Now Joy We All In The Trinitie

For Christmas

Words: English Traditional from the Hill Ms.
Compare: Now Ioy Be To The Trynyte (Flügel)
Wassail, Wassail, Wassail, Sing We (Rickert)

Music: Not Stated

Source: Jessie L. Weston, ed., Old English Carols from the Hill MS. [Balliol College MS. 354] Translated by Jessie L. Weston. (London: David Nutt, 1911), Carol # XXI, pp. 39-40.

Wassail, Wassail, Wassail, sing we
In honour of Christ's Nativitie!

1. Now joy we all in the Trinitie,
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
That One God is, in Persons Three,
Father of Heaven, in might the most
Wassail, Wassail, etc.

2. And joy we all in that Virgin pure,
Who kept her ever undefiled,
Grounded in grace, in heart full sure,
At once a Mother, and Maiden mild !
Wassail, Wassail, etc.

3. Bethlehem and that star so clear,
That shone three kings from far to guide,
Bare witness to that Maiden dear ;
The kings, they offerings bare that tide
Wassail, Wassail, etc.

4. And the shepherds heard, as writ it is,
The joyful song that there was sung,
' Gloria in Excelsis ! '
From Angels' voices loud it rung
Wassail, Wassail, etc.

5. Now joy be to that Blessed Child,
And joy be to His Mother dear,
Rejoice we in that Maiden mild,
And joy be theirs who make good cheer !
Wassail, Wassail, Wassail, sing we
In honour of Christ's Nativitie!

Editor's Note:

Weston's apparent source was Ewald Flügel, ed., “Liedersammlungen des XVI Jahrhunderts, Besonders Aus Der Zeit Heinrichs VIII. III. 6. Die lieder des Balliol Ms. 354,” in Eugen Einenkel, ed., Anglia - Zeitschrift für englische Philologie enthaltend Beitrage zur Geschlicht der englischen Sprache und Literatur. Band XXVI. (Halle: Max Niemeyer, 1903), p. 265. This work is available at both Internet Archive and Google Books.

See also Roman Dyboski, ed. Songs, Carols and Other Miscellaneous Poems from the Balliol MS. 354, Richard Hill’s Commonplace Book. Early English Text Society Extra Series No. CI (London: Published for the Early English Text Society by Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co., Ltd., 1907, issued in 1908), p. 45. Over 103 songs of great variety, including 62 "sacred songs and carols." Available at Internet Archive and Google Books.

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