As I pass'd by the river side,

And there as I did reign,

In argument I chanced to hear

A Carnal and a Crane.



The Carnal said unto the Crane,

If all the world should turn,

Before we had the Father,

But now we have the Son!



From whence does the Son come,

From where and from what place?

He said, In a manger,

Between an ox and ass.



I pray thee, said the Carnal,

Tell me before thou go,

Was not the mother of Jesus

Conceived by the Holy Ghost?



She was the purest virgin,

And the cleanest from sin;

She was the handmaid of our Lord

And Mother of our king.



Where is the golden cradle

That Christ was rocked in?

Where are the silken sheets

That Jesus was wrapt in?



A manger was the cradle

That Christ was rocked in:

The provender the asses left

So sweetly he slept on.



There was a star in the West land,

So bright it did appear,

Into King Herod's chamber,

And where King Herod were.



The Wise Men soon espied it,

And told the King on high

A princely babe was born that night

No king could e'er destroy.



If this be true, King Herod said,

As thou tellest unto me,

This roasted cock that lies in the dish

Shall crow full fences three.



The cock soon freshly feathered was

By the work of God's own hand

And then three fences crowed he

In the dish where he did stand



Rise up, rise up, you merry men all,

See that you ready be;

All children under two years old

Now slain they all shall be.



Then Jesus, ah! and Joseph,

And Mary, that was so pure,

They travell'd into Egypt,

As you shall find it sure.



And when they came to Egypt's land,