To Christ's Own Darling

To Christ's Own Darling

For St. John the Evangelist

Words: English Traditional from the Hill Ms., Balliol College MS. 354

Music: Not Stated

Source: Mary Gertrude Segar, ed., A Mediaeval Anthology. (London, NY: Longmans, Green, 1915), Carol #LI, p. 103.

Pray for us to the Prince of Peace,
Amice Christi Johannes.

1. To Christ's own darling,
The which was maid both old and young,
My heart is set a song to sing:
    Amice Christi Johannes.

2. For he was so clean a maid
On Christ's breast asleep he laid,
Prophets of Heaven to him said :
    Amice Christi Johannes.

3. When Christ before Pilate was brought
This clean maid forsook Him nought!
To die with Him was all his thought :
    Amice Christi Johannes.

4. Christ's mother was him¹ betake,²
A maid to be another's make³
Pray we to him that he us not forsake,
    Amice Christi Johannes.

Footnotes from Seger.

1. Him is here dative—to him. Return

2. betake, betaken, i.e. entrusted. Return

3. make, companion. Return

Editor's Note

The feast day of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist, occurs on December 27, within the traditional 12 days of Christmas. For more information, see Hymns To St. John The Evangelist.

This remarkable carol occurs in at least six manuscripts, among the largest number of manuscripts that any carol is represented in. This version, of course, is from the Richard Hill Common-place Book, Balliol Ms. 354. The full list of manuscripts, according to DIMEV, To thee now Christs dear darling, plus versions found on this website, is:

1. Oxford, Bodleian Library Eng. poet. e.1 (SC 29734), f. 40

Wright, Thomas, ed. Songs and Carols from a manuscript…of the Fifteenth Century. Percy Society 23. (London: Richards, 1847), To the now, Crystys der derlyng, p. 60.

2. Oxford, Balliol College Ms. 354

Ewald Flügel, “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), To Ye Now Crystes Own Derlyng, p. 237.
Mary Gertrude Segar, ed., A Mediaeval Anthology. (London, NY: Longmans, Green, 1915), To Christ's Own Darling, p. 103.
Edith Rickert, ed., Ancient English Christmas Carols. (London: Chatto & Windus, 1910), To Thee Now, Christ's Dear Darling, p. 126.
Jessie L. Weston, ed., Old English Carols from the Hill MS., Balliol College MS. 354. Translated by Jessie L. Weston. (London: David Nutt, 1911), Carol # XXIII, To Thee Who Wast Christ's Own Darling, p. 42.

3. Cambridge UK, Trinity College O.3.58 (1230)

Fuller-Maitland, John Alexander, and William Smyth Rockstro. English Carols of the Fifteenth Century. (London: Leadenhall Press; New York: Scribner’s, 1891), To The Now Cristis Dere Derlyng, pp. 24-25, and To Thee Now, Christës Dear Darling, pp. 52-53.

4. London, British Library Addit. 5665, ff. 37v-38

Bernhard Fehr, “Die Lieder der Hs. Add. 5665 (Ritson’s Folio-MS).” Archiv für das Studium der neueren Sprachen und Literaturen 106 (1901), To The Now Cristes Derlyng, p. 273. Also found in Roman Dyboski, ed. Songs, Carols and Other Miscellaneous Poems from the Balliol MS. 354, Richard Hill’s Commonplace Book. Early English Text Society Extra Series No. CI (London: Published for the Early English Text Society by Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co., Ltd., 1907, issued in 1908), p. 172.

5. London, British Library Addit. 5665, ff. 48v-49

Bernhard Fehr, “Die Lieder der Hs. Add. 5665 (Ritson’s Folio-MS).” Archiv für das Studium der neueren Sprachen und Literaturen 106 (1901), To The Now Cristes Derlyng, p. 273, note. Also found in Roman Dyboski, ed. Songs, Carols and Other Miscellaneous Poems from the Balliol MS. 354, Richard Hill’s Commonplace Book. Early English Text Society Extra Series No. CI (London: Published for the Early English Text Society by Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co., Ltd., 1907, issued in 1908), p. 172.

6. London, British Library Harley 4294, f. 81v1

Greene, Richard Leighton. The Early English Carols. (Oxford: Clarendon, 1935; 2nd ed., rev., Oxford: Clarendon, 1977), pp. 66-7; 1977, 56, with five stanzas, together with versions from other manuscripts.

There are additional versions from these manuscripts in volumes that are under copyright.

If you would like to help support Hymns and Carols of Christmas, please click on the button below and make a donation.

Related Hymns and Carols