The Hymns and Carols of Christmas

Now Make We Merthe

For Christmas

Words and melody from a parchment roll in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge. (Date, Fifteenth Century.)
Mode I

See: Cambridge UK, Trinity College O.3.58 (1230)

Compare: Now Make We Merry, All And Some, from Rickert, with music.

Source: Richard Runciman Terry, Two Hundred Folk Carols (London: Burns Oates & Washbourne Limited, 1933), Carol #193, pp. 42-43.

Now make we merthè all and some
For Christemas now is y-come,
Thathath no peer;
Sing we all in fere.
Now joy and bliss
They shall not miss,
That maketh good cheer.

1. Now God Almighty down hath sent
The Holy Ghost to be present,
To light on Mary maiden verament,
That bare God's Son with Good intent.

2. Now Goddès Son Omnipotent,
In Mary mildè He hath hent,
(Forsooth our) flesh and blood for He hath meant
Man to restore again to his rent.

3. To Mary mild our heart be bent,
That blissful Lady, so be bent
To pry (always) for us we be not schent
To Jesus Christ, her Son to yent.

Footnotes from Rev. Terry:

1. 'Mylde Marye' in the MS.

Sheet Music from Richard Runciman Terry, Two Hundred Folk Carols (London: Burns Oates & Washbourne Limited, 1933), Carol #193, pp. 42-43.

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Note concerning sheet music from Rev. Terry:

1. Two crotchet rests omitted here. [First paragraph]  Return

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 #27, pp. 50-51.

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Editor's Note:

Another collection containing carols from a roll in the Library of Trinity College is J. A. Fuller Maitland, ed., English Carols of the Fifteenth Century From A MS Roll in the Library of Trinity College, Cambridge. (London: The Leadenhall Press, et al., 1891), with added vocal parts by W. S. Rockstro.

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