The kiges baner on felde is playd
Source: Edward Bliss Reed, ed., Christmas Carols Printed in the 16th Century Including Kele's Christmas Carolles Newly Inprynted. (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1932).
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In a Middle English font: The kiges baner on felde is playd
Now ~ynge we we were wont
Uexilla regis prodeunt.
The kiges baner on felde is playd
The cross &? mi~try can not be nayd
To whom our ~auyour was betrayd
And for our ~ake
Thus ~ayth he, I ~uffre for the
My deth I take
Now ~ynge we &c
Behold my ~hankes behold my knees
Beholde my hed, armes and thees
Beholde of me nothyng thou ~ees
But ~oro we and pyne
Thus was I ~pyit, man for thy gylte
And not for myne.
Now ~ynge we &c
Behold my body how Jewes it donge
W knots of whipcord & ~courges ~trong
As ~tremes of a well y^ blode out ~prong
On euery ~yde
The knottes were knyt
Ryght well made with wyt
They made woundes wyde
Now ~ynge we &c
Man yu ~halt now vnder~tand
Of my head, bothe fote and hand
Are four .C. and fyue thou~and
Woundes, and ~yxty
Fyfty and .vii. were tolde full euen
Upon my body
Now ~yng we &c
Syth I for loue bought the ~o dere
As thou may ~e thy ~eif here
I pray the with a ryght good chere
Loue me agayne
That it lykes me
To ~uffre for the
Now all this payne
Now ~yng we &c
Man vnder~tand now thou ~hall
In~ted of drynke they gaue me gall
And ey~ell mengled ther withall
The iewes fell
The~e paynes on me, I ~uffred for the
To bryng the fro hell
Now ~yng we &c
Now for thy lyfe thou ha~t mysled
Mercy to a~ke be thou not adred
The left drop of blode that I for ye bled
Myght clen~e the ~oone
Of all the ~yn
The worlde within
If thou hadde~t doone
Now ~yng we &c
I was more wrother with Judas
For he wold no mercy a~ke
Than I was for his tre~pas
Whan he me ~olde
I was euer redy
To graunt hym mercy
But he none wolde
Now ~yng we &c
Lo how I hold my armes abrode
The to receyue redy I ~prede
For the great loue that I to the had
Well may thou knowe
Some loue agayne
I wolde full ~ayne
Thou wolde~t to me ~hewe
Now ~yng we &c
For loue I a~ke nothyng of the
But ~tand fa~t in faythe, & ~yn thou fle
And payne to lyue in hone~te
Bothe nyght and day
And thou ~halt haue blys
That neuer ~hall mys
Withouten nay.
Now ~yng we &c
Now Je~u for thy great goodnes
That for man ~uffred great hardnes
Saue vs fro the denyls cruelnes
And to blys vs ~end
And graunt vs grace, to ~e thy face
Without en ende.
Now &c
Finis.
Editor's Note:
This is one of the carols that were first printed by Richard Kele, Christmas Carolles Newly Inprynted (circa 1550), reprinted in Philip Bliss, Biographical Miscellanies (1813), and included in Edward Bliss Reed, Christmas Carols of the 16th Century, Including Kele's Christmas Carolles Newly Inprynted (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1932).
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