Ther ys a blossum sprong of A thorn

For Christmas

Words: English Traditional from the Richard Hill Common-place Book, Balliol Ms. 354.
Compare: There Sprang A Flower From Out A Thorn (Weston)
Contrast: There Is A Flower Sprung From A Tree (Weston)

Music: Not Stated

Source: Ewald Flügel, ed., “Liedersammlungen des XVI Jahrhunderts, Besonders Aus Der Zeit Heinrichs VIII. III. 6. Die lieder des Balliol Ms. 354,” in Eugen Einenkel, ed., Anglia - Zeitschrift für englische Philologie enthaltend Beitrage zur Geschlicht der englischen Sprache und Literatur. Band XXVI. (Halle: Max Niemeyer, 1903), #LXXVI, pp. 236-240.

Alleluya, Alleluia,
Deo patri sit gloria!

1] Ther ys a blossum sprong of A thorn,
to saue mankynd yat was forlorne,
As the profettes sayd be forne!
        Deo patri sit gloria!

2] Yer sprong A well At maris fote,
that torned all yis world to böte,
of her toke Ihesu flesshe & blöde.
        Deo patri sit gloria!

3] ffrow yat well yer strake A strem,
owt of egipt in to bedlem,
god thorowgh his highnes turned yt a gayn.
        Deo patri sit gloria!

4] yer was iij kynges of Dyuers londes
They thowght a thowght yat was strong,
Hym to seke & thanke A mong!
        Deo patri sit gloria!.

5] They cam richely with yer presens,
with gold myr[r|e & frankynsens,
As c[l]erkys rede in yer sequens.
        Deo patri sit gloria!

6] The eldest kyng of them thre,
He wente formost for he wold se,
what domys man yat this shuld be.
        Deo patri sit gloria!

7] The medylmest kyng vp he rose,
He sawe a babe in armys close,
In medyll age he thowght he was.
        Deo patri sit gloria!

8] The yongest kyng vp he stode,
He made his offeryng rych & gude,
To Ihesu cryst that shede his blode,
        Deo patri sit gloria!

9] yer shon A star owt of hevyn bryght,
that men of erth shuld deme A right,
yat this was Ihesu full of myght.
        Deo patri sit gloria!

Note: In many cases, the "y" character was printed instead of the Thorne (þ) character. "yat" thus should be "þat," which we would transliterate as "that."

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