Cantata

This ae nighte, this ae nighte,
Every nighte and alle,
Fire and sleete and candle-lighte,
And Christe receive thy saule.

When thou from hence away are past,
Every nighte and alle,
To Whinnymuir thou com'st at last;
And Christe receive thy saule.

 ... 

The maidens came when I was in my mother's bow'r;
I had all that I would.
The bailey beareth the bell away;
The lily, the rose, the rose I lay.

The silver is white, red is the gold;
The robes they lay in fold.
The bailey beareth the bell away;
The lily, the rose, the rose I lay.

And through the glass window shines the sun.
How should I love, and I so young?
The bailey beareth the bell away;
The lily, the rose, the rose I lay.

For to report it were now tedius:
We will therfor now sing no more
Of the games joyus.
Right mighty and famus
Elizabeth, our quen princis,
Prepotent and eke victorius,
Vertuos and bening,
Lett us pray all
To Christ Eternall,
Which is the hevenly King,
After ther liff grant them
A place eternally to sing. Amen.

 ... 

If ever thou gav'st hos'n and shoon,
Every nighte and alle,
Sit thee down and put them on;
And Christe receive thy saule.

If hos'n and shoon thou ne'er gav'st nane,
Every nighte and alle,
The winnies shall prick thee to the bare bane;
And Christe receive thy saule.

 ... 

Tomorrow shall be my dancing day,
I would my true love did so chance
to see the legend of my play.

Ritornello
 To call my true love to my dance,

Cantus Cancrizans
 Sing, oh, my love, my love, my love,
 This have I done for my true love.
 Then was I born of a Virgin pure,
 of her I took fleshly substance;
 Thus was I knit to man's nature,

Ritornello
 To call my true love to my dance,

Cantus Cancrizans
 Sing, oh, my love, my love, my love,
 This have I done for my true love.

Canon
 In a manger laid and wrapp'd I was,
 So very poor, this was my chance,
 Betwixt an ox and a silly poor ass,

Ritornello
 To call my true love to my dance.

Canon
 Then afterwards baptiz'd I was,
 The Holy Ghost on me did glance,
 My father's voice heard from above,

Ritornello
 To call my true love to my dance.

Canon
 Into the desert I was led,
 Where I fasted without substance;
 The Devil bade me make stones my bread,

Ritornello
 To have me break my true love's dance.

Canon
 The Jews on me they made great suit,
 And with me made great variance;
 Because they lov'd darkness rather than light,

Ritornello
 To call my true love to my dance.

Canon
 For thirty pence Judas me sold,
 His covetousness for to advance;
 Mark whom I kiss, the same do hold,

Ritornello
 The same is he shall lead the dance.

Canon
 Before Pilate the Jews me brought,
 Where Barabbas had deliverance,
 They scourg'd me and set me at nought,

Ritornello
 Judg'd me to die to lead the dance.

Canon
 Then on the cross hang'd I was,
 Where a spear to my heart did glance,
 There issu'd forth both water and blood,

Ritornello
 To call my true love to my dance.

Canon
 Then down to Hell I took my way
 For my true love's deliverance,
 And rose again on the third day

Ritornello
 Up to my true love and the dance.

Canon
 Then up to Heaven I did ascend,
 Where now I dwell in sure substance,
 On the right hand of God,
 that man

Ritornello
 May come unto the gen'ral dance.

 ... 

From Whinnymuir when thou may'st pass,
Every nighte and alle,
To Brig o' Dread thou com'st at last;
And Christe receive thy saule.

From Brig o' Dread when thou may'st pass,
Every nighte and alle,
To Purgatory fire thou com'st at last;
And Christe receive thy saule.

 ... 

Westron wind, when wilt thou blow
The small rain down can rain.
Christ, if my love were in my arms,
And I in my bed again.

 ... 

If ever thou gav'st meat or drink,
Every nighte and alle,
The fire shall never make thee shrink;
And Christe receive thy saule.

If meat or drink thou ne'er gav'st nane,
Every nighte and alle,
The fire will burn thee to the bare bane;
And Christe receive thy saule.

This ae nighte, this ae nighte,
Every nighte and alle,
Fire and sleete and candle-lighte,
And Christe receive thy saule.