Wolcum Be Thu, Hevene Kyng

For Christmas

Words and Music: English Traditional

Joseph Ritson, ed., Ancient Songs and Ballads From the Reign of King Henry the Second to the Revolution. Vol. I of Two Volumes. 1790. Revised Edition. (London: Thomas Davison, 1829), pp. 140-141.

Hymn XIII

Wolcum Yol

A Christmas Carol.

From the Sloane MS. No. 2593.

Wolcum yol, thu mery man,
In worchepe of this holy day.

Wolcum be thu, hevene kyng,
Wolcum, born in on morwenyng,
Wolcum for hom we xas syng,
                        Wolcum yol.

Wolcum be ye Stefne and Jon,
Wolcum Innocentes everychon,
Wolcum Thomas martyr on,
                        Wolcum yol.

Wolcum be ye, good newe yere,
Wolcum twelthe-day, bothe infer,
Wolcum seyntes lef and der,
                        Wolcum yol.

Wolcum be ye Candylmesse,
Wolcum be ye qwyn of blys,
Wolcum bothe to mor and lesse,
                        Wolcum yol.

Wolcum be ye that arn her,
Wolcum alle and mak good cher,
Wolcum alle another yer,
                        Wolcum yol.

Note:

Copies of this carol on this web site:

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

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

• 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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