Cindy Wilson
Medieval Lyric & Ballad
Dec. 14, 2003
Persons of the Medieval times were extremely religious and many spent their days in sacred time with God rather than in the secular. We can see some of this subjectivity in the music of their time.
The original text of the Corpus Christi Carol is often included in ballad anthologies. The carol is about Mary mourning for Jesus as a knight fatally wounded in battle. This version of the carol is son by Jeff Buckley on his album Grace. The words date from the 15th century and are written in Middle English, the same dialect used by Chaucer. Later, the carol evolved into tits 19th century relative, the more overtly religious Down in Yon Forest. The Feast of Corpus Christi is celebrated on the Thursday after Whitsun (Pentecost).

Corpus Christi Carol
(sung by Jeff Buckley)

Lully, lullay, lully lullay
The faucon hath born my make away

He bare him up, he bare him down
He bare him into an orchard brown

In that orchard there was an halle
That was hanged with purpill and pall

And in that hall there was a bede
That was hanged with gold so rede

And in that bed there lithe a knight
His woundes bleding day and night

By that bede side kneeleth a may
And she wepeth both night and day

By that bede side there stondeth a ston
Corpus Christi wretyn thereon

A love song to the Holy Mother is Ave Maria, here it is in Latin, and performed by Harry Connick Jr.

AVE MARIA (by Harry Connick, Jr)

Ave Maria gratia plena
Maria gratia plena
Maria gratia plena
Ave, Ave! Dominus, dominus tecum

Benedicta tu in mulierbus
Et benedicta
Et benedicta fructus ventris
Ventris tui Jesus

Ave Maria!

There are only a handful of ballads whose stories relate to Christian tradition or are drawn from the Bible. Heterodox apocryphal legends circulated widely in the Middle Ages and are the source of all religious ballads, notable “Judas,” “The Cherry-Tree Carol,” and “The Bitter Withy.”
Folk hymns don’t always reflect the views of the vicarage. Since the Middle Ages poor people have interpreted the Gospel legends and characters to suit themselves. In the Cherry Tree Carol, Joseph is a grumpy peasant suspecting that he has been cuckolded (he says to Mary: ‘Let him gather thee cherries that put thee with child’

Cherry Tree Carol (sung by Peter, Paul and Mary)

When Joseph was an old man, an old man was he
He married Virgin Mary, the Queen of Galilee
He married Virgin Mary, the Queen of Galilee

And one day as they went walking, all in the garden green
There were berries and cherries as thick as may be seen
There were berries and cherries as thick as may be seen

Then Mary said to Joseph, so meek and so mild
"Joseph, gather me some cherries for I am with child"
"Joseph, gather me some cherries for I am with child"

The Joseph flew in anger, in anger flew he
"Let the father of the baby gather cherries for thee
Let the father of the baby gather cherries for thee"

Then up spoke baby Jesus, from out Mary's womb
"Bow down ye tallest tree that my mother might have some
Bow down ye tallest tree that my mother might have some"

So bent down the tallest tree to touch Mary's hand
Said she, "Oh look now Joseph, I have cherries at command"
Said she, "Oh look now Joseph, I have cherries at command"

When Joseph was an old man, an old man was he
He married Virgin Mary, the Queen of Galilee
He married Virgin Mary, the Queen of Galilee

The Judas ballad dates back as far as the 13th Century and there is some speculation that it could be the very first ballad. The ballad is an interesting tale of Judas selling Christ and being robbed in turn by his own sister. This is one of the few members of the Child collection whose inclusion is a subject of debate. The debate centers, however, on the question of whether it was ever a song in the oral tradition or whether it was purely a literary creation. It is certainly an early exemplar of ballad style (though the meter is sometimes uneven).

JUDAS

It was upon a Holy Thursday that our Lord arose;
Full mild were the words he spoke to Judas:
"Judas, thou must go to Jerusalem to buy (our) food;
Thirty pieces of silver thou bearest upon thy back;
"Thou goest far in the broad street, far in the broad street;
Some of thy kinsmen there thou mightest meet."
He met his sister, that wicked woman.
"Judas, thou wert worth that people stoned thee with stones.
"Judas, thou wert worth people stoned thee with stones,
For the false prophet that thou believest on."
"Be still, dear sister, may thy heart burst!
If my Lord Christ knew it, full well would he be avenged."
"Judas, go thou on the rock, high upon the stone,
Lay thy head in my lap, go thou to sleep."
As soon as Judas had awaken from sleep,
Thirty pieces of silver had been taken from him.
He pulled out his hair so that (his head) was bathed in blood.
The Jews of Jerusalem thought that he was mad.
Toward him came the rich Jew that was called Pilate-
"Wilt thou sell thy Lord that men call Jesus?"
"I will not sell my Lord for any kind of ware.
Unless it be for the thirty pieces that he entrusted to me."
"Wilt thou sell thy Lord Christ for any kind of gold?"
"Nay, unless it be for the (silver) pieces that he entrusted to me."
Our Lord came walking in as His apostles sat at table-
"How is it that ye sit, apostles, and why will ye not eat?
"How is it that ye sit, apostles, and why will ye not eat
I am bought and sold today for your food."
Up stood Judas: "Lord, am I that [man]?

I was never in the place where people spoke evil of thee."
Up stood Peter, and spoke with all his strength-
"Though Pilate himself came with ten hundred knights,
"Though Pilate himself came with ten hundred knights,
Yet I would, Lord, for thy love fight."
"Be still, Peter. Well I know thee;
Thou wilt forsake me thrice ere the cock crow."

In The Bitter Withy the far-from-gentle-Jesus drastically brings down the pride of the uppish young lords, and gets his bottom smacked for his pains. This sotry of the boy Jesus portrays him as all too human, and this does not accord with the given Bible Image. It strikes you as a parable concerning power and the need for everyone to learn how to us it.

The Bitter Withy

As it fell out upon a bright holiday
Small hail from the sky did fall
Our Saviour asked his mother mild
“Can I go and play at the ball?”
“At the ball, the ball, my own dear son
It's time that you was gone
But it's don't let me hear of any mischief
At night when you come home”
So it's up the hill and it's down the hill
Our sweet young Saviour ran
Until he come to three rich lords' sons
“Good morning sirs, each one” “Good morn, good morn and good morn,” says they
“It's thrice good morn,” says he
“And it's which of you three rich lords' sons Is gonna play at the ball with me?”
“Why, we, we're lords' we're ladies' sons
Born in a bower or hall
But you, you're nothing but a poor maid's child
You was born in an ox's stall”
“Well, if I'm nothing but a poor maid's child
Born in an ox's stall
I'll make you believe in your latter end
That I'm an angel above you all”
And so he built him a bridge with the rays of the sun
Over the river ran he
Them three rich lords' sons, they followed him
And it's drowned they were all three
And it's up the hill and it's down the hill
Three weeping mothers ran
Saying, “Mary mild, take home your child
For ours he's drowned each one”
And so it's Mary mild, she took home her child
She laid him across her knee
And it's with a switch of the bitter withy
Why she's given him slashes three
Oh, bitter withy, oh, bitter withy
You caused me to smart
And now the willow shall be the very first tree
Gonna perish at the heart

The other Christian ballads I’ve found include, “Old Adam,” “The Twelve Good Joys,” “The Three Kings,” “The Seven Virgins,” “The Innocents,” “The Holy Well,” “The Angel Gabriel,” and “St. Stephen and King Herod.”


OLD ADAM
BOTH sexes give ear to my fancy,
While in praise of dear woman I sing;
Confined not to Moll, Sue, or Nancy,
But mates from a beggar to king.
When old Adam first was created,
And lord of the universe crowned,
His happiness was not completed,
Until that an helpmate was found.
He'd all things in food that were wanting
To keep and support him through life;
He'd horses and foxes for hunting,
Which some men love better than wife.
He'd a garden so planted by nature,
Man cannot produce in his life;
But yet the all-wise great Creator
Still saw that he wanted a wife.
Then Adam he laid in a slumber,
And there he lost part of his side;
And when he awoke, with a wonder,
Beheld his most beautiful bride!
In transport he gazed upon her,
His happiness now was complete!
He praised his bountiful donor,
Who thus had bestowed him a mate.
She was not took out of his head, sir,
To reign and triumph over man;
Nor was she took out of his feet, sir,
By man to be trampled upon.
But she was took out of his side, sir,
His equal and partner to be;
But as they're united in one, sir,
The man is the top of the tree.
Then let not the fair be despised
By man, as she's part of himself;
For woman by Adam was prized
More than the whole globe full of wealth.
Man without a woman's a beggar,
Suppose the whole world he possessed;
And the beggar that's got a good woman,
With more than the world he is blest.




St. Stephen and King Herod

SAINT STEPHEN was a clerk
In King Herod’s hall,
And servéd him of bread and cloth
As every king befall.

Stephen out of kitchen came
With boar’s head on hand,
He saw a star was fair and bright
Over Bethlehem stand.

He cast adown the boar’s head
And went into the hall:
‘I forsake thee, Herod,
And thy workés all.

‘I forsake thee, King Herod,
And thy workés all,
There is a child in Bethlehem born
Is better than we all.’—

‘What aileth thee, Stephen?
What is thee befall?
Lacketh thee either meat or drink
In King Herod’s hall?’—

‘Lacketh me neither meat ne drink
In King Herod’s hall;
There is a child in Bethlehem born
Is better than we all.’—

‘What aileth thee, Stephen?
Art wode or ’ginnest to brede?
Lacketh thee either gold or fee,
Or any rich weed?’—

‘Lacketh me neither gold ne fee
Ne none rich weed;
There is a child in Bethlehem born
Shall helpen us at our need.’—

‘That is all so sooth, Stephen,
All so sooth, I-wys,
As this capon crowé shall
That li’th here in my dish.’

That word was not so soon said,
That word in that hall,
The capon crew Christus natus est
Among the lordés all.

‘Risit up, my tormentors,
By two and all by one,
And leadit Stephen out of this town,
And stonit him with stone.’

Tooken they Stephen
And stoned him in the way;
And therefore is his even
On Christe’s own day.


The Angel Gabriel
THE ANGEL GABRIEL from God
Was sent to Galilee,
Unto a Virgin fair and free,
Whose name was called Mary:
And when the Angel thither came,
He fell down on his knee,
And looking up in the Virgin’s face,
He said, ‘All hail, Mary!’
Then, sing we all, both great and small,
Noël, Noël, Noël;
We may rejoice to hear the voice
Of the Angel Gabriel.

Mary anon looked him upon,
And said, ‘Sir, what are ye?
I marvel much at these tidings
Which thou hast brought to me.
Married I am unto an old man,
As the lot fell unto me;
Therefore, I pray, depart away,
For I stand in doubt of thee.’
Then, sing, &c.

‘Mary,’ he said, ‘be not afraid,
But do believe in me:
The power of the Holy Ghost
Shall overshadow thee;
Thou shalt conceive without any grief,
As the Lord told unto me;
God’s own dear Son from Heaven shall come,
And shall be born of thee.’
Then, sing, &c.

This came to pass as God’s will was,
Even as the Angel told.
About midnight an Angel bright
Came to the Shepherds’ fold,
And told them then both where and when
Born was the child, our Lord,
And all along this was their song,
‘All glory be given to God.’
Then, sing, &c.

Good people all, both great and small,
The which do hear my voice,
With one accord let’s praise the Lord,
And in our hearts rejoice;
Like sister and brother, let ’s love one another
Whilst we our lives do spend,
Whilst we have space let ’s pray for grace,
And so let my Carol end.
Then, sing, &c.


The Holy Well

AS it fell out one May morning,
And upon one bright holiday,
Sweet Jesus asked of his dear mother,
If he might go to play.

‘To play, to play, sweet Jesus shall go,
And to play pray get you gone;
And let me hear of no complaint
At night when you come home.’

Sweet Jesus went down to yonder town,
As far as the Holy Well,
And there did see as fine children
As any tongue can tell.

He said, ‘God bless you every one,
And your bodies Christ save and see:
Little children, shall I play with you,
And you shall play with me?’

But they made answer to him, ‘No:
They were lords and ladies all;
And he was but a maiden’s child,
Born in an ox’s stall.’

Sweet Jesus turnéd him around,
And he neither laughed nor smiled,
But the tears came trickling from his eyes
To be but a maiden’s child.

Sweet Jesus turnéd him about,
To his mother’s dear home went he,
And said, ‘I have been in yonder town,
As far as you can see.

‘I have been down in yonder town
As far as the Holy Well,
There did I meet as fine children
As any tongue can tell.

‘I bid God bless them every one,
And their bodies Christ save and see:
Little children, shall I play with you,
And you shall play with me?

‘But they made answer to me, No:
They were lords and ladies all;
And I was but a maiden’s child,
Born in an ox’s stall.’—

‘Though you are but a maiden’s child,
Born in an ox’s stall,
Thou art the Christ, the King of heaven,
And the Saviour of them all.

‘Sweet Jesus, go down to yonder town
As far as the Holy Well,
And take away those sinful souls,
And dip them deep in hell.’

‘Nay, nay,’ sweet Jesus said,
‘Nay, nay, that may not be;
For there are too many sinful souls
Crying out for the help of me.’


The Innocents

MARK this song, for it is true,
For it is true as clerkés tell:
In old time strange things came to pass,
Great wonder and great marvel was
In Israel.

There was one Octavian,
Octavian of Rome Emperour,
As bookés old doe specify,
Of all the wide world truëly
He was lord and governour.

The Jews that time lackéd a king,
They lackéd a king to guide them well,
The Emperour of power and might,
Chose one Herod against all right,
In Israel.

This Herod then was King of Jews
Was King of Jews, and he no Jew.
Forsooth he was a Paynim born,
Wherefore on faith it may be sworn
He reignéd King untrue.

By prophecy one Isaï,
One Isaï at least did tell
A child should come (wondrous news)
That should be born true King of Jews
In Israel.

This Herod knew one born should be,
One born should be of true lináge,
That should be right heritour;
For he but by the Emperour
Was made by usurpage.

Wherefore of thought this King Herod,
This King Herod in great fear fell,
For all the days most in his mirth,
Ever he fearéd Christ his birth
In Israel.

The time came it pleaséd God,
It pleaséd God so to come to pass,
For man’s soul indeed
His blessed Son was born with speed
As his will was.

Tidings came to King Herod,
To King Herod, and did him tell,
That one born forsooth is he,
Which lord and king of all shall be
In Israel.

Herod then raged as he were wode,
As he were wode of this tidíng,
And sent for all his scribés sure,
Yet would he not trust the Scripture,
Nor of their counselling.

Then this was the conclusion,
The conclusion of his counsél;
To send unto his knights anon
To slay the children every one
In Israel.

This cruel king this tyranny,
This tyranny did put in ure;
Between a day and years two
All men-children he did slew,
Of Christ for to be sure.

Yet Herod miss’d his cruel prey,
His cruel prey as was God’s will;
Joseph with Mary then did flee;
With Christ to Egypt gone was she
From Israel.

All the while these tyránts,
These tyránts would not convert,
But innocents ying
That lay sucking,
They thrust to the heart.

This Herod sought the children ying,
The children ying, with courage fell,
But in doing this vengeánce
His own son was slain by chance
In Israel.

Alace! I think the mothers were woe,
The mothers were woe, it was great skill:
What motherly pain
To see them slain
In cradles lying still!

But God Himself hath them elect,
Hath them elect, in heaven to dwell:
For they were bathéd in their blood,
For their Baptism forsooth it stood
In Israel.

Alace! again what hearts had they,
What hearts had they those babes to kill!
With swords when they them caught,
In cradles they lay and laught,
And never thought ill.


The Seven Virgins


ALL under the leaves and the leaves of life
I met with virgins seven,
And one of them was Mary mild,
Our Lord’s mother of Heaven.

‘O what are you seeking, you seven fair maids,
All under the leaves of life?
Come tell, come tell, what seek you
All under the leaves of life?’

‘We’re seeking for no leaves, Thomas,
But for a friend of thine;
We’re seeking for sweet Jesus Christ,
To be our guide and thine.’

‘Go down, go down, to yonder town,
And sit in the gallery,
And there you’ll see sweet Jesus Christ
Nail’d to a big yéw-tree.’

So down they went to yonder town
As fast as foot could fall,
And many a grievous bitter tear
From the virgins’ eyes did fall.

‘O peace, Mother, O peace, Mother,
Your weeping doth me grieve:
I must suffer this,’ He said,
For Adam and for Eve.

‘O Mother, take you John Evangelist
All for to be your son,
And he will comfort you sometimes,
Mother, as I have done.’

‘O come, thou John Evangelist,
Thou’rt welcome unto me;
But more welcome my own dear Son,
Whom I nursed on my knee.’

Then He laid his head on His right shoulder,
Seeing death it struck Him nigh—
‘The Holy Ghost be with your soul,
I die, Mother dear, I die.’

O the rose, the gentle rose,
And the fennel that grows so green!
God give us grace in every place
To pray for our king and queen.

Furthermore for our enemies all
Our prayers they should be strong:
Amen, good Lord; your charity
Is the ending of my song.


The Three Kings

NOW is Christëmas y-come,
Father and Son together in one,
Holy Ghost us be on
In fere-a;
God send us a good New Year-a!

I would you sing, for and I might,
Of a Child is fair in sight;
His mother him bare this endris night
So still-a,
And as it was his will-a.

There came three Kings from Galilee
Into Bethlehem, that fair citie,
To seek to Him that e’er should be
By right-a
Lord and king and knight-a.

As they came forth with their off’ ring,
They met with Herod that moody king;
He askéd them of their coming
This tide-a,
And this to them he said-a.

‘Of whence be ye, you Kingés three?’—
‘Of the East, as you may see,
To seek to Him that should ever be
By right-a
Lord and king and knight-a.’—

‘When you at this Child have been,
Come you home this way again;
Tell me the sight that you have seen;
I pray-a,
Go you none other way-a.’

They took their leave both old and ying
Then of Herod that moody king;
They went forth with their offering
By light-a
Of the star that shone so bright-a.

Till they came into the place
Where Jesu and his mother was;
Offer’d they up with great solace
In fere-a
Gold, incense and myrrh-a.

When they had their offering made
As the Holy Ghost them bade,
Then they were both merry and glad
And light-a;
It was a good fair sight-a.

Anon, as on their way they went,
The Father of heaven an angel sent
To these three kings that made present
This tide-a,
And this to them he said-a:—

‘My Lord hath warn’d you every one
By Herod king you go not home,
For an you do he will you slone
And ’stroy-a,
And hurt you wonderly-a.’

So forth they went another way
Through the might of God his lay,
As the angel to them did say,
Full right-a;
It was a good fair sight-a.

When they came home to their countrie,
Glad and blithe they were all three
Of the sight that they had see;
By dene-a
The company was clean-a.

Kneel we now here a-down;
Pray we in good devotion
To the King of great renown,
Of grace-a
In heaven to have a place-a.


The Twelve Good Joys

THE FIRST good joy our Mary had,
It was the joy of one,
To see her own Son Jesus
To suck at her breast bone;
To suck at her breast bone, good man,
And blessed may he be,
Both Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
To all eternity.

The next good joy our Mary had,
It was the joy of two,
To see her own son Jesus
To make the lame to go;
To make the lame to go, good man, &c.

The next good joy our Mary had,
It was the joy of three;
To see her own Son Jesus
To make the blind to see;
To make the blind to see, good man, &c.

The next good joy our Mary had,
It was the joy of four,
To see her own Son Jesus
To read the Bible o’er;
To read the Bible o’er, good man, &c.

The next good joy our Mary had,
It was the joy of five,
To see her own son Jesus
To raise the dead alive;
To raise the dead alive, good man, &c.

The next good joy our Mary had,
It was the joy of six,
To see her own Son Jesus
To wear the crucifix;
To wear the crucifix, good man, &c.

The next good joy our Mary had,
It was the joy of seven,
To see her own Son Jesus
To wear the crown of Heaven;
To wear the crown of Heaven, good man, &c.

The next good joy our Mary had,
It was the joy of eight,
To see our blessed Saviour
Turn darkness into light;
Turn darkness into light, good man, &c.

The next good joy our Mary had,
It was the joy of nine,
To see our blesséd Saviour
Turn water into wine;
Turn water into wine, good man, &c.

The next good joy our Mary had,
It was the joy of ten,
To see our blessed Saviour
To write without a pen;
To write without a pen, good man, &c.

The next good joy our Mary had,
It was the joy of eleven,
To see our blessed Saviour
To show the gates of Heaven;
To show the gates of Heaven, good man, &c.

The next good joy our Mary had,
It was the joy of twelve,
To see our blessed Saviour
Shut close the gates of hell;
Shut close the gates of hell, good man,
And blessed may he be,
Both Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
To all eternity.