This New Christmas Carrol
Compare: This New Christmas Carol - Gilbert
Words and Music: Traditional
Source: William Sandys, Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern (London: Richard Beckley, 1833)
1. This new Christmas carrol
Let us chearfully sing,
To the honor and glory
Of our Heavenly King,
Who was born of a Virgin,
Blessed Mary by name,
For poor sinners' redemption
To the world here he came.
2. The mighty Jehovah
By the prophets foretold,
That the sweet babe of Heaven
Mortal eyes should behold.
Both King, Prince, and Prophet
Nay, our Saviour beside,
Let his name through all ages
Ever be glorified.
3. Now, when Joseph and Mary
Was espoused, we find,
Having seen her condition,
He was grieved in mind
Aye, and thought to dismiss her
Whom he loved so dear;
But an Angel from Heaven
Did her innocence clear.
4. He declared in a vision,
That a Son she should have.
By the Father appointed
Fallen mortals to save;
And the same should be called
Blessed Jesus by name:
From the high court of Heaven
This ambassador came.
5. Then the righteous man Joseph
He believed the news,
And the sweet Virgin Mary
He did no wise refuse.
Thus the blest amongst women,
She did bear and bring forth
A sweet Prince of Salvation
Both in Heaven and Earth.
6. When the days of her travail
Did begin to draw nigh,
Righteous Joseph and Mary
They immediately
To the city of David,
To be taxed indeed,
E'en as Caesar Augustus
Had firmly decreed.
7. Being coming to the city,
Entertainment they craved,
But the inns were so filled
They no lodging could have;
For the birth of our Saviour,
Tho' he was Prince of all,
He could have there no place
But a poor oxes stall.
8. Now the proud may come hither,
And perfectly see
The most excellent pattern
Of humility;
For instead of a cradle,
Deckt with ornaments gay,
Here the great King of Glory
In a manger he lay.
9. As the Shepherds were feeding
Of their flocks in the field,
The sweet birth of our Saviour
Unto them was reveal'd,
By blest Angels of Glory,
Who those tidings did bring,
And directed the Shepherds
To their Heavenly King.
10. When the Wise Men discover'd
This bright heavenly Star,
Then with gold and rich spices
Straight they came from afar,
In obedience to worship
With a heavenly mind,
Knowing that he was born
For the good of mankind.
11. Let us learn of those sages,
Who were wise, to obey;
Nay, we find through all ages
They have honour'd this day,
Ever since our Redeemer's
Bless'd nativity,
Who was born of a Virgin
To set sinners free.
Note:
Also found in William Sandys, Christmas-tide, Its History, Festivities and Carols, With Their Music (London: John Russell Smith, 1852), pp. 271-3 (with modernized spelling).
Sheet Music from Sandys, 1833
Sheet Music from Sandys, 1852
Sheet Music from Richard R. Terry,
Gilbert and Sandys' Christmas Carols
(London: Burns, Oates & Washbourne, Ltd., 1931)
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1. This new Christmas carol
Let us bravely sing,
To the praise and glory of our heavenly King,
Who was born of virgin lowly;
(Mary was her name.)
And for us and our redemption
The world here came.
2. Now the proud may come, and
With their eyes may see
The most gracious pattern
Of humility.
In the stead of royal cradle
Decked with colours gay,
Here the King of grace and glory
In a manger lay.
3. As the shepherds watched
O'er their flocks a-field
The sweet birth of Jesus
Was to them revealed;
For a seraph host from heaven
Did the tidings bring,
And directed those poor shepherds
To their heavenly King.
4. When the wise men, haply,
Saw the heavenly star,
Then with gold and spices
Straight they came from far,
In obedience for to worship
With an heavenly mind,
For they wist that, by His coming,
He would save mankind.
5. Let us with those sages
Learn how to obey
Nay through all the ages
Men have kept this day,
Ever since our great Redeemer's
Blest nativity,
Who was born of purest Virgin
Sinners to set free.
Terry's Note:
"This Carol raises an interesting point if we remember (a) that Sandys collected his material in the west of England and (b) that Cornish folk are Bretons. In this instance the words of his carol (in the naive doggerel of the period) are wedded to a tune which is nothing more than a fourfold repetition of the first phrase (with note-values freely altered) of an old Breton Chanson de Danse. This seems to point to a common origin for both tunes, — if Sandys' monotonous lilt can be called a tune. In these circumstances I have felt justified in restoring the melody to its original complete form, making a cento of Sandys' words to fit the original note-values. This latter proceeding would be unpardonable if Sandys' words were poetry, or even tolerable verse, — Which they are not. The restoration of the original tune at lease provides choirs with a coherent melody in a definite musical form in place of a scrappy phrase, hardly worth reprinting.
Sheet Music from Richard Runciman Terry, Two Hundred Folk Carols (London: Burns Oates & Washbourne Limited, 1933), pp. 26-27.
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Richard R. Terry, Gilbert and Sandys' Christmas Carols
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