Office Hymns of Eastertide, the Sarum version

Last year, I put up an Office Hymns for Eastertide post, referring to the Lutheran Liturgical Prayer Brotherhood's site - but I realize now that I didn't actually post the hymns prescribed by Hymn melodies for the whole year from the Sarum service-books.

Well, they are, actually, the same as what's at the LLPB site, and the same as what I posted last year, but here's the official word from Hymn melodies, just to be more clear:

On Low Sunday & all Sundays after Easter, & daily (when the Service is of the Season) until Ascension Day :

1st Evensong: Chorus nove Hierusalem ... ... ... 37
Mattins:  Aurora lucis rutilat ... ... ... 38
Lauds:  Sermone blando Ángelus ... ... ... 38
2nd Evensong:   Ad cenam Agni providi ... ... ... Sundays: 39; Ferias: 40

(Follow along with the Offices for Eastertide outside of Easter Week here, at Breviary Offices, from Lauds to Compline Inclusive (Society of St. Margaret, Boston, 1885).  I'll link-in via iFrame at the bottom of this post, too.)

The Sarum First Evensong hymn, Chorus nove Hierusalem ("Ye Choirs of New Jerusalem") is sung by the LLPB (mp3 here) to the same tune as prescribed above, melody #37.   Here's the chant score:

Nethymnal (which looks just like Cyberhymnal!) has the words - the J.M. Neale translation:

Ye choirs of new Jerusalem,
To sweet new strains attune your theme;
The while we keep, from care released,
With sober joy our Paschal feast:

When Christ, unconquer’d Lion, first
The dragon’s chains by rising burst:
And while with living voice He cries,
The dead of other ages rise.

Engorged in former years, their prey
Must death and hell restore today:
And many a captive soul, set free,
With Jesus leaves captivity.

Right gloriously He triumphs now,
Worthy to Whom should all things bow;
And joining heaven and earth again,
Links in one commonweal the twain.

And we, as these His deeds we sing,
His suppliant soldiers, pray our King,
That in His palace, bright and vast,
We may keep watch and ward at last.

Long as unending ages run,
To God the Father, laud be done:
To God the son, our equal praise,
And God the Holy Ghost, we raise.

The Sarum hymn for Mattins, Aurora Lucis Rutilat ("The Day Draws on with Golden Light") (mp3 here), is sung at LLPB using tune #39, rather than tune #38.  Here's that chant score:

Oremus hymnal has the English words used on the mp3; the English translation is by Thomas Alexander Lacey:

The day draws on with golden light,
glad songs go echoing through the height,
the broad earth lifts an answering cheer,
the deep makes moan with wailing fear.

For lo, he comes, the mighty King,
to take from death his power and sting,
to trample down his gloomy reign
and break the weary prisoner's chain.

Enclosed he lay in rocky cell,
with guard of armèd sentinel;
but thence returning, strong and free,
he comes with pomp of jubilee.

The sad apostles mourn him slain,
nor hope to see their Lord again;
their Lord, whom rebel thralls defy,
arraign, accuse and doom to die.

But now they put their grief away,
the pains of hell are loosed today;
for by the grave, with flashing eyes,
"Your Lord is risen," the Angel cries.

Make of all, to thee we pray,
fulfill in us thy joy today;
when death assaults, grant, Lord, that we
may share thy paschal mystery.

To thee, who, dead, again dost live,
all glory, Lord, thy people give;
all glory, as is ever meet,
to Father and to Paraclete.

TPL says this about Aurora Lucis Rutilat:

This hymn is from the 4th or 5th century and is often ascribed to St. Ambrose (340-397). Whether it really is his or not, it is certainly worthy of his name. The complete hymn is composed of 44 lines and is given below. In the Liturgy it is broken up in multiple hymns. In the past it was broken into three hymns, Aurora lucis rutilat, Tristes erant Apostoli, and Claro Paschali gaudio, which were altered by Pope Urban VIII to Aurora caelum purpurat (Lauds), Tristes erant Apostoli (Vespers and Matins for Apostles and Evangelists in Eastertide), and Paschale mundo gaudium (Lauds for Apostles and Evangelists in Eastertide). Today parts of it are in the hymn for Laudes.

And actually, the original Aurora Lucis Rutilat forms the basis for several of the Eastertide hymns; for more about these, see Common of Saints: On Feasts of Apostles & Evangelists, and look at the hymns prescribed for Eastertide. 

Aurora Lucis Rutilat another of those much longer hymns/poems, broken up and used at various Offices during a particular Season.  Here's the whole thing, in Latin with J.M. Neale's English translation, from TPL:

AURORA lucis rutilat, caelum laudibus intonat, mundus exultans iubilat, gemens infernus ululat,	LIGHT'S glittering morn bedecks the sky, heaven thunders forth its victor cry, the glad earth shouts its triumph high, and groaning hell makes wild reply:
Cum rex ille fortissimus, mortis confractis viribus, pede conculcans tartara solvit catena miseros !	While he, the King of glorious might, treads down death's strength in death's despite, and trampling hell by victor's right, brings forth his sleeping Saints to light.
Ille, qui clausus lapide custoditur sub milite, triumphans pompa nobile victor surgit de funere.	Fast barred beneath the stone of late in watch and ward where soldiers wait, now shining in triumphant state, He rises Victor from death's gate.
Solutis iam gemitibus et inferni doloribus, <> resplendens clamat angelus.	Hell's pains are loosed, and tears are fled; captivity is captive led; the Angel, crowned with light, hath said, 'The Lord is risen from the dead.'
TRISTES erant apostoli de nece sui Domini, quem poena mortis crudeli servi damnarant impii.	THE APOSTLES' hearts were full of pain for their dear Lord so lately slain: that Lord his servants' wicked train with bitter scorn had dared arraign.
Sermone blando angelus praedixit mulieribus, < videndus est quantocius>>	With gentle voice the Angel gave the women tidings at the grave; 'Forthwith your Master shall ye see: He goes before to Galilee.'
Illae dum pergunt concite apostolis hoc dicere, videntes eum vivere osculant pedes Domini.	And while with fear and joy they pressed to tell these tidings to the rest, their Lord, their living Lord, they meet, and see his form, and kiss his feet.
Quo agnito discipuli in Galilaeam propere pergunt videre faciem desideratam Domini.	The Eleven, when they hear, with speed to Galilee forthwith proceed: that there they may behold once more the Lord's dear face, as oft before.
CLARO PASCHALI gaudio sol mundo nitet radio, cum Christum iam apostoli visu cernunt corporeo.	IN THIS our bright and Paschal day the sun shines out with purer ray, when Christ, to earthly sight made plain, the glad Apostles see again.
Ostensa sibi vulnera in Christi carne fulgida, resurrexisse Dominum voce fatentur publica.	The wounds, the riven wounds he shows in that his flesh with light that glows, in loud accord both far and nigh ihe Lord's arising testify.
Rex Christe clementissime, tu corda nostra posside, ut tibi laudes debitas reddamus omni tempore!	O Christ, the King who lovest to bless, do thou our hearts and souls possess; to thee our praise that we may pay, to whom our laud is due for aye.

---

Translation by J. M. Neale (1818-1866).

The Sarum Lauds hymn, Sermone blando Ángelus, (one English version of which is "His Cheering Message From the Grave"), is sung by LLPB (mp3 here) to the same tune as the prescribed Sarum melody, #38 above.   Here's that chant score:

The Sarum version comes from the long version of Aurora Lucis Rutilat, with various verses broken out to form a new hymn.  Here are the words used on the mp3, from Hymnary.org (translation again by Thomas A. Lacey):

1. His cheering message from the grave
An angel to the women gave:
Full soon your Master ye shall see;
He goes before to Galilee.

2. But while with flying steps they press
To bear the news, all eagerness,
Their Lord, the living Lord, they meet,
And prostrate fall to kiss His feet.

3. So when His mourning followers heard
The tidings of that faithful word,
Quick went they forth to Galilee,
Their loved and lost once more to see.

4. On that fair day of Paschal joy
The sunshine was without alloy,
When to their very eyes restored
They looked upon the risen Lord.

5. The wounds before their eyes displayed
They see in living light arrayed,
And that they see they testify
In open witness fearlessly.

6. O Christ, the King of gentleness,
Our several hearts do Thou possess,
They we may render all our days
Thy meed of thankfulness and praise.

7. Maker of all, to Thee we pray,
Fulfill in us Thy joy today;
When death assails, grant, Lord, that we
May share Thy Paschal victory.

8. To Thee who, dead, again dost live,
All glory, Lord, Thy people give;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To Father and to Paraclete.  

The Sarum hymn for 2nd Evensong is Ad cenam Agni providi ("The Lamb's High Banquet"). The LLPB sings the tune from chant score #40 (mp3 here), listed as the tune for ferias; the other possible tune, for Sundays, is #39 above.  Here is the chant score for melody #40:

 Oremus has the words to this one, too; it's another J.M. Neale translation:

The Lamb's high banquet we await
in snow-white robes of royal state;
and now, the Red Sea's channel passed,
to Christ, our Prince, we sing at last.

Upon the altar of the cross
his Body hath redeemed our loss;
and tasting of his roseate Blood,
our life is hid with him in God.

That paschal eve God's arm was bared;
the devastating angel spared:
by strength of hand our hosts went free
from Pharoah's ruthless tyranny.

Now Christ our Passover is slain,
the Lamb of God that knows no stain;
the true oblation offered here,
our own unleavened Bread sincere.

O thou from whom hell's monarch flies,
O great, O very Sacrifice,
thy captive people are set free,
and endless life restored in thee.

For Christ, arising from the dead,
from conquered hell victorious sped;
he thrusts the tyrant down to chains,
and paradise for man regains.

Maker of all, to thee we pray,
fulfill in us thy joy today;
when death assails, grant, Lord, that we
may share thy paschal victory.

To thee who, dead, again dost live,
all glory, Lord, thy people give;
all glory, as is every meet,
to Father and to Paraclete.

Here again is the TPL description:

One of the earliest of the Ambrosian hymns, 6th century or earlier, this hymn is used for Vespers from Easter Sunday until Ascension. In the Breviary revision of 1632 by Pope Urban VIII the hymn was so greatly altered that only three lines of the original remained and thus is really a different hymn entirely. The revised hymn can be found under the title of Ad regias Agni dapes.

Here's that peek-in to the SSM Breviary: