Christmas in Ritual and Tradition, Christian and Pagan Part 33

"Come rejoicing, Faithful men, with rapture singing Alleluya!

Monarch's Monarch, From a holy maiden springing, Mighty wonder!

Angel of the Counsel here, Sun from star, he doth appear, Born of maiden: He a sun who knows no night, She a star whose paler light Fadeth never."

(Translation in "The English Hymnal," No. 22.)

[12]

"Lords, by Christmas and the host Of this mansion hear my toast-- Drink it well-- Each must drain his cup of wine, And I the first will toss off mine: Thus I advise.

Here then I bid you all _Wa.s.sail_, Cursed be he who will not say, _Drinkhail!_"

(Translation by F. Douce.)

[13] It is difficult to be sure of the authenticity of the verse attributed to Jacopone. Many of the poems in Tresatti's edition, from which the quotations in the text are taken, may be the work of his followers.

[14]

"Come and look upon her child Nestling in the hay!

See his fair arms opened wide, On her lap to play!

And she tucks him by her side, Cloaks him as she may!

Gives her paps unto his mouth, Where his lips are laid.

She with left hand cradling Rocked and hushed her boy, And with holy lullabies Quieted her toy....

Little angels all around Danced, and carols flung; Making verselets sweet and true, Still of love they sung."

(Translation by John Addington Symonds in "The Renaissance in Italy. Italian Literature" [1898 Edn.], Part I., 468.)

[15] "In the worthy stable of the sweet baby the angels are singing round the little one; they sing and cry out, the beloved angels, quite reverent, timid and shy round the little baby Prince of the Elect who lies naked among the p.r.i.c.kly hay.... The Divine Verb, which is highest knowledge, this day seems as if He knew nothing of anything. Look at Him on the hay, crying and kicking as if He were not at all a divine man."

(Translation by Vernon Lee in "Renaissance Fancies and Studies," 34.)

[16]

"Sweep hearth and floor; Be all your vessel's store s.h.i.+ning and clean.

Then bring the little guest And give Him of your best Of meat and drink. Yet more Ye owe than meat.

One gift at your King's feet Lay now. I mean A heart full to the brim Of love, and all for Him, And from all envy clean."

(Translation by Miss Anne Macdonell, in "Sons of Francis," 372.)

[17]

"Full of beauty stood the Mother, By the Manger, blest o'er other, Where her little One she lays.

For her inmost soul's elation, In its fervid jubilation, Thrills with ecstasy of praise."

(Translation by J. M. Neale.)

[18]

"A spotless Rose is blowing, Sprung from a tender root, Of ancient seers' foreshowing, Of Jesse promised fruit; Its fairest bud unfolds to light Amid the cold, cold winter, And in the dark midnight.

The Rose which I am singing, Whereof Isaiah said, Is from its sweet root springing In Mary, purest Maid; For through our G.o.d's great love and might The Blessed Babe she bare us In a cold, cold winter's night."

(Translation by C. Winkworth, "Christian Singers," 85.)

[19] The tune is often used in England for Neale's carol, "Good Christian men, rejoice."

[20] "When Jesus Christ was born, then was it cold; in a little crib He was laid. There stood an a.s.s and an ox which breathed over the Holy Child quite openly. He who has a pure heart need have no care."

[21] "Dearest mother, take care of the Child; it is freezing hard, wrap Him up quickly. And you, old father, tuck the little one up, or the cold and the wind will give Him no rest. Now we must take our leave, O divine Child, remember us, pardon our sins. We are heartily glad that Thou art come; no one else could have helped us."

[22] "The Child is laid in the crib, so hearty and so rare! My little Hans would be nothing by His side, were he finer than he is.

Coal-black as cherries are His eyes, the rest of Him is white as chalk. His pretty hands are right tender and delicate, I touched Him carefully. Then He gave me a smile and a deep sigh too. If you were mine, thought I, you'd grow a merry boy. At home in the kitchen I'd comfortably house you; out here in the stable the cold wind comes in at every corner."

[23] Richard Rolle, poet, mystic, and wandering preacher, in many ways reminds us of Jacopone da Todi. Though he has left no Christmas verses, some lovely words of his show how deeply he felt the wonder and pathos of Bethlehem: "Jhesu es thy name. A! A! that wondryrfull name! A! that delittabyll name! This es the name that es above all names.... I yede [went] abowte be Covaytyse of riches and I fand noghte Jhesu. I satt in companyes of Worldly myrthe and I fand noghte Jhesu.... Therefore I turnede by anothire waye, and I rane a-bowte be Poverte, and I fande Jhesu pure borne in the worlde, laid in a crybe and lappid in clathis."{28}

[24] "When midnight sounded I leapt from my bed to the floor, and I saw a beautiful angel who sang a thousand times sweeter than a nightingale. The watch-dogs of the neighbourhood all came up. Never had they seen such a sight, and they suddenly began to bark. The shepherds under the straw were sleeping like logs: when they heard the sound of the barking they thought it was the wolves. They were reasonable folk; they came without waiting to be asked. They found in a little stable the Light, even the Truth."

[25] "Within a poor manger and covered with hay lies Jesus of Nazareth.

In the hay lies stretched the Eternal Son of G.o.d; to deliver from h.e.l.l man whom He had created, and to kill sin, our Jesus of Nazareth is content with the hay. He rests between two animals who warm Him from the cold, He who remedies our ills with His great power; His kingdom and seigniory are the world and the calm heaven, and now He sleeps in the hay. He counts it good to bear the cold and fare thus, having no robe to protect or cover Him, and to give us life He suffered cold in the hay, our Jesus of Nazareth."

[26] "In a porch, full of cobwebs, between the mule and the ox, the Saviour of souls is born.... In the porch at Bethlehem are star, sun, and moon: the Virgin and St. Joseph and the Child who lies in the cradle. In Bethlehem they touch fire, from the porch the flame issues; it is a star of heaven which has fallen into the straw.

I am a poor gipsy who come hither from Egypt, and bring to G.o.d's Child a c.o.c.k. I am a poor Galician who come from Galicia, and bring to G.o.d's Child linen for a s.h.i.+ft. To the new-born Child all bring a gift; I am little and have nothing; I bring him my heart."

[27]

"Sleep, oh sleep, dear Baby mine, King Divine; Sleep, my Child, in sleep recline; Lullaby, mine Infant fair, Heaven's King, All glittering, Full of grace as lilies rare.

Close thine eyelids, O my treasure, Loved past measure, Of my soul, the Lord, the pleasure; Lullaby, O regal Child, On the hay My joy I lay; Love celestial, meek and mild.

Why dost weep, my Babe? alas!

Cold winds that pa.s.s Vex, or is't the little a.s.s?

Lullaby, O Paradise; Of my heart Thou Saviour art; On thy face I press a kiss."{20}

(Translation by Countess Martinengo-Cesaresco.)

[28] A Bas-Quercy bird-carol of this kind is printed by Mr. H. J. L. J.

Ma.s.se in his delightful "Book of Old Carols,"{26} a collection of the words and music of Christmas songs in many languages--English, Latin, German, Flemish, Basque, Swedish, Catalan, Provencal, and French of various periods and dialects.

[29]

"I come from heaven to tell The best nowells that ever befell; To you thir tidings true I bring, And I will of them say and sing.

This day to you is born ane child, Of Mary meek and virgin mild, That blessed bairn, benign and kind, Sall you rejoice, baith heart and mind.

My soul and life, stand up and see What lies in ane crib of tree [wood].

What Babe is that, so gude and fair?