Words and Music: Traditional English
(From MS. Sloan 2593, fol. 75, v⁰)

Source: Thomas Wright, Specimens of old Christmas Carols, Selected from Manuscripts and Printed Books (London: The Percy Society, 1841)

This carol requires the installation of the "Junius Modern" font for best display.
See notes in F A Q

Compare: Nowell, Ell, Both Old and Ying - Rickert

Nowel el! bothe eld and õyng,
Nowel el! now now we syng,
In worchepe of our heavene kyng,
    Al-myty God in Trinité.

Lestenyõt, lordynges, bothe leve and dere,
Lestenyt, ladyis, with glad chere,
A song of merthe now now õe here,
    How Cryst our brother he wolde be.

An aungyl fro hefne was sent ful snel,
He name is elepyd Gabriel,
His ardene he dede ful snel,
    He sat on kne and seyde, Ave!

And he seyde, "Mary, ful of grace,
Hevene and erthe in every place,
With-ine the tyme of lytle space,
    Reconsiled it xuld be."

Mary stod stylle as ony ston,
And to the aungyl che seyde a-non,
"Than herd I nevere of manys mon,
    Me thinkit wonder thou seyst to me."

The aungyl answered a-non ful wel,
"Mary, dryd the never a del,
Thou xalt conseyve a chyld ful wel,
    The holy gost xal schadue the."

Mary on bryst here hand che leyd,
Stylle xe stod, and thus xe seyd,
"Lo me here Godes owyn hand mayd,
    With herte and wil and body fre!"

Mary moderm, mayde myld,
For the love al of thi chyld,
Fro helle pet thou us schyld,
    Amen! amen! now synge we.