The Hymns and Carols of Christmas

 Make We Joy Now In This Fest

For Christmas

Old English Carol: words and tune from the Bodleian Library (MS. Arch. Selden B. 26. XV Century):
cf. Add. MS. 5665, in the British Museum.
Harmonized by the Rev. G. R. Woodward.

Notes and Source: George Ratcliffe Woodward, ed., The Cowley Carol Book For Christmas, Easter, and Ascensiontide, First Series (London: A. R. Mowbray & Co., Ltd, 1901, Revised and Expanded Edition), Carol #27

Refrain
Make we joy now in this fest
In quo Christus natus est. Eya.

1. A Patre Unigenitus
Is through a maiden come to us:
Sing we of Him and say Welcome,
Veni, Redemptor gencium. Refrain

2. Agnoscat omne seculum,
A bright star made three kings come,
Him for to seek with their presen's,
Verbum supernum prodiens. Refrain

3. A solis ortus cardine
So mighty a Lord is None as He;
And to our kind He hath Him knit,
Adam parens quod polluit. Refrain

4. Maria ventre concepit,
The Holy Ghost was ay her with,
Of her in Bethlem born He is,
Consors paterni luminis. Refrain

5. O lux beata Trinitas,
He lay between an ox and ass,
Beside His mother maiden free,
Gloria tibi, Domine. Refrain

Sheet Music from George Ratcliffe Woodward, ed., The Cowley Carol Book For Christmas, Easter, and Ascensiontide, First Series (London: A. R. Mowbray & Co., Ltd, 1902, Revised and Expanded Edition 1929), Carol #27
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF

Note:

Latin translations from Edith Rickert's Glossary:

In quo Christus natus est. = On which Christ was born .

1. A Patre Unigenitus = The only Son of the Father
Veni, Redemptor gencium = Come, Redeemer of mankind

2. Agnoscat omne seculum = Let all the world acknowledge Thee
Verbum supernum prodiens = Showing forth the high Word

3. A solis ortus cardine = Arisen from the quarter of the sun
Adam parens quod polluit = Which Adam, the parent, did pollute (Source: San Francisco Bach Choir, Make We Joy).

4. Maria ventre concepit, = Conceived in Mary’s womb (Source: San Francisco Bach Choir, Make We Joy).
Consors paterni luminis = Consort of the light of the Father

5. O lux beata Trinitas = O blessed light of the Trinity
Gloria tibi, Domine = Glory to Thee, O Lord

Note: Some of the translations of Latin phrases from Rickert are different on the page from the translations by the San Francisco Bach Choir. As I have (thus far) been unable to become literate in Latin, I am not in a position to make a recommendation one way or the other.

Versions of this carol on this web site:

The Selden Manuscript was the source for A Medieval Carol Book by Rev. Terry. Scans of the manuscript pages are on-line at the Bodleian Library; see Selden MS B26 (opens in a new window at an exterior site).

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