This carol about the Annunciation is among the oldest Christmas carols written in the English language. The five quatrains penned in the late Middle Ages by an anonymous author were found with other medieval lyrics in the Sloane Manuscript 2593.

I syng of a mayden
That is makeles;
Kyng of alle kynges
To here Sone sche ches.

He cam also style
There his moder was
As dew in Aprylle
That fallyt on the gras;

He cam also style
To his moderes bowr
As dew in Aprille
That fallyt on the flour;

He cam also style
There his moder lay
As dew in Aprille
That fallyt on the spray;

Moder and maydyn
Was never non but sche;
Wel may swych a lady
Godes moder be.