Thursday, December 26, 2013

Circumfultus Undique

In This Vale of Wretchedness
(a traditional St. Stephen's Day carol)


Pray for us that we saved be,
Protomartyr Stephane

In this vale of wretchedness,
Yprovëd was thy meekness,
Where thou art in joy and bliss,
Circumfultus undique.

With faith all armed in field to fight,
Sad thou stoodest as God's (own) knight,
Teaching the people, of God His might,
O facies plena gracie!

Before the tyrant thou were brought,
Strokes of pain thou dreadedst nought,
God was with thee in all thy thought,
Spes eterne glorie.

With sinful wretches thou were take,
Thy faith thou wouldest not forsake,
But rather to die to Godes sake,
Circumfuso sanguine.