The Hymns and Carols of Christmas

In To This World This Day Dide Com

For Christmas

Words: English Traditional from the Hill Ms., Balliol College MS. 354
Compare: Into This World, This Day Did Come (Rickert)
Into The World This Day Did Come (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), #C, pp. 260-261.

[213 b; 229 b]

I pray you be mery & synge with me,
In worship of Cristys nativite!

1] In to this world this day dide com,
Ihesu Criste bothe god & man,
lorde & seruant in on person,
born of ye blessid virgyn mary!
                                        pray &c.

2] He yat was riche, withowt any nede,
appered in this world in right pore wede,
to mak vs, yat were pore in dede,
Riche with owt any nede trewly!
                                        pray &c.

3] A stabill was his chambre a crach was his bed,
he had not a pylow to lay vnder his hed,
with maydyns mylk yat babe was ffedde,
In pore cloyis was lappid ye lord almyghty !
                                        pray &c.

4] A noble lesson here is vs tawght,
to set all worldly Riches at nawght!
but pray we yat we may be theder browght,
wher Riches ys everlastyngly!
                                        pray &c.

Editor's Note:

See also 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. 38. Over 103 songs of great variety, including 62 "sacred songs and carols." Available at Internet Archive and Google Books.

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