The Legend of the Siege of Milan

The legend of the Siege of Milan is known only in one version:

The Sege off Melayne, 1350-1400, English, twelve-line tail-rhyme stanzas. One MS survives, c. 1450, the London Thornton MS. It is sadly incomplete.

Editions

Herrtage, Sidney J., ed. The English Charlemagne Romances II: “The Sege off Melayne” and “The Romance of Duek Rowland and Sir Otuell of Spayne,” together with a Fragment of “The Song of Roland.” EETS ES 35. London, 1880.

Lupack, Alan, ed. Three Middle English Charlemagne Romances. TEAMS Middle English Texts. Kalamazoo, MI, 1990.

Sultan Arabas invades Italy, sacks Rome and other cities, and makes Milan his base, expelling its lord, Sir Alantyne. The Sultan offers to give Milan back to Sir Alantyne if he will become a Saracen. Otherwise, his family will be killed. Sir Alantyne prays for guidance, and an angel bids him seek succor from Charlemagne. That Emperor dreams that an angel gives him a sword and shows him Milan’s walls falling. In the morning, the sword is still in his bed, and Sir Alantyne arrives and tells his tale. Charles wishes to go to war himself, but Ganelon persuades him to stay at home and send Roland to fight. Forty thousand knights accompany him to Milan, but in the first encounter the heathen Sir Arabaunt of Persia, king of Gyon, kills Oliver’s uncle Sir Artaymnere of Bohemia, and Sir Alantyne. Roland is captured alive, because the Saracens think he must be Charlemagne. The old duke of Normandy dies, commending his son Richard to Roland’s care. Sir Belland of Burgundy, father of Sir Guy of Nevynlande, rallies the retreating Christians, but to no avail. All are slaughtered save Roland, Oliver, Charlemagne’s cousin Gawtere, and Sir Guy of Burgundy [apparently the same as he of Nevynlande].

Fitt the Second

The Sultan brings the four captives before him and bids them worship Mahound. They refuse and bid him worship Christ. The Sultan says he has burnt images of Christ, Who did nothing to stop him. He has another crucifix brought in and cast into the fire, but at the prayers of the Paladins, it is unharmed. The heathens pile brimstone and pitch onto the fire, but the crucifix remains untouched, until at last, it splits with an explosion that renders the heathens blind, deaf, and paralyzed. Sir Guy splits the Sultan’s head open, and the Paladins throw the heathen lords into the bonfire before fleeing. The surviving heathens crown Arabas’ brother, Sir Garcy, their new Sultan, and continue the war.

As the Paladins reach the abbey of Saint Denis, the bells ring of their own accord. Turpin comes out to see the miracle, and hears the sad tale. He rebukes the Blessed Virgin for allowing this to happen, and escorts the Paladins to court. Ganelon counsels surrender to Garcy, but Turpin summons all the clergy of France to take up arms. A hundred thousand tonsured men assemble at Montmartre, and Ganelon again persuades Charles to let them fight and stay himself at Paris. Turpin calls Charles a coward. Charles draws his sword on him. Turpin leaves, and lays siege to Paris with his army of priests. Charles surrenders and agrees to come to Lombardy himself.

Fitt the Third

The Saracens crown Garcy Emperor, and the King of Macedonia sends him sixty virgins. Garcy sleeps with one every night for two months, and gives them as wives to one of his barons in the mornings. Turpin and Charles arrive with the army. At the first encounter, Turpin kills King Arabaunt. The bishop’s squire begins to despoil the heathen’s corpse, but Turpin rebukes him for being more eager to gain wealth than to kill the foes of God. The fight becomes general. Charlemagne kills King Darnadowse of Famagusta. Turpin is nearly killed by the King of Macedonia, but Charles saves him. The Saracens are routed and flee to the city. The French lay siege. Turpin swears not to dress his wounds, change his clothes, or eat or drink until the city is won.

The Sultan sends Charles a herald to give him a chance to surrender before he arrives with reinforcements to raise the siege. Charles, of course, refuses. Battle is joined, and the succoring Saracens are also obliged to flee to within the city walls, from whose safety the Sultan taunts the Emperor.

As Turpin and Charles are recuperating, news comes that the Sultan’s sister’s son, Sir Tretigon, [later Sir Letygon] is on his way with sixty thousand men…

[At least one page is missing from the only MS here]

…A knight refuses to take a message until he has fought his fill. Charlemagne asks Baldwin to take the message to France to ask for help. Baldwin refuses to leave the battle. Charles asks Sir Engelier and Duke Berarde, who both refuse as well. At last, Bernard of Paris, a mere bannaret, agrees to take the message if Charles will dub him a knight. So it is done, but Bernard rides to Milan’s gates first, and the Saracens kill him. No one else will leave the camp, but fortunately Duke Lionel of Brittany arrives with thirty thousand men anyway. Battle is joined. Roland kills the Sultan’s nephew, and the heathens flee. Charles endows Duke Lionel with the Duke of Burgundy’s fiefs. Turpin, by now, has been fasting three days. Charles says it will be a grievous loss if Turpin should starve because of his vow. The army concur, and ready themselves to take the city…

[Here the only MS ends]

Origins and Influence

The great Gaston Paris was of opinion that this work was originally composed in French, or at least Anglo-Norman, as a prequel to the romance of Otuel, or Otinel. He based this opinion on the fact that both poems are set in Italy, an in no other romances is there a Sultan named Garcy. Be that as it may, the English poem is the only surviving version of this story.

We will deal with the legend of Otuel at some future point. For now, let us briefly note that it is placed by its author in the middle of Charlemagne’s final Spanish campaign, after the story of Fierabras, but some time before the battle of Roncesvalles.

The Legend of Ralph the Collier

The legend of Ralph the Collier is to be found in only one surviving version.

The Taill of Rauf Coilyear. Scottish poetry, late 1400’s.

The Taill of Rauf Coilyear was printed in 1572 by Robert Lekpreuik. Only one copy of the edition survives, and no manuscripts. The stanzaic format has not been given a name, but it consists of nine lines rhyming ababababc, followed by a wheel of four shorter lines rhyming dddc.

The barons gather at Charles’ court on Saint Thomas’ Day (December 21). A few days later, they ride out hunting over the moors. The weather is so foul that Charles is separated from all his men, but is found by a collier named Ralph. When they arrive at Ralph’s home, his wife, Jillian, comes out to meet them, and he bids her make dinner. Ralph conducts Charlemagne to the front door, where Charles stands aside to let his host enter first. The collier is displeased, and thrusts Charles in before him, reproaching him for his lack of courtesy. Again when the dinner is ready, Ralph bids Charles enter the dining room with Jillian and sit down first. Charles again demures, and this time Ralph strikes him a blow that knocks him down. Charles complies with his host’s requests thereafter. Dinner includes venison, regarding which Ralph brags that the foresters have threatened to hang him for poaching, but he is too clever for them. They adjourn to the fireside after dinner, and spend a merry evening. Charles calls himself Wymand of the Wardrobe, the queen’s most intimate servant for the past fifteen years. In the morning, Charles departs, bidding Ralph to come sell his coals at court, and he will make sure he is well rewarded.

The Paladins, meanwhile, have been searching for the King all night, and Roland and Oliver are most relieved when he rides into their company. All return to Paris, where Turpin celebrates the Christmas Eve liturgy at Saint Denis with full magnificence.

On Christmas morning, Ralph decides to go to court, against the advice of Jillian, who fears “Wymand” will have him punished for striking him. Meanwhile, Charlemagne sends Roland out to the moor-road with orders to bring him the first person he sees coming that way. Roland is annoyed, but obeys. Soon enough, Ralph comes up, and Roland tells him of the king’s orders. Ralph admires Roland’s armor, which is covered in precious stones, and his shield, which depicts a tiger tied to a tree. Notwithstanding, he insists on going to see Wymand first, before Charles, and at last threatens to duel Roland. Roland, admiring his courage, agrees to duel him tomorrow, after his business is done. They ride to Paris by two different roads, and Roland arrives first. He tells Charlemagne what has happened. Charles is irritated that Roland did not bring the collier with him, but at this juncture the town porter arrives, to report that Ralph is at the gates, earnestly seeking admittance. Roland bids the porter let him in, and follows Charles to the palace. When Ralph comes to the palace, too, he asks for Wymand, but no one knows any man by that name. He stumbles into the hall, where he is overwhelmed by the magnificence, and at last sees “Wymand” seated on the throne. He steps before the queen and begs her pardon for his treatment of her husband. Charles tells his barons the story of his lodging. The barons ask whether Ralph should be hanged for striking the king, but Charles pardons him, dubs him a knight, and promises him the next vacant fief.

The next morning, Ralph, newly attired in full knightly armor, rides out to the moors to seek Sir Roland and have their promised duel. Roland is not there, but a Saracen on a camel is, named Sir Magog, sent by the Khan of Tartary to drive Charles from France. Ralph duels him instead. They unhorse each other and are dueling on foot when Roland arrives and parts them. He promises the Saracen, if he converts, the forgiveness of his sins and the hand of Duchess Jane of Anjou. Sir Magog recks not of riches, but desires salvation. He is baptized Sir Walter, and weds the Duchess after all. Nine days later, the marshal of France dies, and Ralph is appointed in his stead. He summons Jillian to court to be a fine lady, and turns his old house into a lodging for pilgrims and travelers.

Origins and Influence

Variations on this story were extremely common in England and Scotland. Professor Child calls it second only to Robin Hood in popularity. Ralph Collier is unique in adding the duel with the Saracen. Most versions end with the commoner’s reward by the king. Among these, in rough order of composition, we may note:

Speculum Ecclesiae, by Gerald of Wales. c. 1216, Latin prose. King Henry II receives jovial harboring at a Cistercian abbey.

John the Reeve, featuring King Edward I. Mid 1400’s, six-line tail-rhyme stanzas. Printed in Ten Bourdes, TEAMS 2013.

King Edward the Third and the Shepherd, c. 1450. Twelve-line tail-rhyme stanzas. Printed in Ten Bourdes, TEAMS 2013.

King Edward and the Hermit, c. 1450. Twelve-line tail-rhyme stanzas. Printed in Ten Bourdes, TEAMS 2013.

King Edward the Fourth and the Tanner of Tamworth, late 1500’s, ballad-meter, printed in Percy’s Reliques. Child Ballad 273.

King Henry the Second and the Miller of Mansfield, late 1500’s or early 1600’s, six-line stanzas, printed in Percy’s Reliques.

The Shepherd and the King. 1578, ballad-meter. King Alfred is the hero, and burns the cakes while staying at the shepherd’s house.

King James and the Tinker. 1600s, ballad-meter. Some texts say James VI and I, but similar tales are told, in prose, of James V. Sir Walter Scott included some in his Tales of a Grandfather.

The King and the Forester. c. 1698, ballad-meter. King William III.

The Royal Frolick. Early 1700s. King William III again stars, and is entertained by a farming family.

The King and the Cobbler, late 1700s. King Henry VIII.

Outside of England, Professor Child notes:

BELGIUM
Maria von Ploenies’ Die Sagen Belgiens, features two such stories about Emperor Charles V. In one he meets a broom-maker, in the other a peasant.

DENMARK
Thiele’s Danmakrs Folkesager has Christian IV meet a peasant.

RUSSIA
Afanasief, VII, 233, No. 32. The Tsar meets a deserted soldier, who saves him from robbers.

MORAVIA
Kulda, Moravské n pohádky. Emperor Maximilian II meets a coal-burner.

In all the foregoing, the incident of a king who gets lost while hunting comprises the entire story. The motif is also often used as part of a longer folktale, but detailing all these would be impossible.

Further Reading

Professor Child’s English and Scottish Popular Ballads, Number 273.

Book I, Canto XV, Part 1

The Orlando Innamorato in English Translation, Book I, Canto XV, Stanzas 1-20

ARGUMENT

Nine cavaliers against an army fight,
And they acquit themselves like mighty men,
Angelica is captured by a knight;
The Count Orlando rescues her, but then
The Nine men find them in a woeful plight:
Albracca’s walls they’ve reached, but can’t get in.
King Trufaldino keeps the gateway barred,
Till one and all have sworn to be his guard.

1
Stay and attend, my lords, if you’ve a mind
To hear a story which is great delight.
In my last canto sang I of the nine
Redoubted cavaliers, who wished to fight
Two million soldiers of a wicked line;
And now the horns are calling all on height;
Trumpets, drums, battle-cries, such noise is it,
It seems the sky would fall and earth be split.

2
When in the sea a mighty tempest rises
And the fierce northern wind is shrieking loud,
From passengers and crew lament arises
To see the waves that almost scrape the clouds.
But yet the hurricane’s a lessor noise is
Than that which rose up from the heathen crowd.
Orlando foremost of his comp’ny sped,
To fight King Agricane head to head.

3
The barons strike each other with their lances,
The spears are strong; the cavaliers are stronger.
Off of each other’s shields each blow just glances,
But neither lance intact is any longer.
Like lions, either cavalier advances
To fighting with the sword, the while the throng there
Advances, and the duel is swallowed by
The battle, growing great on ev’ry side.

4

The pair of knights were soon obliged to cease
Their duel and fall into the great mêlée.
Though each is grieved hereat and thinks that he’s
Bound to win if they duel again someday.
The Count falls back to his companions free.
Don Brandimart stands by him in the fray.
Oberto, Chïarion, and Aquilante,
Protect the back of him who holds Anglante.

5
And with Adrïan the bold they bring
The Frank Grifone, and bold Antifor.
And in the rearguard is Ballon the king.
The mighty host fills all the valley floor,
And half the mountainside. Past reckoning
Their number is. So many flags they bore
That even they could never all be counted.
They charged; their warcry to the heavens mounted.

6
The cavaliers cry out, “You ugly rabble!
Your yowling will serve you in no stead;
Your rage is feeble like a gosling’s gabble,
In but a little while you’ll all be dead!”
Now could you see begin the cruel battle.
’Twixt half of Asia and the nine knights, led
By Count Orlando, who so wields his sword
It wreaks destruction on the savage horde.

7
King Agrican alone he tries to sight,
Though this ambition for a time must yield.
While Brandimarte and the other knights
Cut thorough so many platemails, planchets, shields,
And kill so many soldiers in the fight
That none except the dead stay on the field.
Towards the fortress dauntlessly press they;
Now they are scare an arrow’s flight away.

8
On Agricane’s side there was a giant,
King of Comano, valorous, well-dight,
From head to foot, (on Turpin I’m reliant)
Full twenty feet and no less was his height.
He’d captured easily the far-from-pliant
Astolfo. Rodamanto was he hight.
He lays his lance in rest and spurs his steed,
And straight for king Ballano does he speed.

9
He struck the king between his shoulder blades,
That giant, treacherous and to be curst.
To tumble from his horse the king he made,
Though King Ballano seldom has the worst.
The strong Grifone sees his comrade splayed,
And faces Rodamant, for vengeance athirst;
And starts a battle bitter and most cruel.
With ardent spirits either fights the duel.

10
The bold Ballano rises to his feet,
And stoutly on the ground begins to fight;
But he cannot regain his charger’s seat,
Too many foes are crowding in his sight.
His bloody sword he swings, both swift and fleet.
Foolish the foe who doesn’t take to flight.
With comrades by, he nothing knows of dread;
Around him lie a circle of the dead.

11
The King of Sweden, champion brave and bold,
Whose name is Santaría, well can use
His mighty lance, which now he firmly holds
And rides at Antifor of Belarus.
He cannot lay him flat upon the mold,
For so much potency that knight imbues,
And he defends himself with much puissance.
When they collide, each of them breaks his lance.

12
Argant of Russia stands a ways apart,
Watching the dreadful and the gory fray,
And, lo, he sees the worthy Brandimart
Who does such wond’rous feats of arms that day
No pen or tongue could tell the smallest part.
He’s drenched in blood which from his foemen sprays.
Wielding his sword with both hands, he lays waste,
Cleaving some to the teeth, some to the waist.

13
The great Argante therefore to him rides,
Upon a horse most stalwart and most terrible,
And strikes the shield by Brandimarte’s side,
But he so valiant is, and so unscareable
He doesn’t rate the giant worth a fly,
Although his blows are famed to be unbearable,
But turns around, and his sword is not slow.
Turpin relates the combat blow-by-blow,

14
But I shall leave them, on their fight intent.
You can imagine how they fought amain.
About the other fighters now attend.
Although the dead and dying strew the plain,
In the battalions’ size it makes no dent.
It seems like Hell will not accept the slain,
But sends them back again each time they’re killed,
So many soldiers stream across the field.

15
Nine cavaliers are they. They can’t stand still,
But press on, ever closer to the keep;
A road they open with their swords, until
Two hundred thousand have they slaughtered, each.
Ballano falls behind, and though their will
Is not to leave him, none can bring relief;
Together ride the eight who still remain,
Though all the Tartar’s hosts against them came.

16
All of the kings attack them, hand to hand,
Each of them well deserves his crown and throne.
Lurcone, Radamanto, Agrican,
Brontino, Santaría, Pandragon,
Argante, who in height is thirty spans,
Uldano, Poliferno, Saritron,
All these together can, but only just,
Lay Belarussia’s Antifor in dust.

17
You may recall, my lords, the troop of four
Who ringed the fair Angelica as guard,
They show yet greater valour than before,
But too unequal is the fight, too hard.
King Agricane wishes nothing more
Than to possess the dame. With valiant heart
He never paused. So great an effort made he
That he obliged the knights to leave the lady,

18
And she, perceiving that she’s guarded not,
Her mind goes empty, overwhelmed by fear.
The magic ring completely she’s forgot,
With which she has the pow’r to disappear.
Stunned and astonished, rooted to the spot,
She cannot think at all for terror sheer,
Except to call aloud Orlando’s name;
For him and for no other calls the dame.

19
The lady is not far from Brava’s sire.
He, when he hears the voice he loves so well,
Fells in his heart and face a raging fire.
Foam from his mouth and through his ventrail wells.
His teeth he gnashed, and in his anger dire
He spurred his steed so brutally, he fell.
His Brigliadoro, of a matchless fame,
Though strong and spirited, collapsed in pain.

20
But just an instant later, he arose.
Now hearken, and you’ll hear the matchless fight
Which Count Orlando made. He dealt such blows
That even telling them fills me with fright.
His tattered shield away from him he throws.
For all the world he held in grand despite.
His head he tosses back, as one berserk,
While Durindana does its bloody work.

Notes

Keep Reading

Notes to the Fifteenth Canto, Part 1

The Orlando Innamorato in English translation, Book I, Canto XIV, Stanzas 1-20 Notes
19. Ventrail. The part of the helmet covering the mouth.

Back to Part 1

Keep Reading

 

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog, dedicated to my English translation of Boiardo’s Orlando Innamorato and to the Matter of France in general. 

Begin reading the Orlando Innamorato here.

A PDF of the story thus far can be downloaded from the Table of Contents page here.

For a list of blog posts relating to the legends of Charlemagne and his peers, click here.

The Battle of Tours

Today is the 1,285th anniversary of the Battle of Tours, also known as the Battle of Poitiers, October 10, 732, when Charles Martel and his “northern men of robust limbs and iron hands stood like an unmovable wall of ice and cut the Arabs to pieces,” as the Mozarabic Chronicle puts it.

The Mahometan hordes had overrun Spain in 711, and after consolidating their control, they turned their attentions to France. In 720, when Theuderic IV was King of the Franks and Charles Martel was his Mayor of the Palace, the Saracens conquered Narbonne and laid siege to Toulouse. Duke Eudes of Aquitaine saved Toulouse, but could not recover Narbonne, and there Islam began to take root, and thence tentative minor raids were made on France. In 732 the Emir of Spain, Abd-er-Rahman, decided that there had been enough pussy-footing around, raised an army, crossed the Pyrenees, burned every church in his path, sacked Bordeaux, expelled Duke Eudes, and continued north, until he came to Poitiers, a mere 200 miles from Paris. Duke Eudes, however, had fled to the north, and formed an alliance with Charles, Mayor of the Palace. Their combined army held the road between Poitiers and Tours, and thanks to Charles’ brilliant tactics, the Franks held their ground. Abd-el-Rahman was slain, and his army melted away. There would be many further raids, but never again would they come so far north. France was saved.

Modern scholars have attempted to downplay the importance of the battle, but their arguments are weak. One the one hand, they point out that Muslim raids on Christendom continued. On the other, they claim that even in Charles and Eudes had been defeated, the Muslims still would not have conquered France. As to the first, that the raids continued is true, but, as we said above, they never again went so far north. As to the second, the idea that the Muslims would not have conquered France if Charles Martel had been out of the picture is preposterous in the extreme. A victory at Tours, with Charles disgraced or dead, would have left the road open for Abd-el-Rahman to reach the Rhine. Theuderic IV, a true do-nothing heir of the Merovingians, would certainly not have stopped him, and all France would have had to choose between the Koran, the sword, or dhimmitude. France would have become a new center of Muslim power, and new converts would have been made, a few from the Franks, most likely, and certainly many from the still-pagan Saxons and other Germans beyond the border, who would have been among the next to be attacked, and who, being pagans, would not have had the option of dhimmitude. One shudders to think what would have become of Italy and Constantinople if they had been attacked from the north by Vikings filled with zeal for Islam on top of their lust for plunder.

Never Forget

Never forget.

John Sobieski. Original by Marcello Bacciarelli. Derivative image hereby released into Public Domain.

Today is the anniversary of one of the most glorious events in human history: three hundred thirty-four years ago today, King John Sobieski III and the Polish army arrived to rescue Vienna from the besieging Ottoman army. The following day, September 12, they joined battle, and the Turks were routed. The Ottoman Empire would never recover, and Christendom was saved. To commemorate the victory, Pope Innocent XI extended the feast of the Holy Name of Mary, formerly celebrated only in Spain, to the entire Church.

Blessed be the Name of Mary, Virgin and Mother!

Read more about the siege at this link.

The Te Deum

Often in medieval literature, one comes across a reference someone singing the Te Deum. Very rarely is it explained what the Te Deum is. It is a Catholic hymn, according to legend written by Saint Ambrose and Saint Augustine, though this has been disproved. It is recited as part of the Liturgy of the Hours, and it was traditionally sung before or after Mass as part of the celebrations following great victories, or the election of a Pope. So that you know what the old romances are talking about when, for instance, Turpin sings the Te Deum, the text follows, in Latin and English.
Te Deum laudamus: te Dominum confitemur.
O God, we praise Thee, and acknowledge Thee to be the supreme Lord.
Te aeternum Patrem omnis terra veneratur.
Everlasting Father, all the earth worships Thee.
Tibi omnes Angeli; tibi caeli et universae Potestates;
All the Angels, the heavens and all angelic powers,
Tibi Cherubim et Seraphim incessabili voce proclamant:
All the Cherubim and Seraphim, continuously cry to Thee:
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth.
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts!
Pleni sunt caeli et terra maiestatis gloriae tuae.
Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty of Thy glory.
Te gloriosus Apostolorum chorus,
The glorious choir of the Apostles,
Te Prophetarum laudabilis numerus,
The wonderful company of Prophets,
Te Martyrum candidatus laudat exercitus.
The white-robed army of Martyrs, praise Thee.
Te per orbem terrarum sancta confitetur Ecclesia,
Holy Church throughout the world acknowledges Thee:
Patrem immensae maiestatis:
The Father of infinite Majesty;
Venerandum tuum verum et unicum Filium;
Thy adorable, true and only Son;
Sanctum quoque Paraclitum Spiritum.
Also the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.
Tu Rex gloriae, Christe.
O Christ, Thou art the King of glory!
Tu Patris sempiternus es Filius.
Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.
Tu ad liberandum suscepturus hominem, non horruisti Virginis uterum.
When Thou tookest it upon Thyself to deliver man, Thou didst not disdain the Virgin’s womb.
Tu, devicto mortis aculeo, aperuisti credentibus regna caelorum.
Having overcome the sting of death, Thou opened the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.
Tu ad dexteram Dei sedes, in gloria Patris.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father.
Iudex crederis esse venturus.
We believe that Thou wilt come to be our Judge.
Te ergo quaesumus, tuis famulis subveni: quos pretioso sanguine redemisti.
We, therefore, beg Thee to help Thy servants whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood.
Aeterna fac cum sanctis tuis in gloria numerari.
Let them be numbered with Thy Saints in everlasting glory.
 V.  Salvum fac populum tuum, Domine, et benedic hereditati tuae.
 Priest.  Save Thy people, O Lord, and bless Thy inheritance!
 R.  Et rege eos, et extolle illos usque in aeternum.
 People.  Govern them, and raise them up forever.
 V.  Per singulos dies benedicimus te.
 V.  Every day we thank Thee.
 R.  Et laudamus nomen tuum in saeculum, et in saeculum saeculi.
 R.  And we praise Thy Name forever, yes, forever and ever.
 V.  Dignare, Domine, die isto sine peccato nos custodire.
 V.  O Lord, deign to keep us from sin this day.
 R.  Miserere nostri, Domine, miserere nostri.
 R.  Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
 V.  Fiat misericordia tua, Domine, super nos, quemadmodum speravimus in te.
 V.  Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, for we have hoped in Thee.
 R.  In te, Domine, speravi: non confundar in aeternum.
 R.  O Lord, in Thee I have put my trust; let me never be put to shame.