Chapter 13 of 13 · 3534 words · ~18 min read

BOOK IV

_97. Judas_

Hit wes upon a Scere-thorsday[590] that ure loverd[591] aros; Ful milde were the wordès he spec to Judas.

‘Judas, thou most to Jurselem, oure mete for to bugge[592]; Thritti platen[593] of selver thou bere up othi rugge[594].

III

‘Thou comest fer ithe brode stret, fer ithe brode strete, Summe of thine tunesmen[595] ther thou meist i-mete.’

Imette[596] wid is soster, the swikele[597] wimon: ‘Judas, thou were wrthè[598] me stende the wid ston[599], For the false prophete that tou bilevest upon.’

‘Be stille, leve[600] soster, thin herte the to-breke! Wiste min loverd Crist, ful wel he wolde be wreke[601].’

FOOTNOTES:

[590] Scere-thorsday = Thursday before Easter.

[591] ure loverd = our lord.

[592] bugge = buy.

[593] platen = plates, i. e. coins, pieces.

[594] rugge = ridge, back.

[595] tunesmen = townsmen.

[596] Imette = being met.

[597] swikele = treacherous.

[598] wrthè = worthy.

[599] me stende, &c. = men stoned thee.

[600] leve = dear.

[601] wreke = avenged.

_98. St. Stephen and King Herod_

Saint Stephen was a clerk In King Herod’s hall, And servèd him of bread and cloth As every king befall.

Stephen out of kitchen came With boar’s head on hand, He saw a star was fair and bright Over Bethlehem stand.

III

He cast adown the boar’s head And went into the hall; ‘I forsake thee, Herod, And thy workès all.

‘I forsake thee, King Herod, And thy workès all, There is a child in Bethlehem born Is better than we all.’--

‘What aileth thee, Stephen? What is thee befall? Lacketh thee either meat or drink In King Herod’s hall?’--

‘Lacketh me neither meat ne drink In King Herod’s hall; There is a child in Bethlehem born Is better than we all.’--

VII

‘What aileth thee, Stephen? Art wode[602] or ’ginnest to brede[603]? Lacketh thee either gold or fee, Or any rich weed[604]?’--

VIII

‘Lacketh me neither gold ne fee Ne none rich weed; There is a child in Bethlehem born Shall helpen us at our need.’--

‘That is all so sooth, Stephen, All so sooth, I-wys, As this capon crowè shall That li’th here in my dish.’

That word was not so soon said, That word in that hall, The capon crew _Christus natus est_ Among the lordès all.

‘Risit[605] up, my tormentors, By two and all by one, And leadit Stephen out of this town, And stonit him with stone.’

XII

Tooken they Stephen And stoned him in the way; And therefore is his even On Christe’s own day.

FOOTNOTES:

[602] wode = mad.

[603] brede = become (mad).

[604] weed = clothing.

[605] Risit, leadit, stonit = imperatives.

_99. The Maid and the Palmer_

The maid she went to the well to washe, Dew fell off her lily-white fleshe.

White she washte, and white she rong[606], White she hang’d on the hazel wand.

III

There came an old palmer by the way, Says, ‘God speed thee well, thou fair may.’

‘Has tow either cup or can, To give an old palmer drink therein?’

Says, ‘I have neither cup nor can, To give an old palmer drink therein.’

‘But an thy leman[607] come from Rome, Cups and cans thou wilt find soon.’

VII

She swore by God and good Saint John Leman she had never none.

VIII

Says, ‘Peace, fair maid, you are forsworne, Ninè children you have borne.

‘Three were buryed under thy bed’s head, Other three under thy brewing lead[608].

‘Other three play on yon greene; Count, maid, and there be nine.’--

‘But I hope you are the good old man That all the world beleeves upon.

XII

‘Old palmer, I pray thee, Penaunce that thou wilt give to me.’--

XIII

‘Penaunce I can give thee none But seven year to be a stepping-stone.

XIV

Other seven a clapper in a bell, Other seven to lead an ape in hell.

When thou hast thy penaunce done, Then thou’st come a mayden home.’

FOOTNOTES:

[606] rong = wrung.

[607] leman = lover.

[608] lead = vat.

_100. The Falcon_

_Lully, lulley! lully, lulley! The faucon hath borne my make[609] away!_

He bare him up, he bare him down, He bare him into an orchard brown.

III

In that orchard there was an halle, That was hangèd with purple and pall[610].

And in that hall there was a bed, It was hangèd with gold sa red.

And in that bed there li’th a knight, His woundès bleeding day and night.

At that bed’s foot there li’th a hound, Licking the blood as it runs down.

VII

By that bed-side kneeleth a may[611], And she weepeth both night and day.

VIII

And at that bed’s head standeth a stone, _Corpus Christi_ written thereon.

_Lully, lulley! lully, lulley! The faucon hath borne my make away._

FOOTNOTES:

[609] make = mate.

[610] pall = fine cloth.

[611] may = maiden.

_101. The Cherry-Tree Carol_

_i_

Joseph was an old man, And an old man was he, When he wedded Mary In the land of Galilee.

Joseph and Mary walk’d Through an orchard good, Where was cherries and berries So red as any blood.

III

Joseph and Mary walk’d Through an orchard green, Where was berries and cherries As thick as might be seen.

O then bespoke Mary, So meek and so mild, ‘Pluck me one cherry, Joseph, For I am with child.’

O then bespoke Joseph With words so unkind, ‘Let him pluck thee a cherry That brought thee with child.’

O then bespoke the babe Within his mother’s womb, ‘Bow down then the tallest tree For my mother to have some.’

VII

Then bow’d down the highest tree Unto his mother’s hand: Then she cried, ‘See, Joseph, I have cherries at command!’

VIII

O then bespake Joseph-- ‘I have done Mary wrong; But cheer up, my dearest, And be not cast down.

‘O eat your cherries, Mary, O eat your cherries now; O eat your cherries, Mary, That grow upon the bough.’

Then Mary pluck’d a cherry As red as the blood; Then Mary went home With her heavy load.

_ii_

As Joseph was a-walking, He heard an angel sing: ‘This night shall be born Our heavenly King.

XII

‘He neither shall be born In housen nor in hall, Nor in the place[612] of Paradise, But in an ox’s stall.

XIII

‘He neither shall be clothèd In purple nor in pall[613], But all in fair linen, As were babies all.

XIV

‘He neither shall be rock’d In silver nor in gold, But in a wooden cradle That rocks on the mould.

‘He neither shall be christen’d In white wine nor red, But with fair spring water With which we were christenèd.

_iii_

XVI

Then Mary took her young son And set him on her knee; ‘I pray thee now, dear child, Tell how this world shall be.’--

XVII

‘O I shall be as dead, mother, As the stones in the wall; O the stones in the street, mother, Shall mourn for me all.

XVIII

‘And upon a Wednesday My vow I will make, And upon Good Friday My death I will take.

XIX

‘Upon Easter-day, mother, My uprising shall be; O the sun and the moon, mother, Shall both rise with me!’

FOOTNOTES:

[612] place = palace.

[613] pall = fine cloth.

_102. The Carnal[614] and the Crane_

As I pass’d by a river side, And there as I did reign[615], In argument I chanced to hear A Carnal and a Crane.

The Carnal said unto the Crane, ‘If all the world should turn, Before we had the Father, But now we have the Son!

III

‘From whence does the Son come? From where and from what place?’-- He said, ‘In a manger, Between an ox and an ass!’

‘I pray thee,’ said the Carnal, ‘Tell me before thou go’st, Was not the mother of Jesus Conceived by the Holy Ghost?’--

‘She was the purest Virgin, And the cleanest from sin; She was the handmaid of our Lord, And mother of our King.’--

‘Where is the golden cradle That Christ was rockèd in? Where are the silken sheets That Jesus was wrapt in?’--

VII

‘A manger was the cradle That Christ was rockèd in; The provender the asses left So sweetly he slept on.

VIII

‘There was a star in the West land, So bright did it appear Into King Herod’s chamber, And where King Herod were.

‘The Wise Men soon espied it, And told the king on high, A princely babe was born that night No king could e’er destroy.

‘If this be true, King Herod said, As thou tellest unto me, This roasted cock that lies in the dish Shall crow full fences[616] three.

‘The cock soon freshly feathered was By the work of God’s own hand, And then three fences crowèd he In the dish where he did stand.

XII

‘Rise up, rise up, you merry men all, See that you ready be, All children under two years old Now slain they all shall be.

XIII

‘Then Jesus, ah! and Joseph, And Mary, that was so pure, They travelled into Egypt, As you shall find it sure.

XIV

‘And when they came to Egypt’s land, Amongst those fierce wild beasts, Mary, she being weary, Must needs sit down to rest.

‘Come sit thee down, says Jesus, Come sit thee down by me, And thou shalt see how these wild beasts Do come and worship me.

XVI

‘First came the lovely lion, Which Jesu’s grace did spring, And of the wild beasts in the field, The lion shall be the king.

XVII

‘We’ll choose our virtuous princes, Of birth and high degree, In every sundry nation, Where’er we come and see.

XVIII

‘Then Jesus, ah! and Joseph, And Mary, that was unknown, They travelled by a husbandman, Just while his seed was sown.

XIX

‘God speed thee, man! said Jesus, Go fetch thy ox and wain, And carry home thy corn again, Which thou this day hast sown.

‘The husbandman fell on his knees, Even before his face; Long time hast thou been looked for, But now thou art come at last.

XXI

‘And I myself do now believe Thy name is Jesus called; Redeemer of mankind thou art, Though undeserving all.

XXII

‘The truth, man, thou hast spoken, Of it thou may’st be sure, For I must lose my precious blood For thee and thousands more.

XXIII

‘If any one should come this way, And inquire for me alone, Tell them that Jesus passèd by, As thou thy seed did sow.

XXIV

‘After that there came King Herod, With his train so furiously, Inquiring of the husbandman, Whether Jesus passèd by.

XXV

‘Why, the truth it must be spoke, And the truth it must be known, For Jesus passèd by this way When my seed was sown.

XXVI

‘But now I have it reapen, And some laid on my wain, Ready to fetch and carry Into my barn again.

XXVII

‘Turn back, says the Captain, Your labour and mine’s in vain, It’s full three-quarters of a year Since he his seed has sown.

XXVIII

‘So Herod was deceivèd By the work of God’s own hand, And further he proceeded Into the Holy Land.

XXIX

‘There’s thousands of children young, Which for his sake did die,-- Do not forbid those little ones, And do not them deny.

XXX

‘The truth now I have spoken, And the truth now I have shown Even the blessed Virgin, She’s now brought forth a Son.’

FOOTNOTES:

[614] Carnal = crow.

[615] reign = run.

[616] fences = times.

_103. Jolly Wat_

_Can I not sing but ‘Hoy’, Whan the joly shepard made so much joy?_

The shepard upon a hill he sat; He had on him his tabard[617] and his hat, His tarbox, his pipe, and his flagat[618]; His name was callèd Joly Joly Wat, For he was a gud herdés boy. Ut hoy! For in his pipe he made so much joy.

The shepard upon a hill was laid; His dog unto his girdell was taid[619]; He had not slept but a litill braid[620], But ‘_Gloria in excelsis_’ was to him said. Ut hoy! For in his pipe he made so much joy.

III

The shepard on a hill he stode; Round about him his shepe they yode[621]; He put his hond under his hode[622], He saw a star as rede as blode. Ut hoy! For in his pipe he made so much joy.

The shepard said anon right, ‘I will go see yon ferly[623] sight, Whereas the angel singeth on hight, And the star that shineth so bright.’ Ut hoy! For in his pipe he made so much joy.

‘Now farewell, Mall, and also Will! For my love go ye all still Unto I cum again you till, And evermore, Will, ring well thy bell.’ Ut hoy! For in his pipe he made so much joy.

‘Now must I go there Crist was born; Farewell! I cum again to-morn. Dog, kepe well my shepe fro the corn, And warn well “Warroke” when I blow my horn!’ Ut hoy! For in his pipe he made so much joy.

VII

Whan Wat to Bedlem cumen was, He swet, he had gone faster than a pace; He found Jesu in a simpell place, Betwen an ox but and an asse. Ut hoy! For in his pipe he made so much joy.

VIII

‘Jesu, I offer to thee here my pipe, My skirt, my tar-box, and my scrip; Home to my felowes now will I skip, And also look unto my shepe.’ Ut hoy! For in his pipe he made so much joy.

‘Now farewell, mine owne herdesman Wat!’-- ‘Yea, for God, lady, even so I hat[624]; Lull well Jesu in thy lap, And farewell, Joseph, with thy round cap!’ Ut hoy! For in his pipe he made so much joy.

‘Now may I well both hope and sing, For I have bene at Cristes bering; Home to my felowes now will I fling. Crist of heven to his bliss us bring!’ Ut hoy! For in his pipe he made so much joy.

FOOTNOTES:

[617] tabard = short coat.

[618] flagat = flask.

[619] taid = tied.

[620] braid = time.

[621] yode = went.

[622] hode = hood.

[623] ferly = marvellous.

[624] hat = am hight, called.

_104. I Saw Three Ships_

As I sat under a sycamore tree, --A sycamore tree, a sycamore tree, I looked me out upon the sea On Christ’s Sunday at morn.

I saw three ships a-sailing there, --A-sailing there, a-sailing there, Jesu, Mary and Joseph they bare On Christ’s Sunday at morn.

III

Joseph did whistle and Mary did sing, --Mary did sing, Mary did sing, And all the bells on earth did ring For joy our Lord was born.

O they sail’d in to Bethlehem! --To Bethlehem, to Bethlehem; Saint Michael was the sterèsman, Saint John sate in the horn[625].

And all the bells on earth did ring --On earth did ring, on earth did ring: ‘Welcome be thou Heaven’s King, On Christ’s Sunday at morn!’

FOOTNOTES:

[625] horn = prow.

_105. The Twelve Good Joys_

The first good joy our Mary had, It was the joy of one, To see her own Son Jesus To suck at her breast bone; To suck at her breast bone, good man, And blessèd may he be, Both Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, To all eternity.

The next good joy our Mary had, It was the joy of two, To see her own son Jesus To make the lame to go; To make the lame to go, good man, &c.

III

The next good joy our Mary had, It was the joy of three; To see her own Son Jesus To make the blind to see; To make the blind to see, good man, &c.

The next good joy our Mary had, It was the joy of four, To see her own Son Jesus To read the Bible o’er; To read the Bible o’er, good man, &c.

The next good joy our Mary had, It was the joy of five, To see her own son Jesus To raise the dead alive; To raise the dead alive, good man, &c.

The next good joy our Mary had. It was the joy of six, To see her own Son Jesus To wear the crucifix; To wear the crucifix, good man, &c.

VII

The next good joy our Mary had, It was the joy of seven, To see her own Son Jesus To wear the crown of Heaven; To wear the crown of Heaven, good man, &c.

VIII

The next good joy our Mary had, It was the joy of eight, To see our blessèd Saviour Turn darkness into light; Turn darkness into light, good man, &c.

The next good joy our Mary had, It was the joy of nine, To see our blessèd Saviour Turn water into wine; Turn water into wine, good man, &c.

The next good joy our Mary had, It was the joy of ten, To see our blessèd Saviour To write without a pen; To write without a pen, good man, &c.

The next good joy our Mary had, It was the joy of eleven, To see our blessèd Saviour To show the gates of Heaven; To show the gates of Heaven, good man, &c.

XII

The next good joy our Mary had, It was the joy of twelve, To see our blessèd Saviour Shut close the gates of hell; Shut close the gates of hell, good man, And blessèd may he be, Both Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, To all eternity.

_106. The Angel Gabriel_

The Angel Gabriel from God Was sent to Galilee, Unto a Virgin fair and free, Whose name was called Mary: And when the Angel thither came, He fell down on his knee, And looking up in the Virgin’s face, He said, ‘All hail, Mary!’ Then, sing we all, both great and small, Noël, Noël, Noël; We may rejoice to hear the voice Of the Angel Gabriel.

Mary anon looked him upon, And said, ‘Sir, what are ye? I marvel much at these tidings Which thou hast brought to me. Married I am unto an old man, As the lot fell unto me; Therefore, I pray, depart away, For I stand in doubt of thee.’ Then, sing, &c.

III

‘Mary,’ he said, ‘be not afraid, But do believe in me: The power of the Holy Ghost Shall overshadow thee; Thou shalt conceive without any grief, As the Lord told unto me; God’s own dear Son from Heaven shall come And shall be born of thee.’ Then, sing, &c.

This came to pass as God’s will was, Even as the Angel told. About midnight an Angel bright Came to the Shepherds’ fold, And told them then both where and when Born was the child, our Lord, And all along this was their song, ‘All glory be given to God.’ Then, sing, &c.

Good people all, both great and small, The which do hear my voice, With one accord let’s praise the Lord, And in our hearts rejoice; Like sister and brother, let’s love one another Whilst we our lives do spend, Whilst we have space let’s pray for grace, And so let my Carol end. Then, sing, &c.

_107. The Three Kings_

Now is Christëmas y-come, Father and Son together in one, Holy Ghost us be on In fere-a[626]; God send us a good New Year-a!

I would you sing, for and I might, Of a Child is fair in sight; His mother him bare this endris[627] night So still-a, And as it was his will-a.

III

There came three Kings from Galilee Into Bethlehem, that fair citie, To seek to Him that e’er should be By right-a Lord and king and knight-a.

As they came forth with their off’ring, They met with Herod that moody king; He askèd them of their coming This tide-a, And this to them he said-a.

‘Of whence be ye, you Kingès three?’-- ‘Of the East, as you may see, To seek to Him that should ever be By right-a Lord and king and knight-a.’--

‘When you at this Child have been, Come you home this way again; Tell me the sight that you have seen; I pray-a, Go you none other way-a.’

VII

They took their leave both old and ying[628] Then of Herod that moody king; They went forth with their offering By light-a Of the star that shone so bright-a.

VIII

Till they came into the place Where Jesu and his mother was; Offer’d they up with great solace In fere-a Gold, incense and myrrh-a.

When they had their offering made As the Holy Ghost them bade, Then they were both merry and glad