The Sinner's Redemption:

Wherein is described the blessed Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ,
together with his life on earth,
and his precious death on the Crosse for Mankind.

[Roxb. Coll. I. 374, 375, II. 422, and III. 288-289.]

For Christmas

Words: English Traditional
See: All You That Are To Mirth Inclined - Notes

To THE TUNE OF The bleeding heart, or In Creet, ETC. 

This text is that from All You That Are To Mirth Inclind, the Roxburghe Ballads, I. 374-375.
Scan of the Broadside is at English Broadside Ballad Archive.

Source: William Chappell, ed., The Roxburghe Ballads. Vol. II. (Hertford: Printed for the Ballad Society by Stephen Austin and Sons, 1874), pp. 486-490. Copies of the original woodcuts were drawn and engraved by Mr. W. H. Hooper.

All you that are to mirth inclin'd, 
Consider well, and beare in mind 
What our good God hath for us done, 
In sending his beloved Son 
     For to redeeme our soules from thrall — 
     This was the Saviour of us all. 1 6

     Ftnt 1. This burden of two lines is not found in either of the other copies [in the Roxburghe Collection, II.422 or III.288], neither is it carried on in this. 

Let all our songs of praises be 
Unto his heavenly Majesty ; 
And evermore, amongst your mirth, 
Remember Christ our Saviour's birth. 10

The five-and-twentieth of December 
Good cause have we for to remember ; 
In Bethelem, upon that morne, 
There was our blest Messias borne. 14 

The night before that happy tide, 
The spotlesse Virgin and her guide 
Went long time seeking up and downe 
To find their lodging in the towne. 18 

But marke how all things came to passe  — 
The inns and lodgings so fill'd was 
That they could have no roome at all 
But in a silly oxe his stall. 22 

This night the Virgin Mary mild 
Was safe delivered of a child, 
According unto heaven's decree, 
Man's sweet salvation for to be. 26 

Neer Bethelem did shepheards keepe 
Their herds, and flocks of feeding sheep : 
To them God's angels did appeare, 
Which put the shepheards in great fear. 30 

" Prepare and goe," the angel said, 
" To Bethelem  —be not afraid, 
There shall you find, this blessed morne, 
The princely babe, sweet Jesus, born." 34 

With thankfull heart and joyful mind, 
The shepheards went the babe to find ; 
And, as the heavenly angel told, 
They did our Saviour Christ behold. 38 

Within a manger was he laid ; 
The Virgin Mary by him staid, 
Attending on the Lord of life, 
Being both mother, maid, and wife. 42 

Three eastern wise men from afar, 
Directed by a glorious star, 
Came boldly on, and made no stay 
Untill they came where Jesus lay. 46 

And being come into the place 
Whereas the blest Messias was, 
They humbly laid before his feet 
Their gifts of gold and odours sweet. 

See, how the Lord of heaven and earth 
Shew'd himselfe lowly in his birth ! 
A sweet example for mankind 
To learn to beare an humble mind. 54

The Second part. 

To THE SAME TUNE. 

No costly robes, nor rich attire, 
Did Jesus Christ our Lord desire ; 
No musick, nor sweet harmony, 
Till glorious angels, from on hye, 58

Did in melodious manner sing 
Praises unto our heavenly King  —
" All honor, glory, might and power, 
Be unto Christ for evermore ! " 62 

If quiers of angels did rejoyce, 
Well may mankind, with heart and voyce, 
Sing praises to the God of heaven, 
That unto us his Son hath given. 66 

Moreover, let us every one 
Call unto mind and think upon 
His righteous life, and how hee dy'd 
To have poore sinners justifi'd. 70 

Suppose, O man, that thou shouldst lie 
In prison strong, condemn'd to die, 
And that no friend upon the earth 
Could ransome thee from cruel death, 74 

Except thou canst some partie find, 
That, for thy sake, will be so kind 
His owne heart's bloud for to dispense, 
And lose his life in thy defence. 78 

Such was the love of Christ, when we 
Were lost to hell perpetually ; 
To save us from the gulfe of woe 
Himselfe much paines did undergoe. 82 

While in this world he did remaine, 
He never spent an houre in vaine ; 
In fasting and in prayer divine 
He daily spent away his time. 86 

He in their temples daily taught, 
And many wonders strange he wrought ; 
He gave the blind their perfect sight, 
And made the lame to goe upright. 90 

He cur'd the lepers of their evills, 
And by his power he cast out devils ; 
He raised Lazarus from the grave, 
And to the sick their health he gave. 94 

But yet, for all these wonders wrought, 
The Jews his dire 2 destruction sought ; 
The traytor Judas was the man 
That with a kisse betray 'd him than. 98 

	Ftnt 2. "dire" in Conyer's edition, "dear" in the text.

Then was he led to judgement hall, 
Like one despis'd amongst them all, 
And had the sentence given, that he 
Should suffer death upon a tree. 102 

Unto his execution place 
They brought him on, with much disgrace ; 
With vile reproachful taunts and scorn, 
They crown'd him with a wreath of thorns. 106 

Then to the crosse, through hands and feet, 
They nayl'd our blest Redeemer sweet ; 
And further to augment his smart, 
With bloody spear they pierc'd his heart. 110 

Thus have you seene and heard aright, 
The love of Christ, the Lord of might, 
And how he shed his precious bloud 
Only to doe us sinners good : 
     And to redeeme our soules from thrall, 
     This was the Saviour of us all. 116 

FINIS.

Chappell's Note on p. 485:

The Sinner's Redemption

Three editions of this ballad on the life of Christ are included in the Roxburghe Collection. Of these the copy in Vol. I is the oldest. The second, in Vol. II, p. 422, is printed for C. Conyers in Little-Brittain, and the third, in Vol. III, p. 288, is a reprint of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

An edition printed for Clarke, Thackeray, and Passinger is included in the Pepys Collection, II. 29.

There were no other additional notes by Chappell to this version.

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