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
4

III. Alle maydenis, for Godes grace,
Worchepe ȝe seynt Nicolas.

Seynt Nicholas was of gret posté,
For he worchepid maydenis thre,
That wer sent in fer cuntré
Common wommen for to be.
Here fader was man in powre aray,
Onto his dowteres he gan say,
“Dowteres, ȝe must away,
Non lenger kepe ȝou I may.
Dowteres, myn blyssing I ȝou ȝeve,
For catel wil not with me thryve,
ȝe must with ȝowre body leve,
ȝour wordeȝe must dryve.”
The eldest dowter swor, be bred of qwete,
“I have levere beggyn myn mete,
And getyn me good qwer I may gete,
Than ledyn myn lyf in lecherie.”
The medil dowter seyde, so mote che the,
“I hadde levere hangyd and drawyd be
5

With wylde hors to or thre,
Than ledin myn lyf in lecherie.”
The ȝongere lechery gan to spyse,
And preyid saynt Nicholas, as che was wise,
“Saynt Nicholas, as he was wyse,
Help us fro lecherie.”
Saynt Nicholas, at the townys ende,
Consoylid tho maydenis hom to wynde,
And throw Godes grace he xulde hem synde
Husbondes thre good and kind.
previous section Songs and carols from a manuscript in the British Museum of the fifteenth century
next section