Folio 104v
Devotions to the Virgin Mary, continued.
Hymn, O Maria stella maris, continued.
... when we are pardoned.
pus venie.
Hymn , Cunctis excelcior.
A hymn to the Virgin Mary (verses 1-4, AH, 20, p 141). The author invokes her as the flower of mankind, the lily of purity and the rose of patience, asking her to hear his prayers. He invokes her primacy in heaven as the mother of Christ. He invokes the virginity of her motherhood, symbolised by the bush which burned but was not consumed by the fire (Exodus, 3:4). Like the fleece which admits the dew (see Psalm 71:6) and the dry stem which produces a flower, both against nature, she, a virgin, gave birth to the god who was also her creator. The Holy Spirit made her the container of our hopes, combining the nature of man and god, yet distinguishing between them, although they were joined in one person. She protects her servants, saps their enemies' strength, crushes the snake and binds fast the dragon.
Cunctis excelcior <excellentior> deus te pre omnibus deus <Ipse> te constituit\ fructus sine venere
angelorum choris\
flos humani generis
lylium pudoris
rosa pa\ciencie
mater salvatoris.
Audi queso domina\
vocem <voces> peccatoris
collocavit\ secum,
cum primatum teneas
pium est et equum\
ut tu
pietatem mecum.
Tu es ple\na gracia
dominus est tecum.
thronum regni sui,
nec in mulieribus
est inven\ta tui, [cui]
detur privilegio
tam excelso frui,
quia\ benedictus <est>
fructus ventris tui,
venit <ventris> tam venustus,
cuius ipsos <Ipsos tuos> angelos\
refocillat gustus,
partum tuum exprimit
rubus incom\bustus,
quem in monte Synai
vidit homo\ iustus,
tu ad instar velleris
quod recepit rorem,
arideque virgule
que produxit florem,
preter rerum\ seriem
et nature morem,
virgo deum procreas\
tuum conditorem,
Lute [In te] neupma fabricans
ol\lam nostre spei
nati iram [naturam] confederans
hominis et\ dei
manet quod distinctio
utriusque rei
tamen per\sonaliter
hec unitur ei
servulos tu protegis,
ho\stes tu fatigas
tu serpentem conteris,
tu draco-\
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