She was the purest Virgin, And the cleanest from sin; She was the handmaid of our Lord, Where is the golden cradle Where are the silken sheets A manger was the cradle That Christ was rocked in; The provender the asses left, So sweetly he slept on. There was a Star in the West land, Into King Herod's chamber, And where King Herod were. The Wise Men soon espied it, If this be true, King Herod said, As thou tellest unto me, This roasted cock that lies in the dish Shall crow full fences three. The cock soon freshly feather'd was, Rise up, rise up, you merry men all, Now slain they all shall be. Then Jesus, ah! and Joseph, They travell'd into Egypt, And when they came to Egypt's land, Amongst those fierce wild beasts, Mary, she being weary, Must needs sit down to rest. Come sit thee down, says Jesus, And thou shalt see how these wild beasts First, came the lovely lion, Which Jesus's grace did spring, And of the wild beasts in the field, The lion shall be the king. We'll choose our virtuous princes, Where'er we come and see. Then Jesus, ah! and Joseph, God speed thee, man! said Jesus, And carry home thy corn again, The husbandman fell on his knees, Long time hast thou been looked for, And I myself do now believe; The truth, man, thou hast spoken, For thee and thousands more. If any one should come this way, As thou thy seed did sow. After that there came King Herod, With his train so furiously, Enquiring of the husbandman, Whether Jesus passed by. Why, the truth it must be spoke, And the truth it must be known, For Jesus passed by this way, When my seed was sown. But now I have it reapen, And some laid on my wain, Ready to fetch and carry Turn back, says the Captain, Your labour and mine's in vain, It's full three quarters of a year So Herod was deceived By the work of God's own hand, And further he proceeded Into the Holy Land. There's thousands of children young, Do not forbid those little ones, The truth now I have spoken, And the truth now I have shown; Even the blessed Virgin, She's now brought forth a Son. JOYS SEVEN. The first good joy our Mary had, To see her own Son Jesus To suck at her breast bone; To suck at her breast bone, Good man, and blessed may he be, Both Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, And Christ to eternity. The next good joy our Mary had, To see her own Son Jesus To make the lame to go; To make the lame to go, Good man, &c. |