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The Shepherds' Offerings

Second Shepherd.

Now, hail be thou, child, and thy dame!

For in a poor lodging here art thou laid, So the angel said and told us thy name;

Hold, take thou here my hat on thy head! And now of one thing thou art well sped, For weather thou hast no need to complain, For wind, ne sun, hail, snow, and rain.

Third Shepherd.

Hail be thou, Lord over water and lands!

For thy coming all we may make mirth. Have here my mittens to put on thy hands, Other Treasure have I none to present thee with.

Mary.

Now, herdmen hend,

For your coming

To my child shall I pray,

As he is heaven king

To grant you his blessing

And to his bliss that ye may wend
At your last day.

Here the Shepherds sing:

As I out rode this enderes' night

Of three jolly shepherds I saw a sight,
And all about their fold a star shone bright;
They sang terli, terlow;

So merrily the shepherds their pipes can blow.

1 Last.

9.

The Shepherds' Offerings

Down from heaven, from heaven so high,
Of angels there came a great company,
With mirth and joy and great solemnity,
They sang terli, terlow;

So merrily the shepherds their pipes can blow.

CAN I NOT SING BUT HOY!

AN I not sing but Hoy!

When the jolly shepherd made so much joy !

The shepherd upon a hill he sat,
He had on him his tabard and his hat,
His tar-box, his pipe, and his flagat.
His name was called Jolly, Jolly Wat;
For he was a good herds-boy,
Ut hoy!

For in his pipe he made so much joy.
Can I not sing but boy.

The shepherd upon a hill was laid,
His dog to his girdle was tayd,
He had not slept but a little braid,
But gloria in excelsis was to him said;

Ut hoy!

For in his pipe he made so much joy!
Can I not sing, &c.

Can I not sing but Hoy!

The shepherd on a hill he stood,
Round about him his sheep they yode,
He put his hand under his hood,
He saw a star as red as blood.

Ut hoy!

For in his pipe he made so much joy!
Can I not sing, &c.

Now farewell Mall, and also Will,

For my love go ye all still,

Unto I come again you till,

And ever more Will ring well thy bell.
Ut hoy!

For in his pipe he made so much joy!
Can I not sing, &c.

Now must I go there Christ was born,
Farewell, I come again to-morn;
Dog, keep well my sheep fro the corn,
And warn well Warroke when I blow

Ut hoy!

my

For in his pipe he made so much joy!
Can I not sing, &c.

When Wat to Bethlehem come was,

He sweat, he had gone faster than a pace.
He found Jesus in a simple place,

Between an ox and an ass.

Ut hoy!

For in his pipe he made so much joy!
Can I not sing, &c.

horn!

Can I not

sing

but Hoy!

The shepherd said anon right:

I

'I will go see yon ferly 1 sight,

Where as the angel singeth on-height,
And the star that shineth so bright!'
Ut hoy!

For in his pipe he made so much joy!
Can I not sing, &c.

'Jesus, I offer to thee here my pipe,
My skirt, my tar-box, and my scrip,
Home to my fellows now will I skip,
And also look unto my sheep!'

Ut hoy!

For in his pipe he made so much joy!
Can I not sing, &c.

'Now farewell, mine own herds-man Wat!'
'Yea, 'fore God, Lady, even so I hat! 2
Lull well Jesus in thy lap.

And farewell, Joseph, with thy round cap!'
Ut hoy!

For in his pipe he made so much joy!
Can I not sing, &c.

'Now may I well both hop and sing,
For I have been at Christ's bearing;
Home to my fellows now will I fling;
Christ of heaven to His bliss us bring!
Ut hoy!

For in his pipe he made so much joy!
Can I not sing, &c.

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10. WHEN CHRIST WAS BORN OF MARY FREE

W

HEN Christ was born of Mary free
In Bethlem, in that fair citee,

Angels sang there with mirth and glee,
In excelsis gloria.

Herdmen beheld these angels bright,
To them appeared with great light,

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And said, God's son is born this night.'
In excelsis gloria.

The King is comen to save kind,

As in scripturës we find,

Therefore this song have we in mind,

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Bin quo Salvator natus est.

E we merry in this feast,

In Bethlehem that noble place,
As by prophecy said it was,

Of the Virgin Mary full of grace,
Salvator mundi natus est.

Be we merry, &c.

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