Source: William Hone, Ancient Mysteries Described (1823)
"Carols begin to be spoken of as not belonging to this century* and yet no one, that I am aware of, has attempted a collection of these fugitives. As the carols now printed will at no distant period become obsolete, an alphabetical list of those in my possession is subjoined. It excludes all that are disused at the present time, nor does it contain any of the numerous compositions printed by religious societies under the denomination of Carols.
Christmas Carols now annually Printed
1. A glorious star from heaven appear'd.
3. A Virgin most pure as the Prophets did tell. [A Virgin Most Pure]
4. All Christians pray you now attend.
5. All Englishmen I pray you now attend.
6. All hail the ever glad'ning morn.
7. All hail the morn! loud anthems raise.
8. All honour, glory, might, and power.
9. All You That Are To Mirth Inclined.
10. All you that live must learn to die.
11. Arise, And Hail The Sacred Day.
12. As I pass'd by a river side. [The Carnal and the Crane]
14. As It Fell Out One May Morning.
15. As it fell out upon a day, rich Dives made a feast. [Dives and Lazarus]
16. Attend, good people, now I pray.
17. Away dark thoughts, awake my jys. [Away, Dark Thoughts, Awake My Joys]
19. Christians Awake Salute The Happy Morn.
20. Christmas Is Now Drawing Near At Hand.
21. Come, Behold The Virgin Mother.
22. Come, ye rich, survey the stable.
23. From the High Priest an armed band.
24. Good Christians all with joyful mirth.
25. Good Christian people, pray attend.
26. Good Christian, pray give ear.
27. God's dear Son, without beginning. [God's Dear Son - Version 1]
28. God rest you, merry gentlemen. [God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen]
29. Hark! All Around The Welkin Rings.
30. Hark! hark! what news the angels bring. [Hark, Hark! What News]
31. Hark! how the heralds of the Lord.
32. Hark The Herald Angels Sing.
33. Have you not heard and seen our Saviour's love. [Have You Not Heard]
34. Here is a fountain of Christ's blood.
35. Hosanna! to the Prince of Light.
36. In Bethlehem City in Judea it was. [In Bethlehem City]
37. In Friendly Love And Unity.
38. In God let all his Saints rejoice.
39. Inspire me, Heav'n! nor in me leave a thought.
40. In the Reign of Great Ceasar, the Emperor of Rome. [In The Reign Of Great Caesar]
41. Let all good Christian people here.
42. Let All That Are To Mirth Inclined.
43. Let children proclaim their Savior and king.
44. Let mortals all rejoice.
45. Let Christians all with one accord rejoice.
46. Let Christians now in joyful mirth.
47. Mortals Awake With Angels Join.
48. My gift is small, a dozen of points.
49. My Master and Dame, I Well Perceive
50. Now when Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem bound. [Now When Joseph And Mary]
51. O fair, O fair Jerusalem! when shall I come to thee? [The Moon Shines Bright - Version 1 - Sandys (1833)]
52. O faithful Christians, as you love.
53. O! faithless, proud, and sinful man.
54. O! see man's Saviour in Bethlehem born.
55. O! the Almighty Lord.
56. Of Jesu's birth, lo! angels sing.
57. On Christmas day in the morn. [Upon Christmas Day In The Morning?]
58. On Christmas night all Christians sing. [On Christmas Night - Version 2]
59. One God there is of Wisdom, glory, might. [One God There Is Of Wisdom]
60. One night as slumbering I lay.
61. Reader, pray do not think I am unkind.
62. Rejoice and be merry, set sorrow aside.
63. Rejoice now all good Christians.
64. See how the blessed Babe on Mother's knee.
65. Shepherds rejoice, lift up your eyes. [Shepherds Rejoice]
66. Sinners, who now do at this time.
67. Sweeter Sounds Than Music Knows.
68. The faithless, proud, and sinful man.
69. The first good joy our Lady had. [The First Good Joy That Mary Had]
70. The holly and the ivy, are now both well grown. [The Holly And The Ivy]
71. The King Of Glory Sends His Son.
72. The moon shines bright, and the stars give a light. [The Moon Shines Bright]
73. The Shepherds amaz'd, the Saviour behold. [The Shepherds Amazed?]
74. This second Carol here I sing.
75. This is the truth sent from above. [The Truth Sent From Above]
76. Thus Angels sing, and thus sing we.
77. Turn your eyes that are so fixed.
78. Upon the five and twentieth of December.
79. When bold Herod reigned king. [When Bloody Herod Reigned King ?]
80. When Christ the Saviour did appear.
81. When Christ our Lord drew nigh.
82. When Jesus Christ had lived. [The Twelve Apostles]
83. When Jesus Christ our Lord.
84. When Righteous Joseph Wedded Was.
85. When Zachariah was a priest.
86. While shepherds watch'd their flocks by night. [While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks]
87. Within this rock, that rock is laid.
88. Ye mortals all, of high and low degree.
89. Ye young and ye gay.
"This Collection I have had little opportunity of increasing except when in the country I have heard an old woman singing an old Carol, and brought back the Carol in my pocket with less chance of its escape, than the tune in my head."
At the end of the chapter, Mr. Hone adds the following:
"Since this sheet was at the printer's, Gilbert Davies, Esq. F.R.S. F.A.S. &c. has published eight 'Ancient Christmas Carols, with the tunes to which they were formerly sung in the West of England.' This is a laudable and successful effort to rescue from oblivion some carol melodies which in a few years will be no more heard. Mr. Davies says, that 'on Christmas-day these carols took the place of psalms in all the churches, especially at afternoon service, the whole congregation joining: and at the end it was usual for the Parish Clerk, to declare in a loud voice, his wishes for a merry Christmas and a happy new year. A sentiment similar to that of the parish clerk's in the West of England, was expressed last year in a way that leaves little doubt of its former general adoption at the same season. Just before Christmas day, I was awakened in London at the dead of night, by the playing of the waits: on the conclusion of their solemn tunes, one of the performers exclaimed aloud, 'God bless you, my master and mistresses, a merry Christmas to you, and a happy new year.'"
Note from Hone:
October 3, 1822, at the dinner of a city company I heard Mr. Taylor of Covent Garden Theatre sing a new ballad of 'good old times,' when
----- Christmas had its Christmas carols,
And ladies' sides were hoop'd like barrels.
Editor's Note:
Unfortunately, Mr. Hone provided no lyrics. Links to carols following an individual listing were acquired from other collections.
