Wolcü zol þu Mery Mä In Worchepe of þis Holy Day

For Christmas
"Welcome Yule Thou Merry Man"

Traditional Middle English Carol

Source: William Sandys, Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern (London: Richard Beckley, 1833)

This carol requires the installation of the "Junicode" font for best display. You can obtain a copy of this font from Old English at the University of Virginia, or right click here, and then select "Save File As" to save a copy of the zipped file to your computer. See notes in F A Q.

Wolcü zol þu mery mä in worchepe of þis holy day,

1. Wolcü be þu heuene kyng,
Wolcü born in on morwenÿg,
Wolcü for hö we xal syng,
                            Wolcü zol.

2. Wolcü be ze stefne and Jon,
Wolcü jnnocets euȝychon,
Wolcü thomas martȝon,
                            Wolcü zol.

3. Wolcü be ze good newe zer'
Wolcü twelfþe day boþ^e in fer,
Wolcü seynts lef and der,
                            Wolcü zol.

4. Wolcü be ze candylmesse,
Wolcü be ze qwÿ of blys,
Wolcü boþe to more and lesse,
                            Wolcü zol.

5. Wolcü be ze þ^t arn her,
Wolcü alle and mak good cher,
Wolcü alle ä opȝ zer,
                            Wolcü zol.

Sandys' Note:

This carol and three three following are from Sloane MS. 2593. (temp. Hen. VI); this and the carol for St. Stephen's day, are also printed in Ritson's Ancient Songs. A similar story to the crowing of the capon, will be found in one of the modern collection called "The Carnal and the Crane."

Copies of this carol on this web site:

• Wolcum Be Thu, Hevene Kyng (Ritson, Ancient Songs, 1790)

• Wolcu zol thu mery ma (Wolcü be þu heuene kyng; William Sandys, 1833) (this page)

• Wolcum be thu, hevene kyng; Thomas Wright, 1841)

• Welcü Yole In Good Array (Welcü be þ^u heue kyng; William Sandys, 1852)

• Wolcum, Yole, Thou Mery Man (Wolcum be thou, hevene king; Chambers & Sidgwick, 1907)

• Welcome Yule (Welcome be thou, Heaven-King; Edith Rickert, 1910)

• Welcome Yule (Welcome be thou, heaven-king; Charles L. Hutchins, 1916)

• Welcum, Yole, In Glod Aray (Welcum be thou, Heven Kyng; Richard Greene, 1962)

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