To Thee, to clothe Thee with our shame,
Who from Thy Father's bosom came,
The Word incarnate; and to Thee,
Father, and Spirit, One and Three,
Praise everlasting to Thy name.

AT THE COMPLINE.

Behold the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold thy salvation cometh.ISAIAH lxii.

"In noctis umbra desides."

AND now, with shades of night opprest,
Our weary limbs are laid at rest,

The faithful soul shall wake and weep,
And unto Thee her vigils keep.

Health of the world, the Father's Word,
By whom our untold prayers are heard,
Desire of nations, hear our sighs,
And raise us from our miseries.

Why do Thy wheels so long delay ?
Come Thou, and cast our chains away,

And ope the heavenly doors again,

Which Adam's crime hath closed amain.

Praise to the Son, who cometh down
To make lost man again His own;
Praise be throughout the days of Heaven
To Father and to Spirit given!

F

ON THE VIGIL OF THE NATIVITY.

AT THE COMPLINE.

God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.-2 COR. vi.

"Mundi salus qui nasceris."

INFANT, born the world to free,

Look on us,

That in child-like wisdom we

Put on Thy humility.

Thou that midst the beasts did sleep,

Helpless babe,

From dark foes that seek Thy sheep,
Sacred Shepherd, save and keep.

Thou who hast Thy Godhead laid

All aside,

On the breast of mother maid,

To our weakness lend Thine aid.

Thou who op'st the heavenly door

Virgin-born,

Three in One whom we adore,

Praise to Thee for evermore.

ON THE NATIVITY.

AT THE FIRST VESPERS.

Yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry.-HEB. X.

"Missum Redemptorem polo."

LET all the earth her King adore
From farthest pole to pole,
Where'er the sun doth roll;

Sent forth from the eternal shore

To visit us forlorn,

He comes, the Virgin-born.

To save from death those He hath made,

God, who did all create,

Puts on a slave's estate;

Born ere the pillar'd world was laid,

He comes a mortal child,

To earth and time exil'd.