How warm and hearty is their feeling for the Child:-- "Du herzliabste Muater, gib Acht auf does Kind, Es is ja gar frostig, thuas einfatschen gschwind. Und du alter Voda, decks Kindlein schen zua, Sonst hats von der Koelden und Winden kan Ruah. Hiazt nemen mir Urlaub, o gettliches Kind, Thua unser gedenken, verzeich unser Suend. Es freut uns von Herzen dass d'ankomen bist; Es haett uns ja niemand zu helfen gewist."[21]{24} And what fatherly affection is here:-- "Das Kind is in der Krippen gloegn, So herzig und so rar! Mei klaner Hansl war nix dgoegn, Wenn a glei schener war. Kolschwarz wie d'Kirchen d'Augen sein, Sunst aber kreidenweiss; Die Haend so huebsch recht zart und fein, I hans angruert mit Fleiss. Aft hats auf mi an Schmutza gmacht, An Hoescheza darzue; O warst du mein, hoan i gedacht, Werst wol a munter Bue. Dahoam in meiner Kachelstub Liess i brav hoazen ein, Do in den Stal kimt ueberal Der kalte Wind herein."[22]{25} |47| We have been following on German ground a mediaeval tradition that has continued unbroken down to modern days; but we must now take a leap backward in time, and consider the beginnings of the Christmas carol in England. Not till the fifteenth century is there any outburst of Christmas poetry in English, though other forms of religious lyrics were produced in considerable numbers in the thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries. When the carols come at last, they appear in the least likely of all places, at the end of a versifying of the whole duty of man, by John Awdlay, a blind chaplain of Haghmon, in Shropshire. In red letters he writes:-- "I pray you, sirus, boothe moore and lase, Sing these caroles in Cristemas," and then follows a collection of twenty-five songs, some of which are genuine Christmas carols, as one now understands the word.{26}