This Babe To Vs Now Is Born

This Babe To Vs Now Is Born

For Christmas

Words: English Traditional from Balliol College MS. 354, The Richard Hill Common-place Book.

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), #XCI, pp. 254-255.

Now syng we right as it is
quod puer natus est nobis!

1] This babe to vs now is born,
wonderfull¹ Werkes he hath wrowght,
he wold not lesse that was forlorn,
But agayn he hath vs bowght
And thus it is | ffor soth ywys
He asketh no thyng | but yat is his!

2] A dulfull deth to hym was mente,
whan on ye rode his body was spred,
& as a theff he was ther hente,
and on a spere his liff was lede!
And thus it is, | ffor soth ywis,
He asketh no thynge, | but yat is his.

3] Man why art thow vnkynd to me,
What woldest thow I did for ye more?
Geve me thy trew harte, I pray the,
yff thow be dampned it Ruthe me sore.
And thus it is, | ffor sothe ywis,
He asketh no thyng, | but yat is his.

4] Man I love the! whom loveste thowe?²
I pray the torne to me agayn
& thow shalt be as welcom nowe
as he that never in syn was seyn
And thus it is | ffor soth ywys
He asketh no thynge, | but yat is his!

Flügel's Footnotes:

1. Verse 1, Line 2. Ms.: worderfull. Return

2. Verse 4, Line 1 Vgl. das liebeslied I love loved and whom love ye? Return

Editor's Note.

This carol is found in two manuscripts. Versions of this carol from these two manuscripts on this website include:

I. Balliol Ms. 354, the Richard Hill Commonplace Book

Now Sing We Right As It Is (Chambers and Sidgwick, 1907)
Now Unto Us A Babe Is Born (Weston, 1911)
This Babe To Us Now Is Born (Segar, 1915)
This Babe To Vs Now Is Born (Flügel, 1903)

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

Now may we syngyn as it is (Fuller Maitland, 1891, 15th Century text), with sheet music
Now May We Singen As It Is (Fuller Maitland, 1891), Trinity College, Modern text with sheet music.
Now May We Singen As It Is (R. R. Terry, 1932), with sheet music.
This Babe To Us That Now Is Born (Rickert, 1914)

And see also John Stevens, ed. Mediaeval Carols. Musica Britannica 4. (London: Stainer and Bell, 1952, 2nd ed. 1958), p. 4.

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