Now Let Vs Sing With Joy And Mirth

For Christmas

Middle English

Words: Now Lat Vs Sing With Joy And Myrth (Wedderborn, 1567)
Compare: Now Let Us Sing With Joy And Mirth (Rickert, 1914)

Source: William Sandys, Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern (London: Richard Beckley, 1833)

1. Now let vs sing with joy and mirth,
In honour of the Lord's birth,
For his loue and humanitie,
Quha gaue him sell for vs to die.

2. By Adame wee were all forlorne,
Bot not Christ Jesus to vs borne,
Hes fred vs from captiuitie,
And vincust hes our enemie.

3. When hee was borne, nane did him snib,
To lye right law intell ane crabe:
Ane oxe, ane asse, right tenderly,
Refreshit his humanity.

4. His godheid misters no support,
For it was full of all comfort;
Whilke equall is in all degree
Unto his Father's majestie.

5. The angells sang with mirrinesse
Unto the hyrdes more and lesse,
And bade them of gude comfort bee,
For Christes new natiuitie.

6. For yee were all at Gods horne;
This Babe to you that now is borne,
Sall make you saif, and for you die,
And you restore to libertie.

7. This Babe for you did shed his blude,
And tholed dead vpon the rude;
And for his great humanitie,
Exalltit is his majestie.

8. And now hee is our Aduocat,
Prayand for vs baith aire and late:
This can the Scripture verifie,
In sa far as ane man is hee.

9. Therefore all tyme, tyde, and houre,
Passe vnto him as Mediatour
Betwixt his Fathers wrath and vs,
Of sinne gif thou will clangit bee.

10. For hee hes promeist with his hert,
To all sinners that will reuert,
And from their sinfull life will flie,
Sall ring with him eternallie.

11. To God the Father mot bee glore,
And als to Christ for euermore,
The Haly Ghaist mot blessed bee,
Worker of this natiuitie.

Finis.

Sandys' Note:

From "Ane Compendiovs Booke of Godly and Spiritvall Songs, collectit, &c. for avoyding of Sinne and Harlotrie" [Now Lat Vs Sing With Joy And Myrth], reprinted in Scotish Poems of the sixteenth Century. Edinburgh, 1801, vol. i. pp. 71-3.

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