Middle English Marian Lyrics

Marian devotion flourished as part of the affective piety movement in late medieval Europe. As Karen Saupe notes, “what was most important about Mary was her unique identity as the point of connection between the divine and the human.” Fulfilling the paradoxical roles of virtuous virgin, loving human mother, and queen of heaven, Mary became for her worshipers a powerful intercessor to Christ—to whom penitents could turn to beg forgiveness for their sins. This edition compiles 93 lyrics from the thirteenth through fifteenth centuries to provide a representative sampling of Middle English Marian devotion. Saupe’s volume presents nine sections, beginning with iconic moments in Mary’s life (the Annunciation, Nativity, Crucifixion, and Assumption) and progressing into later categories of prayer and praise. While most of the lyrics remain anonymous, a handful are attributed to known authors, including Chaucer, Lydgate, Hoccleve, and Dunbar. Altogether, they express the efforts of the English populace to voice their anxieties and joys through Mary.