Part 1
CHRISTMAS CAROLS
_IN THE SAME SERIES._
ENGLISH NURSERY RHYMES.
Selected and Edited by L. EDNA WALTER. B.Sc. Harmonized by LUCY E. BROADWOOD. Illustrated by DOROTHY M. WHEELER.
Containing 32 full-page illustrations in colour, decorative borders, and about 60 decorative headings and tail-pieces. Demy 4to (11-1/2 × 8-3/4 inches).
SONGS FROM ALICE IN WONDERLAND AND THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS.
Words by LEWIS CARROLL. Music by LUCY E. BROADWOOD. Illustrations by CHARLES FOLKARD.
Containing 12 full-page illustrations in colour, decorative borders, and many small illustrations. Demy 4to, cloth.
Published by A. & C. BLACK, Ltd., 4, 5, & 6, Soho Square, London, W.1.
CHRISTMAS CAROLS
Old English Carols for Christmas and other Festivals.
SELECTED AND EDITED BY L. EDNA WALTER M.B.E., B.Sc., A.C.G.I.
HARMONISED BY LUCY E. BROADWOOD
ILLUSTRATED BY J.H. HARTLEY
NEW YORK: THE MACMILLAN COMPANY, FIFTH AVENUE. LONDON: A. & C. BLACK, LIMITED, 4, 5, & 6, SOHO SQUARE.
_This book is dedicated to
ELIZABETH
because she rather liked it._
Published, Autumn, 1922.
FOREWORD
Special times or events have been celebrated from time immemorial by feasting, dancing, and singing. Often the dancers formed a ring and sang as they danced, first the dance and later the song being called a carol. The carol was not always strictly religious, although in the old times both the singing and dancing often took place in cathedrals and churches. Some of the carols that we still know are connected with times before the Christian era. They have now lost their dance and the melody has changed, but the ideas are very ancient. The Holly and the Ivy suggest the old Druids, and we still put up Holly and Ivy in our houses just as people did before the time of Christ. We put them up at Christmas, and we sing the carol at Christmas—but the idea at the back of it is older than Christmas, for the Church accepted all that was found to be of value in the old customs, and adapted them to set forth the newer faith. The carrying in of the Boar’s Head is an old ceremony, too. It was considered a Royal Dish, and Henry II. ordered it to appear at a special feast which he gave in honour of his son.
In the old days people thought of the New Year as the time when the trees and flowers began to come out—that is about May Day—so the May Day Carols celebrate the New Year’s Day of ever so long ago. Gradually, however, carols have centred more and more round events in the life of Christ, and especially round the wonderful story of His Birth. Many of them have just been handed on from one person to another through hundreds of years, some have only been written down at all during the last century. For example, the version given here of the “Black Decree” was sung into my phonograph by an old man of seventy-five. All the carols chosen for this book are those which have been sung through many, many years at times of festival and mirth (note how often food and drink are referred to), so don’t expect them to be pious in the modern way or to be at all like our present-day hymns.
The Publishers desire to acknowledge their indebtedness to Miss Lucy E. Broadwood for kindly permitting them to reproduce in this collection the following carols from her _ENGLISH TRADITIONAL SONGS AND CAROLS_: “King Pharaoh,” “The Moon Shines Bright,” “The Sussex Mummers’ Carol,” and “I’ve been Rambling all the Night.” Also to Miss A.G. Gilchrist for the “Pace Egging Song” and “The Seven Joys of Mary,” and to the Rev. S. Baring-Gould and his publishers (Messrs. Methuen & Co., Ltd.) for the “Somersetshire Wassail” from _A GARLAND OF COUNTRY SONG_.
CONTENTS
PAGE
GOOD KING WENCESLAS 12
AS JOSEPH WAS A-WALKING 14
CHRISTMAS DAY IN THE MORNING 15
GOD REST YOU MERRY, GENTLEMEN 16
THE HOLY WELL 18
THE FIRST NOWELL 20
THE CHERRY TREE CAROL 23
DIVES AND LAZARUS 24
THE HOLLY AND THE IVY 25
A VIRGIN MOST PURE 26
THE WASSAIL SONG. PART I. 28
THE WASSAIL SONG. PART II. 29
THE BOAR’S HEAD CAROL 30
ALL THAT ARE TO MIRTH INCLINED 33
KING PHARAOH: PART I. THE MIRACLE OF THE COCK 34
KING PHARAOH: PART II. THE MIRACULOUS HARVEST 37
THE BLACK DECREE 38
SOMERSETSHIRE WASSAIL 40
A CHILD THIS DAY IS BORN 43
THE MOON SHINES BRIGHT 44
A CAROL FOR TWELFTH DAY 47
THE LORD AT FIRST DID ADAM MAKE 48
THE SEVEN JOYS OF MARY 50
THE SUSSEX MUMMERS’ CAROL 52
AS I SAT ON A SUNNY BANK 53
PACE-EGGING SONG 54
I’VE BEEN RAMBLING ALL THE NIGHT 57
GOOD CHRISTIAN MEN, REJOICE 58
ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOUR
BY
J.H. HARTLEY
PAGE AND MONARCH FORTH THEY WENT _Frontispiece_
PAGE
IN FIELDS WHERE THEY LAY KEEPING THEIR SHEEP 21
MARY SAID TO CHERRY TREE, “BOW DOWN TO MY KNEE” 22
THE BOAR’S HEAD IN HAND BEAR I 31
LET ALL YOUR SONGS AND PRAISES BE UNTO HIS HEAVENLY MAJESTY 32
“SAY, WHERE DID YOU COME FROM, GOOD MAN?” 35
“COME, HUSBANDMAN,” CRIED JESUS, “CAST ALL YOUR SEED AWAY” 36
O MAID, FAIR MAID, IN HOLLAND SMOCK 41
GLAD TIDINGS TO ALL MEN 42
AWAKE, AWAKE, GOOD PEOPLE ALL! 45
FOR I PERFORCE MUST TAKE MY LEAVE OF ALL MY DAINTY CHEER 46
OH, HERE COME WE JOLLY BOYS, ALL OF ONE MIND 55
A BRANCH OF MAY, MY DEAR, I SAY, BEFORE YOUR DOOR I STAND 56
NOW TO THE LORD SING PRAISES, ALL YOU WITHIN THIS PLACE _On the Cover_
Good King Wenceslas
1. Good King Wenceslas looked out On the Feast of Stephen, When the snow lay round about, Deep and crisp and even. Brightly shone the moon that night, Though the frost was cruel, When a poor man came in sight, Gathering winter fuel.
2. “Hither, page, and stand by me If thou know’st it, telling, Yonder peasant, who is he? Where and what his dwelling?” “Sire, he lives a good league hence Underneath the mountain; Right against the forest fence, By St. Agnes’ fountain.”
3. “Bring me flesh, and bring me wine, Bring me pine-logs hither; Thou and I will see him dine, When we bear them thither.” Page and monarch forth they went, Forth they went together Through the rude wind’s wild lament And the bitter weather.
4. “Sire! the night is darker now, And the wind blows stronger; Fails my heart, I know not how, I can go no longer.” “Mark my footsteps, good my page; Tread thou in them boldly; Thou shalt find the winter’s rage Freeze thy blood less coldly.”
5. In his master’s steps he trod Where the snow lay dinted; Heat was in the very sod Which the saint had printed. Therefore Christian men, be sure, Wealth or rank possessing, Ye who now will bless the poor Shall yourselves find blessing.
[Music: Good King Wenceslas]
As Joseph was a-walking
[Music]
1. As Joseph was a-walking He heard an angel sing, “This night shall be the birthtime Of Christ, the Heavenly King.
2. “He neither shall be born In housen nor in hall. Nor in the place of Paradise, But in an ox’s stall.
3. “He neither shall be clothed In purple nor in pall, But in the fair white linen That usen babies all.
4. “He neither shall be rocked In silver nor in gold, But in a wooden manger That resteth on the mould.”
5. As Joseph was a-walking, There did an angel sing; And Mary’s child at midnight Was born to be our King.
6. Then be ye glad, good people, This night of all the year, And light ye up your candles, For His star it shineth clear.
Christmas Day in the Morning
[Music]
1. I saw three ships come sailing in, On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day; I saw three ships come sailing in, On Christmas Day in the morning.
2. And what was in those ships all three On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day; And what was in those ships all three On Christmas Day in the morning?
3. Our Saviour Christ and His lady On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day; Our Saviour Christ and His lady On Christmas Day in the morning.
4. Pray whither sailed those ships all three On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day; Pray whither sailed those ships all three On Christmas Day in the morning?
5. O they sailed into Bethlehem On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day; O they sailed into Bethlehem On Christmas Day in the morning.
6. And all the bells on earth shall ring On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day; And all the bells on earth shall ring On Christmas Day in the morning.
7. And all the angels in Heaven shall sing On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day; And all the angels in Heaven shall sing On Christmas Day in the morning.
8. And all the souls on earth shall sing On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day; And all the souls on earth shall sing On Christmas Day in the morning.
9. Then let us all rejoice amain On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day; Then let us all rejoice amain On Christmas Day in the morning.
God rest you merry, Gentlemen!
1. God rest you merry, Gentlemen! Let nothing you dismay; Remember Christ our Saviour Was born upon this day, To save us all from Satan’s power When we were gone astray. O tidings of comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy.
2. In Bethlehem in Jury This blessèd Babe was born, And laid within a manger Upon this blessèd morn: The which His Mother Mary Nothing did take in scorn. O tidings of comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy.
3. From God, our Heavenly Father, A blessèd angel came, And unto certain shepherds Brought tidings of the same, How that in Bethlehem was born The Son of God by name. O tidings of comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy.
4. “Fear not,” then said the angel, “Let nothing you affright: This day is born a Saviour Of virtue, power, and might; So frequently to vanquish all The friends of Satan quite.” O tidings of comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy.
5. The shepherds at those tidings Rejoiced much in mind, And left their flocks a-feeding In tempest, storm, and wind, And went to Bethlehem straightway This blessèd Babe to find. O tidings of comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy.
6. But when to Bethlehem they came, Where this dear Infant lay, They found Him in a manger Where oxen feed on hay; His mother Mary, kneeling, Unto the Lord did pray. O tidings of comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy.
7. Now to the Lord sing praises, All you within this place, And with true love and brotherhood Each other now embrace; This holy-tide of Christmas All others doth efface. O tidings of comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy.
[Music: God rest you merry, Gentlemen!]
The Holy Well
1. As it fell out one May morning, On a bright holiday, Sweet Jesus ask’d His mother dear, If He might go to play. “To play, to play, sweet Jesus go. And to play now get you gone, And let me hear of no complaints, At night when you come home.”
2. Sweet Jesus went down to yonder town, As far as the Holy Well, And there did see as fine children As any tongue can tell. He said, “God bless you ev’ry one, May Christ your portion be: Little children, shall I play with you? And you shall play with Me.”
3. But they made answer to Him, “No,” They were lords’ and ladies’ sons; And He the meanest of them all, Was born in an ox’s stall. Sweet Jesus turned Him around, And He neither laugh’d nor smil’d, But the tears came trickling from His eyes Like water from the skies.
4. Sweet Jesus turned Him about, To His mother’s dear home went He, And said “I’ve been in yonder town, As after you may see. I’ve been in yonder town, As far as the Holy Well; There did I meet as fine children As any tongue can tell.
5. I bid God bless them ev’ry one, And Christ their bodies see; Little children, shall I play with you? And you shall play with Me. But then they answer’d Me ‘No,’ They were lords’ and ladies’ sons; And I the meanest of them all, Was born in an ox’s stall.”
6. “Though you are but a maiden’s child, Born in an ox’s stall, Thou art the Christ, the King of Heav’n, And the Saviour of them all. Sweet Jesus, go down to yonder town, As far as the Holy Well, And take away those sinful souls, And dip them deep in hell.”
7. “Nay, nay,” sweet Jesus mildly said, “Nay, nay, that must not be; For there are too many sinful souls Crying out for the help of Me.” O then bespoke the angel Gabriel, “Upon our good St. Stephen, Although you’re but a maiden’s Child, You are the King of Heav’n.”
[Music: The Holy Well]
The First Nowell
[Music]
1. The first Nowell the Angel did say Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay; In fields where they lay keeping their sheep, On a cold winter’s night that was so deep. CHORUS. Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell! Born is the King of Israel!
2. They looked up and saw a Star Shining in the east beyond them far, And to the earth it gave great light, And so it continued both day and night. Nowell, etc.
3. And by the light of that same Star Three wise men came from country far; To seek for a king was their intent, And to follow the Star wherever it went. Nowell, etc.
4. This Star drew nigh to the north-west O’er Bethlehem it took its rest, And there it did both stop and stay Right o’er the place where Jesus lay. Nowell, etc.
5. Then entered in those wise men three Most reverently upon their knee, And offered there, in His presence, Both gold, and myrrh, and frankincense. Nowell, etc.
6. Then let us all with one accord Sing praises to our Heavenly Lord, That hath made Heaven and earth of nought, And with His blood mankind hath bought. Nowell, etc.
The Cherry Tree Carol
[Music]
1. Joseph was an old man, An old man was he; He married sweet Mary, The Queen of Galilee.
2. As they went a-walking In the garden so gay, Sweet Mary spied cherries Hanging over yon tree.
3. Mary said to Joseph, With her sweet lips so mild, “Pluck those cherries, Joseph, For to give to my child.”
4. “O then,” replied Joseph, With words so unkind, “I will pluck no cherries For to give to thy child.”
5. Mary said to cherry tree “Bow down to my knee, That I may pluck cherries, By one, two, and three.”
6. The uppermost sprig then Bowed down to her knee, “Thus you may see, Joseph, These cherries are for me.”
7. “O eat your cherries, Mary, O eat your cherries now, O eat your cherries, Mary, That grow upon the bough.”
Dives and Lazarus
[Music]
1. As it fell out upon a day, Rich Dives made a feast, And he invited all his friends, And gentry of the best.
2. Then Lazarus laid him down and down, And down at Dives’s door. “Some meat, some drink, brother Dives, Bestow upon the poor.”
3. “Thou’rt none of mine, brother Lazarus, That lies begging at my door: Nor meat nor drink will I give to thee, Nor bestow upon the poor.”
4. Then Dives sent out his hungry dogs, To bite him as he lay; They had no power to bite at all, But licked his sores away.
5. As it fell out upon a day, Poor Lazarus sickened and died, There came two Angels out of Heaven His soul therein to guide.
6. As it fell out upon a day, Rich Dives sickened and died, There came two serpents out of Hell, His soul therein to guide.
7. Then Dives looked with burning eyes, And saw poor Lazarus blest; “One drop of water, Lazarus, To quench my flaming thirst!
8. “Oh! had I as many years to abide As there are blades of grass. Then there would be an end; but now Hell’s pains will never pass.”
The Holly and the Ivy
[Music]
1. The Holly and the Ivy Now both are full well grown; Of all the trees that spring in wood The Holly bears the crown; The Holly bears a blossom As white as lily flower, And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ, To be our sweet Saviour, To be our sweet Saviour.
2. The Holly bears a berry As red as any blood; And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ To do poor sinners good. The Holly bears a prickle As sharp as any thorn; And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ On Christmas day in the morn, On Christmas day in the morn.
3. The Holly bears a bark As bitter as any gall; And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ For to redeem us all. The Holly and the Ivy Now both are full well grown; Of all the trees that spring in wood The Holly bears the crown, The Holly bears the crown.
A Virgin Most Pure
1.
A virgin most pure, as the Prophet foretold, Should bring forth a Saviour, which now we behold. To be our Redeemer from death, hell, and sin, Which Adam’s transgression had wrappèd us in. Rejoice and be merry, cast sorrow aside, Christ Jesus, our Saviour, was born on this tide.
2.
In Bethlehem city, in Jury it was When Joseph and Mary together did pass All for to be taxed with many one more, For Cæsar commanded the same should be so. Rejoice and be merry, etc.
3.
But when they had entered the city so far, A number of people so mighty was there That Joseph and Mary, whose substance was small, Could get in the city no lodging at all. Rejoice and be merry, etc.
4.
Then they were constrained in a stable to lie, Where oxen and asses they used to tie; Their lodging so simple they held it no scorn, But against the next morning our Saviour was born. Rejoice and be merry, set sorrow aside, Christ Jesus, our Saviour, was born on this tide.
5.
The King of all Glory to the world being brought, Small store of fine linen to wrap Him was bought; When Mary had swaddled her young Son so sweet, Within an ox-manger she laid Him to sleep. Rejoice and be merry, etc.
6.
Then God sent an angel from Heaven so high To certain poor shepherds in fields as they lie, And bade them no longer in sorrow to stay Because that our Saviour was born on this day. Rejoice and be merry, etc.
7.
Then presently after, the shepherds did spy A number of angels appear in the sky, Who joyfully talked and sweetly did sing “To God be all glory, our Heavenly King.” Rejoice and be merry, etc.
8.
Three certain wise princes, they thought it most meet To lay their rich offerings at our Saviour’s feet; Then the shepherds consented, and to Bethlehem did go And when they came thither, they found it was so. Rejoice and be merry, etc.
[Music: A Virgin Most Pure]
The Wassail Song
[Music: PART I.]
1. Here we come a-wassailing Among the leaves so green; Here we come a-wand’ring, So plainly to be seen. CHORUS Love and joy come to you, And to you your wassail too! And God bless you, and send you a happy New Year, And God send you a happy New Year!
2. Our wassail cup is made Of the rosemary tree, And so is your beer Of the best barley. Love and joy, etc.
3. We are not daily beggars That beg from door to door, But we are neighbours’ children Whom you have seen before. Love and joy, etc.
4. Good master and good mistress, As you sit by the fire Pray think of us poor children A-wandering in the mire. Love and joy, etc.
The Wassail Song
[Music: PART II.]
5. We have a little purse, It is made of rabbit skin, We want a little sixpence To line it well within. CHORUS. Love and joy come to you, And to you your wassail too! And God bless you, and send you a happy New Year, And God send you a happy New Year!
6. Call up the Butler of this house Put on his golden ring; Let him bring us a glass of beer And the better we shall sing. Love and joy, etc.
7. Bring us out a table And spread it with a cloth; Bring us out a mouldy cheese, And some of your Christmas loaf. Love and joy, etc.
8. God bless the Master of this house, Likewise the Mistress too; And all the little children That round the table go. Love and joy, etc.
The Boar’s Head Carol
[Music]
1.
The boar’s head in hand bear I, Bedeck’d with bays and rosemary, And I pray you, my masters, be merry _Quot estis in convivio_. CHORUS. _Caput apri defero. Reddons laudes Domino._
2.
The boar’s head as I understand Is the bravest dish in all the land; When thus bedecked with a gay garland Let us _servire cantico_. _Caput apri defero Reddons laudes Domino._
3.
Our steward hath provided this In honour of the King of Bliss, Which on this day to be served is In _regimensi atrio_. _Caput apri defero Reddons laudes Domino._
Let all that are to mirth inclined
[Music]
1. Let all that are to mirth inclined Consider well, and bear in mind What our good God for us has done, In sending His Belovèd Son. CHORUS. For, to redeem our souls from thrall, Christ is the Saviour of us all.