Words and Music: Traditional English
(From MS. Addit. in Mus. Brit. No. 5665, fol. 5, v⁰, written in the reign of Henry VIII. This is the MS. formerly in the possession of Ritson.)

Source: Thomas Wright, Specimens of old Christmas Carols, Selected from Manuscripts and Printed Books (London: The Percy Society, 1841)
Also found in William Sandys, Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern (London: Richard Beckley, 1833) and William Sandys, Christmas-tide, Its History, Festivities and Carols, With Their Music (London: John Russell Smith, 1852), p. 223.

See generally: The Boar's Head Carols

Nowell, nowell, nowell, nowell,
Tydynges gode y thyngke to telle.

The borys hede, that we bryng here,
Betokeneth a prince withowte pere,
Ys borne this day to bye us dere,

                    nowell.

A bore ys a soverayn beste,
And acceptable in every feste;
So mote thys lord be to moste and leste,

                    nowell.

This borys hede we bryng with song,
In worchyp of hym that hus sprang
Of a virgine, to redresse alle wrong;

                    nowell.

Editor's Note: See notes in The Borys Hede That We Bryng Here.