The angel Gabriel from heaven came,
His wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame,
All hail", said He, "Thou lowly maiden Mary,
Most highly favour'd lady", Gloria!

"For known a blessed Mother thou shalt be,
All generations laud and honour thee,
Thy Son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold.
Most highly favour'd lady," Gloria!

Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head,
"To me be as it pleaseth God," she said,
"My soul shall laud and magnify His Holy Name."
Most highly favour'd lady, Gloria!

Of her, Emmanuel, the Christ, was born
In Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn,
And Christian folk throughout the world will ever say -
Most highly favour'd lady, Gloria!

abc | midi | pdf

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Source: Singing Together, Autumn 1973, BBC Publications

Notes:
The booklet acknowleges Gordon Hitchcock Esq., for the words of "Gabriel's Message" by S. Baring-Gould from Queensway Carol Book.

This is a Basque carol, "Birjina gaztettobat zegoen." "It was collected by Charles Bordes and appeared at the beginning of his volume Douze No�«ls populaires in the series Archives de la tradition basque (1895), to which he also contributed the volume Dix Cantiques populaires basques." (The New Oxford Book of Carols, 1992, p. 641)


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