Your Sunday Hymn: O Sons and Daughters

An ancient Easter hymn via Steven Speciale:

This hymn was written in Latin by Franciscan (Minorite) friar Jean Tisserand (b. France, 15th century; d. 1494); it was found in an untitled booklet printed in Paris between 1518 and 1536. Tisserand’s text, which began “O filii et filiae, Rex coelestis,” was preceded by three “alleluias” and concluded by one. Several additional Latin stanzas were added at a later date. A popular preacher, Tisserand also composed other hymns in French and Latin. In 1492 he founded the Refuge of St. Madeleine, an institution for the rehabilitation of prostitutes.
John M. Neale translated the text into twelve stanzas, which were published in his Medieval Hymns and Sequences (1851). That translation appeared in an altered form in Hymns Ancient and Modern (1861) and in various other hymnals. Neale’s stanzas 1, 3, 5-7, and 8-10 form the present text.
Like 211, this hymn is a narrative Easter carol; it begins with the Easter gospel from Matthew 28:1-10 (st. 1-3) and concludes with the doubting Thomas story from John 20:19-29 (st. 4-8).

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Lyrics:

Alleluia! alleluia! alleluia!
O sons and daughters of the King,
Whom heav’nly hosts in glory sing,
Today the grave hath lost its sting!
Alleluia!
That Easter morn, at break of day,
The faithful women went their way
To seek the tomb where Jesus lay.
Alleluia!
An angel clad in white they see
Who sits and speaks unto the three,
“Your Lord will go to Galilee.”
Alleluia!
That night the Apostles met in fear;
Among them came their master dear
And said: “My peace be with you here.”
Alleluia!
When Thomas first the tidings heard
That they had seen the risen Lord,
He doubted the disciples’ word.
Alleluia!
“My pierced side, O Thomas, see,
And look upon My hands, My feet;
Not faithless but believing be.”
Alleluia!
No longer Thomas then denied;
He saw the feet, the hands, the side;
“You are my Lord and God!” he cried.
Alleluia!
How blest are they that have not seen
And yet whose faith has constant been,
For they eternal life shall will.
Alleluia!
On this most holy day of days
Be laud and jubilee and praise:
To God your hearts and voices raise.
Alleluia!
Alleluia! alleluia! alleluia!