The principal sources of this "Mass" are the Officium Circumcisionis of Beauvais and the Missel des Fous of Sens, both from the 12th Century. An odd parody of the usual Catholic rite of mass, the prayers are often parodies or puns of the usual prayers of Mass. The odder bits of the Mass of the Fools follow below, with and original (usual) prayers, if any, for comparison.
Kyrie Asini
In comparison with the usual "Lord have mercy on us, Christ have mercy on us , Lord have mercy on us", we have here:
Lord have mercy on us. Ass, whose most solemn day this is, have mercy on us. Christ have mercy on us. Eeyaw, have mercy on us. Lord have mercy on us. Eeyaw, have mercy on us.
Gamblers' prayer and malediction (!)
Ornemus ( viz Oremus). Effunde, Domine,iram tuam,super avaros et tenaces........ Amen. Et maledictio Dei Patris omnipotentis descendat super eos.
Let us bet ( vis Let us pray). Pour down thy wrath, O Lord, upon the misers and the hoarders who carry their little bags beside their backsides and, when they have a penny, thrust it in so that it may multiply and bring forth a hundred. A curse upon him, he is a brother to depravity, a son of iniquity, a bastard, a pinch-arse, a stinking hypocrite, trembling lest he should pay. A curse upon him. To curse such as these is fitting for one who has blessed Zacchaeus and refused the rich miser a drop of water. Amen. And may the curse of God the Father Almighty descend upon all of you.
Graduale Bachi ( gradual verse and prayer)
Compare the Mass of the Fools version :
"Introibo ad altare bachi, ad eum qui letificat cor hominis. Potemus. Aufer a nobis ,quaesumus, Bache, cuncta vestimentia nostra; ut ad taberna poculorum, nudis corporibus, mereamur introire. Per omnia pocula poculorum. Amen."
"I shall go into the altar of Bacchus, unto him who giveeth joy unto the heart of man. Let us drink. take from us, we beseech thee, bacchus, all our clothes, that we may be worthy, with naked bodies, to enter into the tavern. Unto us all, drink without end, Amen. "
with the original:
"Introibo ad altare Dei, ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meam. Oremus. Aufer a nobis, quaesumus, Domine, initquitatibus nostras: ut ad Sancta sanctorum puris mereamur mentibus introire. Per Christum Dominum nostrum, Amen"
"I shall go unto the Altar of God, to God who gives joy to my youth. Let us pray. Take from us, O Lord, our sins, that we mayenter with pure minds into the Holy of Holies. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.
Sequentia/ Sequence hymn
Vinum bonum.....
The good flavoursome wine is drunk by the abbot and prior, while the convent sadly drinks the poor stuff. Hail, happy child of the noble vine. Happy the belly that you fill, happy the tongue that you bathe and blessed the lips. O how blissful we are inyour heat, O how pleasing to the mouth you are. We beseeech you, pour forth and let all the multitudes praise you. Let monks, clergy, all the world drink of the same potion, now and forevermore. Amen.
Quantus Bachi
Fools version:
"Quantus, quantus, quantus Dominus Bachus Habaoth. Pleni sunt ciphy, in mensa gloria tua. Osanna in excelsis. Maledictus qui bibit vestes amittit. Osanna clamat in excelsis."
"Great, great, great is the lord Bacchus Habaoth. The beakers are full, glory to thy table. Hosanna on high. Accursed be he who loses his clothing while drinking. Cry hosanna on high"
Original:
"Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua. Osanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in Nomine Domine. Osanna in excelsis."
"Holy, holy holy is the Lord God of Hosts. the heavens and the earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest."
Other oddities of the service, and the Feast of Fools.
this page maintained by Edward Yong