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Art. 108a, Je vous requer, Jaspar, Melchior, e Baltazar

ART. 108A, JE VOUS REQUER, JASPAR, MELCHIOR, E BALTAZAR: EXPLANATORY NOTES


Abbreviations: AND: Anglo-Norman Dictionary; ANL: Anglo-Norman Literature: A Guide to Texts and Manuscripts (R. Dean and Boulton); BL: British Library (London); Bodl.: Bodleian Library (Oxford); CT: Chaucer, Canterbury Tales; CUL: Cambridge University Library (Cambridge); DOML: Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library; FDT: French Devotional Texts of the Middle Ages (Sinclair 1979); FDT-1French Devotional Texts of the Middle Ages, . . . First Supplement (Sinclair 1982); IMEV: The Index of Middle English Verse (Brown and Robbins); MED: Middle English Dictionary; MWME: A Manual of the Writings in Middle English, 1050–1500 (Severs et al.); NIMEV: A New Index of Middle English Verse (Boffey and Edwards); NLS: National Library of Scotland (Edinburgh).

1 Jaspar, Melchior, e Baltazar . The legendary names of the three Magi. See Jacobus de Voragine, The Golden Legend, trans. Ryan, 1:78–84. The Magi are unnamed in the Bible (Matthew 2:1–16).

Jesum. On this Latin accusative form in French prose, compare ABC of Women (art. 8), line 313.

 
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¶ Je vous requer, Jaspar, Melchior, e Baltazar, rois coronez, que Jesum alastes
quere quant il fust né de la virge Marie, par icel douçour que vous vers ly ustes
quant vous quere ly alastes, e pur cele joye que vous ustes quant ly trovastes e vos
douns ly offristes, que vous me consilez de ce dont je vous requer sicome Dieu vous     
oy e vos offrendres resçust. Verroi Dieu, auxi come lur offrendres reçustes, recevez
huy ma oreisoun pur lur amour; e auxi come l’estoille lur apparust en orient, que
lur mena a vous al lu qu’il urent grantment desire, auxi, Sire Dieu, aemplez mon
desir a leesse e joie. Otreiez moi que je puisse avoir e vere ce que mon cuer desyre,
a la loenge Dieu e ma Dame seinte Marie. Amen.
¶ I entreat you, Jaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, crowned kings, who went to seek
Jesus when he was born of the Virgin Mary, for that sweetness you felt toward him
when you went to seek him, and for that joy you felt when you found him and
offered him your gifts, that you advise me regarding that which I ask you inasmuch
as God hears you and accepted your gifts. True God, as you accepted their gifts,
may you accept today my prayer on account of their love; and as the star appeared
to them in the east, which led them to you in the place they had so greatly desired,
so too, Lord God, you filled my desire for gladness and joy. Grant me that I may
have and behold what my heart desires, for the praise of God and my Lady Saint
Mary. Amen.


Go To Art. 109, Mundus iste totus quoddam scaccarium est, introduction
Go To Art. 109, Mundus iste totus quoddam scaccarium est, text