The Hymns and Carols of Christmas

Of ~ayne Steuen goddes knyght

Of saynt Steuen
Celebrating Saint Stephen, first of the Martyers.
Also see
Hymns to St Stephen

This carol requires the installation of the "Old Blacketter" font for best display.

In a Middle English font: Of sayne Steuen goddes knyght

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).

To ~aynt Steuen wyll we pray

To pray for vs both nyght and day

Of ~ayne Steuen goddes knyght

That preched y^ fayth day & nyght

He tolde the Jewes as it was ryght

That Chry~t was borne of a may.

 

The Jewes ~ayd in grete ~corne

That Chri~t was not of a mayde borne

That ~ayd Steuen ye are but lorne

And all that beleue in your lay.

 

Now is ~pronge the welle of lyfe

Of Mary moder mayde and wyfe

Therfore the Jewes fell at ~tryfe

And with ~teuen than dy~puted they.

 

A.iii.

The wycked Jewes at the la~t

Stones at Steuen they gan ca~t

His hed and armes they all to bra~t

And made his body in foule aray.

 

Steuen that was full mylde of mode

Thought he were all reed in blode

In his prayers ~tyll he ~tode

And cryeng to good thus he dyde ~ay

 

Lorde god for thy myghtfull grace

Forgyue the Jewes theyr tre~pace

And gyue theym grace to ~e thy face

In the Joye that la~teth aye.

 

To heuen he loketh ~oone on hye

To the father and ~one truly

And to the holy goo~t he gan cry

    Receyue my ~oule I the pray.

 

God receyued his boone anone

Downe came aungeles many one

They toke his ~oule & to heuen dyd gone

To bly~~edne~~e that la~teth ay.

 

To that bly~~e that is ~o goode

Jheiu that dyed vpon the roode

Graunt vs for his precyous bloode

Our ~aluacyon at domes day.

                    Finis.

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