Dance: "Female Sailor"
Song: "Masters in this Hall", lyrics by William Morris, first published in Antient Christmas Carols (1868)

Masters in this hall, hear ye news today
Brought from over sea, and ever I you pray
Chorus:
      Nowell, nowell, nowell, Nowell sing we clear
      Holpen are all folk on earth, Born is God’s son so dear.
      Nowell, nowell, nowell, Nowell sing we loud
      God today hath poor folk raised up, And cast a-down the proud

Going o’er the hills, through the milk white snow,
Heard I ewes bleat, while the wind did blow.
Chorus

Shepherds many a one, sat among the sheep
No man spake more word than they had been asleep
Chorus

Quoth I, "fellows mine, why this guise sit ye?
Making but dull cheers, shepherds though you be?"
Chorus

"Shepherds should of right leap and dance and sing.
Thus to see ye sit is a right strange thing."
Chorus

Quoth these fellows then, "To Bethlehem we go,
To see a mightly lord lie in a manger low."
Chorus

"How name ye this lord, shepherds?" then said I,
"Very God" they said, "come from heaven high."
Chorus

Then to Bethlehem town we went, two and two,
And in a sorry place heard the oxen low.
Chorus

Therein did we see a sweet and goodly may.
And a fair old man, upon the straw she lay.
Chorus

And a little child on her arm had she,
"Wot ye who this is?" said the hinds to me.
Chorus

Ox and ass him know, kneeling on their knee.
Wondrous joy had I this little babe to see.
Chorus

This is Christ the lord, masters be ye glad!
Christmas is come in, no folk should be sad.
Chorus

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