Now Winter Is Come

Now Winter Is Come

Popular Title: "Remember The Poor"

For Christmas

Words and Music: Anonymous

Source: The Forget Me Now Songster (New York : Nafis & Cornish, 1840), p. 203-204.

Also found in numerous Broadsides of the Day

"Remember the Poor"

1. Now winter is come with his cold chilly breath,
    And the verdure has dropt from the trees,
All nature seems touch'd with the finger of death
    And the streams are beginning to freeze,
When wanton young lads o'er the river can slide,
    And Flora attends us no more:
When in plenty you set by a good fireside,
    Sure you ought to remember, the poor.

2. When the cold feathered snow does in plenty descend,
    And whiten the prospect around,
When the keen cutting wind from the north shall attend,
    Hard chilling and freezing the ground
When the hills and the dales are all candied with white,
    When the rivers congeal to the shore;
When the bright twinkling stars shall proclaim a cold night,
    Then remember the state of the poor.

3. When the poor harmless hare may be trac'd to the wood,
    By her footsteps indented in snow,
When the lips and the fingers are starting in blood,
    When the marksmen a cock-shooting go,
When the poor robin red-breast approaches the cot,
    When the icicles hang at the door;
When the bowl smokes with something reviving and hot,
    That's the time to remember the poor.

4. When a thaw shall ensue, and the waters increase,
    And the rivers all insolent grow
When the fishes from prison obtain a release,
    When in danger the travellers go;
When the meadows are hid with the proud swelling flood,
    When the bridges are useful no more,
When in health you enjoy every thing that is good,
    Can you grumble to think on the poor.

5. Soon the day will be here, when a Saviour was born,
    All the world should agree as one voice,
All nations unite to salute the bless'd morn,
    All ends of the earth shall rejoice.
Grim death is deprived of his all killing sting,
    And the grave is triumphant no more
Saints, angels, and men, hallelujahs shall sing,
    And the rich shall remember the poor.

Alternate Fourth Verse, Firth c.16(320), between 1863 and 1885 (below)

The thaw shall ensue and the waters increase,
    And the rivers vehemently grow,
The filth from oblivion obtain a release,
    And in danger the travellers go,
When your minds are annoy'd by the proud swelling flood,
    And your bridges are useful no more,
When in plenty you enjoy everything that is good,
    Do not grumble to think on the poor.

A Few Broadsides from Broadside Ballads Online at the Bodleian Library
Roud Number 1121

Firth b.26(170), between 1819 and 1844
"Winter Piece"

"Now winter is come with a cold chilly breath"

Pitts, Printer, Wholesale Toy and Marble Warehouse, 6, Great St. Andrew-street, Seven Dials

Johnson Ballads 1062. between 1819 and 1844

"Winter Piece"
"Now winter is come with a cold chilly breath"

"Pray Remember The Poor"
"Now winter is come with its ice & its snow"

Pitts; Printer, Wholesale Toy and Marble Warehouse, 6, Great st Andrew Street, 7 dials

Firth c.16(320), between 1863 and 1885
"Remember the Poor" - Two Versions of the same song, substantially the same except for the fourth verse.

"Cold winter is come, with its cold chilly breath"

H. Such, Printer and Publisher, 177 Union Street, Borough S.E.

Firth c.26(70), Harding B 11(1541) & Harding B 11(1542), all c. 1850
"Remember the Poor"

"Cold winter is come, with its cold chilly breath"

Printed and Sold Wholesale and Retail, by John O. Bebbington, 22, Goulden-street, Oldham Road, Manchester

Also found in

The Star Song Book (R. Marsh 1857), pp. 165-168.
The American Songster (Philadelphia: Leary, 1845) pp.165ff.

As noted at Broadside Ballads Online, this song is found with great variations, an indication of its popularity, including

Titles:
A winter piece
Remember the poor
Remember the poor! A winter-piece
'Tis time to remember the poor
Remember the poor! A winter piece
Pray remember the poor
Winter piece
Remember the poor. A favourite song

First Lines:
Cold winter is come with its cold chilling breath
Now winter is come with its cold chilly breath
Now winter is come with his cold chilly breath
Now winter is come, with its cold chilly breath
Now winter is come with his cold chilling breath
Now winter is come with his cold [c]hilly breath
Cold winter is come, with its cold chilly breath
Cold winter is come, with its keen chilling breath
Now winter is come with its ice & its snow
Now winter is come with a cold chilly breath
Now winter is come, with it's cold chilling breath
Cold winter is come, with its cold chilling breath
Cold winter is come, with its keen chilling breeze

At Lincoln.net, the titles (linked to tables of contents) to 23 song books:
http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/music

= = = =

Firth c.16(320)
Edition - Bod9186
Imprint Names: Such, H.
Imprint Locations: London
Date between 1863 and 1885
Imprint: London: H. Such, Printer and Publisher, 177 Union Street, Borough S.E.
Ballad - Roud Number: 1121
Title: Remember the poor
First Line: Cold winter is come, with its cold chilly breath

Harding B 11(1542)
Edition - Bod11835
Imprint Names: Bebbington, J.O.
Imprint Locations: Manchester
Date c.1850
Notes: Harding B 11(1541) is another impression
Series Identifier: 63
1st Ballad - Roud Number: 1095
Title: Highland Mary
First Line: Ye fertile plains and streams around
Authors: Burns, Robert, 1759-1796
Themes: Death
2nd Ballad - Roud Number: 1121
Title: Remember the poor
First Line: Cold winter is come, with its cold chilly breath

Firth c.26(70) &
Harding B 11(1541)
Edition - Bod10852
Imprint Names: Bebbington, J.O.
Imprint Locations: Manchester
Date c.1850
Imprint: Printed and Sold Wholesale and Retail, by John O. Bebbington, 22, Goulden-street, Oldham Road, Manchester
Notes: Harding B 11(1542) is another impression.
Series Identifier: 63
1st Ballad - Roud Number: 1095
Title: Highland Mary
First Line: Ye fertile plains, and streams around
Authors: Burns, Robert, 1759-1796
2nd Ballad - Roud Number: 1121
Title: Remember the poor
First Line: Cold winter is come, with its cold chilly breath

= = = =

Vaughan Williams Memorial Library
Roud Broadside Index (B111412)
First Line: Now winter is come with his cold chilly breath
Source: The American Songster (Philadelphia: Leary, 1845) pp.165
Roud No: 1121
Printer/Publisher: Leary (Philadelphia) (1845)

The Star Song Book (R. Marsh 1857), pp. 165-168.
http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/islandora/object/niu-lincoln%3A35172
Northern Illinois University, Lincoln.net

Plus Broadsides at the Bodeilan.

Numerous "Winter" themed poems can be found. One that has a similar first line was found in "The Winter Theme: Poets and Poetry of Iowa," edited by Thomas William Herringshaw. It was called "Winter," and was written by Rev. Robert Mumby. It's first verse:

Father Winter is here with his cold chilly breath.
And the touch of his finger is icy as death.
The tiowers they hide till the winter is past.
Till the springtime is here in mildness at last.

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