Out of your sleep (Anon. c. 1450)

Nowel! Nowel! Nowel!

Nowel! Nowel! Nowel!

Out of your slepe arise and wake,

For God mankind nowe hath itake,

All of a maide without eny make,

Of all women she bereth the belle,

Nowel!

And thorwe a maide, faire and wis,

Now man is made of full grete pris:

Now angelis knelen to mannis servis;

And at this time all this befell,

Nowel!

Now man is brighter than the sonne;

Now man in Heven on hie shall wone;

Blessed be God, this game is begonne,

And his moder Emperesse of helle,

Nowel!

That ever was thralle, now is he free;

That ever was smalle, now grete is she;

Now shall God deme bothe thee and me

Unto his blisse, if we do well,

Nowel!

Now man may to Heven wende,

Now Heven and erthe to him they bende:

He that was foo, now is our frende.

This is no nay that I yowe telle,

Nowel!

Now blessed brother, graunte us grace

A Domesday to se thy face,

And in thy courte to have a place,

That we mow there singe, “Nowel”,

Nowel!