TEXTS ON MUSIC IN ENGLISH
School of Music
University of Nebraska--Lincoln
Lincoln, NE 68588-0100
(phone: [402] 472-2507; Internet: plefferts1@unl.edu)

Data entry: Peter M. Lefferts
Checked by: Peter Slemon
Approved by: Peter M. Lefferts

Fn and Ft: LANTLIT_TEXT
Author: Anonymous
Title: The Lantern of Light (excerpt)
Source: Lilian M. Swinburn, ed., The Lanterne of Lizt, edited from Ms. Harl. 2324, Early English Text Society, orig. ser. 151 (London: Oxford University Press, 1917), 57-59. By permission of Oxford University Press.

[-57-] Syngars ben in Cristis chirche; that syngen heuenli songis/ and with her swet melodie; plesen God at fulle/ as Poul seith in his pistil; to the Colosencis/ Colosencis IIIo. 'verbum christi habitet in vobis habundanter in omni sapientia docentes et commonentes vosmetipsos in psalmis et ympnis et canticis spiritualibus in gratia cantates in cordibus vestris deo||Omne quodcumque facitis in verbo aut in opere. in nomine domini nostri iesu christi facite. gratias agentes deo et patri per ipsum'/ that is to seie. Suffre ze the worde of God; to dwelle plentiuousli among zou/ in al manere heuenli wisdam; encresing zou in vertu/ teching and monesting zoure silf; in psalmes [-58-] and ympnys and goostli songis/ singyng in grace with feruent deuocioun; in zoure hertis to zoure God/ and what euer ze schal do; in word or in werk/ do ze that thing perfiztli; in the name of oure Lord Iesu Crist/ zelding thankingis to the fadir; bi that same Iesu Crist|| And sithen he is bothe God and Lord; and kyng of al this world/ the prophete Dauith counseilith vs; that we schulde sing wijseli/ for he that is occupied; in heuenli desiris/ thouz his tung be stille; and make no noyse/ he singe a song seynt Austin seith; that God liketh beest|| 'Qui desiderat et si lingua taceat corde cantat'/ Hec Augustinus|| Ananye and Azarie and Mysael also/ soungen blessing to the Lord; in suche manere song/ whanne thei weren in Babiloyne; in the brennyng furneise. Daniel IIIo.||

But syngars in the fendis chirche; breken curiouse nootis; and that is but a puff of wynde; as seith Seint Bernard wijsli/ to plese the peple with likerouse voice; and fylle her eeris with veyn dyn|| But se what seint Gregor seith. acording with seint Bernard/ 'Dum blanda vox queritur; perfecta vita deseritur'|| That is to seie. whanne faging and glosing vois is souzt; perfijt lijf is forsaken/ and the peple is ledde in to synne; as God seith bi his prophet Ezechiel XXXIIIo. 'sedent coram te populus meus et audiunt sermones tuos et non faciunt eos; quia in canticum oris sui vertunt illos et auariciam suam sequitur cor eorum/ et es eis quasi carmen musicum quod suaui dulcique sono canitur et audiunt verba tua et non faciunt ea'|| That is to seie. Mi peple sitten bifore thee; and heeren thi wordis/ but thei don not aftir hem; whanne her bak is turned/ for the prestis turnen hem; in song of her mouthe/ and the herte of the peple; folowith her prestis auarice/ and it is to hem; as a song of musik/ that is soungen myrili; with a lusti sounde/ and thei heeren [-59-] thi sermouns. but thei kepe hem not seith the Lord God/ And efte God seith azen; bi the prophete Amos. Vo. 'Aufer a me tumultum carminum tuorum. et cantica lire tue non audiam'|| That is to seie. Do thou awey fro me; the pride of thi chauntyng/ and I schal not also heere; the songis of thin harpe|| Lord what may this bimene; that prestis in the chirchis/zyuen hem thus miche to song; and so litil to preching and in fewe placis or ellis in noone; of the newe testament/ schullen we grounde this maner of song; neithir among oure doctours|| but often thei ben chargid to preche. zhe vndir greet peyne/ and algatis that thei haue good wille; to do that thei may/ that the peple were treweli tauzt; to lede a sobre lijf/ therfore Gregor in his decre; 92. smyteth hem with a curse/ that bisien hem in the courte of Rome; aboute suche feyned syngyng/ wherthoruz schulde be taried; the office of preching||