medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Chris Lanings search for translations of the _Psalterium Virginis Mariae_
made me go back in the archives, with a vague memory that the topic once
has been up on this list. The contents are petrol on the fire for anti
papist circles, and providing a modern English translation will not
make anybody very popular within the Roman-Catholic establishment!
Best
Erik
Here is what I wrote in June 2000:
[from the MR-archives 8/06/2000 13:30 GMT in answer to a question from
Susanne Lang]
Rewritten psalms to Mary in Latin were indeed very common in the late 15th
century. Selections are sometimes included as a separete section in Books
of Hours, with the title 'Septem psalmi B.M.V.', and there are several
printed editions of the complete "Psalterium beate Marie Virginis" edited
with various titles. As they are altered paraphrases of the 150 psalms of
David, and sometimes obnoxiosly obscene to the brink of herasy, were they
probably banned at the Council of Trent, and have now fallen into complete
oblivion. They were, non the less, printed again in the 17th century under
the name of St. Bonaventura.
I have transcribed some of the psalms, both from manuscripts, and from a
printed edition (in order to see whether there existed more than one
original text, but never finished the work).
Here are some incipits from the "Septem Psalmi B.M.V." (the letter æ is =ae)
6.1 Domina ne in furore dei sinas me corripi: neque in ira eius iudicari
6.2 Propter honorem nominis tui Domina : propicietur nobis fructus
gloriosus ventris tui.
6.3 De porta inferi, et de ventre abyssi : tuis sanctis precibus libera
nos.
6.4 Aperiantur nobis ianuæ sempiternæ : ut enarremus in æternum
mirabilia tua.
6.5 Quia neque mortui, neque qui in inferno sunt laudabunt te Domina :
sed qui tua gratia vitam æternam possidebunt.
31.1 Beati quorum corda te diligunt virgo beata : peccata ipsorum
per te misericorditer diluentur
31.2 Sancta casta et florida viscera tua : que florem viriditatis
perpetuæ conceperunt.
31.3 Decor pulchritudinis tue corruptionem non videbit : et vultus
tui gratia in perpetuum non marcescet.
31.4 Benedicta tu virga Iesse sublimis : que te usque ad sedentem
in throno, et majestatis Dominum dilatasti.
31.5 O virgo Regina semita es et via : per quam nos salus
de supernis sedibus visitavit.
31.6 Gloria tibi sit virginum Regina : duc nos obsecramus ad cælorum regna.
37.1 Domina ne in furore suo arguat me Dominus : mihi veniam
obtine de peccatis.
37.2 In conspectu tuo sit omne desiderium meum : spes mea et confidentia
mea.
37.3 Cor meum conturbatum est in me : recessit lux de visceribus meis.
37.4 Illumina splendore tuo cæcitatem meam : dulcifica dulcore
tuo contritionem meam.
37.5 Ne derelinquas me Domina mater Dei : gratia tua et virtus sit
a dextris meis.
37.6 Gloria tibi sit virginum Regina : duc nos obsecramus ad cælorum regna.
50.1 Miserere mei domina quæ mater misericordie nuncuparis.
50.2 Et secundum viscera misericordiarum tuarum : munda me
ab iniquitatibus meis.
50.3 Effunde gratiam tuam super me : et solitam clementiam tuam
ne subtrahas a me.
50.4 Quoniam peccata mea confitebor tibi : et coram te me accuso
de sceleribus meis.
50.5 Fructui ventris tui me reconcilia : et pacifica me ei qui me creavit.
101.1 Domina exaudi orationem meam : et clamor meus ad te veniat.
101.2 Non avertas sacrum aspectum tuum a me : neque abomineris me
propter immunditiam meam.
101.3 Ne derelinquas me in cogitatu, et consilio inimicorum meorum :
et ne sinas me cadere in exprobratione illorum pessima.
101.4 Qui confidunt in te non timebunt colobrum tortuosum : et qui
exaltant te præconijs evadent manus Acherontis
101.5 Per virginalem conceptum tuum da mihi in te confidentiam bonam :
et per admirabilem partum tuum lætifica animam meam.
129.1 De profundis clamavi ad te Domina : Domina exaudi vocem meam.
129.2 Fiant aures tuæ intendentes : in vocem laudis et glorificationis tuæ.
129.3 Libera me de manu adversariorum meorum : confunde et dissipa
ingenia et conatus eorum contra me.
129.4 Erue me in die mala : et in die mortis ne obliviscaris animæ meæ.
129.5 Deduc me ad portum salutis : et inter iustos scribatur nomen meum.
142.1 Domina exaudi orationem meam : percipe tuis auribus supplicationem meam
142.2 Persequutus est malignus vitam meam : deposuit in terra
conversationem meam.
142.3 Denigravit me caligine sua : et anxiatus est nimis spiritus meus.
142.4 Ne avertas faciem tuam a mei ut non corruam cum descendentibus in
lacum.
142.5 Emitte lucem tuam et gratiam tuam : et repara denuo vitam
et conscientiam meam.
142.6 Gloria laus honor virgini Mariæ : quæ secum nos trahat
ad regnum gloriæ.
Bibliography:
S. Bonaventura: Psalterium beate virginis marie [Basel, Martin Flach,
c.1473-75]
Psalterium beatæ Mariæ Virginis a S.Bonaventuræ editum. Editio tertiam.
Montibus, Ex officina Caroli Michaelis, Anno 1609.
Hope this will lead you on the right track!
Best wishes
Erik Drigsdahl
At 12:26 +0000 07/06/2000, Susanne Lang wrote:
>Does anyone know if translating and partially rewriting psalms in order to
>praise Mary was common in the Middle Ages or has someone come across
>something similar? I couldn't find any literature on this specific feature;
>of course, there's literature dealing with translations and the Cult of the
>Virgin but I was unable to find a work dealing with this specific problem.
>Susanne Lang
_____________________________________________________________________
Mag.art. Erik Drigsdahl CHD Center for Haandskriftstudier i Danmark
Kapelvej 25B 3.tv Phone: +45 +35 37 20 47
DK-2200 Copenhagen N Email: <[log in to unmask]>
DENMARK http://www.chd.dk
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