Nowell, Nowell, Nowell
Words and Music: Traditional English
Source: Thomas Wright, Songs and Carols Now First Printed, From a Manuscript of the Fifteenth Century (London: The Percy Society, 1847), Song #56a, printed verbatim from a manuscript probably owned by a professional musician, and apparently written in the latter half of the fifteenth century, circa 1471-1485.
Compare:
Nowell, Nowell
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel
The Salutation Carol
This carol requires
the installation of the "Junius Modern" font for best display.
See notes in F A Q
Nowell, nowell, nowell
This is the salutacyoun of the angell, Gabryell.
Tydynges trew ther be cum new,
sent frome the Trynyte,
be Gabryell to Nazaretj cety of Galile.
A clen maydyn and pure virgin,
thorow her humylyte,
hath concyvyd the person secunde in deyte.
Editor's Note:
Below the music was this inscription:
"Thys is the tewyn for the song foloyng; yf so be that 3e wyll have another tewyn, it may be at 3owr plesure, for I have set all the song."
No additional verses were reproduced.