The Condensed Vocal Parts to the Carols for Christmas-tide set to Ancient Melodies by the Rev. T. Helmore ... The words, principally in imitation of the original, by the Rev. J. M. Neale |
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 | The Condensed Vocal Parts to the Carols for Christmas-tide |  |
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The following poems are scored for music in the source texts. Where poems are not stanzaic, no attempt has been made to reconstruct the metrical lines. Variations for different voices have been ignored. Repetition marks have been ignored. Square brackets denote editorial insertions or emendations.
Nowell! Nowell! in this halle
Make mery, I praye yowe alle!
On that Chyldë may wee calle.
Uilo sine crimine.
Make mery, I praye yowe alle!
On that Chyldë may wee calle.
Uilo sine crimine.
Dedicated by permission to the Lord Bishop of Oxford.
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I. “Here is joy for every age.”
1
Here is joy for ev'ry age,Ev'ry generation;
Prince and peasant, chief and sage,
Ev'ry tongue and nation:
Ev'ry tongue and nation,
Ev'ry rank and station,
Hath today salvation:
Alleluia!
2
When the world drew near its close,Came our Lord and Leader;
From the Lily sprang the Rose,
From the Bush the Cedar;
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From the judg'd the Pleader,
From the faint the Feeder:
Alleluia!
3
God, that came on earth this morn,In a manger lying,
Hallow'd birth by being born,
Vanquish'd death by dying;
Vanquish'd death by dying,
Rallied back the flying,
Ended sin and sighing:
Alleluia!
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II. “Earthly friends will change.”
Earthly friends will change and falter
Earthly friends will change and falter, Earthly hearts will vary: He is born that cannot alter, Of the Virgin Mary.
Born today, Raise the lay: Born today, Twine the bay: Jesus Christ is born to suffer, Born for you: Born for you, Holly strew: Jesus Christ was
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III. “Gabriel's message does away.”
1
Gabriel's message does awaySatan's curse and Satan's sway:
This was wrought by Christmas Day:
Therefore sing, Glory to the Infant King!
2
He that comes despis'd shall reign;He that cannot die, be slain;
10
Therefore sing, Glory to the Infant King!
3
Like its like shall overthrow:By a tree prevail'd the Foe;
From a Tree shall healing grow:
Therefore sing, Glory to the Infant King:
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4
Man was lost a garden in:In a garden man shall win;
Woman's faith end Woman's sin:
Therefore sing, Glory to the Infant King!
5
Weakness shall the strong confound;By the hands, in babe-clothes wound,
Adam's chains shall be unbound;
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6
By the sword that was his own,By that sword, and that alone,
Shall Goliath be o'erthrown:
Therefore sing, Glory to the Infant King!
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Art by art shall be assail'd;To the Cross shall life be nail'd;
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Therefore sing, Glory to the Infant King!
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Gabriel's message does awaySatan's curse and Satan's sway;
This was wrought by Christmas day:
Therefore sing, Glory to the Infant King!
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IV. “Christ was born on Christmas Day.”
Christ was born on Christmas DayChrist was born on Christmas Day; Wreathe the holly, twine the bay; Christus natus hodie: The Babe, the Son, the Holy One of Mary. He is born to set us free, He is born our Lord to be, Ex Mariâ Virgine: The God, the Lord, By all ador'd for ever. Let the bright red
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V. “Earth to-day rejoices.”
1
Earth today rejoices,Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia,
Death can hurt no more;
And celestial voices,
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia,
Tell that sin is o'er.
David's sling destroys the foe:
Samson lays the temple low:
War and strife are done;
God and Man are one.
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2
Reconciliation,Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia,
Peace that lasts for aye.
Gladness and salvation,
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia,
Came on Christmas Day.
Gideon's Fleece is wet with dew:
Solomon is crown'd anew:
War and strife are done;
God and man are one.
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3
Though the cold grows stronger,Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia,
Though the world loves night;
Yet the days grow longer,
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia,
Christ is born our Light.
Now the Dial's type is learnt:
Burns the Bush that is not burnt:
War and strife are done;
God and man are one.
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VI. “Good Christian men, rejoice.”
1
Good Christian men, rejoiceWith heart, and soul, and voice;
Give ye heed to what we say:
News! News! Jesus Christ is born today:
Ox and ass before him bow,
And He is in the manger now.
Christ is born today! Christ is born today!
2
Good Christian men, rejoiceWith heart, and soul, and voice;
Now ye hear of endless bliss;
Joy! Joy! Jesus Christ was born for this!
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And man is blessed evermore.
Christ was born for this! Christ was born for this!
3
Good Christian men, rejoiceWith heart, and soul, and voice;
Now ye need not fear the grave:
Peace Peace! Jesus Christ was born to save!
Calls you one, and calls you all,
To gain His everlasting hall:
Christ was born to save! Christ was born to save!
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VII. “From church to church.”
1
From church to church the bells' glad tidings run:A Virgin hath conceiv'd, and borne a Son
In Bethlehem.
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2
And Angel hosts, the midnight of His Birth,Sang “Glory be to God, and peace on earth,”
in Bethlehem.
3
“Now go we forth, and see this wondrous thing,”The Shepherds said, “and seek the new born King,
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4
Then Herod sought the Royal Son to slay,Who rather should have come to kneel and pray
In Bethlehem.
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The Star went leading on from East to West:25
In Bethlehem.
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Their frankincense, and myrrh, and gold they bring,To hail the God, the Mortal, and the King
In Bethlehem.
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With threefold gifts the Threefold God three praise,Who thus vouchsaf'd the sons of man to raise,
in Bethlehem.
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VIII. “In the ending of the year.”
1
In the ending of the yearLife and light to man appear;
And the Holy babe is here
De Virgine;
And the Holy Babe is here
De Virgine Mariâ.
2
What in ancient days was slainThis day calls to life again;
God is coming, God shall reign
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God is coming, God shall reign
De Virgine Mariâ.
3
From the desert grew the corn,Sprang the lily from the thorn,
When the Infant King was born
De Virgine;
When the Infant King was born
De Virgine Mariâ.
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4
On the straw He lays His head,Hath a manger for His bed,
Thirsts and hungers and is fed
De Virgine;
Thirsts and hungers and is fed
De Virgine Mariâ.
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Angel hosts His praises sing,Three wise men their off'rings bring,
Ox and ass adore the King,
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Ox and ass adore the King,
Cum Virgine Mariâ.
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Wherefore let us all todayBanish sorrow far away,
Singing and exulting aye,
Cum Virgine;
Singing and exulting aye,
Cum Virgine Mariâ.
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IX. “Royal Day that chasest gloom.”
1
Royal Day that chasest gloom,Day by gladness speeded:
Thou beheld'st from Mary's Womb
How the King proceeded:
Very God, Who made the sky,
Set the sun and stars on high,
Heav'n and earth sustaining:
Very Man, Who freely bare
Toil and sorrow, woe and care,
Man's salvation gaining.
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2
As the sunbeam through the glassPasseth, but not staineth;
Thus the Virgin, as she was,
Virgin still remaineth;
Blessed Mother! in whose womb
Lay the Light that exiles gloom,
God to earth descending:
Blessed Maid! whose spotless breast.
Gives the King of Glory rest,
Nurture, warmth, and tending:
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3
Christ, Who mad'st us out of dust,Breath and spirit giving:
Christ, from Whose dear steps we must
Pattern take of living:
Christ, Who camest once to save
From the curse and from the grave,
Healing, light'ning, cheering:
Christ, Who now wast made as we,
Grant that we may be like Thee
In Thy next appearing!
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X. “O'er the hill and o'er the vale.”
1
O'er the hill and o'er the vale,Come three Kings together,
Caring nought for snow and hail,
Cold and wind and weather;
Now on Persia's sandy plains,
Now where Tigris swells with rains,
They their Camels tether:
Now through Syrian lands they go,
Now through Moab, faint and slow,
Now o'er Edom's heather.
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2
O'er the hill and o'er the vale,Each King bears a present:
Wise men go a Child to hail,
Monarchs seek a Peasant:
And a star in front proceeds,
Over rocks and rivers leads,
Shines with beams incessant:
Therefore onward, onward still!
Ford the stream and climb the hill:
Love makes all things pleasant.
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3
He is God ye go to meet:Therefore incense proffer:
He is King ye go to greet;
Gold is in your coffer.
Also man, He comes to share
Ev'ry woe that man can bear;
Tempter, Railer, Scoffer:
Therefore now, against the day,
In the grave when Him they lay,
Myrrh ye also offer.
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XI. “Good King Wenceslas.”
1
Good King Wenceslas look'd out,On the Feast of Stephen;
When the snow lay round about,
Deep, and crisp, and even:
Brightly shone the moon that night,
Though the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight,
Gath'ring winter fuel.
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2
“Hither, page, and stand by me,If thou know'st it, telling,
“Yonder peasant who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?”
“Sire, he lives a good league hence,
Underneath the mountain;
“Right against the forest fence,
By Saint Agnes' fountain.”
3
“Bring me flesh, and bring me wine,Bring me pine logs hither:
“Thou and I will see him dine,
When we bear them thither.”
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Forth they went together:
Through the rude wind's wild lament
And the bitter weather.
4
“Sire, the night is darker now,And the wind blows stronger;
“Fails my heart I know not how;
I can go no longer.’
“Mark my footsteps, good my page;
Tread thou in them boldly:
“Thou shalt find the winter's rage
Freeze thy blood less coldly.”
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5
In his master's steps he trod,Where the snow lay dinted;
Heat was in the very sod
Which the Saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure,
Wealth or rank possessing,
Ye who now will bless the poor,
Shall yourselves find blessing.
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XII. “Toll! Toll! because there ends.”
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It is a custom at Dewsbury in Yorkshire, to toll the passing bell on Christmas Eve at midnight, for one hour. This is called The Devil's Knell; and is intended to signify that when “Christ was born, the Devil died:” a striking though exaggerated way of representing the truth that the Birth of our Lord gave the death-blow to the Empire of Satan.
1
Toll! toll! Because there ends tonight,An Empire old and vast:
An Empire of unquestion'd right
O'er present and o'er past.
Toll! Stretching wide from East to West,
Ruling over ev'ry breast,
Each nation, tongue, and caste.
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2
Toll! toll! Because a Monarch dies,Whose tyrant statutes ran
From polar snows to tropic skies,
From Greenland to Japan:
Toll! Crowded cities, lonely glens,
Oceans, mountains, shores, and fens,
All own'd him Lord of man.
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3
Toll! Toll! Because that Monarch foughtRight fiercely for his own;
And utmost craft and valour brought,
Before he was o'erthrown:
Toll! He the Lord, and man the slave:
His the Kingdom of the grave,
And all its dim unknown.
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4
Joy! Joy! Because a Babe is born,Who, after many a toil,
The scorner's pride shall laugh to scorn,
And work the Foiler's foil:
Joy! God, as Man, the earth hath trod:
Therefore man shall be as God,
And reap the Spoiler's spoil!
N.B.—In the note prefixed to [this] Carol, the Editors have been enabled to correct an error as to the time mentioned in former editions for the tolling at Dewsbury, by the kindness of the Rev. James Webb, M. A., Curate of Dewsbury; who writes, “No sooner has the church clock struck twelve (midnight) than the Sexton begins to toll the bell. He tolls for one hour, and then begins to ring the number of years since the Christian era.” —December 2nd, 1865.
| The Condensed Vocal Parts to the Carols for Christmas-tide | |