What Tidings Bringest Thou Lyrics

[Refrain]
What tidings bringest thou, messenger,
Of Christ His birth this jolly day?

1. A Babe is born of high nature
The Prince of Peace that ever shall be.
Of heav'n and earth He hath the cure,
His lordship is eternity.
Such wondrous tidings ye may hear,
That man is made now heaven's peer,
Whom sin had made but fiendes pray. [Refrain]

2. A wondrous thing doth now befall,
That King that formed star and sun,
Heaven and earth and angels all,
Now in mankind is new begun.
Such wondrous tidings ye may hear,
A infant of a single year
That hath been e'er and shall be aye. [Refrain]

3. That seemeth strange to us to see
This berd that hath this babe a-born
And Lord conceived of high degree
A maiden is and was beforn:
Such wondrous tidings ye may hear,
That maid and moth'r are one in fere,
And she a lady of great array. [Refrain]

4. That lovliest gan greet her Child,
"Hail, son, Hail, Brother, Hail, Father dear."
"Hail, Daughter," He saith, "Hail, Mother mild,"
This hailing was on quaint manner.
Such wondrous tidings ye may here,
That hailing was of so good cheer
That mannes pain is turned to play. [Refrain]