A letter from Guido de Basochis

Translated letter:

To the excellent lady of Castello Porcens, his very much to be loved sister, Guido de Basochis to have a devout spirit to keeping her promise to the Lord. What the previous prayer longs for your love knows well enough. For since virtues and miracles, by which the Lord of virtues makes illustrious the church of his untainted mother, though from the many I will give you only a few – for they can not be put forth in human speech – you vowed, remember, that devout you would undertake this pilgrimage, you would go to Chalons to implore her face with gifts, who alone without example deserved to remain a virgin after birth, who brought forth from herself out of the substance of the father the one begot before the world born into the world, Jesus Christ, about whom it is written: Vow and render your vows to the Lord your God. You vowed, remember; what you put off rendering, I am quite excited, since you are prompt to good works – never or very rarely to bad – that you may always come. When you might see people near and far rush in troops with the devout female sex, to see the queen of angels in a golden garment of virtues, surrounded by a variety of signs, no mind should doubt that the king of glory was pleased to give the owed honor to his beloved mother and be a participant in it, when in her praise and glory he was zealous to bring forth a hall dedicated to her, a temple of his temple, with divine works, to irradiate it with supernal virtues. For there they are raised with heavenly reward, the sick are healed, demons put to flight, the impure are purged, a step is given to the lame, speech to the mute, that they might announce the name of the Lord in the valleys and his praise to Chalons. Light is given to the blind through the illuminator of the world who is true light from the light. Besides the miracle the power of divine virtue shows more remarkably with all signs to the greater heap of praise of the holy mother of God in that temple of the virgin, which indeed could not be done with any human power, any art directly, any wit. For who is the king, who powerful in all the world of lands could convert so many peoples, so many hearts, to one, unless he alone who with only a nod shook the world. Behold those noble by birth, powerful in wealth, mighty in the honor of worldly elevation, with pride put aside, humble the necks of the heart and body under the yoke of piety, heeding the voice of Truth saying: For my yoke is light [Matth.11:30]. Indeed that holy Spirit, who covered [cast a shadow over] the virgin in a heavenly way, enflamed her worshippers with the fire of pious love, so that it did not suffice for that church to be venerated not only with a generous outlay of alms but also in the work of the building with wagons of wondrous magnitude they draw not small stones but those innards of rocks, piling them on from far and remote places with devout breasts. There nobles of both sexes contend with the highest ambition for submitting their shoulders to ropes by which the immense mass is drawn. O truly cords of distribution, in which and by which the land of true promise was distributed to them. With wagons therefore brought to the city you would see noble soldiers, powerful matrons, youths and virgins, old and young barefoot, moving swiftly, with happy heart eagerly running together. Some cling to the ropes; truly when the ropes fail, they use stretched hands and embraces for ropes. Others meet those failing for weariness, help them, in succession, one carrying the weights of another, so that the twice dyed scarlet may shine in them. There the wolf with the lamb, the panther with the kid, the calf with the lion and sheep will linger together and the small boy drives them, the small boy, I say, who was diminished a little from the angels, is altogether similar to the father in deity. Others truly with tambours, and choirs of song, with lutes and cymbals and organs of harmony, of jubilation and devotion adding the stimuli of virtue and consolation to the pious high sounds in their labors, lead them to the holy and venerable church of the glorious virgin with great dancing, greater exultation, and the greatest praise. There with the hymning of clerics, the noble priest assisting sprinkles those tired with the weight of labor and heat with the sacred dew of benediction. Leading them thence and standing before the dove eyes of the precious virgin, he gives praise to God and thanks to the people, commending the sheep to the shepherd, the populace to the ruler, the creature to the author. O race truly elect, holy tribe, people of attainment. But what more can I tell you about the virtues and miracles and sign by which the holy mother of God shines through the city, rather through the whole world? If I wished to follow the hundredth part of those And I had hundreds of hours to try, a hundred would fail before the hour. Come therefore my sister to see the only Mary worthy of God, the lady of the world, queen of heaven, that by her merits and prayers who conceived without a man, gave birth without pain, that pain of your imminent delivery may be lessened, that he make you the joyful mother of children, who makes the fertile sterile and the sterile fertile, Jesus Christ, son of the virgin, who is the joy of the holy angels. Of this glorious mother of God and virgin, since I know you pursue with celebrating praise and are a most devout worshipper, I send you her praises composed rhythmically (in verse) to be said as a suppliant before her reverend image in prayer or sung with sweet melody. 1 Let us sing praises of the virgin Who by speech, not seed, From God, not from man, Became the mother of God man, Enclosure of the supernal flame City of the sevenfold river. To our prayers, queen, Be open to the son By whom, enclosed, came the host To save us from our enemies. 2 Hail virgin, flower of virgins, Preceding the fruit of grace, Whose food hope Satisfied the hunger of men, In which is the healing of crimes, In which is the salvation of the church. To our . . . 3 On the part of the beginning of things A messenger to you scattering words Brings salvation. While you hear the word with the ear, You conceive the word in the word, Your son becomes the son of God. To our . . . 4 O how well you judge On the throne of such reward. How you ascend to the height Of humility, you show, While you declare yourself the handmaid Of one whose mother you are chosen [to be]. To our … 5 Dew of all graces, While it fills your fleece, In which shines The couch for God, A hairshirt of flesh in you Purples with the splendor of the word. To our … 6 The whole deity descends In the temple of your breast, From the earth of your body Truth arose to us, And eternal divinity Begins to be in time. To our . . . 7 In which mercy(kindness) Meets truth, By which peace and justice Came together in a kiss; In the council of the just, The mother and daughter of God, Reconcile us to your Father and your son. To our . . .

Original letter:

Excellenti domine de Castello Porcensi, sorori sue sibi plurimum diligende, G. de Basochis animum habere deuotum ad reddendum Domino suum uotum. Ad quid premissa suspiret oratio, nouit satis tua dilectio. Cum enim uirtutes atque prodigia, quibus uirtutum Dominus illustrem illese sue genitricis reddit ecclesiam, licet e multis tibi pauca referrem — nec enim humano ualent explicari sermone — uouisti, memini, quod peregrinationem hanc deuota susciperes, Cathalaunum adires uultum eius cum muneribus deprecari, que sola sine exemplo meruit manere uirgo post partum, que Deum ex sustantia patris ante secula genitum ex se protulit in seculo natum Ihesum Christum, de quo scriptum est: Vouete et reddite Domino Deo uestro uestra uota. Vouisti, memini; quod quia reddere distulisti, nimirum moueor, cum bonis operibus prompta—malis uero uel nunquam uel sera—semper occurras. Cum uideas tam affines quam remotos cateruatim ruere populos cum deuoto femineo sexu, ut uideant reginam angelorum in uestitu deaurato uirtutum, circundatam uarietate signorum, ambigere mens nulla debet, quin glorie rex honorem debitum dilecte matri gratuletur inpendi et inpensi fore participem, cum in eius laudem et gloriam aulam ei dicatam, templum templi sui, operibus studeat efferre diuinis, supernis irradiare uirtutibus. Ibi enim celesti munere releuantur, curantur egroti, fugantur demones, purgantur inmundi, claudis gressus, loquela redditur mutis, ut adnuntient nomen Domini in uallibus et laudem eius Cathalaunis. Redduntur lumina cecis per illuminatorem mundi, qui lumen est de lumine uerum. Preterea miraculum cunctis insignius signis ad sancte Dei genitricis maiorem laudis cumulum in eodem uirginis templo potentia diuine uirtutis ostendit, quod quidem humana potestate nulla, nulla prorsus arte, nullo fieri ualeret ingenio. Quis enim rex, quis in toto prepotens orbe terrarum tot in unum gentes, tot posset corda conuertere, nisi solus ille qui solo nutu concutit orbem. Ecce genere nobiles, potentes opibus, honore pollentes elationis mundane fastu deposito ceruices cordis et corporis sub iugo pietatis humiliant uocem Veritatis attendentes dicentis: Iugum enim meum leue est. Tanto siquidem sanctus ille Spiritus, qui uirginem celitus obumbrauit, cultores eius ardore pii succendit amoris, ut non solum larga elemosinarum inpensione uenerari ecclesiam sufficiat eis, uerum etiam ad opus edificii mire magnitudinis plaustris non modicos lapides sed ipsa saxorum uiscera superponentes a longinquis et remotis partibus pectoribus trahant deuotis. Ibi nobiles utriusque sexus pro submittendis funibus humeris, quibus moles trahitur inmensa, summa cum ambitione decertant. uere funiculi distributionis, in quibus et pro quibus distribuetur eis terra uere promissionis. Plaustris igitur ad urbem deduct < is > uideres milites generosos, matronas potentes, iuuenes et uirgines, senes cum iunioribus nudo pede, cursu festino, iocundo corde per uicos et plateas in occursum certatim conuolare. Alii quidem funibus inherent; quibus uero desunt funes, protensis manibus et implexis pro funibus utuntur. Alii autem quibusdam pre lassitudine deficientibus occurrunt, succurrunt, succedunt alter alterius honera portantes, ut in eis bis tinctus resplendeat coccus. Ibi lupus cum agno, pardus cum hedo, uitulus, leo simul et ouis morantur, et puer paruulus minat eos, puer, inquam, paruulus qui minoratus paululum ab angelis est deitate patri consimilis. Alii uero cum timpanis et choris canoris, cum cytharis et cymbalis et organis modulationis, iubilationis et deuotionis piis constitutis in laboribus clamoribus altisonis stimulos uirtutis et consolationis addentes, eos ad sanctam ac uenerabilem gloriose uirginis ecclesiam magno cum tripudio, maiori cum exultatione, maxima cum laude deducunt. Ibi cum psallentio clericorum dominicus adsistens sacerdos pondere laboris et estus defessos sacro benedictionis rore respergit. Dehinc introducens eos et statuens ante columbino preciose uirginis oculos laudes Deo, grates populo reddit, oues pastori, plebem rectori, creaturam commendans actori. 0 uere genus electum, gens sancta, populus adquisitionis! Sed quid multa referam tibi de uirtutibus et miraculis et signis quibus sancta Dei genitrix per urbem, immo per totum coruscat orbem? Si centissimam eorum partem prosequi uellem Et michi centeno niti contingeret ore, centum prius ora deficerent. Veni igitur soror mea solam Deo dignam uidere Mariam, mundi dominam, celi reginam, ut eius meritis et precibus que sine uiro concepit, sine dolore peperit, dolor imminentis tibi leniatur partus, et fatiat te matrem filiorum letantem qui fecundas steriles et steriles fecundas facit, Ihesus Christus, uirginis filius, qui sanctorum est gaudium angelorum. Huius gloriose Dei genitricis et uirginis quia noui laudibus insistere celebrandis et deuotissimam existere te cultricem, tibi laudes eiusdem rithmice mitto compositas suppliciter ante reuerendam eius imaginem dicendas in oratione seu dulci modulatione cantandas. .. 1 Laudes canamus uirginis, Que sermone, non semine, A Deo, non ab homine Fit Dei mater hominis, Superni septa flaminis Vrbs septiformi flumine. Nostris, regina, precibus Esto patens ad filium Quo clauso uenit hostium Saluare nos ab hostibus. 2 Salue uirgo, flos uirginum, Procedens fructum gratie, Cuius esus esurie Spes saginatur hominum, In quo medela criminum, In quo salus ecclesie. Nostris... 3 Ex parte rerum principis Salutem tibi nuntius Affert seminiuerbius. Dum uerbum aure percipis, In uerbo uerbum concipis, Fit tuus Dei filius. Nostris ... 4 0, quam bene te iudicas In throno tanti muneris. Quante culmen ascenderis Humilitatis, indicas, Dum ancillam te predicas Cuius mater eligeris. Nostris... 5 Ros gratiarum omnium, Dum uellus tuum saturat, In quo gratum refulgurat Deo reclinatorium, Carnis in te cilicium Verbi splendore purpurat. Nostris... 6 Tota descendit Deitas In templum tui pectoris, De terra tui corporis Nobis est orta ueritas, Et eterna diuinitas Incepit esse temporis. Nostris... 7 In qua propitiatio Veritati fit obuia, Per quam pax et iusticia Conuenerunt in basio; Iustorum in concilio, Dei mater et filia, Tuo nos reconcilia Patri simul et filio. Nostris …

Historical context:

Guido writes to his sister, Aelis, urging her to keep her vow that she would visit the church of St. Mary of Chalons sur Marnes. He describes how the church was built and adds a poem in honor of the Virgin.

Printed source:

Liber Epistularum Guidonis de Basochis, ed. Herbert Adolfsson, Acta Universitatis Stockholmiensis, Studia Latina Stockholmiensia, 18 (Stockholm: Almquist and Wiksell, 1969), 29-31, ep.8.