A, a, a, a,
Nunc gaudet ecclesia
For Christmas
Words: English
Traditional, Fifteenth Century
British Museum. MS.
Sloane. 2593. XV Century.
Source: Edith Rickert, Ancient English Christmas Carols: 1400-1700 (London: Chatto & Windus, 1914), p. 129.
A, a, a, a,
Nunc gaudet ecclesia
1. Listeneth, lordings, both great and small,
I shall you tell a wonder tale,
How Holy Church was brought in bale,
Cum magna injuria.
2. The greatest clerk in all this land,
Thomas of Canterbury, I understand,
Slain he was by wicked hand,
Demonis1
potencia.
3. Knights camen fro Henry2 king,
Wicked men, without leasing,3
There they diden a wonder thing,
Ferventes insania.4
4. They sought him all about,
Within the palace and without;
Of Jesu Christ had they no doubt,5
In sua malicia.
5. They opened their mouths wonder wide,
To Thomas they spaken mickle pride,
"Traitor, here, thou shalt abide,
Ferens mortis tedia."
6. Thomas answered with milde cheer,
"If ye will me slay in this manner,
Let them pass, all that are here,
Sine contumel(i)a."
7. Beforn his alter he kneeled adown,
There they began to pare his crown;
They stirred the braines up so down,6
Optans celi gaudia.
8. The tormentors about (they) start
With deadly wounds they gam him hurt;
Thomas died in Mother-Church,
Pergens ad celestia.
9. Mother, clerk, widow, and wife,
Worship ye Thomas in all your life;
For fifty-two points7 he lost his life,
Contra regis consilia.
Notes:
1. Another reading: malorum. Return
2. Elsewhere, Harry and Hendry. Return
3. Lie, i.e., truly. Return
4. Elsewhere: Per regis imperia. Return
5. Fear. Return
6. Upside down. Return
7. The Constitutions of Clarendon, 1164. Return
Editor's Note:
Other versions of this carol on this website:
"Listen, Lordings, Both Great and Small" (Burden: A, a, a, a, Nunc gaudet ecclesia):
-
Lestenyt3, lordynges, bothe grete and smale (Wright, 1856)
-
Listeneth, lordings, both great and small (Rickert, 1914)
There are other carols on this web site with similar first lines or burdens, although they have very separate themes and lyrics, including:
"Listen, Lordings, Both Old and Young"
-
Lestenyt, Lordynges, Bothe Elde and 3ynge (Wright, 1836 & 1856, from Sloane 2593) (Burden: Of a rose, a lovely rose)
-
Of A Rose, A Lovely Rose (Chambers & Sidgwick, 1907 from
Lyth and lystyn, both old and young (Wright, 1847, from
Of A Rose, A Lovely Rose (Rickert, 1914 from
Off A Rose, A Louely Rose (Flügel, 1903 from Balliol Ms. 354) (First line: Herkyn to me both olde & yonge)
Hearken To Me Both Old And Young, (Pollard, 1903, from Balliol MS 354) (Burden: Of A Rose, A Lovely Rose)
This Rose is Railed on a Ryse, Text Source: Edith Rickert, Ancient English Christmas Carols: 1400-1700 (London: Chatto & Windus, 1914), p. 11, from Ms. Selden B 26, folio 9v.
- Text and Sheet Music from Richard Runciman Terry, Two Hundred Folk Carols (London: Burns Oates & Washbourne Limited, 1933), Carol #176, pp. 10-11.
- Text and Sheet Music from Sir Richard Runciman Terry, A Medieval Carol Book: The Melodies Chiefly from MMS. in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, and in the Library of Trinity College, Cambridge (London: Burns Oates & Washbourne Ltd., 1932), Carol #5, pp. 10-11.
"Listen, Lordings, both leve and dear" (Nowell, -ell, both Old and Young):
-
Nowel el bothe eld and õyng - Thomas Wright (Wright, 1841)
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Nowell, Ell, Both Old and Ying (Rickert, 1914)
"Listen, Lordings, Both More and Less" (Burden: Puer nobis natus est de Virgine Maria)
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Be glad, lordynges, be ye more and lesse (Thomas Wright, 1841)
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Lystenyt, lordyngs, more and lees (Wright, 1845)
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Puer Nobis Natus Est (First line: Be glad, lordinges, bethe more and lesse,) (Chambers & Sidgwick, 1907)
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Be Glad, Lordings, Be Ye More and Less (Rickert, 1916)
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