Classic Poem

“To Bethlem did they go, the shepherds three;
 To Bethlem did they go to see whe'r it were so or no,
  Whether Christ were born or no
   To set men free.”
Masters in this Hall,
 Hear ye news to-day
Brought from over sea,
 And ever I you pray.

Chorus .

 Nowell! Nowell! Nowell!
   Nowell sing we clear!
 Holpen are all folk on earth,
   Born is G OD 's son so dear:
 Nowell! Nowell! Nowell!
  Nowell sing we loud!
 G OD to-day hath poor folk rais'd,
  And cast adown the proud.

Going over the hills,
 Through the milk-white snow,
Heard I ewes bleat
 While the wind did blow.
   Chorus .—Nowell, &c.

Shepherds many an one
 Sat among the sheep,
No man spake more word
 Than they had been asleep.
   Chorus .—Nowell, &c.

Quoth I, “Fellows mine,
 Why this guise sit ye?
Making but dull cheer,
 Shepherds though ye be?
   Chorus .—Nowell, &c.

“Shepherds should of right
 Leap and dance and sing,
Thus to see ye sit
 Is a right strange thing.”
   Chorus .—Nowell, &c.

Quoth these fellows then,
 “To Bethlem town we go,
To see a Mighty L ORD
 Lie in manger low.”
   Chorus .—Nowell, &c.

“How name ye this L ORD ,
 Shepherds?” then said I,
“Very G OD ,” they said,
 “Come from Heaven high.”
   Chorus .—Nowell, &c.

Then to Bethlem town
 We went two and two,
And in a sorry place
 Heard the oxen low.
   Chorus .—Nowell, &c.

Therein did we see
 A sweet and godly May,
And a fair old man,
 Upon the straw She lay.
   Chorus .—Nowell, &c.

And a little C HILD
 On Her arm had She;
“Wot ye Who This is?”
 Said the hinds to me.
   Chorus .—Nowell, &c.

Ox and ass Him know,
 Kneeling on their knee,
Wondrous joy had I
 This little B ABE to see.
   Chorus .—Nowell, &c.

This is C HRIST the L ORD ,
 Masters be ye glad!
Christmas is come in,
 And no folk should be sad.
   Chorus .—Nowell, &c.