Then rejoice and be you merry,
We have blessings in store.
And therefore be you merry,
Rejoice and be you merry,
Set sorrows away,
Christ Jesus our Saviour
Was born on this day.
Our Lord he was born
Of a virgin most pure,
Within a poor stable
Both safe and secure.
He was guarded most safely
With angels so bright,
Who told three poor shepherds
Those things in the night.
And therefore, &c.
They said, Be not fearful,
But to Bethlehem go:
Then rejoice and be chearful,
For 'tis certainly so.
For a young Son to Joseph,
Is in Bethlehem born:
Then rejoice all good Christians,
And cease for to mourn.
And therefore, &c.
And when those three shepherds
Did to Bethlehem come,
And arrived at the stable,
Then in they did run,
Where they found blessed Mary
With Jesus her Son:
There they found our Lord sleeping,
And thus they begun.
And therefore, &c.
With the sweetest Hallelujah
The heavens did rejoice,
With the saints and the angels,
And all with sweet voice,
Crying, Glory and honour
To our heavenly King,
In the clouds of the air
Then this host they did sing,
And therefore, &c.
Then well may we Christians,
That dwell on the earth,
Rejoice and be glad
For sweet Jesus his birth,
Who brought us salvation,
If we mind but the same:
Then let all the nation
Sing praise to his name.
And therefore, &c.
With true zeal and honour
Let us joyfully sing,
In praise of our salvation,
To our heavenly King;
To our heavenly Father,
That remaineth above,
And to our dear Saviour,
That redeem'd us with love.
And therefore, &c.
RICHARDS, PRINTER, ST. MARTIN'S LANE.
Collected principally from Oral Tradition.
JAMES ORCHARD HALLIWELL, ESQ.
"Roscia, dic sodes, melior lex, an puerorum
Nænia."
HORACE.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR THE PERCY SOCIETY,
BY T. RICHARDS, FOR THE EXECUTORS OF THE LATE
C. RICHARDS, 100, ST. MARTIN'S LANE.
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