Hymn: I Vow to Thee, My Country

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I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above,

Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love;

The love that asks no questions, the love that stands the test,

That lays upon the altar the dearest and the best; 

The love that never falters, the love that pays the price,

The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice.

 

And there's another country, I've heard of long ago,

Most dear to them that love her, most great to them that know;

We may not count her armies, we may not see her King;

Her fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering;

And soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase,

And her ways are ways of gentleness, and all her paths are peace.

      -British patriotic hymn for Remembrance Day and other important national events.

      -Text by British Ambassador to the US Sir Cecil Spring Rice

 

If Ye Love Me – Thomas Tallis

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 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter, that he may 'bide with you forever;

E'en the spirit of truth; 

     -Composed by Thomas Tallis, gentleman of the Chapel Royal and holder of a royal patent (along with William Byrd) from Queen Elizabeth I 

 

Gloria from Mass for 5 Voices - William Byrd

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GLORIA in excelsis Deo et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. 

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GLORY to God in the highest, and peace on earth to men of good will. 

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LAUDAMUS te, benedicimus te, adoramus te, glorificamus te, gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam, Domine Deus, Rex caelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens. 

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WE praise Thee, we bless Thee, we adore Thee, we glorify Thee, we give Thee thanks for Thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty. 

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DOMINE Fili unigenite, Iesu Christe, Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis; qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram. Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis. 

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O Lord Jesus Christ, only begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, Thou who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; Thou who takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Thou who sittest at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. 

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QUONIAM tu solus Sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus Altissimus, Iesu Christe, cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris. Amen 

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FOR Thou alone art the Holy One, Thou alone art the Lord, Thou alone art the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

      -Hymn of praise sung on all festive occasions as part of the celebration of the Mass

 

Faire is the Heaven – W. H. Harris

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 Faire is the heaven, where happy soules have place,

 In full enjoyment of felicitie,

Whence they doe still behold the glorious face

Of the divine eternall Majestie.

 

Yet farre more faire be those bright Cherubins, 

Which all with golden wings are overdight, 

And those eternall burning Seraphins,

Which from their faces dart out fiery light;

Yet fairer than they both, and much more bright 

Be th’Angels and Archangels, which attend

On Gods owne person, without rest or end.

 

These then in faire each other farre excelling, 

As to the Highest they approach more neare, 

Yet is that Highest farre beyond all telling, 

Fairer than all the rest which there appeare, 

Though all their beauties joynd together were; 

How then can mortalle tongue hope to expresse 

The image of such endlesse perfectnesse?

      -Text by Edmund Spenser, from An Hymne of Heavenly Beautie, 1596).       

      -Music composed by William Henry Harris, Queen Elizabeth II’s piano teacher and organist at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor.

 

Jesus Christ the Apple Tree – Elizabeth Poston

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 The tree of life my soul hath seen,

Laden with fruit and always green;

The trees of nature fruitless be,

Compared with Christ the Apple Tree.

 

His beauty doth all things excel,

By faith I know but ne'er can tell

The glory which I now can see,

In Jesus Christ the Appletree.

 

For happiness I long have sought,

And pleasure dearly I have bought;

I missed of all but now I see

'Tis found in Christ the Appletree.

 

I'm weary with my former toil - 

Here I will sit and rest awhile,

Under the shadow I will be,

Of Jesus Christ the Appletree.

 

This fruit doth make my soul to thrive,

It keeps my dying faith alive;

Which makes my soul in haste to be

With Jesus Christ the Appletree.

      -Text by Rev. Richard Hutchins. This setting became a popular Christmas carol during the life of Queen Elizabeth II

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