[15] Translation:
I raise my eyes, sweet Mary I behold, With book in hand; an angel form is near.
It is the shining angel Gabriel Who kneels before her in humility, And saith: "Fear not, pure Virgin, I from heaven A messenger from God omnipotent Come down to bring glad tidings unto thee, For he hath chosen thee for his blest spouse."
He saith again: "In heaven it is decreed Thou shalt be mother of the Son of God, Therefore the Father me, his angel, sends To swift fulfil his sacred will and law. And down from him the highest Lord to bring This benediction unto which thou'rt called."
The angel's heaven-sent words were so inflamed With sacred love's own virtue did they burn They truly seemed to fall from God above. With holy joy her beating heart was full: "Behold," she said, "the handmaid of the Lord, Be it to me according to his word."
But as she sat within her archèd cell She wondered greatly how this thing should be: "For I know not, nor speak with any man," To Gabriel she timidly responds. Then quoth he: "Mary Hail! thou favoured art, And full of grace, the Lord is with thee now."
And then came down the spirit of the Lord, A ray of golden light shone round about, It pierced her breast, that fruitful heaven-sent ray, And from her womb, whose virgin purity Was still inviolate, was born the Christ While she a mother, was pure Virgin still.
Oh! lovers true, come hither unto her: Madonna she of grace and beauty fair, The earth and air but live for her sweet sake, The queen of heaven, and pillar of the world: He who would see the lovely damosel One this Annunciation he should gaze.
From an anonymous "Laud" reprinted by Galletti, n. CCLXVIII, p. 121.
[16] Op. cit., I, p. 293.