NOTE ON CHRISTMAS CAROLS.

Through Bethlehem city, in Juda it was,
As Joseph and Mary together did pass,
And for to be taxed when thither they came,
Since Cæsar Augustus commanded the same.
Chorus-Then let us be merry, etc.

But Mary's full time being come as we find,
She brought forth her first-born to save all mankind;
The inn being full, for this heavenly Guest

No place could be found where to lay Him to rest.
Chorus-Then let us be merry, etc.

But Mary, blest Mary, so meek and so mild,
Soon wrapped up in swaddlings this heavenly Child,
Contented she laid Him where oxen do feed-
The great God of Nature approved of the deed.
Chorus-Then let us be merry, etc.

To teach us humility all this was done;

Then learn we from hence haughty pride for to shun!

A manger His cradle, who came from above,

The great God of mercy, of peace, and of love.
Chorus-Then let us be merry, etc.

Then presently after the shepherds did spy
Vast numbers of angels to stand in the sky,
So merrily talking, so sweet they did sing,
All glory and praise to our heavenly King!
Chorus-Then let us be merry, etc.

A Derbyshire form of this carol, words and tune, is printed in Chappell's collection. We subjoin the melody:

M*

sin, Which Ad - am's trans - gres-sions in volved us

CHORUS.

in.

side, Our Sa-viour, Christ Jesus, was born

IV.

on this tide.

Our next shall be one of the narrative kind, and a few stanzas, by way of specimen, must suffice. Gilbert, a Cornish collector, has printed it at full length:

When God at first created man,

his image for to be,

And how He made him by his power,

in Scripture we may see,

NOTE ON CHRISTMAS CAROLS.

And how he framed his helpmate Eve

the Scripture doth us tell;

Being free from sin, God placed them both
in paradise to dwell.

Chorus-Let men, therefore, then praise the Lord,
rejoice, and cease to mourn,

Because our Saviour Jesus Christ

this blessed day was born.

Man being entered in that place,
we plainly understand,
The glory of it having seen,

God gave them this command:
Be sure thou eat not of the tree

which in the midst doth stand,
In eating it thou sure shalt die,
and perish from the land.
Chorus-Let men, therefore, etc.

The fall and misery of mankind being next described, the story of redemption follows, after which the carol concludes:

God grant us hearts for to believe,

and likewise to consider

How that our Saviour suffered death,
man's soul for to deliver;

The which, if rightly we believe,

we shall with him be blest,

And when this mortal life is done,
in heaven we hope to rest.

Chorus-Let men, therefore, etc.

We may here insert the air of an ancient ditty to which the above, and many other carols of the same measure, are indifferently sung; it is very commonly the strain of "God rest you, merry gentlemen: "

V.

We give next a very old carol, with its melody, marked by Rimbault as traditional in Somersetshire.

many copies, however, we conclude it

From a comparison of was once very generally

NOTE ON CHRISTMAS CAROLS.

As Joseph was a walking

he heard an angel singThis night shall be the birth-time of Christ the heavenly king.

He neither shall be born

in housen nor in hall,

Nor in the place of paradise, but in an ox's stall:

He neither shall be clothed
in purple nor in pall,
But in the linen white and fair
that usen babies all;

He neither shall be rocked
in silver nor in gold,

But in a wooden manger rude

that resteth on the mould:

He neither shall be washen

with white wine nor with red, But with the water from the spring, that on you shall be shed.

As Joseph was a walking,

thus did the angel sing,

And Mary's son at midnight hour was born to be our King.

Then be ye glad, good people, this night of all the year,

And light ye up your candles, for

His star it shineth clear;