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a collection of literature from poets, bards, songwriters, and skalds in the SCA

Nowe singe ye al who loue him welle

olivier's picture
olivier
Poem (Canso): 

Nowe singe ye al who loue him welle,
Cantator et poeta,
Of his wit this day wolde we telle,
Magna et laeta!
In louely song hath he outshone
Stella lucidissima
And ful his skille hath long outgrowne
Rosa venustissima.
Yet euen this for short whil is,
Preye! Sone we liue in blis,
Credimus,
As more skille bicome his,
Fidimus
To striue on euere in that arte
And spredde the ioye within his harte.

Translation: 

Now sing you all, who love him well,
Singer and poet,
Of his wit this day would we tell,
Loud and glad!
In lovely song has he outshone
The brightest star,
And full his skill has long outgrown
The loveliest rose.
Yet even this is for a short while,
Pray! Soon we will live in bliss,
We believe,
As his skill grows;
We trust [in him]
To strive ever on in that art
And spread the joy within his heart.

Documentation / Explanation (Razo): 

This piece is a combined Middle English/Latin poem based on a 13-14th c. hymn to Mary (often titled 'Hymn to the Virgin' or 'Of on that is so fayr and bright' in lyric collections), though there also exists an alternate version (in a different dialect) called 'For on that is so feir ant brist,' as well as a similar poem (in tone, meter, and a ME/Latin back-and-forth line structure) called 'Seinte mari, moder milde' or 'Mater salutaris' for its first Latin line.

I wrote this piece in honor of my friend Dunstan le Heryngmongere being admitted to Atlantia's Order of the Pearl (a Grant-level 'Order of High Merit' given to those excelling in the arts and sciences) for his efforts in the bardic arts. It was a fairly simple metrical style that's really fun to recite. Writing this was one of the most satisfying (however relatively simple) things I've done for the SCA.