The ffather of heuyn from aboue
Words: James Ryman, Order of Friars Minor (ca. 1492)
Te deum Laudamus
te dominum confitemur
The ffather of heuyn from a-boue
Hathe sent his son to owr behoue
Whom all erthe is bownde to loue
Te deum Laudamus &c
Bothe heuyn & erthe in there degre
Angelles with heuynly poteste
With all ther my3th they syng to the
Te deum Laudamus &c
The Cherubyns cry Incessantly
And the seraphyns with voyce on hye
Euermore holy holy holy
Te deum Laudamus &c
O Lorde god Sabaothe so swete
Heuyn & erthe bothe be replete
Withe thi powre in euery sete
Te deum Laudamus &c
Appostles profettes & martirs bright
Thi holy name praysyng both day & nyght
To the thei syng as it is right
Te deum Laudamus &c
All holy churche with armony
Tunably sett dothe magnyfy
Thy holy name Incessantly
Te deum Laudamus &c
Thu arte the ffather moste of myght
Thy son Iesus truly be hight
The holy gost shynyng full bright
Te deum Laudamus &c
Thu arte the son of great gladnes
Thy father son by thy mekenes
Vs to redeme to owre lyknes
Te deum Laudamus &c
ffor thi giftes many-a-folde
Benyng to thy seruauntes both yong & olde
To syng to the we be beholde
Te deum Laudamus &c
Iesus vs saue owr comely kyng
ffrom the fendes both old & yong
Eternally that we may syng
Te deum Laudamus &c
Note: This is one of the four "Bradshaw" carols, discovered in the papers of Henry Bradshaw; the papers are at Cambridge University Library and are classified as MS. Add. 7350. The other Christmas-related carol has as the first line of its first verse: Of mary a mayde withowt lesyng. It has the same burden as this carol. The other two carols are described as of being of a ribald nature. See: Rossell Hope Robbins, "The Bradshaw Carols." PLMA, the Journal of the Modern Language Association, June 1966, Vol. 81, No. 3, pp. 308-310. See, generally, Rossell Hope Robbins, ed., Early English Christmas Carols. New York: Columbia University Press, 1961. For additional information about Mr. Robbins (1912-1990) see: Russell A. Peck and Rosemary Paprocki, Rossell Hope Robbins. University of Rochester, River Campus Libraries, Rossell Hope Robbins Library. Last updated November 30, 2005. Accessed 19 March 2006. URL: http://www.library.rochester.edu/index.cfm?PAGE=303 Page opens in a new window at an exterior location.
