Ninth Day of Christmas

" All That 'Lieve in Christmas Lay"

1. A man was the first guilt,
And therefore he was spilt;
The prophecy was never (fulfilled),
    Till on the Christmas day.

2. The first day that lily sprung,
Jesus Christ be us among,
Ever we thought it was too long,
    Till on the Christmas day.

3. It was dark, it was dim,
For men that lived in great sin,
Lucifer was us all within,
    Till on the Christmas day.

4. There was weeping, there was woe,
For every man to hell gan go.
There was little merry so,
    Till on the Christmas day.

Words and Music: English Traditional, Fifteenth Century.  Source: Edith Rickert, Ancient English Christmas Carols: 1400-1700 (London: Chatto & Windus, 1914), pp. 164-5.