15th Cent.
25 May in the Green-Wood
IN somer when the shawes be sheyne,1
And leves be large and long,
Hit is full merry in feyre foreste
To here the foulys song.
To se the dere draw to the dale
And leve the hilles hee,
And shadow him in the leves grene
Under the green-wode tree.
Hit befell on Whitsontide
Early in a May mornyng,
The Sonne up faire can shyne,
And the briddis mery can syng.
‘This is a mery mornyng,’ said Litulle Johne,
‘Be Hym that dyed on tre;
A more mery man than I am one
Lyves not in Christiantàe.
‘Pluk up thi hert, my dere mayster,’
Litulle Johne can say,
‘And thynk hit is a fulle fayre tyme
In a mornynge of May.’
26 Carol
15th Cent.
I SING of a maiden
That is makeles;1
King of all kings
To her son she ches.2
He came al so still
There his mother was,
As dew in April
That falleth on the grass.
He came al so still
To his mother’s bour,
As dew in April
That falleth on the flour.
He came al so still
There his mother lay,
As dew in April
That falleth on the spray.
Mother and maiden
Was never none but she;
Well may such a lady
Goddes mother be.
27 Towneley Plays. The Shepherds’ Play, II.
Primus Pastor
Haylle, comly and clene! Haylle, yong child!
Haylle, maker, as I meyne, of a madn so mylde!
Thou has waryd,1 I weyne the warlo2 so wylde;
The fals gyler of teyn, now goys he begylde.
Lo, he merys;
Lo, he laghys, my swetyng,
A wel fare metyng,
I have holden my hetyng;3
Have a bob of cherys.
Secundus Pastor
Haylle, sufferan savyoure! for thou has us soght;
Haylle, frely foyde4 and floure that all thyng has wroght!
Haylle, full of favoure that made all of noght!
Haylle! I kneyll and I cowre. A byrd haue I broght
To my barne.
Haylle, lytylle tyné mop!5
Of oure crede thou art crop;
I wold drynk on thy cop,
Lytyll day starne.
Tertius Pastor
Haylle, derlyng dere, full of godhede!
I pray the be nere when that I have nede.
Haylle! swete is thy chere! my hert wold blede
To se the sytt here in so poore wede,
With no pennys.
Haylle! put furth thy dalle!6
I bryng the bot a balle:
Have and play the with-alle,
And go to the tenys.
28 The Knight of the Grail
Early 16th Cent.