The Institution of the Eucharist - Joos van Wassenhove (active c.1460-80)

Sequence for the Octave of Corpus Christi

Lauda Sion Salvatorem; lauda ducem et pastorem in hymnis et canticis Quantum potes, tantum aude quia major omni laude, nec laudare sufficis. Laudis thema specialis Panis vivus et vitalis, hodie proponitur. Quem in sacrae mensa cenae turbae fratrum duodenae, datum non ambigitur. Sit laus plena, sit sonora, sit jucunda, sit decora, mentis jubilatio Dies enim solemnis agitur, in qua mensae prima recolitur hujus institutio. In hac mensa novi Regis, novum Pascha, novae legis, phase vetus terminat. Vetustatem novitas umbram fugat veritas, noctem lux eliminat. Quod in cena Christus gessit, faciendum hoc expressit in sui memoriam. Docti sacris institutis, panem vinum in salutis, consecramus hostiam. Dogma datur Christianis, quod in carnem transit panis et vinum in sanguinem. Quod non capis, quod non vides animosa firmat fides, praeter rerum ordinem. Sub diversis speciebus signis tantum et non rebus latent res eximiae Caro cibus, sanguis potus manet tamen Christus totus Sub utraque specie. Asumente non concisus, non confractus, non divisus: integer accipitur Sumit unus, sumunt mile: quantum isti, tantum ille: nec sumptus consumitur Sumunt boni, sumunt mali: sorte tamen inequali, vitae vel interitus. Mors est malis, vita bonis: vide panis sumptionis quam sit dispar exitus. Fracto demum sacramento, ne vaciles, sed memento, tantum esse sub fragmento, quantum toto tegitur. Nulla rei fit scissura: signi tantum fit fractura, qua nec status, nec statura signati minuitur. Ecce panis Angelorum, factus cibus viatorum: vere panis filiorum, non mittendum canibus. In figuris praesignatur cum Isaac immolatur: Agnus Paschae deputatur: datur manna patribus. Bone pastor, panis vere, Jesu, nostri miserere: Tu nos pasce, nos tuere: tu nos bona fac videre in terra viventium. Tu qui cuncta scis et vales: qui nos pascis hic mortales: tuos ibi commensales, coheredes et sodales, fac sanctorum civium. Amen. Alleluia.

Praise thou, Sion, praise thy Saviour! Praise thy Prince with all thy fervour! Anthems to thy Shepherd sing. All thou canst, do thou endeavour, Yet thy praise can equal never Such as merits thy great King. Duty this today thou'rt owing, Bread the living, life-bestowing, Full to honour with Thy praise. Same the bread that Christ in leaving To the twelve, each one receiving, Gave, no one doubt can raise. Let thy praise be loud and swelling, Be it joyous, loud and welling From a full, exulting heart. Mem'ry of that feast we render, Keeping rites in solemn splendour, When Christ did first Himself impart. This new Feast, the old repeating, Newer King and Pasch revealing, Usher in a newer rite. What is new to age succeedeth: Place to Truth the shadow cedeth; Radiance puts the gloom to flight. What He did, that eve reclining, Done anew He willed, assigning This a token of His love By His sacred precepts guided, Make we bread and wine provided, A saving victim from above. Christian truth uncontroverted Is that bread and wine converted Sacred flesh and blood become. Mind and eye whilst unperceiving What's beyond their own conceiving Strenuous faith to them brings home. Hidden under varied species, Signs, not things, the untold riches, Choice and rare beyond conceit. Flesh and Blood our life sustaining, Christ intact in both remaining, 'Neath each sign we greet. Christ, to whomsoever given, By Him is neither rent nor riven Each unparted Christ receives. Come there one, come there many, Each partakes as much as any, Nor the less for other leaves. Good and bad this banquet sharing Are an unlike lot preparing, Life or death to either falls. Life to those, to these perdition, Though to both the same fruition, How unlike the fate that calls. When the host in pieces breakest, If thou waver, thou mistakest, For each fragment thou partkest Holds no less than does the whole Of the substance no division, Signs alone admit partition, Whence unlessened the condition Of the symboled Body and Soul. Lo ! angelic bread reviving Pilgrims worn to heaven striving, Children from it strength deriving, Sacred bread to dogs denied. This the ancient types saluted, Isaac victim constituted, And the lamb for pasch deputed, Manna to our sins supplied. Jesu, bread of life, protect us! Shepherd kind, do not reject us! In Thy happy fold collect us, And partakers of the bliss elect us Which shall never see an end. Thou the wisest and the mightiest, Who us here with food delightest, Seat us at Thy banquet brightest, With the blessed Thou invitest, An eternal feast to spend. Amen. Alleluia.