With Al The Reverens That We May

For the Feast of the Holy Innocents
See: The Hymns Of The Holy Innocents

Words Attributed to John Audelay

In die Sanctorum Innocencium.

         With al the reverens that we may,
         Worchip we Childermasday.

Crist crid in cradil, “Moder, ba, ba!”
The childer of Isral cridyn, “Wa, wa!”
Fore here merth hit was aga
When Erod fersly cowth hem fray!
         With al the reverens that we may,
         Worchip we Childermasday.

Al knavechilder with two yere
Of age in Bedlem, fere or nere,
Thai chedyn here blod with swerd and spere —
Alas, ther was a rewful aray!
         With al the reverens that we may,
         Worchip we Childermasday.

An hunderd and fourté thousand ther were;
Crist ham cristynd, al in fere,
In eor blod, and were martere,
Al clene vergyns — hit is no nay!
         With al the reverens that we may,
         Worchip we Childermasday.

The crisum-childer to Crist con cry:
“We beth slayne fore gret envy!
Lord, venge our blod fore thi mercy,
And take our soulis to thee, we pray!”
         With al the reverens that we may,
         Worchip we Childermasday.

An hevenlé voys answerd agayn:
“Abyd awyle, and sofer your payn
Hent the nowmbir be eslayn
Of your breder, as I you say.”
         With al the reverens that we may,
         Worchip we Childermasday.

Fore ye han sofird marterdom
For Cristis sake, al and sum,
He wil youe crowne in his kyngdam,
And folou the Lomb in joy for ay.
         With al the reverens that we may,
         Worchip we Childermasday.

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