St Stephen and Herod St Stephen and Herod Seynt Steuene was a clerk in kyng Herowdes halle, And seruyd him of bred and clot, as euery kyng befalle. Child has only one version of St Stephen and Herod. Bronson has a single traditional tune for the ballad. [ A ] Try this [ LINK ] to traditional versions from the archives. Version A[ HOME ] [ Numbered List ] Sloane MS., 2593, fol. 22 b, British Museum. 1 Seynt Steuene was a clerk in kyng Herowdes halle, And seruyd him of bred and clot, as euery kyng befalle. 2 Steuyn out of kechone cam, wyth boris hed on honde; He saw a sterre was fayr and bryt ouer Bedlem stonde. 3 He kyst adoun te boris hed and went in to te halle: ‘I forsak te, kyng Herowdes, and ti werkes alle. 4 ‘I forsak te, kyng Herowdes, and ti werkes alle; Ter is a chyld in Bedlem born is beter tan we alle.’ 5 ‘Quat eylyt te, Steuene? quat is te befalle? Lakkyt te eyter mete or drynk in kyng Herowdes halle?’ 6 ‘Lakit me neyter mete ne drynk in kyng Herowdes halle; Ter is a chyld in Bedlem born is beter tan we alle.’ 7 Quat eylyt te, Steuyn? art tu wod, or tu gynnyst to brede? Lakkyt te eyter gold or fe, or ony ryche wede?’ 8 ‘Lakyt me neyter gold ne fe, ne non ryche wede; Ter is a chyld in Bedlem born xal helpyn vs at our nede.’ 9 ‘Tat is al so sot, Steuyn, al so sot, iwys, As tis capoun crowe xal tat lyt here in myn dysh.’ 10 Tat word was not so sone seyd, tat word in tat halle, Te capoun crew Cristus natus est! among te lordes alle. 11 Rysyt vp, myn turmentowres, be to and al be on, And ledyt Steuyn out of tis town, and stonyt hym wyth ston!’ 12 Tokyn he Steuene, and stonyd hym in the way, And terfore is his euyn on Crystes owyn day. [ HOME ][ TOP ]