The Hymns and Carols of Christmas

Make we mery in hall and boure

For The Circumcision

De Circumci~ione domini

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 "Old Blackletter" font for best display.
See notes in F A Q

In a Middle English font: Make we mery in hall and boure

 

To encrea~e our ioy and bly~~e,

Chri~tus natus e~t nobis

Make we mery in hall and boure

And this gloryous lady honor we

That to vs hath borne our ~auyour

Home ~ine femine

To encrea~e. &c.

For as the ~onne that ~hyneth bryght

Perceth no glas that we may ~e

So conceyued ~he Je~u full of myght

Cum virginitatis honore

To encrea~e. &c.

I~ay prophecyed longe beforne

How this Emanuel borne ~holde be

To ~aue his people that were forlorne

Dux exurget regere

We were all in great dy~tre~~e

Tyll this lorde dyd make vs free

Wherof this fe~te beryth wytnes

Uenit nos redimere

To encrea~e. &c.

A token of loue he fyr~t now ~hewed

That he on vs wolde haue pytye

Whan he for vs was crucyfed

Ut declaratur hodie.

To encrea~e. &c.

Mo~t gloryous lady we the pray

That bereth the crowne of cha~tyte

Brynge vs to the bly~~e that la~teth aye

Feliciter congaudere

To encrea~e. &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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