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[Burden] Nowell, Nowell, this is the saluation of th'angel Gabriel.
Tidings true there be come new sent from the Trinity
By Gabriel to Nazareth, city of Galilee;
A clean maiden and pure virgin through her humility
Hath conceived the person second in deity.
Nowell…
When he first presented was before her fair visage,
In the most demure and goodly wise he did to her homage.
And said: Lady, from heaven so high, that Lord's heritage
The which of thee born would be, I am sent on message.
Nowell…
Hail, virgin celestial, the meekest that ever was;
Hail temple of deity and mirror of all grace;
Hail virgin pure, I thee ensure, within full little space
Thou shalt receive and him conceive that shall bring great solace.
Nowell…
Suddenly she, abashed truly, but not all thing dismayed,
With mind discreet and meek spirit to the angel she said:
With what manner should I child bear, the which ever a maid
Have lived chaste all my life past and never man assayed?
Nowell…
Then again to her certain answered the angel:
O lady dear, be of good cheer, and dread thee never a del:
Thou shalt conceive in thy body, very God himself,
In whose birth heaven and earth shall joy, called Emmanuel.
Nowell…
Then again to the angel she answered womanly:
Whatever my Lord command me do,
I will obey meekly. Ecce, sum humilimma ancilla Domini;
Secundum verbum tuum, she said, fiat mihi.
Nowell…
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Blessed be thou, Heavenly Queen, Man's comfort and angel's bliss;
Mother unstained and maiden clean. Such in world none other is.
Of thee it is well seen, of all women thou hast the prize:
My sweet lady, hear my bene, and pity me if thy will is.
Thou hast risen, as with a new gleam, comes the dawn from dark of night;
From thee has sprung a heavenly beam, which to the world has given light.
There is no maid of thy virtue, so fair, so radiant and so bright;
My sweet lady, grant thy rue, have pity now on me, thy knight!
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[Burden] Qui natus est de Virgine. Salvum me fac Domine.
Father and Son and Holy Ghost, Almighty God in Trinity;
As thou art Lord of heaven's host: Qui natus est…
As thou art wise and right well know'st this world is but a vanity;
When I shall die anneal my ghost: Qui natus…
Where er I sleep, where er I wake, on land or water where I be;
As thou didst die for man his sake: Qui natus…
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[Burden] Nova, Nova: AVE fit ex EVA.
Gabriel of high degree, He came dawn from Trinity, From Nazareth to Galilee: Nova…
I met a maiden in a place; I kneeled down afore her face And said; Hail, Mary, full of grace; Nova…
When the maiden heard tell of this, she was full sore abashed y-wis, And weened that she had done amiss; Nova…
Then said the angel; Dread not thou, for ye be conceived with great virtue Whose name shall be called Jesu; Nova…
It is not yet six weeks agone sin Elizabeth conceived John, As it was prophesied beforn; Nova…
Then said the maiden: Verily, I am your servant right truly; Ecce, ancilla, Domini: Nova…
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Hail, Mary, full of grace, mother in virginity.
The Holy Ghost is to thee sent from the Father omnipotent;
Now is God within thee, when the angel said Ave. Hail Mary…
When the angel Ave began flesh and blood together ran;
Mary bore both God and man, through virtue and through dignity. Hail Mary…
Mary, grant us the bliss, there thy Sonnes woning is;
Of th at we han done amiss, pray for us pour charite. Hail Mary…
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Sir Christmas: Nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell.
Company: Who is there that singeth so Nowell.
Sir Christmas: I am here, Sir Christemas.
Company: Welcome, my Lord, Sir Christemas,
Welcome to us all both more and less, come near Nowell.
Sir Christmas: Dieu vous garde beaux sieurs, tidings I you brin:
A maid hath ybore a Child full young, the which causeth you or to sing, Nowell.
Christ is now born of a pure maid, in an ox-stall He is laid,
Wherefore sing we all at a brayde Nowell.
Buvez bien par toute la compagnie.
Make good cheer and be right merry
And sing with us now joyfully Nowell.
Company: Nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell.
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[Burdens I and II] There is no rose of such virtue, as is the rose that bare Jesu.
There is no rose of such virtue, as is the rose that bare Jesu. Alleluia.
For in this rose contained was Heaven and earth in little space. Resmiranda. There is no rose…
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Quid petis, O fili Mater dulcissima ba, ba, ba, ba.
Quid petis, O fili? Mihi plausus oscula da, da!
The mother full mannerly and meekly as a maid,
Looking on her little son, so laughing in lap laid;
So prettily, so pertly, so passingly well apaid;
Full softly and full soberly unto her sweet Son she said:
Quid petis…
I mean this by Mary our maker's mother of might,
Full lovely looking on our Lord the lantern of light;
Thus saying to our Saviour, this saw I in my sight,
This reason that I rede you now, I rede it full right.
Quid petis…
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[Burden] Nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell.
Out of your sleep arise and wake, For God mankind now hath ytake,
All of a maid without any make, Of all women she bear'th the bell: Nowell…
And thro a maide fair and wise, now man is made of full great prize;
Now angels kneelen to mannes servise, and at this time all this befell: Nowell…
Now, blessed brother, grant us grace, a Domesday to see thy face
And in thy court to have a place, that we mow there sing nowell: Nowell…
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| Quam pulchra es, et quam decora, carissima, in deliciis tuis! Statura tua assimilata est palmae, et ubera tua botris. Caput tuum ut Carmelus, collum tuum sicut turis eburnea. Veni, dilecte mi, egrediamur in agrum. Et videamus si fructus parturiunt, si floruerunt mala punica. Dilectus meus mihi, et ego illi. Alleluia. | How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights! This thy stature is like to a palm tree, thy breasts to clusters of grapes. Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and thy neck is as a tower of ivory. Come, my beloved, let us go into the field. And we will see if the fruits flourish, if the pomegranates bud forth. My beloved is mine, and I am his. Alleluia. |