Bramley and Stainer, Christmas Carols, p. 60.
| 1 |
Joseph was an old man,
an old man was he,
He married sweet Mary,
the Queen of Galilee. |
| 2 |
As they went a walking
in the garden so gay,
Maid Mary spied cherries,
hanging over yon tree. |
| 3 |
Mary said to Joseph,
with her sweet lips so mild,
'Pluck those cherries, Joseph,
for to give to my child.' |
| 4 |
O then replied Joseph,
with words so unkind,
'I will pluck no cherries
for to give to thy child.' |
| 5 |
Mary said to cherry-tree,
'Bow down to my knee,
That I may pluck cherries,
by one, two, and three.' |
| 6 |
The uppermost sprig then
bowed down to her knee:
'Thus you may see, Joseph,
these cherries are for me.' |
| 7 |
'O eat your cherries, Mary,
O eat your cherries now,
O eat your cherries, Mary,
that grow upon the bough.' |
| 8 |
As Joseph was a walking
he heard angels sing,
'This night there shall be born
our heavenly king. |
| 9 |
'He neither shall be born
in house nor in hall,
Nor in the place of Paradise,
but in an ox-stall. |
| 10 |
'He shall not be clothed
in purple nor pall,
But all in fair linen,
as wear babies all. |
| 11 |
'He shall not be rocked
in silver nor gold,
But in a wooden cradle,
that rocks on the mould. |
| 12 |
'He neither shall be christened
in milk nor in wine,
But in pure spring-well water,
fresh sprung from Bethine.' |
| 13 |
Mary took her baby,
she dressed him so sweet;
She laid him in a manger,
all there for to sleep. |
| 14 |
As she stood over him
she heard angels sing,
'Oh bless our dear Saviour,
our heavenly king.' |
