| Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. (1863–1944). The Oxford Book of Ballads. 1910. |
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| 104. I Saw Three Ships |
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I
AS I sat under a sycamore tree, | |
| —A sycamore tree, a sycamore tree, | |
| I looked me out upon the sea | |
| On Christ’s Sunday at morn. | |
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II
I saw three ships a-sailing there, | 5 |
| —A-sailing there, a-sailing there, | |
| Jesu, Mary and Joseph they bare | |
| On Christ’s Sunday at morn. | |
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III
Joseph did whistle and Mary did sing, | |
| —Mary did sing, Mary did sing, | 10 |
| And all the bells on earth did ring | |
| For joy our Lord was born. | |
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IV
O they sail’d in to Bethlehem! | |
| —To Bethlehem, to Bethlehem; | |
| Saint Michael was the sterésman, | 15 |
| Saint John sate in the horn. | |
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V
And all the bells on earth did ring | |
| —On earth did ring, on earth did ring: | |
| ‘Welcome be thou Heaven’s King, | |
| On Christ’s Sunday at morn!’ | 20 |
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