 | Religious Lyrics of the XVth Century |  |
89. The Three Kings and Herod
Qwan crist was borne in bedlem,
þer rose a stere os bryth [os lem],
þat gafe so glorius a glem
ouyr dale and downe.
Oure dale and downe it sprong and sprede,
þat made iij kynges to be a-drede;
In-to an unchoud lond it hem lede,
into a towne—
þer were iij kyngys of grete renowne.
þer rose a stere os bryth [os lem],
þat gafe so glorius a glem
ouyr dale and downe.
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þat made iij kynges to be a-drede;
In-to an unchoud lond it hem lede,
into a towne—
þer were iij kyngys of grete renowne.
þe cam to seke herowd þe kyng,
and askyd hym of all þat thyng,
And speryd aftyr þe chyld so ȝyng,
þat xuld be kyng—
þat schud be kyng of all Iury.
‘we saw a stere secyrly,
þer-for we worchyp him for-þi,
þat chyld so ȝyng;
Here gold and homage we hym bryng.’
and askyd hym of all þat thyng,
And speryd aftyr þe chyld so ȝyng,
þat xuld be kyng—
þat schud be kyng of all Iury.
‘we saw a stere secyrly,
þer-for we worchyp him for-þi,
þat chyld so ȝyng;
Here gold and homage we hym bryng.’
‘Wend ȝe forth, all thre in-fere,
And of þat chyld if ȝe may here,
þat ȝe wyll com agen in-fere,
I ȝou beseke.
I ȝou beseke þat ȝe me say,
Os ȝe com homward agen in ȝore way,
þat I my-selfe hym woyrchyp may,
þat chylde so meke;
on my bare fete I wold hym seke.’
And of þat chyld if ȝe may here,
þat ȝe wyll com agen in-fere,
I ȝou beseke.
I ȝou beseke þat ȝe me say,
Os ȝe com homward agen in ȝore way,
þat I my-selfe hym woyrchyp may,
þat chylde so meke;
on my bare fete I wold hym seke.’
þe kyngys no lenger þer abode,
but forth to bedlem þan þe rode,
and þe stere before hem glode
Vn-tyll þie were—
Vntyll þie were þer ihū lay,
woondyn in a cryb of hey.
þem thowt it was a pore aray
[OMITTED]
Of prins of pes þat hast no pere.
but forth to bedlem þan þe rode,
and þe stere before hem glode
Vn-tyll þie were—
Vntyll þie were þer ihū lay,
woondyn in a cryb of hey.
129
[OMITTED]
Of prins of pes þat hast no pere.
Now knele we downe, all iij in-fere,
And offyr to þis derlyng dere
Gold soree and rekyls clere,
and myre al so—
and myre al so in tokenyng
þat he is ueri man and kyng,
Soffarond prins ouyr all thyng,
oon and no moo,
for holy wryth bere wyttenes al so.
And offyr to þis derlyng dere
Gold soree and rekyls clere,
and myre al so—
and myre al so in tokenyng
þat he is ueri man and kyng,
Soffarond prins ouyr all thyng,
oon and no moo,
for holy wryth bere wyttenes al so.
An angell warnyd hem in here slepe,
þat þie xuld hem for herowyd kepe;
þei thankyd god with deuocion depe,
and hom þie wente—
and hom þie wente on here Iornay.
quan þie-of herowd hard say,
he sayd ‘alas! and welaway,
for I am schente;
þis chyld he wyll my kyndam hente.’
þat þie xuld hem for herowyd kepe;
þei thankyd god with deuocion depe,
and hom þie wente—
and hom þie wente on here Iornay.
quan þie-of herowd hard say,
he sayd ‘alas! and welaway,
for I am schente;
þis chyld he wyll my kyndam hente.’
þen erowd was both wode and wroth,
with mekyll Ire he made hys othe,
þat all þe londe it xulde be loth
þat he was borne—
þat he was borne þat xuld be kyng.
he bade to doo a spythfull thyng,
to slee chyldyrn both elle and ȝyng,
in bedlem borne
with-in ij wyntrys þer beforne.
with mekyll Ire he made hys othe,
þat all þe londe it xulde be loth
þat he was borne—
þat he was borne þat xuld be kyng.
he bade to doo a spythfull thyng,
to slee chyldyrn both elle and ȝyng,
in bedlem borne
with-in ij wyntrys þer beforne.
130
þe chyldryn sprongyld an þe sperys,
þe moderys wept ful bytyr terys
þat herowd dyd hem gylte-les derys,
þat fend so felle—
þat fend so fell, fowle mut hym befalle!
þat þus þeis chyldyrn martyryd all;
On-to marie we crye & calle,
þer in blys well,
to scheld us from þe pyth of helle.
þe moderys wept ful bytyr terys
þat herowd dyd hem gylte-les derys,
þat fend so felle—
þat fend so fell, fowle mut hym befalle!
þat þus þeis chyldyrn martyryd all;
On-to marie we crye & calle,
þer in blys well,
to scheld us from þe pyth of helle.
| Religious Lyrics of the XVth Century | |