| Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. (1863–1944). The Oxford Book of Ballads. 1910. |
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| 105. The Twelve Good Joys |
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I
THE FIRST good joy our Mary had, | |
| It was the joy of one, | |
| To see her own Son Jesus | |
| To suck at her breast bone; | |
| To suck at her breast bone, good man, | 5 |
| And blessed may he be, | |
| Both Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, | |
| To all eternity. | |
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II
The next good joy our Mary had, | |
| It was the joy of two, | 10 |
| To see her own son Jesus | |
| To make the lame to go; | |
| To make the lame to go, good man, &c. | |
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III
The next good joy our Mary had, | |
| It was the joy of three; | 15 |
| To see her own Son Jesus | |
| To make the blind to see; | |
| To make the blind to see, good man, &c. | |
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IV
The next good joy our Mary had, | |
| It was the joy of four, | 20 |
| To see her own Son Jesus | |
| To read the Bible o’er; | |
| To read the Bible o’er, good man, &c. | |
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V
The next good joy our Mary had, | |
| It was the joy of five, | 25 |
| To see her own son Jesus | |
| To raise the dead alive; | |
| To raise the dead alive, good man, &c. | |
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VI
The next good joy our Mary had, | |
| It was the joy of six, | 30 |
| To see her own Son Jesus | |
| To wear the crucifix; | |
| To wear the crucifix, good man, &c. | |
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VII
The next good joy our Mary had, | |
| It was the joy of seven, | 35 |
| To see her own Son Jesus | |
| To wear the crown of Heaven; | |
| To wear the crown of Heaven, good man, &c. | |
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VIII
The next good joy our Mary had, | |
| It was the joy of eight, | 40 |
| To see our blessed Saviour | |
| Turn darkness into light; | |
| Turn darkness into light, good man, &c. | |
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IX
The next good joy our Mary had, | |
| It was the joy of nine, | 45 |
| To see our blesséd Saviour | |
| Turn water into wine; | |
| Turn water into wine, good man, &c. | |
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X
The next good joy our Mary had, | |
| It was the joy of ten, | 50 |
| To see our blessed Saviour | |
| To write without a pen; | |
| To write without a pen, good man, &c. | |
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XI
The next good joy our Mary had, | |
| It was the joy of eleven, | 55 |
| To see our blessed Saviour | |
| To show the gates of Heaven; | |
| To show the gates of Heaven, good man, &c. | |
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XII
The next good joy our Mary had, | |
| It was the joy of twelve, | 60 |
| To see our blessed Saviour | |
| Shut close the gates of hell; | |
| Shut close the gates of hell, good man, | |
| And blessed may he be, | |
| Both Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, | 65 |
| To all eternity. | |
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