Alternate Title: Arise And Wake
15th Century
From the Selden Manuscript, Bodlein Library, Oxford
MIDI
/ Noteworthy Composer
Sheet music available at RoDeby Music Company
Also found in Edith Rickert, Ancient English Christmas Carols: 1400-1700 (London: Chatto & Windus, 1914), pp. 165-6 under the title Out Of Your Sleep Arise and Wake.
Burden:
Nowel, Nowel, Nowel
Nowel, Nowel, Nowel
1. Out of your sleep arise and wake,
For God mankind now hath ytake [taken]
All of a maid without any make [equal];
Of all women she beareth the bell.1 Burden
2. And through a maiden fair and wise,
Now man is made of full great price;
Now angels kneel to man's service,
And at this time all this befell. Burden
3. Now man is brighter than the sun;
Now man in heaven on high shall wone [dwell];
Blessed be God, this game is begun
And His mother Empress of Hell. Burden
4. Who'er was thrall, now is he free;
Whoe'er was small, now great is she;
Now shall God judge both thee and me
Unto His bliss if we do well. Burden
5. Now man may (un)-to heaven wend;
Now heaven and earth to Him they bend;
He that was foe now is our friend;
This is no nay that I you tell.2 Burden
6. Now blessed Brother grant us grace
At dooms day to see Thy face,
And in Thy court to have a place,
That we may there sing Nowel. Burden
1. In other versions, the final two words are repeated; there is no burden. The phrase "beareth the bell" refers to being in a leadership position or receiving a prize, although the precise origin of the phrase is in dispute. Return
2. "no nay" as in "no idle tale." Return