Make We Merry In This Feast

Words: English Traditional, Fifteenth Century

Source: Edith Rickert, Ancient English Christmas Carols: 1400-1700 (London: Chatto & Windus, 1914), pp. 173-4.

Compare: Godes sonne for the love of mane - Thomas Wright

Make we merry in this feast,
For verbum caro factum est.

1. Godës Son for the love of man,
Flesh and blood of Mary He nam,¹
As in the gospel saith Saint John,
    Verbum caro factum est.

2. Of joy and mirth now may we sing,
God with man is now dwelling,
Holy Writ maketh now shewing,
    Deus homo natus est.

3. God and man hath shewed His Child,
That hath us bought fro the devils wild;
Him to worship now be we mild,
    Congaudere mihi.

4. This Child His mother ever more,
Maiden she was, after and before,
And so said the prophet in his lore,
    Verbo prophesye.

Notes:

1. Took. Return

According to Rickert:

• Verbum caro factum est is translated as "The word is made flesh"

• Deus homo natus est is translated as "God is born man."

• Congaudere mihi is translated as  "To rejoice with me."

• Verbo prophesye is translated as "In the word of prophecy."

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