der Du trägst die Sünden der Welt, erbarme Dich unser. [Du, der Du trägst die Sünden der Welt, höre unser Gebet.]** Du, der du zur rechten Hand von Gott dem Vater sitzt, erbarme Dich unser. 
Denn nur Du bist heilig, nur Du bist der Herr, nur Du, O Christe, mit dem Heiligen Geist, stehst in der höchsten Ehre Gott des Vaters. Amen.


Gloire à Dieu dans le ciel, et paix sur la terre aux hommes de bonne volonté. Nous te louons, nous te bénissons, nous t'adorons, nous te glorifions, nous te remercions pour ta grande gloire, [O Seigneur Dieu, roi des cieux, Dieu le Père Tout Puissant.]**
O Seigneur, qui es le fils unique Jésus Christ ; O Seigneur Dieu, agneau de Dieu, fils du Père, qui enlèves les péchés du monde, aie pitié de nous. [Toi qui enlèves les péchés du monde, reçois notre prière.]** Toi qui es assis à la droite de Dieu le Père, aie pitié de nous.

Car toi seul es saint, toi seul es le Seigneur, toi seul, O Christ, avec le Saint Esprit, tu es au plus haut dans la gloire de Dieu le Père. Ainsi soit-il.


(3) / (14) Credo


Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, factorem coeli et terrae, visibilium omnium et invisibilium.
Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum filium Dei unigenitum. Et ex patre natum ante omnia saecula.
Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, Deum verum de Deo vero. [Genitum, non factum, consubstantialem patri: per quem omnia facta sunt.]**
Qui propter nos homines, et propter nostram salutem descendit de coelis. Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine: et homo factus est.

Crucifixus etiam pro nobis: sub Pontio Pilato passus, et sepultus est. Et resurrexit tertia die, secundum scripturas. [Et ascendit in coelum: sedet ad dexteram patris.

Et iterum venturus est cum gloria, judicare vivos et mortuos: cujus regni non erit finis.
Confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum. Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum.]** Et vitam venturi saeculi. 
Amen.


I believe in one God, the father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of God, begotten of his father before all worlds.
God of God, light of light, very God of very God; [begotten not made; being of one substance with the father; by whom all things were made.]**
Who, for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man.

And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the scriptures, [and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father.
And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead: whose kingdom shall have no end. 
I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins, and I look for the resurrection of the dead,]** and the life of the world to come. 
Amen.


Ich glaube an den einen Gott, den Vater, den Allmächtigen, der alles geschaffen hat, Himmel und Erde, die sichtbare und die unsichtbare Welt.
Und an den einen Herrn Jesus Christus, Gottes eingeborenen Sohn, aus dem Vater geboren vor aller Zeit: 
Gott von Gott, Licht vom Licht, wahrer Gott vom wahren Gott, [gezeugt, nicht geschaffen, eines Wesens mit dem Vater; durch ihn ist alles geschaffen.]**
Für uns Menschen und zu unserm Heil ist er vom Himmel gekommen,
hat Fleisch angenommen durch den Heiligen Geist von der Jungfrau Maria und ist Mensch geworden. 
Er wurde für uns gekreuzigt unter Pontius Pilatus, hat gelitten und ist begraben worden, ist am dritten Tage auferstanden nach der Schrift [und aufgefahren in den Himmel und sitzt zur Rechten des Vaters.
Und wird wiederkommen in Herrlichkeit, zu richten die Lebenden und die Toten; seiner Herrschaft wird kein Ende sein. 
Ich bekenne die eine Taufe zur Ver-gebung der Sünden. Und ich erwarte die Auferstehung der Toten]** und das Leben der kommenden Welt. 
Amen.


Je crois en Dieu, le père tout-puissant, créateur du ciel et de la terre et de toute chose visible et invisible.
Et en un seul Seigneur Jésus Christ, lefils unique de Dieu, engendré par son père avant tous les mondes. 
Dieu né de Dieu, lumière née de la lumière, vrai Dieu né du vrai Dieu ; [engendré non pas créé ; de la même substance que le père ; par qui tout a été fait.]**
Pour nous les hommes et pour notre salut, il est descendu des cieux,
a pris chair du Saint Esprit et de la Vierge Marie
et a été fait homme.
A été crucifié pour nous sous Ponce Pilate.
Il souffrit sa passion et fut mis au tombeau,
est ressuscité le troisième jour conformément aux écritures, [est monté aux cieux, est assis à la droite du père.

Et Il reviendra dans la gloire pour juger les vivants et les morts, et son règne n'aura pas de fin.
Je reconnais un seul baptême pour la rémission des péchés, j'attends la résurrection des morts]** et la vie du monde à venir.
Amen.


(4) / (15) Sanctus, Benedictus

Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Dominus Deus sabaoth.

Pleni sunt celi et terra gloria tua.
Osanna in excelsis.

Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.
Osanna in excelsis.


Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.

Heaven and earth are full of thy glory.
Hosanna in the highest.


Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Heilig, heilig, heilig ist Gott, der Herr Zabaoth.

Alle Lande sind seiner Ehre voll.
Hosianna in der Höhe.

Gelobt sei, der da kommt im Namen des Herrn. Hosianna in der Höhe.



Saint, saint, saint seigneur Dieu des armées. 

Le ciel et la terre sont remplis de ta gloire. 
Hosanna au plus haut des cieux.

Béni celui qui vient au nom du Seigneur. 
Hosanna au plus haut des cieux.


(5) / (16) Agnus Dei

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi:
miserere nobis. 
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi:
miserere nobis. 
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi:
dona nobis pacem.


Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world: have mercy on us. 
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world: have mercy on us. 
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world: grant us peace.


Lamm Gottes, Du nimmst hinweg die Sünde der Welt: Erbarme Dich unser.
Lamm Gottes, Du nimmst hinweg die Sünde der Welt: Erbarme Dich unser.
Lamm Gottes, Du nimmst hinweg die Sünde der Welt: Gib uns Deinen Frieden.


Agneau de Dieu, qui enlèves les péchés du monde : aie pitié de nous. 
Agneau de Dieu, qui enlèves les péchés du monde : aie pitié de nous. 
Agneau de Dieu, qui enlèves les péchés du monde : accorde-nous la paix.


(6) Myn hertis lust


Myn hertis lust, sterre of my confort
Which is the guide unto my parfaite liffe,
Cherti, that welle of plesance and disport,
Whom that y serve with herte atentiffe,
And sithe for you is my care and striffe,
Off womanhede so have upon me routhe,
Sithe y, pray you, mene veray and trouthe.


You are my heart's desire, lodestar of my comfort,
and the guide to my perfect life,
Love, that source of delight and entertainment,
whom I serve with an attentive heart,
and since all my care and effort is for you
let womankind have pity on me
since my intentions are honest and loyal.


Du bist meines Herzens Lust, Leitstern meiner Tröstung, und der Wegweiser zu meinem vollkommenen Leben,
Liebe, Du Quelle aller Freuden und aller Lust,
der ich diene mit ganzem Herzen,
und da alle meine Fürsorge und Bestrebungen Dir gelten, mögen die Frauen sich meiner erbarmen, denn meine Absichten sind ehrlich und treu.


Tu es le désir de mon cœur, l'aimant de mon confort, et le guide vers ma vie parfaite,
Amour, cette source de joie et d'enchantement,
Que je sers d'un cœur attentif,
Et puisque tous mes soins et mes efforts te sont dédiés
Que la gent féminine ait pitié de moi
Car mes intentions sont honnêtes et loyales.



(7) Fortune alas


Fortune alas, alas what have I gylt
In prison thus to lye here desolate
Art thou the better to have me thus yspylt.
Nay nay god wote, but for thou wilt debate
With every wight, either erly or late
And art chaungeable eke as is the mone
ffrom wele to woo thou bringest a man ful sone.


Fortune, alas, in what way am I guilty, that I should find myself lying miserably in prison?
Are you any better off as a result of wasting my life in this way? 
No, no, God knows. It is all because you like picking a fight with every person at every opportunity and are just as changeable as the moon is, and you like to bring a man suddenly from success to failure.


Schicksal, ach, inwiefern bin ich schuldig,
daß ich so elend im Gefängnis liege?
Geht es Dir besser, nur weil ich auf diese Weise dahinsieche? 
Nein, nein, Gott weiß. Du zettelst nur gerne einen Streit an mit jedem Menschen und bei jeder Gelegenheit und bist so wechselhaft wie der Mond, und Dir gefällt es, einen Mann plötzlich vom Glück ins Verderben zu stürzen.


Fortune, hélas, en quoi suis-je coupable
Pour me retrouver ainsi misérable en prison ?
Quel profit retires-tu de gâcher ma vie de la sorte ? 
Non, non, Dieu le sait. C'est simplement parce que tu aimes prendre à parti
N'importe qui et en toute occasion 
Et que tu es aussi changeante que la lune, 
Et que tu n'aimes rien mieux que de faire soudain passer un homme du bonheur à la misère.


(8) Mi verry joy

Mi verry joy and most parfit plesere,
Whiche are of me and alle y have maystres,
So willith me to se yow, lo dowtles,
That half how moche y can not say yow here.


For wot ye this, myn owyn lady dere,
That without yow nave y good nor gladnes,
Mi verry joy and most parfit plesure,
Whiche are of me and alle y have maystres,

For when y werid am with displesere,
Whos power oft hath brought me in distres,
Me to requere to comfort more or lesse
Nis ther save hope as sone to se yow here.

Mi verry joy and most parfit plesure,
Whiche are of me and alle y have maystres,
So willith me to se yow, lo dowtles,
That half how moche y can not say yow here.


You are my true joy and most perfect pleasure,
who are mistress both of me and of all I possess.
There is no doubt about it: I cannot begin to tell you how much I want to see you.


I want you to understand, my dear lady, that when I am not with you, my life contains nothing good or glad. You are my true joy and most perfect pleasure, who are mistress both of me and of all I possess.

For when I am sick of displeasure, whose power has often got me into trouble, there is no hope of comfort or cure except to see you here.

You are my true joy and most perfect pleasure,
who are mistress both of me and of all I possess.
There is no doubt about it: I cannot begin to tell you how much I want to see you.


Du bist meine wahre Freude und mein voll-kommener Genuß, die Du Herrin bist von mir und allem, was ich besitze. Es besteht darum kein Zweifel: Ich kann Dir nicht sagen, wie sehr ich Dich sehen möchte.

Ich möchte Dich wissen lassen, meine teure Dame, daß, wenn ich nicht bei Dir bin, mein Leben nichts Gutes oder Frohes enthält. Du bist meine wahre Freude und mein vollkommener Genuß, die Du Herrin bist von mir und allem, was ich besitze.
Denn wenn ich des Mißfallens überdrüssig bin,
dessen Macht mir oft Ärger bereitet hat, gibt es keine Hoffnung auf Trost oder Heilung, es sei denn, Du bist hier.
Du bist meine wahre Freude und mein vollkommener Genuß, die Du Herrin bist von mir und allem, was ich besitze.
Es besteht darum kein Zweifel: Ich kann Dir nicht sagen, wie sehr ich Dich sehen möchte.


Tu es ma vraie joie et mon plaisir le plus parfait,
Toi qui es maîtresse de mon être comme de tous mes biens.
Il n'y a aucun doute : je ne saurai jamais te dire 
A quel point je désire te voir.

Je veux que tu saches bien, ma douce dame,
Que lorsque je ne suis pas avec toi, ma vie ne contient rien de bon ni de joyeux 
Tu es ma vraie joie et mon plaisir le plus parfait,
Toi qui es maîtresse de mon être comme de tous mes biens.
Car lorsque je suis malade de cette douleur,
Qui est pour moi cause de tant d'infortunes,
Il n'y a aucun espoir de réconfort ou de soulagement, si ce n'est de te voir.
Tu es ma vraie joie et mon plaisir le plus parfait,
Toi qui es maîtresse de mon être comme de tous mes biens.
Il n'y a aucun doute : je ne saurai jamais te dire 
A quel point je désire te voir.


(9) 'Alas, alas, alas' is my chief song


'Alas, alas, alas' is my chief song;
ffor peyne and wo none other can y syng.
Instede of rest asobbe y tale among,
ffor myn onese and deathe along siching.
The grounde of wo I fele is departing,
The more long, the more byting the peyn.
With the trew turtil all chaunge forsweryng,
'Welchome my deth certyne,' y entune and pleyne.


'Alas, alas, alas' is my main theme.
Distress and sorrow prevent me from singing anything else.
Instead of sleeping, I sob through my story,
seeking my own discomfort and death.
The cause of the sorrow I feel is leaving.
The longer it takes, the more the pain is biting.
Forswearing, like the turtle dove, all inconstancy,
I sing and groan: 'Welcome, my death, for sure.'


'O Weh, O Weh, O Weh' ist mein einziges Lied.
Kummer und Leiden hindern mich daran, etwas anderes zu singen.
Anstatt zu schlafen, weine ich mich durch meine Geschichte,
suche ich mein eigenes Leiden und meinen Tod.
Der Grund meiner Sorgen geht von dannen.
So länger es anhält, desto beißender werden die Schmerzen.
Wie die Turteltauben aller Unbeständigkeit abschwörend,
singe und ächze ich 'Willkommen mein gewisser Tod.'


'Hélas, hélas, hélas' est mon thème constant.
La détresse et la douleur m'empêchent de rien chanter d'autre.
Plutôt que de dormir, je sanglote à ma propre histoire,
Et je ne recherche que ma propre détresse et la mort.
La cause de la douleur que je ressens me quitte.
Plus cela dure et plus la douleur est amère.
Abandonnant, comme la tourterelle, toute inconstance,
Je chante et grogne : 'Bienvenue, ma mort, pour sûr.'


(10) So ys emprentid

So ys emprentid in my remembrance
Your wommanhede, iour yowght, your gentilnesse
Iour goodly port, your frely continance
Your prysid byaulte with your kyndenesse
That lorde that alle wot tak y to witnesse!
That wak y, slepe y, or wat thing y do,
In wele, in wo, in joye or hevenesse,
Myn hert ys with yow, go wey that ye go.

So impressed upon my memory are
your womanliness, your youth, your nobility, your deportment, your gracious expression, your acknowledged beauty and your kindness (about which I call to witness
that Lord who knows everything)
that whether I am awake or asleep
and no matter what I do,
whether succeeding or failing, happy or sad,
my heart stays with you wherever you go.


So eingebrannt in mein Gedächtnis sind 
Deine Fraulichkeit, Deine Jugend, Deine hohe Gesinnung,
Dein Benehmen, Dein anmutiger Ausdruck,
Deine anerkannte Schönheit und Deine Güte
(für die ich als Zeugen den Herrn anrufe, der alles weiß), daß, ob ich wache oder schlafe, was immer ich auch tue,
Erfolg oder Mißerfolg, Glück oder Trauer erlebe,
mein Herz bei Dir bleibt, wo immer Du auch hingehst.


Si profondément empreinte est ma mémoire
De ta féminité, de ta jeunesse et de ta noblesse,
De ton maintien et de ton expression gracieuse,
De ta beauté reconnue et de ta tendresse
(j'en appelle au Seigneur qui connaît toute chose)
que je dorme ou que je veille et quoi que je fasse
que je réussisse ou que j'échoue, que je sois heureux ou triste,
Mon cœur reste auprès de toi où que j'aille.


(11) Pryncesse of youthe

Pryncesse of youthe and floure of gentylnesse,
Ensaumple of vertu, grounde of courteysye,
Of bountee roote, qween and ek maystresse
To alle wymmen, howe they shal hem guye,
The sothefast myrour, good t'exemplyfye,
The right way to the porte of wommanhed:
What I shal sey, of mercy take the heed.


Princess of youth and flower of nobility,
model of virtue, foundation of courtly behaviour,
source of generosity, queen and mistress 
of all women, showing them how they should behave.
The trustworthy mirror, good to imitate,
the right way for women to conduct themselves:
all I can say is: do not neglect mercifulness.


Prinzessin der Jugend und Blume des Adels,
Vorbild der Tugend, Grundstein des höfischen Benehmens,
Quelle der Großmut, Königin und Herrin 
aller Frauen, die Du Ihnen ein Vorbild des Benehmens bist.
Verläßlicher Spiegel, würdig der Nacheiferung,
rechtes Vorbild für das Verhalten von Frauen:
ich kann nur eines sagen: Vernachlässige nicht die Erbarmung.


Princesse de la jeunesse et fleur de la noblesse,
Modèle de vertu et paragon des manières de cour,
Source de générosité, reine et maîtresse 
De toutes les femmes, servant à toutes de modèle.
Le miroir fiable, bon à imiter,
Qui révèle aux femmes les secrets de la bonne conduite :
Tout ce que je puis dire est ceci : ne néglige pas la miséricorde.



(12) Missa Sine nomine : Kyrie Omnipotens pater

Kyrie omnipotens pater ingenite nobis miseris eleyson.
Kyrie qui proprio plasma tuum Filio redemisti eleyson.
Kyrie Adonai nostra dele crimina plebique tue eleyson.
Christe salus hominum vitaque eterna angelorum eleyson.
Kyrie Spiritus Paraclite largitorque venie eleyson.
Carismatum dator largissime doctor vivifice clemens eleyson.


Lord, almighty, father unbegotten, 
have mercy upon us wretches. 
Lord, who didst redeem thy creation by thine own true son, have mercy.
Lord, Adonai, blot thou out our sins and have mercy on thy people.
Christ, men's salvation and angels' life eternal, have mercy.
Lord, Spirit, Paraclete and bestower of pardon, have mercy. 
Giver of graces most bounteous, teacher lifegiving, merciful, have mercy. 



Herr, Allmächtiger, ewiger Vater, 
erbarme Dich uns Armseligen. 
Herr, der Du die Schöpfung erlöst hast durch Deinen einzigen wahren Sohn, 
erbarme Dich.
Herr, Adonai, tilge unsre Sünden
und erbarme Dich Deines Volkes.
Christus, Retter der Menschen und ewiges Leben der Engel, erbarme Dich.
Herr, Heiliger Geist, Tröster und Schenker der Vergebung, erbarme Dich. 
Spender höchster Gnaden, lebensspendender gnädiger Lehrer, erbarme Dich.


Seigneur, tout puissant, père incréé, 
aie pitié de nous misérables. 
Seigneur, qui a racheté la création
par ton propre vrai fils, aie pitié.
Seigneur, Adonai, efface nos péchés,
aie pitié de tes créatures.
Christ, salut des hommes et vie éternelle des anges, aie pitié.
Seigneur, Esprit, Paraclet et dispensateur du pardon, aie pitié. 
Dispensateur le plus généreux de la grâce, guide et dispensateur de vie, plein de pitié, 
aie pitié. 



** Only in Missa Flos Regalis
** Only in Missa Flos Regalis
** Nur in Missa Flos Regalis
** Seulement en Missa Flos Regalis