The Hymns and Carols of Christmas

Into This World, This Day Did Come

Words: English Traditional, Before 1536, from the Hill Ms., Balliol Ms. 354
Compare: Into The World This Day Did Come (Weston)
In To This World This Day Dide Com (Flügel)

Source: Edith Rickert, Ancient English Christmas Carols: 1400-1700 (London: Chatto & Windus, 1914), p. 189.

I pray you, be merry and sing with me
In worship of Christ's Nativity

1. Into this world, this day did come
Jesu Christ, both God and man,
Lord and Servant in one person,
    Born of the blessed virgin Mary.
        I pray you, be merry and sing with me
        In worship of Christ's Nativity.

2. He that was rich, without any need,
Appeared in this world in right poor weed,
To make us that were poor indeed,
    Rich without any need, truly.
        I pray you, be merry and sing with me
        In worship of Christ's Nativity.

3. A stable was His chamber; a cratch1 was His bed;
He had not a pillow to lay under His head
With maiden's milk that babe was fed,
    In poor clothes was lapped the Lord Almighty.
        I pray you, be merry and sing with me
        In worship of Christ's Nativity.

4. A noble lesson here is us taught,
To set all worldly riches at naught,
But pray we that we may be thither brought,
    Where riches is everlastingly.
        I pray you, be merry and sing with me
        In worship of Christ's Nativity.

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