The LION & the CARDINAL by DANIEL MITSUI

The LION & the CARDINAL
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17 June 2013

RECEPTION of the RELICS of ST. VICTOR



Sequence by Adam of St. Victor:



Ex radice caritatis,
Ex affectu pietatis
Psallat hec ecclesia!
Psallat corde, psallat ore,
Et exultet in Victore
Victoris familia.

Pars istius nobis data,
Per fideles est allata
Ab urbe Massilia;
Cujus prius spiritali,
Nunc ipsius corporali
Fruimur presentia.

Hec est summa gaudiorum;
Dilatemus animorum
Ipsa penetralia;
Martyris reliquie
Laudis et letitie
Nobis sunt materia.

Nostri cordis organum,
Nostra carnis tympanum
A se dissidentia
Harmonia temperet
Et sibi confederet
Pari consonantia!

Choris concinentibus,
Una sit in moribus
Nostris modulatio:
Vocum dissimilium,
Morum dissidentium
Gravis est collisio.

Ex diversis sonitus
Fiet incompositus,
Nisi Dei digitus
Chordas aptet primitus
Dulci magisterio.
Nisi dulcor Spiritus
Cor tangat medullitus,
Nihil vocis strepitus,
Nihil sapit penitus
Carnis exultatio. 

Dulcor iste non sentitur
In scissuris mentium,
Nec in terra reperitur
Suave viventium.
Hunc dulcorem sapiat
Et pregustans sitiat,
Donec plene capiat
Unitas fidelium.

Pregustemus cordis ore,
Ut interno nos sapore
Revocemur ab amore
Mundi seductorio;
Hic est sapor salutaris,
Hic est gustus singularis,
Per quem cure secularis 
Subrepit oblivio.

Ut hic mundus amarescat,
Odor Christi predulcescat,
Hec dulcedo semper crescat
Cordis in cellario;
Ubi spirat fragor talis,
Fervor crescit spiritalis,
Et fugescit temporalis
Vite delectatio. 

Victor, miles triumphalis,
Christi martyr specialis,
Nos a mundi serva malis,
Ne nos amor mundialis
Mergat in flagitia;
Una voce, mente pari,
Nos honore singulari
Te studemus venerari;
Dum versamur in hoc mari,
Exhibe suffragia.

Ne permittas spe frustrari
Quibus potes suffragari;
Fac nos Christo presentari,
Ut Hunc tecum contemplari
Possimus in gloria.
Ad honorem tuum, Christe,
Decantavit chorus iste
Tui laudes agoniste,
Quo presente nihil triste
Nostra turbet gaudia. Amen. 

Englished by Digby S. Wrangham:

From the root of true afifection,
And from pious predilection,
Let this church's anthem rise!
Let both heart and lips be singing,
And let all from Victor springing
Joy in Victor's victories.

His remains, now to us granted,
From Marseilles have been transplanted
Hither by a faithful few;
So that whom before in spirit
We possessed, we now inherit
In corporeal presence too,

'Tis our joy's full consummation;
Let us show our exultation
From the bottom of the heart:
For this martyr's relics raise
Matter for unceasing praise,
And an endless joy impart.

May the organ of our soul,
And our flesh's drum, control
Every strain of melody,
With themselves in discord found.
And take part in all whose sound
Is with theirs in harmony!

As with choirs in unison,
Of our habits too but one
Should the modulation be:
Voices in a different key,
Habits that no law obey,
Gravely hinder harmony. 

Sounds by different lips outpoured
Must discordant strains afford,
If the finger of the Lord
First attune not every chord
With a gentle mastery.
If the Spirit's sweetening power
Touch the heart not to the core,
Then the voice's loudest roar,
And earth's joys in richest store,
Will be tasteless inwardly.

Men, with minds distracted, never
Feel the sweetness thence distilled;
Neither are life's true charms ever
Unto us on earth revealed.
May believers here unite
But to taste of joys so bright,
Taste, and thirst for their delight,
Till they there shall be full filled!

Let our hearts' mouth taste its flavour,
That through its internal savour
We may show no further favour
To this world's seductive love:
'Tis a savour salutary,
'Tis a taste extraordinary,
Which doth in oblivion bury
Earthly cares 'mongst which we move.

That the world to us be bitter.
May Christ's perfume seem still sweeter,
And this sweetness ever greater
Grow within our inmost hearts:
Where such fragrance round us floweth,
Spiritual fervour groweth,
And for all, that earth bestoweth
Passingly, the love departs.

Victor, soldier now victorious!
Of Christ's martyrs the most glorious!
From sins here to souls injurious
Keep us, lest a love all-spurious
Sink us in iniquity:
With one heart and voice before thee,
Giving thee especial glory,
Strive we honour to assure thee!
Show us favour, we implore thee,
Whilst we travel o'er this sea!

Ne'er permit their hope's frustration,
Who are thine own congregation;
Cause to Christ our presentation.
That we may by contemplation
Now with thee His glory know.
Christ! to Thee due honour paying,
Have the words we have been saying
Been Thy champion's praise portraying;
Whilst he here with us is staying,
Let no griefs our joys o'erthrow! Amen. 

12 June 2013

ARS MEMORANDA and RATIONARUM EVANGELISTARUM



































Henri Bouchot & Anton Einsle:
The Ars Memoranda, another xylographic work, of which the subject, taken from the New Testament, was equally well adapted to the imagination of the artists, had an equally glorious destiny. The work originally comprised thirty blocks, the fifteen blocks of text facing the fifteen engravings. The designs represented the attributes of each of the Evangelists, with allegories and explanatory legends. Thus, in that which relates to the Apostle Matthew:
#1 represents the Birth and Genealogy of Jesus Christ
#2 the Adoration of the Magi
#3 the Baptism of St. John
#4 the Temptation of Christ
#5 the Sermon on the Mount
#6 the Parable of the Birds
The angel that supports the whole is the emblem of St. Matthew the Evangelist.

This mnemonic treatment of the Gospels proceeded from symbols of which we have no means of finding the origin, but which without doubt went back many centuries earlier... In 1505 a German publisher published an imitation of it, under the title of Rationarium Evangelistarum; and this time the copyist of the illustrations, although trying to retain the tradition of the first xylographers, none the less reveals himself as an artist of the first order, at least a pupil of Martin Schongauer.

11 June 2013

MASTER E.S. ~ ST. JOHN on PATMOS



PIETER CLAEISSENS the ELDER ~ MASS of ST. GREGORY


30 May 2013

CORPUS CHRISTI



Sequence by Jean of Cornillon:



Laureata plebs fidelis,
Sacramento Christi carnis
Lauda regem glorie.
Nam cum regnans sit in celis,
Cum effectu sue mortis
Se prebet cotidie.

Ut pretium pro peccatis
Fiat virtus passionis
Et augmentum gratie.
Missa confert ista nobis,
Ergo digne sit solemnis
Misse cultus hodie.

Hoc signavit vite lignum,
Melchisedech panem, vinum
Ut placaret Trinum unum
Offerens Altissimo
Aser quoque, pinguis cibus,
Delicias dans regibus,
Nam regalis hic est cibus
Pane sacratissimo.

Et hoc quidem designavit
Agnus sine macula,
Quem edendum immolavit
Quondam lex Mosaica.
Agnus legis iam cessavit
supervenit gratia,
Christi sanguis dum manavit,
Mundi tollens crimina.

Caro cuius tam serena
Nobis esca sit amena
Fidei mysterio.
Quam provide manna celi
Figuravit Israeli
Nobili presagio.

Esca fuit temporalis
In deserto datum manna,
Christus panis et perennis
Dans eterna gaudia.
Hic est panis salutaris
Per quem datur nobis vita,
Hic est calix specialis
Cuius potus gratia.

Hic est esus pauperum,
Nullum querens pretium
Sed mentes fidelium,
Panis prebens copiam.
O dulce convivium
Supernorum civium,
In terris viaticum
Nos ducens ad patriam.

Vite via, lux perennis,
Satians refectio,
Christe confer vitam nobis
Hoc sacro convivio.
Ut eterno cum supernis
Perfruamus gaudio,
Quod ostendet Deitatis
Manifesta visio.

Vive panis vivax unda,
Vera vitis et fecunda,
Vite da subsidia.
Sic nos pasce sic nos munda,
Uta morte nos secunda
Tua galvet gratia.

Nam effectus tue mortis
Nos emundat a peccatis,
Per misse mysteria.
Summe templum Trinitatis
Sempiternam confer nobis
Gloriam in patria.

Jesu decus angelorum
Spoliator infernorum
Humili victoria.
Honor celi, lux sanctourm,
Salus mundi fons bonorum,
Tibi laus et Gloria. Amen. 

English Translation:

Now let the Faithful come, with joy revering
The Sacramental Christ this day,
Rendering the most high King meet praise, and wearing,
Through Him, the conqueror's bay.
What if the place whence He rules all be Heaven?
Oh, He deigns elsewhere to abide,
And day by day to loving hearts is given,
He, Who was crucified.

Behold the Price, which bought the holy Nation,
The Grace which speaks of Grace to come,
And all the Virtue of His sacred Passion
Have here this earthly Germ:
All Gifts are here to give the which He suffered,
All Gifts with which the Dove came down;
Therefore aright the Sacrifice be offered,
Of all the Fruit and Crown.

This did men see far off, and died confessing,
This did Melchizedek declare,
Offering the Bread of Life and Wine of Blessing
To God, before they were;
And erst they slew a Lamb, the time foreshowing
When that Lamb's slaughter should give place
(The Blood of Christ, world-cleansing Stream, fast flowing)
Unto the True Lamb's Grace.

One link yet more 'twixt men whom ages sever,
'Tis Manna, Bread sent down to tell
The Word made Flesh should be made Food for ever
To the true Israel:
That Bread was food of time, This is Eternal:
That came the flesh alone to feed,
But This is Life and Health and Joy supernal;
This Cup is Drink indeed.

Lo, without price abundant Peace is given,
The poor and needy here may come;
O happy Feast for citizens of Heaven,
Lead, through the strange land, home;
O Path of Life, Refreshment never cloying.
O Christ, Perennial Light, give Life;
Lo, our part be with Souls the Bliss enjoying
In Thy clear Vision rife.

Give us Thyself. Thou art the Wave Immortal,
The Fruitful Vine, the Living Bread;
So at the last we miss not Sion's portal,
We would be cleansed and fed:
It is Thy Death which in these Gifts is speaking,
Oh, may we list to It alone,
And we shall find the Country we are seeking,
We shall be nigh Thy Throne. Amen.

26 May 2013

TRINITY SUNDAY



Sequence by Adam of St. Victor:



Profitentes Unitatem 
Veneremur Trinitatem 
Pari reverentia, 
Tres Personas asserentes 
Personali differentes 
A se differentia. 

Hec dicuntur relative, 
Quum sint unum substantive, 
Non tria principia. 
Sive dicas tres vel tria, 
Simplex tamen est usia, 
Non triplex essentia. 

Simplex esse, simplex posse, 
Simplex velle, simplex nosse, 
Cuncta simplicia. 
Non unius quam duarum 
Sive trium Personarum 
Minor efficacia. 

Pater, Proles, Sacreum Flamen, 
Deus unus: sed hi tamen 
Habent quedam propria. 
Una virtus, unum numen, 
Unus splendor, unum lumen, 
Hoc una quod alia. 

Patri Proles est equalis, 
Nec hoc tollit personalis 
Amborum distinctio. 
Patri compar Filioque, 
Spiritalis ab utroque 
Procedit connexio. 

Non humana ratione 
Capi possunt he Persone, 
Nec harum discretio. 
Non hic ordo temporalis, 
Non hic situs, aut localis 
Rerum circumscriptio. 

Nil in Deo preter Deum, 
Nulla causa preter eum 
Qui causat causalia. 
Effectiva vel formalis 
Causa Deus, et finalis, 
Sed nunquam materia. 

Digne loque de Personis 
Vim transcendit rationis, 
Excedit ingenia. 
Quid sit gigni, quid processus, 
Me nescire sum professus: 
Sed fide non dubia. 

Qui sic credit, ne festinet, 
Et a via non declinet 
Insolerter regia. 
Servet fidem, formet mores, 
Non declinet ad errores 
Quos damnat Ecclesia. 

Nos in fide gloriemur, 
Nos in una modulemur 
Fidei constantia: 
Trine sit laus Unitati, 
Sit et simple Trinitati 
Coeterna gloria! Amen. 

Englished by Digby S. Wrangham: 

We, the Unity confessing, 
Must the Trinity be blessing 
In our worship equally; 
In three Persons thus believing; 
Difference 'twixt them each perceiving 
In their Personality. 

Relatively of these speak we, 
Substantively but one make we, 
Nor three Persons in them see; 
Call them three or threefold, never 
But one substance are they ever, 
Neither in their essence three. 

One in being, One in power, 
One in will and wisdom's dower, 
One in all respects they be: 
Of all these three Persons, either 
One, or two, or all together, 
Are Almighty equally. 

Father, Son, and Spirit Holy, 
Are one God, but each hath truly 
Some peculiar property: 
One their goodness, one their might, is; 
One their glory, one their light, is; 
One are they entirely. 

Equal are the Son and Father, 
But from this we may not gather 
That their Persons are the same: 
One with Son and Father either, 
Not from one, but both together, 
The connecting Spirit came. 

These three Persons that we mention 
Are beyond man's comprehension, 
As the difference each one shows: 
Time and place alike unbounded 
Are for them, and unsurrounded 
By the limits nature knows. 

Naught but God God's self compriseth, 
Nor from other cause ariseth, 
Cause of all causality; 
Though the cause, all things respecting, 
Formal, final, and effecting, 
Immaterial is He. 

To describe these Persons duly 
Far transcends man's reason truly, 
And exceeds his wit as well: 
What that birth is, that procession, 
Though faith doubts not, my confession 
Must be that I cannot tell. 

Who believes this, nought dismayeth; 
He ne'er ignorantly strayeth 
From this creed's right royal road; 
Keeps the faith, his life makes purer, 
Not declining into error 
Censured by the Church of God. 

In this faith then let us glory, 
And in one consistent story 
Hold it in its verity: 
Praise be to the Triune Godhead; 
To the Three in One included 
Co-eternal glory be! Amen.

24 May 2013

LIBER VITE of DURHAM CATHEDRAL



In the early Church, the names of the living and the dead commemorated in the Canon of the Mass were read from diptyches; during the Middle Ages, a book was often used instead: the Liber Vite or Book of Life. The subdeacon was responsible for bringing the book to the altar and reading the names. One of the most beautiful of these books to survive is that used at Durham Cathedral. It was begun in the ninth century; names were added until the Reformation. Many of the several thousand names were written in gold or silver leaf.




23 May 2013

HANS FILSHOVER and his ELEPHANT

In 1483 and 1484, a man named Hans Filshover toured the Rhineland and Holland with a live African elephant, to great profit. The beast drowned in a canal near Muiden, en route to Utrecht.



Presumably, the sight of this elephant or a description of it inspired the Master of Bellaert's illustration in De Proprietatibus Reurum, published in 1485. Martin Schongauer's famous engraving was also issued that year.



Martin's brother Ludwig issued a print of an elephant about that same time.


21 May 2013

IVAN BILIBIN ~ SET & COSTUME DESIGNS for a 1907 PRODUCTION of RUTEBEUF'S MIRACLE of THEOPHILUS




20 May 2013

BOOK of BALLYMOTE







Jones' Celtic Encyclopedia:
Written on vellum, probably around 1391, the Book of Ballymote was produced by the scribes Manus O'Duignan, Solomon O'Droma, and Robert McSheedy, for Tonnaltagh McDonagh, whose clan kept the manuscript until the early 16th century, when it came into the hands of the O'Donnell clan. In 1620 it was given to Trinity College, Dublin, but was stolen from the library, only to be returned to the Royal Irish Academy in 1785. It is in relatively good condition, no doubt do to the treasured status it had in the McDonagh clan.

The first page of the work contains a drawing of Noah's Ark as conceived by the scribe. The first written page is missing and the second opens with a description of the ages of the world. It then contains a history of the Jews; a life of Saint Patrick; a copy of the Book of Invasions, the Instructions of King Cormac, as well as other stories of King Cormac Mac Airt, stories of Fionn Mac Cumhail and Brian Borumha, genealogies of various clans and kings, and two very important tracts: the Book of Rights, and Auraicept na n-Éces - the Ogham Treatis, about which so much has been made. The end of the book is a collection of Greek and Latin works on the fall of Troy, with a bit of the Aeneid thrown in.
A complete facsimile can be seen here.

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