XXI.

[From MS. Harl. No. 5396, fol. 4, ro. of the beginning of the sixteenth century.]

Christo paremus canticam, excelsis gloria.

When Cryst was born of Mary fre,

In Bedlem in that fayre cyté,

Angellis song ther with myrth and gle,

in excelsis gloria.

Herdmen beheld thes angellis bryzt,

To hem apperyd wyth gret lyzt,

And seyd, "Goddys sone is born this nyzt,"

in excelsis gloria.

Thys keng ys comyn to save kynde,

As yn scripturas we fynde,

Therfore this song have we in mynde,

in excelsis gloria.

Then, Lord, for thy gret grace,
Graunt us the blys to se thy face,
Where we may syng to thy solas,

in excelsis gloria!

XXII.

[From MS. Harl. No. 5396, p. 18. This MS. appears to have been written in the north; for on the page which contains the present carol are written, in nearly a contemporary hand, the words, "Wylzam Northe of Yorke."]

Puer nobis natus est, de virgine Maria.

BE glad, lordynges, be ye more and lesse,
I bryng zou tydynges of gladnesse,
As Gabryel me beryth wetnesse,

dicam vobis quia.

I bryng zou tydynges that ben gode,
Mary hath borne a blysful foude,

That bozt us all upon the rode,

sua morte pia.

For the trespas of Adam,

For the fadyr of hevyn he cam,

Here-to myrthhe us bygan,

teste profecia.

Mary, modur and leve virgyn,

That bare a child wyth-outen syn,

Kepe us all fro hell pyn,

de virgine Maria.

D

XXIII.

[From MS. Cotton. Vesp. A. xxv. fol. 136, vo. written early in the sixteenth century.]

WHO trustes Christes incarnatyone,

Are chyldren of salwacyone.

Where that that he haith sayd,

Lo! a mad shall conceyve a chyld,

Of mans knowing be undefilde,

And still shall be a maide.

A mother maid a child to bringe,

Nowe who haithe hard of suche a thinge?

Or who can tell at ffull

Howe that a maid a mother was,

Or howe this same is browght to pas?

Mans wit it is to dull.

Signes now apon this maiden be,

That sso maye in verginitie,

Onelye by will of God,

And still to be a maiden pure,

A childe bringe furthe against nature,
Like flores of Arons rodde.

Another singe behold and se,
Upon this maid virginité,

Trwlie of hir was ment

This fierie bushe that was so bright,
To Moises did give suche a light,

And not one leafe was brent.

Another sing behould now, lo!
Of Sedrak, Misake, Abbednago,
In a fornace concluded,

And not one hare of them adust;

As

ys Godes wyll, Godes wyl be must, Yt cannot be refussed.

Who can deny but this ys trew,

What ys Godes wyll yt must ensew,

And nature must applye?

Why dost thou, Jew, now musse now than,
That God may be both God and man,
A mayd a mother be?

Now faith in this that must take place,
Therfore who so faith wyll embrace,
And trust in Christ his birth,

As saith the scripture, they shalbe
With God above in his glory,
Where ever shalbe mirth.

FFINIS.

XXIV.

[MS. Cott. Vesp. A. xxv. fol. 138,

As said the prophet Abacuc,

ro.]

Betwixt too bestes shulde lye our buk,
That mankind shuld redeme;
The oxe betokenithe mekenes here,
The asse our gilte that he shulde bere,
And washe away our cryme.

In mydst of doctors he was fownd,
The prophetes planly did expownde,

Throughe mydst frome deathe he fledd; No where wolde die but on the crosse, Betwixt two theives redemed our losse, His blood for hus to shedde.

In midst of his disciples all,
Said, peace to yow universall!

All synnes ye shall remite,
For now is maid an unitie
With man and Godes devinitie,

Of love the knot is knite.

Saint John abowe the ierarchies,
Se .vij. golden luminaries,

And Crist was in the myde;
And of this .vij. the trew entente
Is .vij. holie sacramentes ment,
Christ in the midst is hide.