There are side-benefits to grabbing back bits of our Catholic heritage. An awful lot of Middle English poems are much more fun after hanging out with the chant crowd, because now I get more of the in-jokes. Like songs that notate themselves with solfege syllables, or like this. :) From Audelay's carol collection, Carol 15:


In die Epephanis &c.

Nowel! Nowel! Nowel!

Ther is a Babe born of a may
In salvacion of us;
That he be heryd in this day,
Vene, Creatore Spiritus.
Nowel! Nowel! Nowel!

In Bedlem, in that fayre plas,
This blessid Barne, borne He was,
Him to serve, God grawnt us grace,
Tu Trinetatis Unitas.
Nowel! Nowel! Nowel!

The angelis to chepardis songyn and sayd:
“Pes in erth be mon unto!” —
Therwith thai were ful sore afrayd —
“Glorea in exelsis Deo!”
Nowel! Nowel! Nowel!

The chepardis hard that angel song;
Thai heredon God in Treneté;
Moche merth was ham among,
Iam lucis ortus sidere.
Nowel! Nowel! Nowel!

Thre kyngis thai soght him, herefore,
Of dyvers lond and fere cuntré,
And askidyn were this Barne was bore,
Hostes Herodes impii.
Nowel! Nowel! Nowel!

He bad ham go seche this Barne:
“Anon this way to me he come,
That I may do hym worchip beforne,
Deus Creator omnium.”
Nowel! Nowel! Nowel!

The stere apered here face beforne —
That gladid here hertes ful graciously! —
Over that plase this Babe was born,
Jhesu Salvotor seculi.
Nowel! Nowel! Nowel!

Thai knelid adowne with gret reverens;
Gold, sens, and myr, thai offerd him to;
He blessid ham ale that were present,
Jhesu nostra Redempcio
Nowel! Nowel! Nowel!

The gold betokens he was a Kyng;
The sens, a Prest of dyngneté;
The myr betokynth his bereyng,
Magne Deus potencie.
Nowel! Nowel! Nowel!

The angel hem wernyd in here slepyng
At Erod the kyng thai schuld not cumme:
“That Babe you bade on his blessyng,
Christe Redemptore omnium.”
Nowel! Nowel! Nowel!

Thai turnyd then another way
Into kyngdom ful graciously;
Then thai begonon to syng and say,
“Salvator mundy Domine.”
Nowel! Nowel! Nowel!