The kiges baner on felde is playd
For the Annunciation, Christmas Eve
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).
This carol requires the installation of the "Junicode" font for best display.
Middle English; retyped in "Old Blacketter:" The kiges baner on felde is playd.
Now synge we we were wont
Uexilla regis prodeunt.
The kiges baner on felde is playd
The crosses mistry can not be nayd
To whom our sauyour was betrayd
And for our sake
Thus sayth he, I suffre for the
My deth I take
Now synge we etc
Behold my shankes behold my knees
Beholde my hed, armes and thees
Beholde of me nothyng thou sees
But soro we and pyne
Thus was I spyit, man for thy gylte
And not for myne.
Now synge we etc
Behold my body how Jewes it donge
W knots of whipcord and scourges strong
As stremes of a well ye blode out sprong
On euery syde
The knottes were knyt
Ryght well made with wyt
They made woundes wyde
Now synge we etc
Man yu shalt now vnderstand
Of my head, bothe fote and hand
Are four .C. and fyue thousand
Woundes, and syxty
Fyfty and .vii. were tolde full euen
Upon my body
Now synge we etc
Syth I for loue bought the so dere
As thou may se thy seif here
I pray the with a ryght good chere
Loue me agayne
That it lykes me
To suffre for the
Now all this payne
Now synge we etc
Man vnderstand now thou shall
Insted of drynke they gaue me gall
And eysell mengled ther withall
The iewes fell
These paynes on me, I suffred for the
To bryng the fro hell
Now synge we etc
Now for thy lyfe thou hast mys led
Mercy to aske be thou not adred
The left drop of blode that I for ye bled
Myght clense the soone
Of all the syn
The worlde within
If thou haddest doone
Now synge we etc
I was more wrother with Judas
For he wold no mercy aske
Than I was for his trespas
Whan he me solde
I was euer redy
To graunt hym mercy
But he none wolde
Now synge we etc
Lo how I hold my armes abrode
The to receyue redy I sprede
For the great loue that I to the had
Well may thou knowe
Some loue agayne
I wolde full sayne
Thou woldest to me shewe
Now synge we etc
For loue I aske nothyng of the
But stand fast in faythe, and syn thou fle
And payne to lyue in honeste
Bothe nyght and day
And thou shalt haue blys
That neuer shall mys
Withouten nay.
Now synge we etc
Now Jesu for thy great goodnes
That for man suffred great hardnes
Saue vs fro the denyls cruelnes
And to blys vs send
And graunt vs grace, to se thy face
Withouten ende.
Now etc
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).
Compare: The Kynges Baneres Beth Forth Y-lad.
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.
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