Fifteenth Century Prose and Verse Part 16

Now fare ye well all in-fere!

Now fare ye well for all this year, Yet for my sake make ye good cheer!

_Now have good day!_

_Now sing we with angels Gloria in excelsis!_

A babe is born to bliss us bring; I heard a maid lullay and sing; She said "dear Son, leave thy weeping, Thy Father is the King of bliss."

_Now sing we, etc._

"Lullay," she said and sang also, "Mine own dear Son, why art thou woe?

Have I not done as I should do?

Thy grievance tell me what it is."

_Now sing we, etc._

"Nay, dear mother, for thee weep I nought, But for the woe that shall be wrought To me, or I mankind have bought, Was never sorrow like it, i-wis."

_Now sing we, etc._

"Peace, dear Son, tell me not so!

Thou art my child, I have no mo!

Should I see men mine own Son slo?

Alas, my dear Son, what means this?"

_Now sing we, etc._

"My hands, mother, that ye may see, Shall be nailed unto a tree!

My feet also fast shall be; Men shall weep that shall see this!"

_Now sing we, etc._

"Ah, dear Son, hard is my hap!

See my child that sucked my pap, His hands, his feet that I did wrap Be so nailed, that never did amiss!"

_Now sing we, etc._

"Ah, dear mother, yet shall a spear My heart in sunder all to-tear; No wonder if I carefull were, And weep full sore to think on this!"

_Now sing we, etc._

"Ah, dear Son, shall I see this?

Thou art my child and I thy mother, i-wis!

When Gabriel called me, full of grace, He told me nothing of this!"

_Now sing we, etc._

"Ah, dear mother, through my hair To thrust in thorns they will not spare!

Alas, mother, I am full of care That ye shall see this heaviness!"

_Now sing we, etc._

"Ah dear Son, leave thy weeping!

Thou bringst my heart in great mourning; A careful song now may I sing, This tidings hard to me it is!"

_Now sing we, etc._

"Ah, peace, dear mother, I thee pray!

And comfort me all that ye may, And sing 'by by, lullay lullay,'

To put away all heaviness."

_Now sing we, etc._

_Caput apri refero Resonens laudes domino._

The boar's head in hands I bring, With garlands gay and birds singing!

I pray you all help me to sing, _Qui estis in convivio!_

The boar's head I understand, Is chief service in all this land, Wheresoever it may be found, _Servitur c.u.m sinapio!_

The boar's head I dare well say, Anon after the twelfth day, He taketh his leave and goeth away!

_Exivit tunc de patria!_

_I pray you be merry and sing with me, In wors.h.i.+p of Christ's Nativity!_

Into this world this day did come Jesus Christ, both G.o.d and man, Lord and servant in one person, Born of the blessed Virgin Mary!

_I pray, etc._

He that was rich without any need Appeared in this world in right poor weed, To make us, that were poor indeed, Rich without any need truly!

_I pray, etc._

A stable was his chamber, a crach was his bed, He had not a pillow to lay under His head, With maiden's milk that babe was fed, In poor clothes was lapped the Lord Almighty!

_I pray, etc._

A n.o.ble lesson here is us taught, To set all worldly riches at nought!

But pray we that we may be thither brought Where riches is everlastingly!

_I pray, etc._

EXPLICIT.

_Noel, noel, noel, noel!

This is the salutation of Gabriel!_

Tidings true There be come new, Sent from the Trinity, By Gabriel from Nazareth A city of Galilee!

A clean maiden, A pure virgin, By her humility Hath born the Person Second in divinity!

_Noel!_

When that He presented was Before her fair visage, In most demure and goodly wise He did to her homage!

"I am sent, Lady, From heaven so high, That Lord's heritage, For He of thee Now born will be, I am sent on the message!"

_Noel!_

"Hail, Virgin celestial!

The meekest that ever was Hail, temple of the Deity Hail, Virgin pure!