Table of Contents
Sorted Alphabetically Within Part
William Sandys, Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern (London: Richard Beckley, 1833)
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Note: Some of the earliest carols were composed in Middle English, which in some cases bears little resemblance to modern English (or even "American"). In these cases, I have not attempted to translate the original into modern English (as I have no facility with Middle English). As much as possible, I have retyped the originals as I found them. Because Middle English contains letters not found in modern English, I've used a special font, "Junicode" created by Professor Peter S. Baker, Professor of English, University of Virginia on some pages. I will note on the individual carol's page which ones need this font. You can obtain a copy of this font from his website Old English at the University of Virginia (select "Windows TrueType," or right click here, and then select "Save File As" to save a copy of the zipped file to your computer). This font must be downloaded and installed before these pages will display accurately. Some special characters — especially for the letter "s" — are not contained in Dr. Baker's font. When a change to the modern letter has been made, I will italicize the letter. See the sample below for some characters which occur in Sandys.
Many of these carols contain archaic spellings of modern words. I have not undertaken to make any corrections to modern usage, so that you can see the original as Sandys reproduced it. Some Old and Middle English resources:
William Sandys was born in 1792 and was an English solicitor (lawyer) by profession. His Christmas publications include:
He had a wide variety of interests and published several other volumes on various topics. He died in London on February 18, 1874. For additional biographical notes, please see Table of Contents - Sandys. |
PART THE FIRST:
Containing
Ancient Carols and Christmas Songs,
From the Early Part of the Fifteenth to
The End of the Seventeenth Century.
All you that to feasting and mirth are inclined
Give way, give way, ye gates, and win
Herode yt was both wylde & wode
I sing the birth was born to.night
Immortal Babe, who this dear day
In Betheleem, that noble place
Jhesu of a mayde yu woldest be born
Marke this songe, for it is trewe
Meruele nozt, iosep, on Mary mylde
Nay iuy, nay, hyt shall not be, I wys (A Song of the Ivy and the Holly)
Now let vs sing with joy and mirth
Now, now the mirth comes (Alternate Title: Twelfe Night, Or King and Queene)
One God, one Baptisme, and one Fayth (A New Dyall)
So, now is come our joyful'st feast
Tell us, thou cleere and heavenly tongue
The bores heed in hand bring I
The borys hede that we bryng here
The ferste joye as i zu telle (Joyis Fyve)
This endnes nyght I sawe a syght (A, My Dere Son)
When cryst was born of mary free
PART
THE SECOND: ·
Containing
A Selection From Carols
Still Used In The West Of England
Note from Mr. Sandys:
"The carols contained in the Second Part, with the exception of the last four, are selected from upwards of one hundred obtained in different parts of the West of Cornwall, many of which, including those now published, are still in use. Some few of them are printed occasionally in the country, and also in London, Birmingham, and other places, as broadside carols; others have appeared, with some variation, in Mr. Gilbert's collection, having been derived from similar sources; but a large portion, including some of the most curious, have, I believe, never been printed before."
Editor's Note:
The reference to "Mr. Gilbert's collection" are to two volumes of Christmas carols published by Davies Gilbert:
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Some Ancient Christmas Carols (with the tunes to which they were formerly sung in the West of England), 1822 (which contained 8 carols), and
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Collection of Christmas Carols, 1823 (which contained 11 additional carols.
I do not own either of these collections; the descriptions are taken from other sources. For more information, see Erik Routley, The English Carol, pp. 81+, and William E. Studwell and Dorothy E. Jones, Publishing Glad Tidings, pp. 7+.
A Virgin most pure, as the Prophets do tell
All you that are to mirth inclined
As I pass’d by a river side (A Carnal and the Crane)
As it fell out one May morning (The Holy Well)
Augustus Caesar having brought
Come rejoice, all good Christians
God bless the master of this house (The Saviour Of All People)
Hail! ever hail! auspicious morn
Hark, Hark I what news the Angels bring
I saw three ships come sailing in
One God there is, of wisdom, glory, might
Saint John, Saint John, was Christ’s disciple
The first good joy our Mary had
The first Nowell, the Angel did say
The Lord at first had Adam made
The Moon shines bright and the Stars give light
There is a Child born of our blessed Virgin (Gloria Tibi Domine)
To-morrow shall be my dancing day
Upon Christmas Day in the morning
When Augustus Caesar throughout
When bloody Herod reigned king
When Caesar Augustus had raised a taxation
When Jesus Christ was twelve years old
When old Father Jacob was ready to die
When righteous Joseph wedded was
Whilst Shepherds watch'd their flocks by night
PART THE THIRD:
Containing
Specimens of French Provincial Carols
L'An mil sies cens quaranto cinc
Concerning the 18 tunes which were appended, Sandys wrote:
"The Tunes are of a pleasing and plaintive nature, and most of them appear to be of considerable antiquity. In No. 3 will be found a specimen of the old minor key, with a flat seventh at the close; the scale is founded on one of the old Grecian modes, having the flat seventh ascending and descending, and was varied by the introduction of the more modern minor key, as far back, probably, as the 15th century. It appears harsh to modern ears, which expect the g sharp.
"No. 6 is of simple construction, almost a chant. No. 11, according to tradition, has been known for three hundred years back. No. 9 is very similar to one of the old Shakspearian tunes, "There lived a man in BabyIon." Nos. 14 and 15 are inserted to show the manner in which the carol-singers sing in parts. Nos. 16 and 17 are examples of French carol tunes, both in a minor key, and apparently old. No. 18 is a tune, which I have been informed by the lady who furnished me with it, has been handed down as the appropriate one for the old ballad of "Lord Thomas and fair Elinor." I have therefore introduced it, though not a regular carol tune, from its probable antiquity.
"Although the tunes are appropriated in this selection to particular carols, they are not confined to them, but some favourite ones are sung to various sets of words. As it would have encumbered the work to have printed a greater number, I may, from the difference of taste in these matters, have omitted some, more prized by the singers, but I have endeavoured to bring forward the best."
Click here for the Tunes From Sandys
See, also William Sandys, Christmas-tide Its History, Festivities and Carols, With Their Music (London: John Russell Smith, 1852)
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