| 1 |
As I passed by a river side,
And there as I did reign,
In argument I chanced to hear
A Carnal and a Crane. |
| 2 |
The Carnal said unto the Crane,
If all the world should turn,
Before we had the Father,
But now we have the Son! |
| 3 |
'From whence does the Son come,
From where and from what place?'
He said, In a manger,
Between an ox and ass. |
| 4 |
'I pray thee,' said the Carnal,
'Tell me before thou go,
Was not the mother of Jesus
Conceivd by the Holy Ghost?' |
| 5 |
She was the purest virgin,
And the cleanest from sin;
She was the handmaid of our Lord
And mother of our king. |
| 6 |
'Where is the golden cradle
That Christ was rocked in?
Where are the silken sheets
That Jesus was wrapt in?' |
| 7 |
A manger was the cradle
That Christ was rocked in:
The provender the asses left
So sweetly he slept on. |
| 8 |
There was a star in the east land,
So bright it did appear,
Into King Herod's chamber,
And where King Herod were. |
| 9 |
The Wise Men soon espied it,
And told the king on high
A princely babe was born that night
No king could eer destroy. |
| 10 |
'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.' |
| 11 |
The cock soon freshly featherd was,
By the work of God's own hand,
And then three fences crowed he,
In the dish where he did stand. |
| 12 |
'Rise up, rise up, you merry men all,
See that you ready be;
All children under two years old
Now slain they all shall be.' |
| 13 |
Then Jesus, ah, and Joseph,
And Mary, that was so pure,
They travelld into Egypt,
As you shall find it sure. |
| 14 |
And when they came to Egypt's land,
Amongst those fierce wild beasts,
Mary, she being weary,
Must needs sit down to rest. |
| 15 |
'Come sit thee down,' says Jesus,
'Come sit thee down by me,
And thou shalt see how these wild beasts
Do come and worship me.' |
| 16 |
First came the lovely lion,
Which Jesus's grace did bring,
And of the wild beasts in the field
The lion shall be king. |
| 17 |
We'll choose our virtuous princess
Of birth and high degree,
In every sundry nation,
Whereer we come and see. |
| 18 |
Then Jesus, ah, and Joseph,
And Mary, that was unknown,
They travelled by a husbandman,
Just while his seed was sown. |
| 19 |
'God speed thee, man,' said Jesus,
'Go fetch thy ox and wain,
And carry home thy corn again
Which thou this day hast sown.' |
| 20 |
The husbandman fell on his knees,
Even upon his face:
'Long time hast thou been looked for,
But now thou art come at last. |
| 21 |
'And I myself do now believe
Thy name is Jesus called;
Redeemer of mankind thou art,
Though undeserving all.' |
| 22 |
'The truth, man, thou hast spoken,
Of it thou mayst be sure,
For I must lose my precious blood
For thee and thousands more. |
| 23 |
'If any one should come this way,
And enquire for me alone,
Tell them that Jesus passed by
As thou thy seed did sow.' |
| 24 |
After that there came King Herod,
With his train so furiously,
Enquiring of the husbandman
Whether Jesus passed by. |
| 25 |
'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. |
| 26 |
'But now I have it reapen,
And some laid on my wain,
Ready to fetch and carry
Into my barn again.' |
| 27 |
'Turn back,' says the captain,
'Your labor and mine's in vain;
It's full three quarters of a year
Since he his seed has sown.' |
| 28 |
So Herod was deceived,
By the work of God's own hand,
And further he proceeded
Into the Holy Land. |
| 29 |
There's thousands of children young
Which for his sake did die;
Do not forbid those little ones,
And do not them deny. |
| 30 |
The truth now I have spoken,
And the truth now I have shown;
Even the Blessed Virgin
She's now brought forth a son. |
