Words: English Traditional, from the Coventry Mysteries

Source: A. H. Bullen, A Christmas Garland (London: John C. Nimmo, 1885), p. 1

In every place I shall tell this,
    Of a clean maid that God is born,
And in our likeness God now clad is,
    Mankind to save that was forlorn,
His mother a maid as she was beforn,
    Not foul-polluted as other women be,
But fair and fresh as rose on thorn,
    Lily-white, clean with pure virginity.

Note from Bullen:

These lines are spoken by Salomee. For disbelieving that the Child had been born of a virgin, her hand was withered up; but on her repentance God sent an angel who bade her worship the Child and touch his clothes. She obeyed, and her hand was restored; whereupon she raised this hymn of praise.