Two Anonymous 17th Century Lyrics

Whilst we sing the doleful knell
Of this princess' passing-bell,
Let the woods and valleys ring
Echoes to our sorrowing;
And the tenor of their song
Be ding dong, ding dong, dong,
              Ding dong, dong,
                    Ding dong. 


Nature now shall boast no more
Of the riches of her store,
Since in this her chiefest prize,
All the stock of beauty dies;
Then, what cruel heart can long
For-bear to sing this sad ding dong? 
               This sad ding dong,
                        Ding dong. 


Fauns and sylvans of the woods,
Nymphs that haunt the crystal floods,
Savage beasts more milder then
The unrelenting hearts of men,
Be partakers of our moan,
And with us sing ding dong, ding dong,
                 Ding dong, dong,
                       Ding dong.

'Tis Christmas now! 'Tis Christmas now!
When Cato's self would laugh,
And smoothing forth his wrinked brow,
Give liberty to quaff,
To dance and sing, to sport and play,
For every hour's a holiday.

And for the twelve days, let them pass
In mirth and jollity:
The time doth call each lad and lass,
That will be blythe and free,
To dance and sing, to sport and play,
For every hour's a holiday.

And from the rising of the sun
To the setting, cast off cares;
'Tis time enough when twelve is done.
To think of our affairs,
To dance and sing, to sport and play,
For every hour's a holiday.