 | Specimens of old Christmas carols, selected from manuscripts and printed books |  |
50
XXXI.
[Nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell]
[_]
[From MS. Addit. in Mus. Brit. No. 5665, fol. 5, vo, written in the reign of Henry VIII. This is the MS. formerly in the possession of Ritson.]
Nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell,
Tydynges gode y thyngke to telle.
Tydynges gode y thyngke to telle.
The borys hede, that we bryng here,
Betokeneth a prince withowte pere,
Ys borne this day to bye us dere,
nowell.
Betokeneth a prince withowte pere,
Ys borne this day to bye us dere,
nowell.
A bore ys a soverayn beste,
And acceptabe in every feste;
So mote thys lord be to moste and leste,
nowell.
And acceptabe in every feste;
So mote thys lord be to moste and leste,
nowell.
51
This borys hede we bryng with song,
In worchyp of hym that thus sprang
Of a virgine, to redresse alle wrong;
nowell.
In worchyp of hym that thus sprang
Of a virgine, to redresse alle wrong;
nowell.
| Specimens of old Christmas carols, selected from manuscripts and printed books | |