University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
Songs and carols from a manuscript in the British Museum of the fifteenth century


collapse section 
SONGS AND CAROLS.
 II. 
II. Now bething the, gentilman, How Adam dalf and Eve span.
 III. 
III. Alle maydenis, for Godes grace, Worchepe ȝe seynt Nicolas.
 IV. 
IV. God that alle mytes may, Helpe us at our ending daye.
 V. 
V. O flos de Jesse virgula, Laus tibi sit et gloria.
 VI. 
VI. Eya, Jhesus hodie Natus est de virgine.
 VII. 
VII. Gay, gay, gay, gay, Think on drydful domis day.
 IX. 
IX. Jhesu, Jhesu, Jhesu, Jhesu, Saf us alle thorw thi vertu.
 X. 
X. Now go gyle, gyle, gyle, Now go gile, gyle, go.
 XI. 
XI. Syng we alle and sey we thus, Gramersy myn owyn purs.
 XIV. 
XIV. Man, be war, be war, be war, And kep the that thou have no car.
 XVI. 
XVI. I drukke, I dare, so wil I may, Quan I thynke on myn endyng day.
 XVII. 
XVII. Gay, gay, to be gay, I holde it but a vanite.
 XVIII. 
XVIII. Be war, sqwyer, ȝeman, and page, For servyse is non erytage.
 XX. 
XX. Man, be war, er thou be wo, Think on pride and let him goo.
 XXI. 
XXI. I may synge of a may, Of joyis fyve and merthis most.
 XXII. 
XXII. Man, be war of thin wowyng, For weddyng is the longe wo.
 XXIII. 
XXIII. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, Deo patri sit gloria.
 XXIV. 
XXIV. Nowel el el el el el el el el el el el, Mary was gret with Gabriel.
 XXX. 
XXX. Al the meryere is that place, The sunne of grace hym schynit in.
 XXXII. 
XXXII.
 XXXIII. 
XXXIII. Of alle the spyces that I knowe, Blyssid be the qwete flour.
 XXXIV. 
XXXIV. The sterre hym schon bothe nyȝt and day, To lede thre kynges ther our Lord lay.
 XXXIX. 
XXXIX. Reges de Saba venient, Aurum, tus, myrram, offerent. Alleluia.
 XLIII. 
XLIII. Synge we, synge we, Gloria tibi, Domine.
 XLV. 
XLV. Nowel el el el el el el el el el el el el el el el.
 XLVI. 
XLVI. A, a, a, a, Nunc gaudet ecclesia.
 XLVII. 
XLVII. Man, be glad in halle and bour, This tyme was born our Savyour.
 XLIX. 
XLIX. How hey, it is [non] les, I dar not seyn, quan che seyȝ pes.
 L. 
L. Synge we, synge we, Regina celi, letare.
 LI. 
LI. Synge we nowe alle and sum, Ave, rex gentes Anglorum.
 LII. 
LII. Man, be wys, and arys, And thynk on lyf that lestenit ay.
 LIII. 
LIII. Go bet, peny, go bet, go, For thou mat makyn bothe frynd and fo.
 LIV. 
LIV. We ben chapmen lyȝt of fote, The fowle weyis for to fle.
 LVI. 
LVI. Man, be glad in halle and bour, This tyme was born our savyour.
 LVIII. 
LVIII. Man, be merie as bryd on berie, And al thi care let away.
 LIX. 
LIX. I may seyn to most and lest, Verbum caro factum est.
 LX. 
LX. Nowel, el, el, el, el, el, el, el, el, el, el, el, el, el, el, el.
 LXI. 
LXI. Prenegard, prenegard, Thus bere I myn baselard.
 LXII. 
LXII. I may seyn, and so mown mo, That in semenaunt goth gyle.
 LXIII. 
LXIII. Kep thi tunge, thi tunge, thi tunge, Thi wykyd tunge werkit me w[o].
 LXIV. 
LXIV. Alma Redemptoris mater.
 LXVII. 
LXVII. Wolcum, ȝol, thou mery man, In worchepe of this holy day.
 LXIX. 
LXIX. Lullay, myn lykyng, my dere sone, myn swetyng; Lullay, my dere herte, myn owyn dere derlyng.
 LXXII. 
LXXII. Mak ȝe merrie, as ye may, And syng with me, I ȝou pray.
 LXXIV. 
LXXIV. Kyrie, so kyrie, Jankyn syngyt merie, with aleyson.
  
Wymmen beth bothe goude and truwe, Wytnesse on Marie.

collapse section Collapse All | Expand All expand section
previous section Songs and carols from a manuscript in the British Museum of the fifteenth century
next section
65

XLV. Nowel el el el el el el el el el el el el el el el.

Mary moder, cum and se,
Thi sone is naylyd on a tre,
Hand and fot, he may not go,
His body is woundyn al in woo.
Thi swete sone, that thu hast born
To save mankynde that was forlorn,
His hed is wrethin in a thorn,
His blysful body is al to-torn.
Quan he this tale began to telle,
Mary wold non lenger dwelle,
But hyid here faste to that hylle,
Ther Jhesu his blod began to spylle.
“Myn swete sone, that art me dere,
Qwy han men hangyd the here?
Thi hed is wrethin in a brere,
Myn lovely sone, qwer is thin chere.
Thin swete body that in me rest,
Thin comely mowth that I have kest,
66

Now on rode is mad thi nest;
Leve chyld, quat is me best?”
“Womman, to Jon I the betake;—
Jon, kyp this womman for myn sake;
For synful sowlys my deth I take,
On rode I hange for manys sake.
“This game alone me muste play,
For synful sowles I deye to day;
Ther is non wyȝt that goth be the way,
Of myn peynys can wel say.”
previous section Songs and carols from a manuscript in the British Museum of the fifteenth century
next section