Remember, O Thou Man

Words: English Traditional

 

Version 4

 

Source: A. H. Bullen, A Christmas Garland (London: John C. Nimmo, 1885), pp. 36-8; "First printed in Ravenscroft's Melismata, Musical Phansies fitting the court, city and country humours (1611)"

 

Compare: Remember, O Thou Man - Version 1 (Sandys, 1833)
Remember, O Thou Man - Version 2 (Shaw and Dearmer, 1913)
Remember, O Thou Man - Version 3 (Rickert, 1910)
 Remember, Life Is Short (Chope, 1894)

 

1. Remember, O thou Man,
    O thou Man, O thou Man;
Remember, O thou Man,
    Thy time is spent.
Remember, O thou man,
How thou camest to me than,1
And I did what I can,
    Therefore repent.

2. Remember Adam's fall,
    O thou Man, O thou Man;
Remember Adam's fall
    From Heaven to Hell.
Remember Adam's fall,
How we were condemned all
To Hell perpetual,
    There for to dwell.

3. Remember God's goodness,
    O thou Man, O thou Man;
Remember God's goodness
    And promise made.
Remember God's goodness,
How his only Son he sent
Our sins for to redress,
    Be not afraid.

4. The Angels all did sing,
    O thou Man, O thou Man;
The Angels all did sing
    On Sion hill.
The Angels all did sing
Praises to our heavenly king,
And peace to man living,
    With right good will.

5. The Shepherds amazed was,
    O thou Man, O thou Man;
The Shepherds amazed was
    To hear the Angels sing.
The Shepherds amazed was
How this should come to pass,
That Christ our Messias
    Should be our King.

6. To Bethlehem did they go,
    O thou Man, O thou Man;
To Bethlehem did they do,
    This thing to see.
To Bethlehem did they go
To see whether it was so,
Whether Christ was born or no,
    To set us free.

7. As the Angels before did say,
    O thou Man, O thou Man;
As the Angels before did say,
    So it came to pass.
As the Angels before did say,
They found him wrapt in hay
In a manger where he lay,
    So poor he was.

8. In Bethlehem was he born,
    O thou Man, O thou Man;
In Bethlehem was he born
    For mankind dear.
In Bethlehem was he born,
For us that were forlorn,
And therefore took no scorn
    Our sins to bear.

9. In a manger laid he was,
    O thou Man, O thou Man;
In a manger laid he was
    At this time present.
In a manger laid he was,
Between an ox and an ass
And all for our trespass,
    Therefore repent.

10. Give thanks to God always,
    O thou Man, O thou Man;
Give thanks to God always
    With hearts most jolly.
Give thanks to God always
Upon this blessed day,
Let all men sing and say,
    Holy, Holy.

Note from Bullen:

"A different version of this carol is given in Mr. Thomas Hardy’s 'Under the Greenwood Tree.'"

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