Alternate Titles: A New Dyall or A New Dial
Source: William Sandys, Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern (London: Richard Beckley, 1833)
1. One God, one Baptisme, and one Fayth,
One Truth there is, the Scripture sayth.
2. Two Testaments (the Old and New)
Wee doe acknowledge to be true.
3. Three Persons are in Trinitie,
Which make One God in Unitie.
4. Foure sweet Euangelists there are,
Christs birth, life, death which doe declare.
5. Fiue Sences (like Fiue Kings) maintaine
In euery Man a seuerall reigne.
6. Six days to labour, is not wrong,
For God himselfe did worke so long.
7. Seuen Liberall Arts hath God sent downe,
With Diuine skil Mans Soule to crowne.
8. Eight in Noahs Arke alive were found,
When (in a word) the World lay drownd.
9. Nine Muses (like the heauens nine Spheares)
With sacred Tunes intice our eares.
10. Ten Statutes God to Moyses gaue,
Which kept or broke, doe spill or saue.
11. Eleuen with Christ in Heauen doe dwell,
The Twelfth for euer burnes in Hell.
12. Twelue are attending on Gods Sonne,
Twelue make our creede. The Dyall's done.
Count one the first houre of thy Birth,
The houres that follow, leade to Earth:
Count Twelue thy dolefull striking knell,
And then thy Dyall shall goe well.
Sandys' Note:
From Harl. MS. 5937 (one of Badford's collection,) being on a leaf of an old Almanack, the corresponding leave having the date 1625, black letter. This is also similar to a more modern carol in the Second Part called "Man's Duty." (p. 133).
William Henry Husk, Songs of the Nativity (London: John Camden Hotten, 1868):
This is found on the leaf of an old almanack, published about 1625, and preserved in the British Museum. The number, Twelve, that of the Apoostles, was very suggestive to the old carolists.
Editor's Note: See also In Those Twelve Days for a song on a similar theme. This is one of many "counting" songs among the hymns and carols of Christmas. See the notes to the Twelve Days of Christmas.
