THE NATIVITY
Now bless them, little Baby Son,
Thy wrath for their oppression;
Thy blessing where there 's kindness done
To these who gave Thee bed.
Thy wrath for their oppression;
Thy blessing where there 's kindness done
To these who gave Thee bed.
Yea, blessed these so wistful-eyed
That watched thy bed of birth beside,
And heard Thee when Thy dear voice cried,
And saw Thee clothed and fed.
That watched thy bed of birth beside,
And heard Thee when Thy dear voice cried,
And saw Thee clothed and fed.
O little ass and ox, in truth
Great glory shall accrue to both,
For when the cold world lay in sloth
Ye kept the watch with joy;
Great glory shall accrue to both,
For when the cold world lay in sloth
Ye kept the watch with joy;
And by your breath the frosts were thawed,
Your kind brown eyes saw and were awed;
King of the world, the angels' God,
And mine own new-born Boy.
Your kind brown eyes saw and were awed;
King of the world, the angels' God,
And mine own new-born Boy.
Joseph.
Now, by the golden light of stars,
And the great crown each angel wears,
I see a throng of wayfarers.
Coming across the moor
And the great crown each angel wears,
I see a throng of wayfarers.
Coming across the moor
Are shepherd men, and men like kings;
And every one his present brings;
The sheep, the shepherds' shepherdings,
And dog, are at our door.
[Kings and Shepherds enter and kneel.
And every one his present brings;
The sheep, the shepherds' shepherdings,
And dog, are at our door.
[Kings and Shepherds enter and kneel.
186
