His stable is
a Prince’s courte,
The cribbe His
chaire of State;
The beastes
are parcell of
His pompe,
The wodden dishe,
His plate.
Robert Southwell The Lion's Noël
A Book of Christmas Beasts
I. The Carol of the Ox and Ass
Christmas Song
Of all the animals on earth
I think the luckiest
Are the ox and ass who had
Young Jesus for their guest,
The ox and ass in Bethlehem
Whose privilege and joy
It was to share their stable with
A little homeless Boy;
The luckiest of animals
On earth, both tame and wild,
For they were first to look with love
Upon the Christmas Child!
Elizabeth-Ellen Long, 1880-1961
Besançon Noël
Within a humble stable
Not far from Bethlehem,
With neither mink nor sable
Nor crown nor diadem,
He sleeps in cradle of straw
And for
His courtiers, swains and cattle.
The King of Kings is warm,
No harm
From wind or rain or storm
Can come
His quiet rest unsettle.
Beside Him is His mother
With father Joseph near.
There is not any other
His poverty to share.
But ox and asses wait
To greet
All Christians at the stable.
So hasten to the King
And bring
Your joyful hearts and sing
To Him
The best that you are able.
Old French Carol
The Oxen
Christmas Eve, and twelve of the clock.
"Now they are all on their knees,"
An elder said as we sat in a flock
By the embers in hearthside ease.
We pictured the meek mild creatures where
They dwelt in their strawy pen,
Nor did it occur to one of us there
To doubt they were kneeling then.
So fair a fancy few would weave
In these years! Yet, I feel,
If someone said on Christmas Eve,
"Come; see the oxen kneel
"In the lonely barton by yonder coomb
Our childhood used to know,"
I should go with him in the gloom,
Hoping it might be so.
Thomas Hardy, 1840-1928
Here is a link to listen to a setting of this poem from a wonderful Christmas Cantata:
The Oxen from Hodie by Ralph Vaughan Williams
from "How Love Came"
Anno Domini I.
The night was darker than ever before
(So dark is sin),
When the Great Love came to the stable door
And entered in,
And laid Himself in the breath of kine
And the warmth of hay,
And whispered to the star to shine,
And to break, the day.
Alice Archer Sewall, in 1893
 |
| detail from a painting by Giotto |
A Christmas Prayer
Loving looks the large-eyed cow,
Loving stared the long-eared ass
At Heaven's glory in the grass!
Child, with added human birth
Come to bring the child of earth
Glad repentance, tearful mirth,
And a seat beside the hearth
At the Father's knee---
Make us peaceful as thy cow;
Make us patient as thine ass;
Make us quiet as thou art now;
Make us strong as thou wilt be.
Make us always know and see
We are his, as well as thou.
George MacDonald, 1824-1905
Eddi's Service (A.D. 687)
Eddi, priest of St. Wilfrid
In his chapel at Manhood End,
Ordered a midnight service
For such as cared to attend.
But the Saxons were keeping Christmas,
And the night was stormy as well.
Nobody came to service,
Though Eddi rang the bell.
"'Wicked weather for walking,"
Said Eddi of Manhood End.
"But I must go on with the service
For such as care to attend."
The altar-lamps were lighted, --
An old marsh-donkey came,
Bold as a guest invited,
And stared at the guttering flame.
The storm beat on at the windows,
The water splashed on the floor,
And a wet, yoke-weary bullock
Pushed in through the open door.
"How do I know what is greatest,
How do I know what is least?
That is My Father's business,"
Said Eddi, Wilfrid's priest.
"But -- three are gathered together --
Listen to me and attend.
I bring good news, my brethren!"
Said Eddi of Manhood End.
And he told the Ox of a Manger
And a Stall in Bethlehem,
And he spoke to the Ass of a Rider,
That rode to Jerusalem.
They steamed and dripped in the chancel,
They listened and never stirred,
While, just as though they were Bishops,
Eddi preached them The Word,
Till the gale blew off on the marshes
And the windows showed the day,
And the Ox and the Ass together
Wheeled and clattered away.
And when the Saxons mocked him,
Said Eddi of Manhood End,
"I dare not shut His chapel
On such as care to attend."
Rudyard Kipling, 1865-1936
 |
| detail from a painting by Giotto |
The luckiest of animals
On earth, both tame and wild,
For they were first to look with love
Upon the Christmas Child!
Here ends
The Carol of the Ox and Ass
Heraldic Lion, Tapestry, by William Morris (1836-1896), British painter. This scene symbolizes the Quest for the Unicorn by King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table.
The verse from the title page in modern typeface:
His stable is a Prince's courte,
The cribb His chaire of State;
The beastes are parcell of His pompe,
The wodden dishe, His plate.
Robert Southwell, from New Prince, New Pomp
For more of this wonderful poem, New Prince, New Pomp, go to this link:
The cribb His chaire of State;
The beastes are parcell of His pompe,
The wodden dishe, His plate.
Robert Southwell, from New Prince, New Pomp
For more of this wonderful poem, New Prince, New Pomp, go to this link:
I love these! Thanks for posting them. What treasures you know how to find.
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