BEHOLD A SILLY TENDER BABE
drop-capBeholda silly tender Babe,In freezing winter night,In homely manger trembling liesAlas! a piteous sight.The inns are full, no man will yieldThis little Pilgrim bed;But forced He is with silly beastsIn crib to shroud His head.Despise Him not for lying there,First what He is inquire;An orient pearl is often foundIn depth of dirty mire.Weigh not His crib, His wooden dish,Nor beasts that by Him feed;Weigh not His mother’s poor attire,Nor Joseph’s simple weed.This stable is a prince’s court,This crib His chair of state;The beasts are parcel of His pomp,The wooden dish His plate.With joy approach, O Christian Wight!Do homage to thy King;And highly praise this humble pompWhich He from heaven doth bring.
drop-capBeholda silly tender Babe,In freezing winter night,In homely manger trembling liesAlas! a piteous sight.The inns are full, no man will yieldThis little Pilgrim bed;But forced He is with silly beastsIn crib to shroud His head.Despise Him not for lying there,First what He is inquire;An orient pearl is often foundIn depth of dirty mire.Weigh not His crib, His wooden dish,Nor beasts that by Him feed;Weigh not His mother’s poor attire,Nor Joseph’s simple weed.This stable is a prince’s court,This crib His chair of state;The beasts are parcel of His pomp,The wooden dish His plate.With joy approach, O Christian Wight!Do homage to thy King;And highly praise this humble pompWhich He from heaven doth bring.
drop-capBeholda silly tender Babe,In freezing winter night,In homely manger trembling liesAlas! a piteous sight.
drop-cap
Beholda silly tender Babe,
In freezing winter night,
In homely manger trembling lies
Alas! a piteous sight.
The inns are full, no man will yieldThis little Pilgrim bed;But forced He is with silly beastsIn crib to shroud His head.
The inns are full, no man will yield
This little Pilgrim bed;
But forced He is with silly beasts
In crib to shroud His head.
Despise Him not for lying there,First what He is inquire;An orient pearl is often foundIn depth of dirty mire.
Despise Him not for lying there,
First what He is inquire;
An orient pearl is often found
In depth of dirty mire.
Weigh not His crib, His wooden dish,Nor beasts that by Him feed;Weigh not His mother’s poor attire,Nor Joseph’s simple weed.
Weigh not His crib, His wooden dish,
Nor beasts that by Him feed;
Weigh not His mother’s poor attire,
Nor Joseph’s simple weed.
This stable is a prince’s court,This crib His chair of state;The beasts are parcel of His pomp,The wooden dish His plate.
This stable is a prince’s court,
This crib His chair of state;
The beasts are parcel of His pomp,
The wooden dish His plate.
With joy approach, O Christian Wight!Do homage to thy King;And highly praise this humble pompWhich He from heaven doth bring.
With joy approach, O Christian Wight!
Do homage to thy King;
And highly praise this humble pomp
Which He from heaven doth bring.
Robert Southwell