Officium stellae (Gregorian chant)

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The Play of the Three Kings

Late 13c Ms. from Bigot library, BN 904 fonds latin, fol. 11 verso (Coussemacher pp. 242-246) a related source from Rouen, a 14c , is translated in Adams: The Chief Pre-Elizabethean Dramas (1924, copyright renewed 1951 but apparently not for 2nd term in 1978).

In die Epiphanie, Tercia cantata, TRES CLERICI de majori sede cappis et coronos ornati, ex tribus partibus cum suis famulis, tunicis et amictis indutis ante altare conveniant.

PRIMUS stans retro altare, quasi ab Oriente veniens, stellam baculo ostendat, dicat simplici voce:

Stella fulgore nimio rutilat.

SECUNDUS a parte dextera venies:

Que regem regum natum demonstrat.

TERCIUS a sinistra parte veniens, dicat versum:

Quem venturum olim prophecia signaverat.

Tunc regressi, ante altare aggregati osculentur sese, simul dicentes versum:

Eamus ergo et inquiramus eum, offerentes ei munera: aurum, thus et myrrham.

Hoc finito, eat processio ut in dominicis, CANTORE incipiente:

Magi veniunt ab Oriente, Jerosolimam querentes et dicentes: Ubi est qui natus est, cujus stellam vidimus, et venimus adorare Dominum.

Versus:

Cum natus esset Jhesus in Bethleem Jude in diebus Herodis regis, ecce magi ab Oriente venerunt Jerosolimam, dicentes: Ubi est?

Ad introitum navis ecclesie, MAGI ostendentes stellam cum baculis, incipiant antiphonam et cantantes pergant ad altare, dicentes:

Ecce stella in Oriente previsa;iterum precedit nus lucida. Hec, inquam, stella natum demonstrat de quo Balaam cecinerat.

Versus:

Oritur stella ex Jacob, et exurget homo de Israhel et confringet omnes duces alienigenarum, et erit omnis terra possessio eius.

Hoc finito, DUO de majori sede dalmaticis induti in utraque parte altaris stantes, submissa voce inter se dicant:

Qui sunt hi qui, stella duce, nos adeuntes, inaudita ferunt?

Tunc MAGI respondeant:

Nos sumus quos cernitis, reges Tharsis et Arabum et Saba, dona ferentes Christo Regi nato, Domino, quem, stella deducente, adorare venimus.

Tunc DUO DALMATICI, aperientes cortinam, dicant:

Ecce, Puer adest quem queritis. Jam preparate adorare, quia ipse est redemptio mundi.

Tunc procidentes simul REGES, ita salutent Puerum et dicant:

Salve, princeps seculorum!

[Tunc PRIMUS offerat, ita dicens:] [ms. repeats previous direction]

Suscipe, Rex, aurum.

SECUNDUS offerat, ita dicens:

Tolle thus, tu vere Deus.

Postea TERCIUS offerat, ita dicens:

Myrrham, signum sepulture.

Tunc orantibus Magis et quasi somno sopitis, QUIDAM PUER, alba indutus, quasi Angelus, antiphonam ante altare illis dicat:

Impleta sunt omnia que prophetice dicta sunt. Ite, viam rmeantes aliam, nec delatores tanti regis puniendi eritis.

Finita antiphona, CANTOR incipiat responsorium ad introitum chori:

Tria sunt munera preciosa que obtulerunt Magi Domino in die ista, et habent in se divina misteria. In auro et ostendatur regis potencia; in thure sacerdotem magnum considera; et in myrrha Dominicam sepulturam.

Versus:

Salutis nostre auctorem Magi venerati sunt in cunabulis et de theauris suis misticas ei munerum species obtulerunt. In auro, &c.

Sequitur Missa, ad quam tres Reges rogant chorum qui cantent: Kyrie fons bonitatis, et Alleluia, et Agnus, et Sancus festive. Officium incipiatur.



On the day of Epiphany, Tierce being sung, three clerks of the high seat [?]}, capes[?] and adorned with crowns, in three parties with their servants , their coats amities convene before the altar.

The first stands behind the altar , as if coming from the east , showing the star with his staff, says simply:

The star shines with exceeding brightness.

The second approaches from the right :

It shows the birth of the King of Kings.

The third , coming from the left side, speaks the verse:

Whose coming was foretold by prophets.

Then they return, gathering before the altar and kiss, at the same time saying the verse:

So let us go and look for him, and offer him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

This done, they process as on Sunday, and the cantor begins :

There came wise men came from the East, Jerosolimam plaintiffs, and saying, Where is he that is born , whose star we have seen, and are come to adore the Lord.

Versus:

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Jude in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the Orinete they came to Jerusalem, and saying, Where is he?

Entering the nave of the Church, they point to the star with a staff, and singing the antiphon begin to make their way to the altar, saying,

Look, the star in the East, previsa : again, before that which is less bright . It had, I say, of whom shows that the birth of the star of Balaam had sung .

Versus :

A star shall come out of Jacob , and a man out of Israel, and shall break all the princes of the nations, and all the earth shall be His possession.

This done, the seat of a dalmatic and having put on the on both sides of the altar, and two of the greater standing, in a low voice with each other and say,

Who are these that , guidance of a star , we will approach , this unheard- in air?

Then respond :

We, as you see, are kings of Tarshish and of Arabia and of Saba, bearing gifts to the King of the birth of Christ , the Lord, whom his master, star-led , to adore the come up.

Then shall two dalmatic, the curtain opened, they may say:

Behold, there is a child whom you seek . Now , prepare for worship , for the redemption of the world .

Then they fell to the king, so greet the child and say :

Hello , world leader!

[This is the first , the priest, saying thus :] [ms. Previous lend direction ]

Take, King of gold .

The second offer , saying :

Take thus, you're really God.

Afterwards TERCIUS , the priest, saying as follows:

Myrrh , a sign of his burial .

Then their prayer, and, as it is more fast asleep, in a young man , dressed in white , as if an angel, the antiphon before the altar of them says :

It is fulfilled in all things which are in his prophecy has been said. Go rmeantes another way , not so much the informers will be punished .

After the antiphon, responsory as the entrance to the choir, the cantor shall begin :

There are three things which are offered to the rich gifts unto the Lord on this day, and have in themselves the divine mysteries. In gold, and in the power of the king is shown ; Consider the smoke priest ; and myrrh for burial Sunday .

Versus :

The author of our salvation and of the Wise Men worship in his cradle to his mystical theauris unto Him mystic gifts . Gold , & c .

Then follows the Mass, to which they ask that the three kings : let them sing the chorus which : Kyrie fons bonitatis , and the Alleluia , and the Agnus, and Sanctus festive. Then the Office is begun.

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