The earth is now a heaven become,
And this base bower of mine,
A princely palace unto me,
My son doth make to shine.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,
Sing, lullaby, my livës joy.

His sight gives clearness to my sight,
When waking I him see,

And sleeping, his mild countenance
Gives favour unto me.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,

Sing, lullaby, my livës joy.

When I him in mine arms embrace,
I feel my heart embraced,
Even by the inward grace of his,

Which he in me hath placed.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,

Sing, lullaby, my lives joy.

And when I kiss his loving lips, Then his sweet-smelling breath Doth yield a savour to my soul, That feeds love, hope, and faith. Sing, lullaby, my little boy, Sing, lullaby, my lives joy.

The shepherds left their keeping sheep,
For joy to see my lamb;

How may I more rejoice to see
Myself to be the dam.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,
Sing, lullaby, my lives joy.

Three kings their treasures hither brought
Of incense, myrrh, and gold;
The heaven's treasure and the king
That here they might behold.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,

Sing, lullaby, my lives joy.

One sort an angel did direct,
A star did guide the other,

And all the fairest son to see
That ever had a mother.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,
Sing, lullaby, my lives joy.

This sight I see, this child I have,
This infant I embrace,

O endless comfort of the earth,
And heaven's eternal grace.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,
Sing, lullaby, my lives joy.

Thee sanctity herself doth serve,
Thee goodness doth attend,
Thee blessedness doth wait upon,
And virtues all commend.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,
Sing, lullaby, my lives joy.

Great kings and prophets wished have

To that I

see

possess,

Yet wish I never thee to see,

If not in thankfulness.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,
Sing, lullaby, my lives joy.

Let heaven and earth, and saints and men,
Assistance give to me,

That all their most occurring aid
Augment my thanks to thee.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,

Sing, lullaby, my livës joy.

And let the ensuing blessed race,
Thou wilt succeeding raise,
Join all their praises unto mine,
To multiply thy praise.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,
Sing, lullaby, my lives joy.

And take my service well in worth,
And Joseph's here with me,
Who of my husband bears the name,
Thy servant for to be.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,

Sing, lullaby, my

livës joy.

Richard Verstegen.

306

The Virgin Mary

To work a wonder, God would have her shown At once a bud and yet a rose full-blown.

Herrick.

The Burning Babe

As I in hoary winter's night stood shivering in the

snow,

Surprised was I with sudden heat which made my heart to glow:

And lifting up a fearful eye to view what fire was

near,

A pretty babe all burning bright did in the air

appear;

Who, scorched with excessive heat, such floods of tears did shed

As though His floods should quench His flames with which His tears were fed:

"Alas!" quoth He, "but newly born in fiery heats I fry,

Yet none approach to warm their hearts or feel my fire but I!

66

My faultless breast the furnace is; the fuel, wounding thorns;

Love is the fire, and sighs the smoke; the ashes, shames and scorns;

The fuel Justice layeth on, and Mercy blows the coals,

The metal in this furnace wrought are men's defiled

souls:

For which, as now on fire I am to work them to their good,

So will I melt into a bath, to wash them in my

blood."

With this He vanished out of sight and swiftly

shrunk away,

And straight I called unto mind that it was Christ

Let folly praise that fancy loves, I praise and love that Child

Whose heart no thought, whose tongue no word, whose hand no deed defiled.

I praise Him most, I love Him best, all praise and love is His:

While Him I love, in Him I live, and cannot live

amiss.

Love's sweetest mark, laud's highest theme, man's most desired light,

To love Him life, to leave Him death, to live in Him delight.

He mine by gift, I His by debt, thus each to other

due,

First friend He was, best friend He is, all times will try Him true.

Though young, yet wise, though small, yet strong; though man, yet God He is;

As wise He knows, as strong He can, as God He loves to bless.

His knowledge rules, His strength defends, His love doth cherish all;

His birth our joy, His life our light, His death our end of thrall.