A Chaucerian ABC dedicated to Our Lady

The Wilton Diptych. National Gallery [Public Domain]

Our sister blog has just published the last of a series of posts on a remarkable poem by Geoffrey Chaucer. His 'A.B.C.' reveals the poet's heartfelt and penitent prayers for Our Lady's help as he comtemplates his sins and his fear of God's impending judgement.

He begins with an appeal to his 'al merciable queene' and develops his theme with language and allusions that range from the beautiful to the sublime, before coming to rest at the end with an appeal to his 'lady brighte' to be 'merciable' to penitents who are 'mercy able.'

The poem consists of 23 stanzas, each  of which begins with a letter following the traditional order of the alphabet. There are only 23 because the letters J, U and W were not included.

The Wilton Diptych shows a young Richard II, his patron saints and the court of Heaven with Our Lord, Our Lady and angels. King Richard was a contemporary of Chaucer.


I have annotated each stanza, making extensive use of the Complete OED to explain some of the more obscure Middle English words and usages. The poem is dated to around 1360-1370.

The Wilton Diptych. 1395-99. National Gallery [Public Domain]

It is striking to read this poem some 650 years later and recognise the same moving sentiments and stirring language as found, for example, in the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

It is powerful evidence of the great love for the Glorious Mayde and Mooder that was widespread in England, famous for being Mary's Dowry, before the Protestant looting operation tore down so much of the spiritual and physical fabric of the English faithful in the 16th and 17th centuries.



We are pleased to have been able to complete the A.B.C. project on the eve of our Mother's great feast, the Immaculate Heart of Mary; we pray that she may accept it as a prayer-gift, echoing the poet's own plea for her perpetual help, guidance, protection and intercession.

To read the poem with notes, continue to: A.B.C. A prayer to Our Lady. By Geoffrey Chaucer
and then follow the links.

Totus tuus ego sum 
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum tutus semper sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam