Jhesu, as thou art our savyour

Words and Music: Traditional English
(From MS. Sloan 2593, fol. 52, v⁰)

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

Note: Because Middle English contains letters not found in modern English, I've used a special font, "Junicode" created by Professor Peter S. Baker, Professor of English, University of Virginia on some pages.  I will note on the individual carol's page which ones need this font. You can obtain a copy of this font from his website Old English at the University of Virginia (select "Windows TrueType," or right click here, and then select "Save File As" to save a copy of the zipped file to your computer).  This font must be downloaded and installed before these pages will display accurately.

Jhesu, Jhesu, Jhesu, Jhesu, saf us all thorw thi vertu!

Jhesu, as thou art our savyour,
That thou save us fro dolour,
Jhesu is myn par amour;
    Blyssed be thi name, Jhesu!

Thre kynges comen fro Segent,
To Jhesu Cryst they browte present;
Lord God omnipotent,
    Saf us alle throw thi vertu!

Jhesu deyid and schad his blod,
For all mankynde, upon the rod;
He graunt us grace of happis good,
    I be-seke the, swete Jhesu!

Jhesu, for thi modere sake,
Kepe us fro the fyndis blake,
Aõene hym that we mown wake,
    And save us alle throw thi vertu!

Also found in 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), Song Number IX, pp. 12-13.

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