107 The Three Kings
I
Now is Christëmas y-come,
Father and Son together in one,
Holy Ghost us be on
In fere-a626;
God send us a good New Year-a!
II
I would you sing, for and I might,
Of a Child is fair in sight;
His mother him bare this endris627 night
So still-a,
And as it was his will-a.
III
There came three Kings from Galilee
Into Bethlehem, that fair citie,
To seek to Him that e’er should be
By right-a
Lord and king and knight-a.
IV
As they came forth with their off’ring,
They met with Herod that moody king;
He askèd them of their coming
This tide-a,
And this to them he said-a.
V
‘Of whence be ye, you Kingès three?’—
‘Of the East, as you may see,
To seek to Him that should ever be
By right-a
Lord and king and knight-a.’—
VI
‘When you at this Child have been,
Come you home this way again;
Tell me the sight that you have seen;
I pray-a,
Go you none other way-a.’
VII
They took their leave both old and ying628
Then of Herod that moody king;
They went forth with their offering
By light-a
Of the star that shone so bright-a.
VIII
Till they came into the place
Where Jesu and his mother was;
Offer’d they up with great solace
In fere-a
Gold, incense and myrrh-a.
IX
When they had their offering made
As the Holy Ghost them bade,
Then they were both merry and glad
And light-a;
It was a good fair sight-a.
X
Anon, as on their way they went,
The Father of heaven an angel sent
To these three kings that made present
This tide-a,
And this to them he said-a:—
XI
‘My Lord hath warn’d you every one
By Herod king you go not home,
For an you do he will you slone629
And ’stroy-a,
And hurt you wonderly-a.’
XII
So forth they went another way
Through the might of God his lay630,
As the angel to them did say,
Full right-a;
It was a good fair sight-a.
XIII
When they came home to their countrie,
Glad and blithe they were all three
Of the sight that they had see;
By dene-a631
The company was clean-a.
XIV
Kneel we now here a-down;
Pray we in good devotion
To the King of great renown,
Of grace-a
In heaven to have a place-a.
Footnotes
626 In fere = in company.
627 endris = last.
628 ying = young.
629 slone = slay.
630 lay = law.
631 By dene = at once, or all together.