The Play of St. Nicholas
A 12th-Century Liturgical Drama
New York Ensemble for Early Music; Frederick Renz, Director
The Play of St. Nicholas Compact Disc No. 1
[1] Procession: Nove Geniture
[2] Filius Getronis (The Son of Getron)
Ministers: Mark Bleeke, Stephen Sturk, Patrick Mason
King Marmorinus: J. David Smith
Court Musicians:
Dennis Godburn, Bagpipe;
Betsy Blachly, Side Drum
Adeodatus: Jason Wilbourne
Adeodatus's Musician: Lesley Retzer, Gittern
School Children: Choristers of the Cathedral of
St. John the Divine, New York City:
Rani Arbo, Julius Ford, Laura Hildesley,
Melissa Hildesley, Thorvald Jacobson,
Sophia Morton, David Owen, Harry Wagner
Euphrosina: Peter Becker
Consolers:
Keith Romano, William Vannice
Euphrosina's Musician: Tina Chancey
Getron: Kurt O. Richards
Getron's Musician: Barbara Benary
St. Nicholas: Wilbur Pauley
St. Nicholas's Musician:
Betsy Blachly, Bell Carillon
[3] Motet: Psallat Chorus
Choristers of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York City
Barbara Benary, Lesley Retzer, Vielles
Betsy Blachly, Triangle
Dennis Godburn, Recorder
[4] Tres Filiae (The Three Daughters)
Father: Patrick Mason
First Daughter: William Vannice
Second Daughter: Keith Romano
Third Daughter: Peter Becker
Suitors: Mark Bleeke
St. Nicholas: Wilbur Pauley
Betsy Blachly, Bell Carillon; Barbara Benary, Tina Chancey, Lesley Retzer, Vielles
[5]Chanson: Diex Soit
Peter Becker, Mark Bleeke, Stephen Sturk, Tenors
[6] Estampie: Danse Royale
Betsy Blachly, Clay Drums
Barbara Benary, Gadulka
Tina Chancey, Rebec
Dennis Godburn, Cornemuse
Lesley Retzer, Pontic Lyra
William Vannice, Oud
Iconia Sancti Nicolai
(The Icon of St. Nicholas)
Merchant: Patrick Mason
First Thief: Stephen Sturk
Second Thief: Peter Becker
Third Thief: Mark Bleeke
St. Nicholas: Wilbur Pauley
Betsy Blachly, Bell Carillon, Clay Drums
Barbara Benary, Gadulka
Tina Chancey, Rebec
Dennis Godburn, Cornemuse
Lesley Retzer, Pontic Lyra, Nun's Fiddle
William Vannice, Oud
[7]Motet: Nicholaus Igitur
Jason Wilbourne, Treble
Dennis Godburn, Recorder
Lesley Retzer, Vielle
[8] Tres Clerici (The Three Students)
First Student: Jason Wilbourne
Second Student: Harry Wagner
Third Student: Julius Ford
Innkeeper: Stephen Sturk
Old Woman: Keith Romano
St. Nicholas: Wilbur Pauley
Betsy Blachly, Bell Carillon
Barbara Benary, Tina Chancey, Vielles
Dennis Godburn, Recorder
Lesley Retzer, Harp
New York Ensemble for Early Music
Frederick Renz, Director
The four Plays of Saint Nicholas belong to a category of religious drama scarcely associated with scriptural tradition, though designed for use in the church These "church dramas" or "plays," as they may be called, were dramatizations of legends dealing with the life and miracles of a saint In the early medieval period, such legends were numerous enough to have inspired a large repertory of plays, such as the fourteenth-century collection entitled Les Miracles de Notre Dame, the famous Le Jeu de Saint Nicolas of the fourteenth century by Bodel, and Play of the Sacrament, by Croxton, dating from the fifteenth century However, despite the extensiveness of these legends during the earlier centuries, only a few plays have survived; a majority concerns Saint Nicholas
Very little is known about Saint Nicholas' earthly existence Historical records inform us that he was a native of Lycia in Asia Minor After a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and Egypt, he became bishop of Myra in 325 a d He suffered imprisonment under the rule of Diocletian, and was released on the accession of Constantine He died, supposedly, on December 6, 343 Legendary accounts describe miracles performed during his lifetime and after his death; new miracles continued to be ascribed to him throughout the Middle Ages He was generally revered as the champion of the oppressed, the protector of children or sailors in danger at sea, and the defender of those unjustly condemned or imprisoned Greater impulse was given to the cult of Saint Nicholas with the violation of his tomb in the year 1087 by Italian merchants, who brought the relics to Bari in South Italy, thereby establishing a goal for the Saint Nicholas pilgrimages From Italy, the cult spread beyond the Alps, and prospered in northern, central, and eastern parts of France The great number of abbeys, churches, and chapels dedicated to the saint in France and Germany
attests to the fact that the cult was already well established in northern Europe before the eleventh century
Despite the popularity of this saint, only four dramatizations have survived, namely Tres Filiae, Tres Clerici, Iconia Sancti Nicolai, and Filius Getronis They survive in manuscript 201 at the public library at Orleans, a thirteenth-century religious miscellany, containing, in addition to the Saint Nicholas plays, six strictly liturgical dramas, thus making it probably the most extensive collection of medieval Latin drama in existence The Saint Nicholas plays appear on inserted leaves that comprise the Fleury Playbook, which, from the evidence of its musical notation, is probably somewhat earlier Dramatizations of Tres Filiae and Tres Clerici are also found, without music, in older and simpler versions from Hildesheim (London, British Library, Add 22414, Miscellanea Hildesiensia), while Tres Clerici also survives, again without music, in a fragment from Einsiedeln (Einsiedeln, Stiftsbibliothek, MS 34, Miscellanea), which preserves only the section dealing with the events following the murder of the three clerici The dramatization of Iconia Sancti Nicolai is found, without music, in the writings (Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, MS lat 11331) of the wandering scholar Hilarius, a pupil of Abelard The Fleury Playbook preserves the only known dramatization of Filius Getronis
All these plays are written in verse In an attempt to outline the process through which the Saint Nicholas plays became drama, historians have suggested possible connections with the technique of literary embellishment of parts of the Office, the elaborated text of which was then set to music The resulting various antiphons and responsories were known as rhymed Offices; the rhymed texts of these pieces
carried new melodies or melodies adapted from existing Offices Settings of a similar nature were composed for the feast of Saint Nicholas on December 6, many containing references to the well-established legends Any connections between the rhymed Offices and the Fleury plays are purely speculative, although the element common to both is that of a verse set to music It is possible, however, that the rhymed Offices were part of a development which ran parallel to that of the plays Rhythmic and versified pieces were written for the extra-liturgical embellishment of the daily liturgy, and for the lives of patron saints The practice and teaching of versification was an important activity of the monasteries in the early Middle Ages It is known that circa 1100, novices at the monastery of Saint Benoitsur-Loire at Fleury were being taught versification of the sort seen in the four plays of Saint Nicholas Karl Young perceptively says:
The four Saint Nicholas plays seem to have been composed in their extant forms in a spirit of literary and dramatic independence, and to have been attached to the liturgy as appendages, rather than as intimate accompaniments of central acts of worship….
The four plays end with chants belonging to the feast of Saint Nicholas: Statuit ei, sung at Introit for the Mass of Saint Nicholas, the Te Deum, sung at Matins, O Christi pietas, sung at Vespers, and Copiosa karitatis, often attached to the Benedictus sung at Lauds.
Unlike most of the strictly liturgical plays, the Saint Nicholas plays contain no sections of prose. As mentioned previously, they are written in rhythmic or accentual verse in regular strophic form. As a result, dramatic characterization becomes difficult. However, the plays, as grouped in the manuscript, become progressively more interesting and complex in terms of
their attempt at dramatic characterization, which depends largely on the variety of versification
These plays, as church or moral dramas, do not introduce drama or dramatic situations in the way we, in a modern context, might expect Their art derives from the dramatic conceptions, revolving around the figure of Saint Nicholas It is not a reworking of classic or traditional principles and devices The action of the French 'farce," a vigorous form in the Middle Ages, was gross and brutal, usually a deception practiced on a simple gull, and ending in a rain of blows; the characters were familiar, contemporary types presented with crude realism Success of the play relied on the capacity of its actors By contrast, each of the Saint Nicholas plays was a performance with a moral, or a performance of a miracle, and not a study of character or a social critique Although equipped with a cast, it was not written for professionals, nor was it designed to display the actors' abilities and minimize their shortcomings The characters in the Saint Nicholas plays are not memorable; on the whole, they are insipid, neutral types These plays depict universal, albeit legendary, situations, rather than particular, distinctive individuals The potential for emotional involvement is, therefore, limited, as it should be in a play designed for church use, where the spiritual element transcends all human suffering We should not look for dramatic individualization, as we would in a Moliere play or a Mozart opera There is some sort of individualization, of course, often displayed in the varied arrangements of versification, which serve broadly to distinguish either a group of people, one person, or one situation from another
The opening lament of Tres Filiae consists of rhyming lines of fifteen syllables, divided into groups of two or
three by a refrain of seven syllables Ten-syllable lines, rhymed in stanzas of four verses, and ending with a refrain of four syllables, are reserved for the conversations between father and daughter The suitors use a three-line stanza with a refrain of four syllables In the more active sections of the play, the father and daughters use shorter stanzas of two lines, with the usual short refrain These distinctions are made apparent to the listener, because all the stanzas are set to the same melody throughout the entire play, with the exception of the opening lament which carries its own melody The variety in the number of stanzas serves to characterize a particular situation at a particular point in time For example, after the gold is tossed through the window, the stanzas become shorter, and therefore more vibrant, depicting the general rejoicing and reinforcing the momentum of the play This level of dramatic individualization relates to the customary staging of a play
In general, the principle of staging was that of a group of places or raised platforms, referred to as loci or sedes, distributed about a central, unlocalized playing space, known as the platea Each of these sedes, whether or not furnished with realistic properties, was the center of a scene Although directions are provided only for the Iconia Sancti Nicolai and Filius Getronis, the staging for Tres Clerici and Tres Filiae can be inferred from the text A simple stage setting is required for Tres Filiae, a room and an open space outside, since the gold is to be thrown through a window With the exception of Saint Nicholas, the entire action takes place within one space Although the saint is a crucial character in that he redeems the dramatic situation, the action of the gold being tossed through the window is so sudden as to suggest that he has been present all along One views the entire action as taking place in one locus, through a series of
delineated relationships comprising the essential and larger situation The portrayal of character and of individual development is weakened by the fact that, although the daughters are married off, the father remains as poverty-stricken as before This is not an important consideration in this type of play, since spiritual commitment and salvation must be shown to extend beyond all human problems
In Tres Clerici the verse consists of ten syllables; the stanzas have four lines usually in the pattern of aabb Eighteen of the nineteen stanzas are sung to the same melody, with the musical form aabc; the final stanza, representing Saint Nicholas's prayer, is set to an entirely new melody, also in the form of aabc To compensate for the somewhat frequent repetition of rhyme words and the occasional repetition of parts of the text lines themselves, the play provides a great variety of action, accompanied by a development in characterization different from that in Tres Filiae The one-dimensional aspect and the near-simultaneity of events in Tres Filiae are not encountered here
In Tres Clerici, the conscious awareness of a world outside, the feeling of “time passed," is accomplished by the conversation among the students taking place on the road outside the inn The action of the play unfolds naturally; the interaction of the characters is free from affectation and restraint The host at first refuses lodging to the traveling scholars, who then successfully appeal to the wife; the host consults with his wife as to the propriety of granting hospitality to Saint Nicholas when he appears as an unknown wanderer; and, finally, the criminals confess their treacherous deed to the saint Although the personalities of the clerici are not developed in the course of the play, the host and his wife are distinctive in this respect The host clearly respects his wife, who
impresses us as being assertive, fearsome, and discerning.
This dramatic characterization is reinforced by the staging. The play requires the presence of a road, since, when they first appear, the clerici are represented as being at some distance from the inn; this road might actually have been the aisle of the church. Since the prospective criminals seem to be conversing in the room where the students are sleeping, part of the stage may have represented the sleeping quarters, and part, the main room of the inn. Also, after Saint Nicholas has entered the inn, and has asked for fresh meat, it is clear that the bodies of the students are not evident. Upon his request, they are brought to him from a separate chamber. It is possible then that the a platea for the street and two sedes for the two rooms. Specific events occur in three separate locations; this division serves to delineate the action clearly, and to emphasize the relationship of one group of characters to another.
The versification of Iconia Sancti Nicolai represents a technique of a higher order in terms of imaginative detail and metrical variety. The internal rhymes applied to the fifteen-syllable units of the Jew's opening speech, his impassioned lament in hexameters, the refrain of his concluding stanzas, and the general flexibility of the poetic structure are all striking. The attempt at variety in this play is remarkable. In particular, the parts of the thieves are developed rather skillfully; it is noteworthy that the third robber is distinguished from the other two as being calmer, more cautious and discerning; he is the one who finally manages to convince his companions to return the stolen goods. The variety in versification is reflected in the music as well. The different melodies assigned to the characters (excepting the phrases shared by the
three thieves) are used consistently through the play, and this reinforces the third robber's individual personality.
The directions provide a few suggestions for the staging of the play, for properties, and incidental action. The chest is specifically mentioned; the robbers' struggle with it in the home of the Jew, and their dividing the treasure in their own house are explicitly indicated. Two sedes are required.
The final play of the group, Filius Getronis, stands in strong contrast textually to such a play as Iconia Sancti Nicolai, and musically to Tres Filiae and Tres Clerici. The verse form consists of a quatrain through out the play, rhyming predominantly aabb, and occasionally aaaa, with ten syllables to a line. Despite the straightforwardness of meter, the main interest of the play lies in the fact that each character is given his or her own distinctive theme, and sympathizing characters take on these themes: an instance of this occurs when Adeodatus, "sighing grievously," quotes Euphrosina's theme instead of his own.
Whereas in the previous three plays the structures and stage properties required at the various sedes were relatively simple, Filius Getronis makes considerable demands; it presumes the effect of great distances and, in the course of the action, the lapse of one year between the abduction and return of Adeodatus. The rubrics describe the mise en scene in some detail. The sedes of King Marmorinus is represented at one side of the stage, where the king occupies a raised throne, surrounded by his attendants and soldiers. The city of Excoranda, where Getron's wife, his son Adeodatus, and the consolatrices of his wife Euphrosina reside, is at the other side of the stage. Near this sedes, "ab orientali parte civitatis Excorande," must be visualized
the Church of Saint Nicholas, where Adeodatus is captured. The amount of action taking place between the three sedes is remarkable, and the most complicated of the four plays: the soldiers of King Marmorinus journey from the king's court to the Church of Saint Nicholas and back; Getron's family and the clerics move back and forth between the city of Excoranda and the church; and, finally, Saint Nicholas transports the boy from the court of Marmorinus back to the city of Excoranda. This last bit of action might have required some sort of mechanical contrivance; thus, our attention is drawn to one other aspect of the play, that is, the changing of location, and Adeodatus's being in captivity for a full year. With regard to this, the text makes no provision, although the deliverance of the boy may have been represented symbolically.
Among the very real problems involved in reconstructing these church dramas from the seemingly simple sources which survive, major questions involve the rhythmic interpretation of the notation and the use of musical instruments. The musical notation of the Saint Nicholas plays is nonmensural, and, therefore, gives no indication of the absolute or relative value of the notes. If concordant sources existed for these plays, they might be able to shed some light on the problem of rhythm. In the absence of concordances, sources containing rhythmic verse of the same period with measured notation might prove helpful. However, the general method for the rhythmic transcription of these pieces has been that of a metrical interpretation derived from the accents of the Latin verse texts, resulting in duple or triple division. The chants occurring at the end of the plays are sung in a modified equal-note style.
With regard to the use of musical instruments, recent research seems to show clearly that only bells and organs were admitted into the liturgy. Further, liturgical items were usually sung unaccompanied, except for the use of the organ in choral items such as the Te Deum, Magnificat, and the Gloria. Church dramas are slightly different, standing as they do outside the liturgy, and it is possible that this sort of evidence is not relevant to them. True, there is nowhere any mention of an organ being employed in any type of music drama, except toward the conclusion. In addition, church dramas were usually introduced by instrumental pieces, performed in the procession to the site where the plays were staged. In the case of the Saint Nicholas plays, rubrics do not mention instruments.
Instruments have been used in this performance, however, for the purpose of presenting or clarifying moments in the action which would have been acted in pantomime in staged presentations of these plays. In Tres Filiae, the moment when Saint Nicholas throws the gold through the window is expressed by the use of bells; in Tres Clerici, the killing of the students is accompanied by a combination of percussive instruments. Instrumental interludes are introduced in Filius Getronis to allow for the time taken to move from one location to another, and in Tres Filiae, to suggest a pause during which the couples depart before the father confronts his problem anew. This use of instruments in a way for which we have neither supporting nor sufficient contradictory evidence is, in one sense, a demonstration of the extent to which the church drama, like any other drama, requires the visual element to provide dramatic continuity.
Olga E. Malyshko
The New York Ensemble for Early Music performs an extraordinary gamut of literature that spans the anonymous, illuminated manuscripts of medieval Europe through the printed engravings of eighteenthcentury masters, including everything from bawdy ballads of worldly brilliance to the mystical glories of sacred motets.
Directed by Frederick Renz and assisted by an advisory board of musicologists, the Ensemble's goal is to recreate the ambience of a particular period through
the use of instruments and voices, and techniques of performance which blend imaginative insight with sound scholarship
Frederick Renz studied harpsichord with the eminent performer/scholar Gustav Leonhardt as a Fulbright Scholar He holds graduate degrees and honors from Indiana University, where he also taught harpsichord and conducted chamber ensembles He has given solo recitals, appeared with orchestras and chamber groups in New York, and has made numerous recordings, including for Musical Heritage and MusicMasters
[1]. Procession: "The New Birth"
Nature's law yields to the new creation. Against all laws of the flesh the virgin pure gives birth. By a new law nature is overcome, by the birth of Christ. She hears the inaudible, keeps the virginal flower untouched. Against all custom the mother breaks with usage and keeps her modesty, by the birth of Christ. The birth of the true God by which witnesses draw breath, has led out the wretched, restored them through grace. Day of our hope, this day has dawned, by the birth of Christ.
[2]. The Son of Getron
For the purpose of representing how St. Nicholas set free the son of Getron from the hand of Marmorinus, king of the Agareni, let him be put in an appropriate setting with his armed ministers: King Marmorinus sittin on a lofty seat, as though in his own kingdom. Let there be arranged in another setting, Excoranda, the city of Getron, and in it Getron with his councillors, his wife Euphrosina, and their son Adeodatus; and let there be to the east of the city Excoranda, the church of St. Nicholas in which the boy will be seized.
After these things have been readied, let the ministers of King Marmorinus come into his presence and let them ALL or the FIRST of them speak: Hail, prince, hail, excellent king! Pray do not delay, but tell your ministers what is your heart's desire; we are ready to do your will.
The KING will say:
Go then, do not tarry, make subject to my power whatever peoples you can; those who resist you, kill! Meanwhile let Getron and Euphrosina, with a crowd of clerics, go to the church of St. Nicholas, as though for celebrating Mass, leading their son along with them. Let them say:
MOTET: "JESUS, SWEET MEMORY"
Jesus, sweet memory giving the heart's true joys: more than honey and all things in his presence is sweet. Along with Mary at dawn's light I shall seek Jesus at the tomb; with mournful plaint of heart, not through sight, shall I seek Him. Nothing is more sweetly sung, naught happier is heard, or pleasanter to think upon than Jesus, Son of God. Jesus, hope of the penitent, how kind Thou art to those who seek, how good to those who search for Thee, salvation of those who find Thee.
Stay with us, Lord,
dwelling in new light, with darkness of night repulsed, filling the world with sweetness. Remove the bars and gates, run to meet heaven's dwellers, say to the triumphant one, "Hail, Jesus, noble king!"
And when they see the king's armed ministers coming, forgetting their son in their panic, let them flee toward the city. But let the king's men, seizing the boy, come before the king and let them ALL or the SECOND of them speak :
Good king, we have done what you ordered; many peoples we have subjugated to you, and from the property which you acquired we conduct here to you this boy.
Let ALL or the THIRD say:
That boy, good to look upon, prudent in counsel, noble in birth, is well deserving in our judgment, of enlistment in your service.
KING:
To Apollo who rules all things let there be eternal praise, and to you thanks, who made so many countries subject and tributary to me!
KING to the boy:
Good lad, tell us from what country, from what race you come , of which religion is your family, gentile or Christian?
BOY:
Ruling over the people of Excoranda, my father, Getron by name, worships the God who owns the seas, who made us and you and everything.
KING:
My God is Apollo; he is the god who made me; he is true and good; he rules the earth and reigns in the sky. In him alone we ought to believe.
BOY:
Your god is a lying god and evil; stupid, blind, deaf and mute is he; you ought not to worship such a god, who cannot even regulate himself.
KING:
Boy, do not say such things; do not despise my god: for if you make him angry, in no way can you evade his power.
Meanwhile EUPHROSINA, discovering the loss of her son, returns to the church of St. Nicholas; when she fails to find her son whom she sought, in mournful tones:
Alas! alas! alas! Woe is me! What shall I do? What can I say? By what sin have I deserved to lose my son, and still live?
Why did my unhappy father beget me? Why did my unhappy mother cleanse me? Why did my wet-nurse give me suck? Why did she not offer death to me?
Let the CONSOLERS come and speak:
How can this mourning help you? Do not weep for your son; pray to the Son of the Father Most High, who can give you counsel
EUPHROSINA, as though not heeding their consolation:
Dear son, dearest son, son, better part of my soul, now you are the cause of sorrow for us to whom once you were the cause of joy!
CONSOLERS:
Grief, pain and despair will harm you and will not help your son; but on his behalf, from your resources give to the clerics and the paupers
Beg for the mercy of Nicholas that he pray for compassion of the Father Most High for your son, and your petition will not fail
EUPHROSINA:
Nicholas, most holy father, Nicholas, most dear to God, if you want me to cherish you any longer, pray have my son restored!
No more shall I eat of meat no more shall I enjoy good wine, no more rejoice in unmixed wine until my son returns
GETRON:
Sister, dear, leave off your grieving; these tears are of no help to you; instead let prayers be said for our son to propitiate the Father Most High
Tomorrow there will be the feast day of Nicholas, whom all of Christendom should revere with all devotion, venerate and bless
Hear then my counsel: let us attend his solemn rites; let us praise his glorious deeds and beseech his approbation!
Perhaps it is God's inspiration advising me about our son; we must pray with the grace of God to Nicholas for his compassion
Next let them all arise and go to the church of St Nicholas; after they enter, EUPHROSINA raises her hands to heaven and says:
Greatest King of all kings, only hope of mortal men, have our son restored to us, the only solace of our life! Nicholas, whom we call saint, if it be true what we believe, may your prayer prevail with God for us and for our son!
After saying this, let her exit from the church and go to her own house and prepare a table with bread and wine for clerics and paupers. After they are summoned and begin to eat and drink, let the MINISTERS say to Marmorinus:
MINISTERS:
Hail, prince, hail, excellent king! Pray do not delay, but tell your ministers what is your heart's desire; we are ready to do your will.
MARMORINUS:
I say to you, my subjects dear, that I had not before this day hunger as great as now I have; this hunger I can scarce endure. You therefore, make ready food for me to eat, lest I suffer unto death. Why so slow? Go more quickly; prepare food for me with greater speed.
Let the MINISTERS go about bringing food and say to the king:
At your command we have prepared your food, and bring it here; now, if you wish, you can hasten to quench the hunger from which you suffer.
After these words, let water be brought and let the KING wash his hands, and as he begins to eat, let him say:
I have hungered, now I thirst, I order wine to be given to me; this may with all speed bring here the son of Getron.
Let the BOY, hearing this, sigh deeply and say to himself:
Alas! Alas! Alas! Woe is me! I long for the end of my life; for as long as I live, in no way can I be freed.
KING to the boy:
For what reason do you sigh so deeply?
I saw you breathe a heavy sigh. What is it you are sighing for? What hurts you, what is your complaint?
BOY:
Remembering my misery, my father and my native land, I begin to sigh and groan, and say such things to myself:
One year has been fulfilled today since I became a slave of misery, subjected to the royal power, I have entered the borders of this country.
KING:
Alas! poor wretch, why think you so? How can anguish help you?
No one can take you away from me as long as I do not wish to lose you.
Meanwhile let someone come in the guise of Nicholas; let him calm the boy, who had seized a goblet containing fresh wine; he accosts the boy in front of the gate and withdraws as though the boy had not been found.
Then indeed let NICHOLAS say to the boy:
Boy, who are you, and where do you want to go?
Whose largesse has given you that goblet of fresh wine?
BOY:
To this place I, come, I shall go no farther; I am the only son of Getron
Let there be praise and glory to Nicholas, whose grace has brought me back here!
After hearing this, let a CITIZEN run over to Getron and say:
Rejoice, Getron, and weep no more; your son is standing outside the gate He is praising the great deeds of Nicholas, whose grace has brought him here
As soon as EUPHROSINA hears the news, let her run over to her son; let her hug and kiss him many times and say:
Praise and glory to our God, whose great compassion turned our grief to joy, and restored to us our son!
And let there be in perpetuity praise and blessing to Nicholas whose prayer to the Lord has helped us in this endeavor
ENTIRE CHORUS:
Abounding in love, our bishop Nicholas,
who shares in the glory of God in His heavenly palace, condescend, we beg you, to those who sigh for you;, to draw up to the celestial beings those who have stripped off the burden of the flesh.
[3]. Motet: "Let the Choir Sing Splendidly"
Let the choir sing a new song, with musical accompaniment, great father, in your name. Protect us with your shield, Lord. Nicholas, by thy prayer, with the angelic host, gather us in the company of saints, our hope and our desire.
Excellent father and king, pious rector, learned doctor, pray to Jesus, son of Mary, for the servants of this church on this day. Nicholas, show us today the right path to celestial country, so we may enjoy eternal rest, which is best for all.
[4]. The Three Daughters DAUGHTERS in unison
To grief and lamentation now has turned good fortune that once supplied us with abundance. O misery and want!
Alas! Alas! the joys of life are gone. Beauty, family, character, glory of youth. All counts for naught if money is lacking. O misery and want!
Alas! Alas! the joys of life are gone. When wealth departs, come grief and sighs.
Ah! Father himself, bewailing his fallen estate, O misery and want!
Alas! Alas! the joys of life are gone
Let us approach and hear what plans he has made
FATHER complaining to his daughters:
Children dear to me, my daughters, sole riches of a father's poverty, and solace of my misery, give me counsel in my sorrow; woe is me!
Once wealthy, now in dire straits, anxiety is with me night and day, and poverty we've never known before we now can scarce endure; woe is me!
And yet my want disturbs me not so much as your mean penury; especially now the lengthy fasting is damaging your beauteous bodies; woe is me!
FIRST DAUGHTER to her father:
Dear father, cease your grieving; do not thereby cause us to grieve; and there is a plan that I can tell you, please take this plan from me, father dear
One recourse still remains for us, through disgrace and through dishonor, that the beauty of our bodies provide public sustenance for us, father dear
If you agree, father, I would be the first to lose my virtue in disgrace,
so that I would be first to feel distress, as the oldest born should do, father dear
After gold is thrown, FATHER, joyfully to his daughters:
Come now, rejoice with me, my daughters for the time of poverty is gone; just look at the amount of gold which suffices for our misery; happy am I!
DAUGHTERS to father:
Let us therefore offer public thanks and praise to God for his gifts, to God only be praise and honor, power and glory for all the ages, father dear
SON-IN-LAW to father:
Sir, on hearing of her reputation, I come to seek your daughter's hand; I will marry her with legal vows, if you consent
FATHER to first daughter:
Tell us, daughter, if you want to wed this young man, of handsome physique and noble
DAUGHTER to her father:
My plans are fixed on you, do as you please with your daughter, father dear
FATHER to the son-in-law:
Therefore I give you my word, may the legal ties bind you and thanks
Again beating his breast, FATHER to his daughters:
Children dear to me, my daughters, sole riches of a father's poverty, and solace of my misery, give me counsel in my sorrow; woe is me!
And yet my want disturbs me not so much as your mean penury; especially now the lengthy fasting is damaging your beauteous bodies; woe is me!
SECOND DAUGHTER to her father:
Pray do not, O father dearest, add new sorrow to our grief, pray do not through injury produce irreparable damage, father dear.
For we know there is from heaven obstruction against the fornicators; father, therefore, we can justly fear lest you want to count us in their ranks, father dear.
You cannot want to subject us, father, to perpetual infamy; not to slip from this poverty to the sink of eternal misery, father dear.
After gold is thrown, FATHER to his daughters:
Come now, rejoice with me, my daughters for the time of poverty is gone; just look at the amount of gold which suffices for our misery; happy am I!
Let us therefore offer public thanks and praise to God for his gifts, to God only be praise and honor, power and glory for all the ages, father dear.
Second SON-IN-LAW to father:
Sir, on hearing of her reputation, I come to seek your daughter's hand; I will marry her with legal vows, if you consent.
FATHER to the second daughter:
Tell us, daughter, if you want to wed this young man, of handsome physique and noble.
DAUGHTER to her father: My plans are fixed on you, do as you please with your daughter, father dear.
FATHER to the son-in-law:
Therefore I give you my word, may the legal ties bind you and thanks.
Again beating his breast, to the third daughter: O daughter, child dear to me my poverty disturbs me not so much as your mean penury; only misery is left for me; woe is me!
THIRD DAUGHTER to her father: Please deign, dearest father, to hear also my advice, and quickly make an end of this: fear God, father, and love Him, father dear.
DAUGHTERS to father:
For we learn from Scriptures that naught is lacking to those who fear God; the Almighty manages everything for those who love him, father dear.
Do not despair because of want, nothing is more fallacious; look back, father, on Job who suffered penury and then abundance followed, father dear.
As the third gold pieces are thrown by St. Nicholas, the FATHER falls at his feet and says: Stay, lord, whoever you are, stay, I pray, tell who you are, who removed disgrace and ignomy by raising poverty to honor; blessed am I!
NICHOLAS to father:
They call me Nicholas by name; praise God for gifts as given; pray do not ascribe to me praise for the largesse of the Lord, brother, I beg you.
FATHER to his third daughter:
Daughter, raise your voice in joy, the time of poverty is gone; behold in this amount of gold the means to cure our misery; blessed am I!
DAUGHTER to father:
Let us therefore offer public thanks and praise to God for his gifts,
to God only be praise and honor, power and glory for all the ages, father dear.
THIRD SON-IN-LAW to father:
Sir, on hearing of her reputation, I come to seek your daughter's hand; I will marry her with legal vows, if you consent.
FATHER to the third daughter:
Tell us, daughter, if you want to wed this young man, of handsome physique and noble.
DAUGHTER to father:
My plans are fixed on you, do as you please with your daughter, father dear.
FATHER to the son-in-law:
Therefore I give you my word, may the legal ties bind you and thanks.
Let the ENTIRE CHOIR chant thus:
O may the goodness of Christ be honored with all praise, Christ who proclaims far and wide the merits of His servant Nicholas, for from the tomb His spirit flows and heals all those who sicken
[5]. Chanson: "Diex Soit"
May God dwell in this house
And may there be wealth and joy a-plenty.
Our Lord's birth
Sends us to His friends
That is to the lovers, To the well-bred, courtly ones, To get alms At Noel.
May God ...
Our Lord is such That He would beg untiringly But in his stead to the wicked He has sent us Whom he has nourished
And who are His children.
May God ...
[6]. The Icon of St. Nicholas
Another miracle concerns St. Nicholas and a Jew who kept the saint's image hidden in his house and venerated it every day as much as he could. He moreover is a wealthy man, and when he departs for a trip to the country, he leaves the image of St. Nicholas as guardian of his house, which he leaves unlocked. Meanwhile thieves enter and steal all his property. After a short time, St. Nicholas restores it to him, with the thieves returning everything at the saint's command.
JEW to St. Nicholas:
If those things ascribed to you, servant of God, are testified in truth, and it is well known You live beyond the grave; it is not forsooth
That I do not completely believe in your great deeds.
For what wonder that worshippers of Christ do not give out concerning you? What minds so lacking sense would swear to a pretense?
Those who lack the light, say it is just to begin with you as leader; You who restore the dead to life in spite of fate; Those who are deaf and dumb and crippled in their limbs; You strengthen the weak and sick, restoring them with justice. How I rejoice to have chosen so good a patron
On whom I entreat that my life continue to be based! Therefore I establish you as preserver of my property. And you, good patron, here in the house keep watch
While I am away.
On the house I'll put No lock or bar, trusting in you as guardian. There are not many who rely on the power of such deeds. May he be in charge of this, and nothing lacking for protection.
But as for me, the reason for my journey, the country Compels me to depart. As I believe, I will not have permission to return as soon as I prefer.
And now farewell, may evil-doers not do any harm to us. Keep watch, lest there be any loss of value in the house.
Meanwhile, let THIEVES enter, and after his departure, let them all say in unison:
What shall we do?
Where shall we go? What plan shall we adopt?
At this point, let ONE of them say: We have to fill our pockets somehow. Comrades, hear my plan: this man here is a Jew, whose money, if you like, soon will be ours, and our poverty relieved.
ANOTHER:
Let's go quickly, leave off delay, raise the gate, break down the doors; by the carelessness of this Jew perchance our funds can be augmented.
And while they begin to go quickly, let the THIRD say:
O my companions, go softly, and look ahead with care; a man like this keeps his property
more carefully than others, and locks things up with more security.
When they reach the place to be robbed, let there be a strongbox which they try to move;
Let the FIRST say:
Remove that chest from here, as quick as you can; but if you can't, break it; take whatever is inside.
Then let them pretend that they cannot lift the chest;
Let the SECOND say:
We ought to break this chest; since we can't remove it whole.
Then the THIRD comes and finding the lock not secured, let him say:
O what exultation!
This chest, to our great joy, did not want to stay locked and opened itself up for us!
After this, let them take the contents of the chest and depart.
Then let the JEW come back, discover the theft and say:
Alas, I am destroyed! nothing is left to me! Why was I born? Mother, father, why did you give me life? Alas! what did it profit me to have been born? Why, mother nature, did you decide on my existence? What grief, what groans, did you foresee for me?
Why complain that I am ruined by this crime?
Up till now I was rich, I had scarce need of anyone. Once abounding in silver, gold and precious raiment, now I am poor and abound in heaps of poverty. I could bear this more easily if I had learned endurance earlier on.
But, unless I am deceived, I acted like a fool. Yes, because I worshipped the name of Nicholas.
Why not suffer? Did the faith of the Christians harm me, which proves that I flourish without you, Nicholas? It gave me cause for grief and lamentation. Not alone shall I weep, nor suffer unavenged: You ought to put the wicked ones to the whip for robbery.
I am weary now and shall withdraw, for night has come.
But unless by morning you repair my loss, First I'll whip you, after that I'll burn you.
NICHOLAS to the thieves dividing the plunder:
What, you heathen? Why try to hide what is known? Madmen, why do you divide your spoils? You are dead men.
Profligates, what is human in your conduct? This theft has turned you into demons. You're in the grave.
When you die, you wretched creatures, for what you've stolen, you'll get the horrible end that you deserve.
It does not escape me, shameless ones, that you have stolen things entrusted to my care at home.
These silver coins, these garments, this mass of gold with markings stamped, you have acquired these.
To me this is a wicked thing, cause for me to give you blows severe, the deed you perpetrated. But if this very night you hasten to restore all things, you can avoid this.
You won't be seized at dawn by the people, with me as witness; you won't pay the penalty you deserve, the gibbet.
As the Saint withdraws, let ONE of them say: How great a punishment to give back this treasure! If you agree, I want to divide.
ANOTHER:
In this business
We need advice; I'll never be happy if I give all this back.
THIRD:
It is better for us to return it than to lose our lives by hanging.
ALL in unison:
Let us go back and make restitution.
Let the JEW, after finding his property, say aloud:
Rejoice on my behalf, my dear ones. All that I lost has been restored. Let us rejoice!
My carelessness had ruined me, but I recovered by grace of Nicholas. Let us rejoice!
Let us praise this servant of God, let us abjure all senseless idols. Let us rejoice!
Away with errors of the mind, let us merit the fellowship of Nicholas. Let us rejoice!
Let the ENTIRE CHOIR say:
The Lord has established for him a covenant of peace, and has made him a prince so that he may have priestly honor for eternity. Remember, Lord,
David, his gentleness to all. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, now and for evermore, for generation unto generation. Amen.
[3]. Motet: "Nicholas Therefore" Nicholas therefore, full of grace from infancy so he is chosen, in the church, wonderful prodigies to perform he is designated. As a child he is bruised and afflicted with hunger: twice he is put to suck with wild beasts and is discovered, growing more and more in splendor.
[7]. The Three Students
FIRST STUDENT:
The cause of learning our letters has sent us to foreign lands; while the sun still extends his rays, let us look for lodging.
SECOND STUDENT:
The sun already holds his horses on the shore. Soon he'll submerge them in the sea; this country is not known to us: Therefore we must seek hospitality.
THIRD STUDENT:
There's an old man of ancient mien right in front of our eyes; perhaps, moved by our prayers, he'll be host for us as guests.
Let ALL in unison say to the old man:
Dear stranger, in pursuing our studies we have left our own country and come here; perhaps then you might furnish us lodging for the space of this one night.
OLD MAN:
Let the maker of all things entertain you! for I shall not give you lodging; there is no advantage in it for me, and no necessity now for this.
STUDENTS to the old woman:
Perhaps through you, dear lady, we might obtain what we request, unless it be futile:
perhaps, because of this good deed God will give you a boy-child.
WOMAN to the old man:
Love alone, husband, surely compels us to give hospitality to those who wander thus pursuing learning: it is not a loss , nor yet an advantage.
OLD MAN:
I shall acquiesce in your counsel, and consider them worthy of hospitality.
OLD MAN to the students:
You may approach, therefore, scholars; what you have asked is granted you.
OLD MAN, when the students are asleep:
Don't you see how large their purses are? There's a lot of silver in them: we can get possession of this money without dishonor or disgrace.
OLD WOMAN:
We have borne the burden of poverty, my husband, as long as we have lived; if we are willing to murder them, we can avoid poverty. So take your sword out of the scabbard; by the death of those lying here you can be rich for the rest of your life; and no one will know what you've done.
NICHOLAS:
A stranger, tired out from travel, I can continue on no farther;
therefore for the space of this one night, I beg you, furnish me lodging.
OLD MAN to his wife:
Should I consider this fellow, dear wife, worthy of your plan?
OLD WOMAN:
This person impresses me greatly and it is worthwhile to give him lodging.
OLD MAN:
Stranger, approach more closely; you seem to be an excellent man; if you wish, I'll give you food to eat; whatever you want I'll try to find.
NICHOLAS at the table:
I cannot eat any of these victuals; I should like fresh meat to eat.
OLD MAN:
I'll give you what meat I have, for I have no fresh meat.
NICHOLAS:
Now you have told a bare-faced lie; for you have a quantity of fresh meat, and you have it in great wickedness; it was money caused the slaughter.
OLD MAN and WOMAN together:
Take pity on us, we beg you; for we know you are a saint of God; our crime is abominable, nevertheless it is not uncondonable.
NICHOLAS:
Bring here the bodies of the dead, and let your hearts be contrite! Let them arise by the grace of God; and you, with tears seek pardon!
Prayer of ST. NICHOLAS:
Good Lord, who owns all things, heaven, earth, air and sea, may they rise up right speedily, and hear them as they cry out to Thee!
Then let the WHOLE CHOIR say:
Lord, we praise Thee: we give thanks to Thee All the earth venerates Thee, eternal Father. To Thee all angels, to Thee all powers of heaven and the universe: For Thee the cherubim and seraphim ceaselessly proclaim: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts, Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of Thy glory.
Glorifying Thee the chorus of Apostles: Praising Thee the Host of Prophets;
The army of Martyrs, clothed in white, gives Thee laud, Let the holy church be proclaimed through all the world:
Father of boundless majesty:
Thy true and only Son we venerate, also the Holy Paraclete, consoling Spirit. Thou King of glory, Christ, Thou everlasting Son of the Father. For freeing mankind, Thou shrank not from the
Virgin's womb. Thou sittest at God's right hand, in the glory of the Father. We believe Thou will come and judge .
Therefore we pray Thee, help Thy servants, whom Thou redeemed with Thy precious blood. Cause us to be numbered with Thy saints in eternal glory. Keep Thy people safe, Lord, and bless Thy inheritance, And celebrate and exalt them to eternity.
Each and every day, we bless Thee. And we praise Thy name from generation to generation.
Deign, Lord, on that day to watch over us without sin. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy. Lord, let Thy mercy be supreme, all our hope completely rests on Thee. In thee Lord I have hope: I shall not waver for eternity.
Translations by Dr. Edna S. de Angeli
