A Christmas Caroll, sung to the King
          in the Presence at           White-Hall

          by Robert Herrick

          Chor. What sweeter musick can we bring,
          Then a Caroll, for to sing
          The Birth of this our heavenly King?
          Awake the Voice! Awake the String!
          Heart, Eare, and Eye, and every thing
          Awake! the while the active Finger
          Runs division with the Singer.

                  From the Flourish they came to the Song.
          I. Dark and dull night, flie hence away,
          And give the honour to this Day,
          That sees December turn'd to May.
          2. If we may ask the reason, say;
          The why, and wherefore all things here
          Seem like the Spring-time of the yeere?
          3. Why do's the chilling Winters morne
          Smile, like a field beset with corne?
          Or smell, like to a Meade new-shorne,
          Thus, on the sudden? 4. Come and see
          The cause, why things thus fragrant be :
          'Tis He is borne, whose quickning Birth
          Gives life and luster, publike mirth,
          To Heaven, and the under-Earth.
          Chor. We see Him come, and know him ours,
          Who, with His Sun-shine, and His showers,
          Turnes all the patient ground to flowers.
          I. The Darling of the world is come,
          And fit it is, we finde a roome
          To welcome Him. 2. The nobler part
          Of all the house here, is the heart,
          Chor. Which we will give Him ; and bequeath
          This Hollie, and this Ivie Wreath,
          To do Him honour, who's our King,
          And Lord of all this Revelling.

          The Musicall Part was composed by
          M. Henry Lawes.



          Excerpted from:
          Herrick, Robert. The Poems of Robert Herrick.
          London: Oxford University Press, 1933, p.385-386.




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          Created by Anniina Jokinen on November 21, 1996.