Lyr. Add: I COME FROM HEUIN TO TELL
(English, 16th C.)

1.
I come from heuin to tell
The best nowellis that euer be fell,
To yow thir tytyinges trew I bring,
And I will of them say and sing.
2.
This day to yow is borne ane childe,
Of Marie meike and Virgine mylde;
That blissit barne, bining and kynde,
Sall yow rejoyce baith heart and mynd.
3.
It is the Lord Christ, God and man,
He will doe for you quhat hee can;
Himselfe your Sauiour hee will bee,
Fra sinne and hell to make zow free.
4.
Hee is our richt saluation
From euerlasting damnation,
That ze may ring in glorir and blis,
For euer mair in heuin with his.
5.
Ze sall him find but marke or wring,
Full sempill in ane cribe lying;
So lyis hee quhilk zow hes wrocht,
And all this warld made of nocht.
6.
Let vs rejoyce and bee blyth,
And with the hyrdes goe full swyth,
And see quhat God of his grace hes don
Throw Christ to bring vs to his throne.
7.
My saull and lyfe, stand vp and see
Quha lyes in ane cribe of tree;
Quhat babe is that so gude and faire
It is Christ, God's Sonne and Aire.
8.
Welcum now, gracious God of mycht,
To sinners vyle, pure and vnricht;
Thou come to saue vs from distresse,
How can wee thank thy gentilnesse?
9.
O God that made all creature,
How art thow becom so pure,
That on the hay and stray will lye,
Amang the asses, oxin and kye?
10.
And were the warld ten tymes so wide,
Cled ouer with gold and stanes of pride,
Unworthy zit it were to thee,
Under thy feit and stule to bee.
11.
The sylke and sandell, thee to eis,
Are hay and sempill swelling clais,
Quhairin thow gloiris, greitest King,
As thow in heuin were in thy ring.
12.
Thow tuke like paines temporall,
To make me riche perpetuall:
For all this warldis welth and gude,
Can nothing richt thy celsitude.
13.
O my deir hert, zoung Jesus sweit,
Prepare thy creddill in my spreit,
And I sall rocke thee in my hert,
And neuer mair from thee depart.
14.
But I sall praise thee euermoir,
With sangs sweit vnto thy gloir;
The knees of my hert sall I bow,
And sing that richt Balulalow.
15.
Gloir bee to God eternally,
Quhilk gaif his only Sonne for mee,
The angels joyes for to heir,
The gratious gift of this new zeir.
Finis.
From "Ane Compendiovs Booke of Godly and Spiritvall Songs, collectit, &c. for avoyding of Sinne and Harlotrie," reprinted in "Scottish Poems of the Sixteenth Century," Edinburgh, 1801, vol. i, pp. 47-49.
"Followis ane Sang of the birth of Christ, with the tune of Baw lulalaw." The song was not included with the text.

Source: William Sandys, "Christmas Carols, Ancient and Modern," London, Richard Beckley, 1833.

The more familiar form, "I Come From Heavin to Tell," appeared in Edith Rickert, 1914, "Ancient English Christmas Carols, 1400-1700," Chatto & Windus, p. 82.
I will post this later today.

Material extracted from www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com