Welcome be ye, Candlemas, Welcome be ye, Queen of bliss, Welcome both to more or less, _Welcome Yule._ Welcome be ye that are here; Welcome all and make good cheer; Welcome all, another year, _Welcome Yule._ 2. I SING OF A MAIDEN I sing of a maiden That is makeless;[1] King of all kingës To her son she ches;[2] He came also[3] still There his mother was, As dew in April That falleth on the grass. He came also still To his mother’s bower, As dew in April That falleth on the flower. He came also 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. [1] Matchless. [2] Chose. [3] As. 3. AS JOSEPH WAS A-WALKING As Joseph was a-walking He heard an angel sing:— ‘This night shall be born Our heavenly King; ‘He neither shall be born In housen nor in hall, Nor in the place of Paradise, But in an ox’s stall; ‘He neither shall be clothed In purple nor in pall, But all in fair linen As were babies all. ‘He neither shall be rocked In silver nor in gold, But in a wooden cradle That rocks on the mould. ‘He neither shall be christened In white wine or red, But with fair spring water With which we were christened.’ 4. NOW IS CHRISTËMAS YCOME Now is Christëmas ycome, Father and Son together in one, Holy Ghost as ye be one In fere, God send us a good new year. I would you sing and I might Of a Child is fair in sight, His mother him bare this endris[4] night So still, And as it was his will. There came three kings fro Galilee Into Bethlem, that fair citee, To seek him that should ever be By right, Lord and king and knight. As they came forth with their off’ring, They met with Herod, that moody king, This tide, And this to them he said, ‘Of whence be ye, you kingës three?’ ‘Of the East, as ye may see, To seek him that should ever be By right, Lord and king and knight.’ ‘When you at this child have be Come home again by me, Tell me the sights that you have see, I pray, Go you no nother way.’ They took their leave both old and ying[5] Of Herod, that moody king: They went forth with their offering By night, By the star that shone so bright, Till they came in to the place Where Jesu and his mother was; Offered they up with great solace In fere, Gold and ’cense and myrrh.