One entered in there for to see,

But found the Babe in poverty.

Noel, &c.

Then enter'd all the Wise Men three

Most reverently upon their knee,

And offer'd there in his prescence,

Both gold, and myrrh, and frankincense.

Noel, &c.

Now let us all with one accord

Sing praises to our heavenly Lord,

That did make heaven and earth of nought,
But with his blood mankind hath bought.

Noel, &c.1

In some old broadside copies two additional, but very foolish verses are occasionally found. They were probably inserted by the local printer when passing his sheet off for "A New Carol."

I SAW THREE SHIPS.

[THIS Carol is sometimes known as Christmas Day in the Morning. Hone gives it this title in his list. It has always been a great favourite with the illiterate, and from its quaintness will be found not displeasing to the more refined. Ritson, in his "Introduction to Scotch Songs," vol. 1, gives the following lines as sung during the Christmas holidays about the middle of the sixteenth century, which bear a similarity to this Carol:

"All sones of Adam, rise up with me,

Go praise the blessed Trinitie, &c.

Then spake the Archangel Gabriel, said, Ave, Mary mild,
The Lord of Lords is with thee, now shall you go with

child.

Ecce ancilla domini.

Then said the Virgin, as thou hast said, so mat it be,

Welcome be heaven's King.

There comes a ship far sailing then,
Saint Michel was the stieres-man;

Saint John sate in the horn:

Our Lord harped, our Lady sang,

And all the bells of heaven they rang,

On Christ's sonday at morn, &c."

There is another version of this Carol common amongst the people which begins

"As I sat on a sunny bank,

A sunny bank, a sunny bank,

As I sat on a sunny bank,

On Christmas Day in the Morning ;"

and finishes with this singular verse-Joseph and his "fair lady" being in the ships

"O! he did whistle, and she did sing,
And all the bells on earth did ring,

For joy that our Saviour he was born,

On Christmas Day in the Morning."]

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 who was in those ships all three,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day?
And who was in those ships all three,
On Christmas Day in the morning?

Our Saviour Christ and his ladye,
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
Our Saviour Christ and his ladye

On Christmas Day in the morning.

Pray whither sailed those ships all three, On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day? Pray whither sailed those ships all three On Christmas Day in the morning?

O they sailed into Bethlehem,

On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
O they sailed into Bethlehem,
On Christmas Day in the morning.

And all the bells on Earth shall ring, On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day; And all the bells on Earth shall ring, On Christmas Day in the morning.

And all the angels in Heaven shall sing, On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day; And all the angels in Heaven shall sing, On Christmas Day in the morning.

And all the souls on Earth shall sing, On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day; And all the souls on Earth shall sing, On Christmas Day in the morning.

Then let us all rejoice amain,

On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day; Then let us all rejoice amain,

On Christmas Day in the morning.