As Jacob with travel was weary one day, At night on a stone for a pillow he lay; He saw in a vision a ladder so high That its foot was on earth and its top in the sky. Hallelujah to Jesus, who died on the tree, And hath rais’d up a ladder of mercy […]

I saw three ships come sailing in, On Christmas day, on Christmas day; I saw three ships come sailing in, On Christmas day in the morning. And what was in those ships all three, On Christmas day, on Christmas day? And what was in those ships all three, On Christmas day in the morning? Our […]

God bless the master of this house And all that are therein, And to begin this Christmas tide With mirth now let us sing. For the Saviour of all people Upon this time was born, Who did from death deliver us. When we were left forlorn. Then let us all most merry be, And sing […]

Saint Stephen was a clerk In King Herod’s hall, And served him of bread and cloth As ever king befall. Stephen out of kitchen came With boar’s head on hand, He saw a star was fair and bright Over Bethlehem stand. He kist adown the boar’s head And went into the hall: “I forsake thee, […]

As it fell out one May morning, And upon one bright holiday, Sweet Jesus asked of His dear mother, If He might go to play. To play, to play, sweet Jesus shall go, And to play pray get you gone; And let me hear of no complaint At night when you come home. Sweet Jesus […]

As I pass’d by a riverside, And there as I did reign,[M] In argument I chanced to hear A Carnal[N] and a Crane. The Carnal said unto the Crane, If all the world should turn, Before we had the Father, But now we have the Son! From whence does the Son come? From where and […]

The Holly and the Ivy, Now both are full well grown; Of all the trees that spring in wood, The holly bears the crown. The holly bears a blossom As white as a lily flow’r; And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ To be our sweet Saviour. The holly bears a berry As red as any […]

Nay, ivy, nay, It shall not be, I wis; Let holly have the mastery, As the manner is. Holly stand in the hall, Fair to behold; Ivy stand without the door, She is full sore a-cold. Nay, ivy, nay, etc. Holly and his merry men They dancen and they sing; Ivy and her maidens They […]

A SCOTCH CAROL. I come from hevin to tell The best nowellis that ever befell; To you this tythinges trew I bring, And I will of them say and sing: This day to yow is borne ane childe Of Marie meike and Virgine mylde, That blessit barne, bining and kynde, Sall yow rejoyce baith heart […]

“To Bethl’em did they go, the shepherds three; To Bethl’em did they go to see whe’r it were so or no, Whether Christ were born or no To set men free.” Masters, in this hall, Hear ye news to-day Brought over sea, And ever I you pray. Nowell! Nowell! Nowell! Nowell! Sing we clear! Holpen […]

(FROM THE FRENCH OF THE TWELFTH CENTURY.) Hail, good Masters, let us bide, Hither come from travel wide, This Christmas-tide. Hearken, give us bed and cheer, We are weary, life is dear This day o’ the year! God send ye joy and peace on earth, Who broach good cheer for Christe’s birth. Masters, an ye […]

A jolly wassail-bowl, A wassail of good ale; Well fare the butler’s soul That setteth this to sale; Our jolly wassail. Good dame, here at your door Our wassail we begin, We are all maidens poor, We pray now let us in With our wassail. Our wassail we do fill With apples and with spice, […]

Here we come a wassailing Among the leaves so green, Here we come a wand’ring, So fair to be seen. Love and joy come to you, And to you your wassail too, And God bless you and send you a happy New Year. Our wassail-cup is made Of the rosemary tree, And so is your […]

We wish you merry Christmas, also a glad New Year; We come to bring you tidings to all mankind so dear: We come to tell that Jesus was born in Bethl’em town, And now He’s gone to glory and pityingly looks down On us poor wassailers, As wassailing we go; With footsteps sore From door […]

Here we come a-whistling through the fields so green; Here we come a-singing, so fair to be seen. God send you happy, God send you happy, Pray God send you a happy New Year! The roads are very dirty, my boots are very thin, I have a little pocket to put a penny in. God […]

Bring us in good ale, and bring us in good ale; For our blessed Lady’s sake, bring us in good ale. Bring us in no brown bread, for that is made of bran, Nor bring us in no white bread, for therein is no game, But bring us in good ale. Bring us in no […]

Wassail, wassail, all over the town, Our bread it is white, and our ale it is brown; Our bowl it is made of the maplin tree, So here, my good fellow, I’ll drink it to thee. The wassailing bowl, with a toast within, Come, fill it up unto the brim; Come fill it up that […]

Come bravely on, my masters, For here we shall be tasters Of curious dishes that are brave and fine, Where they that do such cheer afford, I’ll lay my knife upon the board, My master and my dame they do not pine. Who is’t will not be merry And sing down, down, aderry? For now […]

Come, mad boys, be glad, boys, for Christmas is here, And we shall be feasted with jolly good cheer; Then let us be merry, ’tis Saint Stephen’s day, Let’s eat and drink freely, here’s nothing to pay. My master bids welcome, and so doth my dame, And ’tis yonder smoking dish doth me inflame; Anon […]

All you that are good fellows, Come hearken to my song; I know you do not hate good cheer Nor liquor that is strong. I hope there is none here But soon will take my part, Seeing my master and my dame Say welcome with their heart. This is a time of joyfulness And merry […]