THE CARNAL AND THE CRANE.

As I pa.s.s'd by a riverside, And there as I did reign,[M]

In argument I chanced to hear A Carnal[N] and a Crane.

The Carnal said unto the Crane, If all the world should turn, Before we had the Father, But now we have the Son!

From whence does the Son come?

From where and from what place?

He said, In a manger, Between an ox and a.s.s!

I pray thee, said the Carnal, Tell me before thou go, Was not the mother of Jesus Conceived by the Holy Ghost?

She was the purest Virgin, And the cleanest from sin; She was the handmaid of our Lord, And mother of our King.

Where is the golden cradle That Christ was rocked in?

Where are the silken sheets That Jesus was wrapt in?

A manger was the cradle That Christ was rocked in; The provender the a.s.ses left So sweetly He slept on.

There was a star in the West-land, So bright did it appear Into King Herod's chamber, And where King Herod were.

The Wise Men soon espied it, And told the king on high, A princely babe was born that night No king could e'er destroy.

If this be true, King Herod said, As thou tellest unto me, This roasted c.o.c.k that lies in the dish Shall crow full fences[O] three.

The c.o.c.k soon freshly feathered was By the work of G.o.d's own hand, And then three fences crowed he In the dish where he did stand.

Rise up, rise up, you merry men all, See that you ready be, All children under two years old Now slain they all shall be.

Then Jesus, ah! and Joseph, And Mary that was so pure, They travelled into Egypt, As you shall find it sure.

And when they came to Egypt's land, Amongst those fierce wild beasts, Mary, she being weary, Must needs sit down to rest.

Come sit thee down, says Jesus, Come sit thee down by me, And thou shalt see how these wild beasts Do come and worship me.

First came the lovely lion, Which Jesu's grace did spring, And of the wild beasts in the field, The lion shall be the king.

We'll choose our virtuous princes, Of birth and high degree, In every sundry nation, Where'er we come and see.

Then Jesus, ah! and Joseph, And Mary, that was unknown, They travelled by a husbandman, Just while his seed was sown.

G.o.d speed thee, man! said Jesus, Go fetch thy ox and wain, And carry home thy corn again Which thou this day hast sown.

The husbandman fell on his knees, Even before his face; Long time hast Thou been looked for, But now Thou art come at last.

And I myself do now believe Thy name is Jesus called; Redeemer of mankind Thou art, Though undeserving all.

The truth, man, thou hast spoken, Of it thou may'st be sure, For I must lose my precious blood For thee and thousands more.

If any one should come this way, And inquire for me alone, Tell them that Jesus pa.s.sed by, As thou thy seed did sow.

After that there came King Herod, With his train so furiously, Inquiring of the husbandman, Whether Jesus pa.s.sed by.

Why, the truth it must be spoke, And the truth it must be known, For Jesus pa.s.sed by this way When my seed was sown.

But now I have it reapen, And some laid on my wain, Ready to fetch and carry Into my barn again.

Turn back, says the captain, Your labor and mine's in vain, It's full three-quarters of a year Since he his seed sown.

So Herod was deceived By the work of G.o.d's own hand, And further he proceeded Into the Holy Land.

There's thousands of children young, Which for His sake did die; Do not forbid those little ones, And do not them deny.

The truth now I have spoken, And the truth now I have shown, Even the blessed Virgin, She's now brought forth a Son.

FOOTNOTES:

[M] Run.

[N] Crow.

[O] Rounds.

THE HOLY WELL.

As it fell out one May morning, And upon one bright holiday, Sweet Jesus asked of His dear mother, If He might go to play.

To play, to play, sweet Jesus shall go, And to play pray get you gone; And let me hear of no complaint At night when you come home.

Sweet Jesus went down to yonder town As far as the Holy Well, And there did see as fine children As any tongue can tell.

He said, G.o.d bless you every one, And your bodies Christ save and see: Little children, shall I play with you, And you shall play with me?

But they made answer to Him, No: They were lords' and ladies' sons; And He, the meanest of them all, Was but a maiden's child, born in an ox's stall.

Sweet Jesus turned Him around, And He neither laughed nor smiled, But the tears came trickling from His eyes Like water from the skies.

Sweet Jesus turned Him about, To His mother's dear home went He, And said, I have been in yonder town, As far as you can see.

I have been down in yonder town As far as the Holy Well, There did I meet as fine children As any tongue can tell.