Richard Verstegen

Our Blessed
Lady's Lullaby

Upon my lap my Sovereign sits, And sucks upon my breast; Meanwhile his love sustains my life, And gives my body rest.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy.

Sing, lullaby, my livës joy.

When thou hast taken thy repast,
Repose, my babe, on me.

So may thy mother and thy nurse,
Thy cradle also be.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,
Sing, lullaby, my livës joy.

I grieve that duty doth not work
All that my wishing would,

Because I would not be to thee
But in the best I should.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,
Sing, lullaby, my livës joy.

Yet as I am and as I may,
I must and will be thine,
Though all too little for thyself
Vouchsafing to be mine.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,

Sing, lullaby, my livës joy.

My wits, my words, my deeds, my

thoughts,

And else what is in me,

I rather will not wish to use,

If not in serving thee.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,
Sing, lullaby, my livës joy.

My babe, my bliss, my child, my choice,
My fruit, my flower, and bud,
My Jesus, and my only joy,
The sum of all my good.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,
Sing, lullaby, my livës joy.

My sweetness, and the sweetest most
That heaven could earth deliver,

OUR LADY'S LULLABY

Soul of my love, spirit of my life,
Abide with me for ever.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,
Sing, lullaby, my livës joy.

Live still with me, and be my love,
And death will me refrain,
Unless thou let me die with thee,
To live with thee again.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,

Sing, lullaby, my livës joy.

Leave now to wail, thou luckless wight
That wrought'st thy race's woe,
Redress is found, and foiled is
Thy fruit-alluring foe.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,

Sing, lullaby, my livës joy.

The fruit of death from Paradise
Made thee exiled mourn;

My fruit of life to Paradise
Makes joyful thy return.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,
Sing, lullaby, my livës joy.

Grow up, good fruit be nourished by
These fountains two of me,

(B 325)

113

I

That only flow with maiden's milk,
The only meat for thee.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,
Sing, lullaby, my livës joy.

The earth is now a heaven become,
And this base bower of mine,

A princely palace unto me,
My son doth make to shine.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,

Sing, lullaby, my livës joy.

His sight gives clearness to my sight,
When waking I him see,

And sleeping, his mild countenance
Gives favour unto me.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,
Sing, lullaby, my livës joy.

When I him in mine arms embrace,
I feel my heart embraced,
Even by the inward grace of his,
Which he in me hath placed.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,
Sing, lullaby, my livës joy.

And when I kiss his loving lips,
Then his sweet-smelling breath

OUR LADY'S LULLABY

Doth yield a savour to my soul,
That feeds love, hope, and faith.
Sing, lullaby, my little boy,

Sing, lullaby, my livës joy.

The shepherds left their keeping sheep,
For joy to see my lamb;

How may I more rejoice to see
Myself to be the dam.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,

Sing, lullaby, my livës joy.

Three kings their treasures hither brought
Of incense, myrrh, and gold;
The heaven's treasure and the king
That here they might behold.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,

Sing, lullaby, my livës joy.

One sort an angel did direct,
A star did guide the other,
And all the fairest son to see
That ever had a mother.

Sing, lullaby, my little boy,
Sing, lullaby, my livës joy.

This sight I see, this child I have,
This infant I embrace,