Angelus ad virginem
subintrans in conclave,
virginis formidinem
demulcens, inquit: —Ave!
Ave Regina Virginum!
Celi terreque Dominum
concipies, et paries intacta
salutem hominum;
tu porta celi facta,
medela criminum.

The angel, coming secretly
to the Virgin,
calming the Virgin’s
fear, said: —Hail!
hail, Queen of Virgins!
You shall conceive the Lord of Heaven and Earth
and give birth, remaining a virgin,
to the salvation of mankind;
you are made the gateway of heaven,
the cure for sin.

Gabriel, fram Heven-King
Sent to the maide sweete,
Broute his blisful tiding
And fair he gan hir greete:
—Heil be thu, ful of grace aright!
For Godes Son, this Heven-Light,
For mannes love will man bicome and take
Fles of thee, Maide bright,
Manken free for to make
Of sen and devles might.

Mildelich him gan andswere
The milde maide thanne:
—Wichewise sold ich bere
A child withute manne?
Th’angel hir seid: —Ne dred tee nout:
Thurw th’Oligast sal ben iwrout
This ilche thing warof tiding ich bringe;
Al manken wurth ibout
Thurw thine sweet childinge
And ut of pine ibrout.

Wan the maiden understood
And th’angels wordes herde,
Mildelich, with milde mood,
To th’angel hie andswerde:
—Ure Lords thewe maid iwis
Ich am, that heer aboven is;
Anentis me fulfurthed be thi sawe,
That ich, sith his wil is,
A maid, withute lawe,
Of moder have the blis.

Angelus disparuit
et statim puellaris
uterus intumuit
vi partis salutaris.
Qui, circumdatus utero
novem mensium numero,
hinc exiit et iniit conflictum
affigens humero
crucem, qua dedit ictum
hosti mortifero.

Eya, Mater Domini,
que pacem reddidisti
angelis et homini
cum Christum genuisti,
tuum exora filium
ut se nobis propicium
exhibeat et deleat peccata,
prestans auxilium
vita frui beata
post hoc exilium.

Translation:
Gabriel, sent from the King of Heaven
to the sweet maiden,
brought her happy news
and greeted her courteously:
—Hail be thou, full of grace indeed!
For God’s Son, this Light of Heaven,
for love of man will become man and take
human form from thee, fair Maiden,
to free mankind
of sin and the devil’s might.

Gabriel, sent from the King of Heaven
to the sweet maiden,
brought her happy news
and greeted her courteously:
—Hail be thou, full of grace indeed!
For God’s Son, this Light of Heaven,
for love of man will become man and take
human form from thee, fair Maiden,
to free mankind
of sin and the devil’s might.

The gentle maiden then
gently answered him:
—In what manner should I bear
a child without a husband?
The angel said to her: —Fear nothing:
through the Holy Ghost shall be done
this very thing of which I bring news;
all mankind shall be redeemed
through thy sweet child-bearing
and brought out of torment.

When the maiden understood
and heard the angel’s words,
gently, with gentle spirit
she answered the angel:
—I am indeed the bond-maid
of our Lord, who is above:
concerning me may thy words be fulfilled,
that I, since it is His will,
may, as a maiden, outside natural law,
have the joy of motherhood.

The angel disappeared,
and at once the girl’s
womb swelled up
by the power of the birth of salvation.
He, having been contained in the womb
for nine months,
came out from it and entered the conflict,
taking on his shoulder
the cross, by which he gave a blow
to the mortal enemy.

O Mother of the Lord,
who restored peace
to angels and men
when you gave birth to Christ,
beg of your son
that he may show himself favorable to us
and wipe away our sins,
offering help
to enjoy the blessed life
after this exile.

Latin by Philip the Chancellor? (d. 1236), English version anonymous 13th century

Translations into modern English from The New Oxford Book of Carols