The Ferste Joye, As I 3ou Telle

For Christmas

Words and Music: English Traditional

Source: Thomas Wright, Songs and Carols from a Manuscript in the British Museum of the Fifteenth Century (London: Printed by Richards for The Warton Club, 1856), p. 26.

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See notes in F A Q

Hymn XXI.

I may synge of a may,
Of joyis fyve and merthis most.

The ferste joye, as I 30u telle,
With Mary met seynt Gabrielle,
" Heyl, Mary, I grete the welle,
            With Fader and Sone and Holy Gost."

The secunde joye, in good fay,
Was on Crystemesse day,
Born he was of a may,
            With Fader, etc.

The thredde joye, withoutyn stryf,
That blysseful berthe was ful ryf,
Quan he ros fro ded to lyf,
            With Fader, etc.

The forte joye, in good fay,
Was upon halewyn thursday,
He stey to hevene in ryche aray,
            With Fader and Sone and Holy Gost.

The fyfte joye, withoutyn dene,
In hevene he crownyd his moder clene,
That was wol wil the eyr a sene,
            With Fader, etc.

Note:

Note:

Versions of this song on this web site:

• The Ferst Joye As I Zu Telle ("Joyes Fyve") (Sandys)

• The Ferste Joye, As I 3ou Telle (Wright, 1856) (this page)

• The Five Joys (Rickert)

• Off The 5 Joyes Of Owr Lady (Wright, 1847)

Another, different "five joys" song: The Five Joys of the Virgin (Wright, 1845)

Similar:

• The Seven Joys of Mary - Version 1 (Bramley & Stainer) (with sheet music)

• The Seven Joys Of Mary - Version 2 (Shaw and Dearmer) (with sheet music)

• The First Good Joy Our Mary Had (Sandys) (a.k.a. Joyes Seven; in total, 12 Joys - 7 from Sandys, 5 from Husk) (with sheet music and notes)

• The Seven Joys Of Mary (John Jacob Niles) (with note)

• The Ten Joys Of Christmas (Sharp) (with sheet music and note)

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