Saint Stephen Was A Clerk
Anonymous
Saint Stephen was a clerk1
In King Herod's hall,
And servèd him of bread and cloth
As ever king befall.
Stephen out of kitchen came,
With boar's head on hand,
He saw a star was fair and bright
Over Bethlehem stand.
He cast adown the boar's head
And went into the hall;
"I forsake thee, King Herod,
And thy workès all.
"I forsake thee, King Herod,
And thy workès all;
There is a child in Bethlehem born
Is better than we all."
"What aileth thee, Stephen?
What is thee befall?
Lacketh thee either meat or drink
In King Herod's hall?
"Lacketh me neither meat or drink
In King Herod's hall;
There is child in Bethlehem born
Is better than we all."
"What aileth thee, Stephen?
Art thou wode2 or ginnest to breed?3
Lacketh their gold or fee4
Or any rich weed?"5
"Lacketh me neither gold nor fee,
Ne none rich weed;
There is a child in Bethlehem born
Shall helpen us at our need."
"That is all so sooth, Stephen,
All so sooth,6 I-wis,7
As this capon8 crowè shall
That lieth here in my dish."
That word was not so soon said,
That word in that hall,
The capon crew Christus natus est9
Among the lordès all.
"Riseth up, my tormentors,
by two and all by one,
And leadeth Stephen out of this town,
And stoneth him with stone."
Tooken they Stephen
And stoned him in the way,
And therefore in his even
On Christès own day.
Christmas Poems
Home
1clerk = servant (pronounced "clark") back to poem
2wode = wooden (i.e., mad) back to poem
3ginnest to breed = becoming (mad, that is) back to poem
4fee = material wealth back to poem
5weed = garment back to poem
6sooth = truth back to poem
7I-wis = gewiss (i.e., certainly) back to poem
8capon = a male chicken gelded to improve his flesh for the table back to poem
9Christus natus est = Christ is born back to poem