¶ The Shepherds.
O heavenly noise and pleasant sight
O tidings full of all solace,
To glorify God it •s right
From whom alone proceedeth all grace.
The Ang•lles are now from us gone
Into heaven are they ascended,1
Through their tidings is all moan
Utterly from us excluded,
Uvhat than doth there yet now remain
But that to Bethlehem we make haste,
And with our eyes see the tidings certain
which God hath showed us at the last.
Much are we bound undoubtedly
To this our lord omnipotent
Which of his great grace and mercy
Hath these tidings unto us sent,
Greatly also before all other
Are we sheph rdes poor and miserable.
Bound to this our lord and master
For these news sweet and confor•able,
He hath not opened them to ••nges
To Bishops, to Priests, to Lawyers,
Nor yet to covetous worldlings2
But to us simple and poor misers,
To us to us which are counted
Very slaves before the worlds sight,
Are these joyful news opened
To confound the wicked worldlings might,
The wicked worldlings cannot abide
This our, new king the lord Jesus,
⟨image 28⟩For they reject and ••st a side
Both him and his word as venomous.
Herod will persecute doubtless
Christ our king with great violence,3
The Bishops, the Priests, the Pharisees,
will surely commit no less offence.
The poor in spirit are fit only
To receive Christ and his preaching,
The wise worldlings count it folly
Any such news abroad to bring.4
In worldly goods is their delight
Gorgeous houses are their pleasance
Sumptuously before mens sight
To be decked is their pastaunce
Delicately also to fare
Is all their whole delectation.
And on the world to caste their care5
Is their whole study and intention.
These wicked worldlings therefore
And belly Gods voluptuous.
Cannot away with Christs lore6
Although never so bounteous
For this cause hath our lord God sent
To us shepherds simple and rustical,
These news so good so excellent.
Which shall bring great joy over all.7
Let us therefore without •aryaunce
Go and visit this our new king
That we may enjoy that pleasant
which the Angel to us did bring.
Let us all with humble reverence
Go unto our true Messiah,
Beholding his royal presence
Although in a vile and homely place.
And though we have no worldly treasure
To offer to this our new king,
⟨image 29⟩Yet let us bring hearts meek and pure
which shall be to him well pleasing.
¶ The Shepherdes.
O heauenly noyse and plesaunte syght
O tydynges full of all solace,
To gloryfie God it •s ryght
From whom alone procedeth all grace.
The Ang•lles are nowe from vs gone
Into heauen are they ascended,1
Thorowe theyr tydynges is all mone
Utterly from vs excluded,
Uvhat than doth there yet nowe remayne
But that to Bethlem we make haste,
Aud with our eyes se the tydynges certayne
whiche God hath shewed vs at the laste.
Moche are we bounde vndoubtedly
To this our lorde omnipotent
Whiche of his great grace and mercy
Hath these tydynges vnto vs sent,
Greatly also before all other
Are we sheph rdes poore and myserable.
Bounde to this our lorde and maist•r
For these newes swete and confor•able,
He hath not openned them to ••nges
To Byshoppes, to Priestes, to Lawers,
Nor yet to couetous worldlynges2
But to vs symple and poore mysers,
To vs to vs whiche are counted
Uery slaues before the worldes syght,
Are these ioyfull newes openned
To confoōde the wycked worldlynges myght,
The wycked worldlynges cannot abyde
This our, newe kynge the lorde Ihesus,
⟨image 28⟩For they reiect and ••st a syde
Both hym and his worde as venomous.
Herode wyll persecute doubtles
Christe our kynge with great violence,3
The Byshoppes, the Priestes, the Pharises,
wyll surely commytte no lesse offence.
The poore in spirite are fytte onely
To receyue Christe and his preachyng,
The wyse worldlynges counte it foly
Ony suche newes abrode to brynge.4
In worldly goodes is theyr delyght
Gorgious howses are theyr plesaunce
Sumptuousl• before mennes syght
To be decked is theyr pastaunce
Delicately also to fare
Is all theyr whole delectacion.
And on the worlde to caste theyr care5
Is theyr whole studye and intencion.
These wycked worldlynges therfore
And belly Gods voluptuous.
Cannot awaye with Christes lore6
- 1Luc, ii.
- 2Math. xi. Esa. xxix. i, Cor, i, Jac. ii,Math. xi. Esa. xxix. i, Cor, i, Iac. ii,
- 3Math. ii John̄. xi. Act. iiii.Math. ii Iohn̄. xi. Act. iiii.
- 4Math, v. Math, xi.
- 5Luc, xvi
- 6John̄. vii.Iohn̄. vii.
- 7Luc. ii.
