Full Lyrics
John Milton's Hymn to the Nativity
It was the winter wild,
While the Heavenborn child,
All meanly wrapt, in the rude manger lies.
Nature, in awe to him.
Had doffed her gaudy trim,
With her great master so to sympathize.
It was no season then for her
To wanton with the sun, her lusty paramour.
No war or battle sound
Was heard the world around —
The idle spear and shield were high up hung,
The hooked chariot stood
Unstained with hostile blood;
The trumpet spake not to the armed throng,
And kings sat still with awful eye,
As if they surely knew their sovereign Lord was by.
But peaceful was the night
In which the Prince of Light
His reign of peace upon the earth began;
The winds with wonder whist,
Smoothly the waters kissed,
Whisp‘ring new joys to the mild ocean,
Who now hath quite forgot to rave
While birds of calm sit brooding on the charmed wave.
But see, the Virgin blest
Hath laid her Babe to rest,
Time is our tedious song should here have ending;
Heaven’s youngest teemed star
Hath fixed her polished car,
Her sleeping Lord with handmaid lamp attending,
And all about the courtly stable
Bright harnessed angels sit in order serviceable.
