Mary, Flower of Flowers All

For Christmas

Words: English Traditional, Before 1536
Compare: Mary, The Flower Of Flowers All (Weston from the Hill Ms.)

Source: Edith Rickert, Ancient English Christmas Carols: 1400-1700 (London: Chatto & Windus, 1914), pp. 170-1.

Now sing we with joy and bliss:
Puer natus est nobis.

1. Mary, flower of flowers all,
Hath born a child in an ox-stall,
That Lord and Prince is over us all;
    Puer natus est nobis.

2. He was born on our lady,
Without sin of her body,
Godës own true Son truly;
    Puer natus est nobis.

3. By an apple of a tree,
Bondmen all made were we,
That Child was born to make us free;
    Puer natus est nobis.

4. That Child was done on the Rood,
With His flesh and with His blood,
For our help and for our good;
    Puer natus est nobis.

5. The third day He rose and to heaven went,
Wit and wisdom He us sent,
For to keep His commandment;
    Puer natus est nobis.

6. He shall come down at Doomësday,
With bloody woundës, I you say,
As He died on Good Friday;
    Puer natus est nobis.

7. Now pray we to that heaven(ly) King,
To send us all His dear blessing,
Shrift and housel at our ending.
    Puer natus est nobis.

Note:

Rickert translates Puer natus est nobis as "Unto us a son is born."

The Digital Index of Middle English Verse (DIMEV) reports the only source of Mary, Flower of Flowers All is the Hill Ms., Balliol 354.

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