 | Songs, Carols, and other Miscellaneous Poems, from the Balliol Ms. 354, Richard Hill's Commonplace book |  |
12. Off a rose, a louely rose,
And of a rose I syng a song.
1
Herkyn to me, both old & yonge,How a rose began to sprynge,
A fayerer rose to my lykyng
Sprong þer neuer in kyngis lond.
2
VI branches ar on þat rose beme,They be both bryght & shene,
The rose ys called Mary, hevyn quene,
Of her bosum a blossum sprong.
3
The fyrst branch was of gret myght,That spronge on Crystmas nyght,
The streme shon over Bedlem bryght,
Þat men myght se both brod & longe.
4
The IIde branch was of gret honowr,Þat was sent from hevyn towr,
Blessyd be þat fayer flowr!
Breke it shall the fendis bondis.
5
The thyrd branch wyde spredTher Mary lay in her bede,
The bryght strem III kyngis lede
To Bedlem, þer þat branch þei fond.
6
The IIIIth branch sprong in to hell,The fendis bost for to fell,
Ther myght no sowle þer in dwell,
Blessid be þat tyme þat branch gan spryng.
8
7
The Vth branch was fayer in fote,Þat sprong to hevyn tope & rote,
Þer to dwell & be owr bote
& yet ys sene in priestis hondis.
8
The VIth branch by & by,Yt ys the V joyes of myld Mary.
Now Cryst saue all this cumpany,
& send vs gud lyff & long.
Explicit.
| Songs, Carols, and other Miscellaneous Poems, from the Balliol Ms. 354, Richard Hill's Commonplace book | |