PART II.

RELIGIOUS CAROLS.

"IN EXCELSIS GLORIA."

[BISHOP TAYLOR was of the opinion that the "Gloria in Excelsis," the hymn sung by the angels to the Shepherds at our Lord's Nativity, was the earliest Christmas Carol. It is preserved in an old MS. among the Harleian collection in the British Museum, supposed to have been written about the year 1500. In English Carols of this antiquity Latin words and even whole lines are freely interlarded. They are com posite or macaronic in their language; and the refrain of this curious piece, "In Excelsis Gloria"-Glory in the highest-is retained in its original form, doubtless, from its analogy to the "gloria" which the priests were accustomed to intone at the altar.

The "Gloria in Excelsis" is sung in Roman Catholic chapels on the Holy Thursday, Holy Saturday, and at midnight on Christmas Even, and then again at eleven o'clock on Christmas Morning.]

Welcome be ye good New Year,

Welcome Twelfth day both in fere,2 Welcome Saints loved and dear,

Welcome Yule.

Welcome be ye Candlemass,
Welcome be ye Queen of Bliss,

Welcome both to more and less,3

Welcome Yule.

Welcome be ye that are here,
Welcome all, and make good cheer,
Welcome all, another year,

Welcome Yule.

3 Great and small.

2 In company.

A CAROL ON THE BIRTH OF CHRIST.

[THIS Carol was written by Thomas Tusser, the author of the well-known work on Husbandry. Hs was chorister and agriculturist by turns. The poems that he has left us are noted for their morality, piety, and benevolent simplicity. Tusser died in 1580.]

AS not Christ our Saviour

Sent unto us from God above,
Not for our good behaviour,

But only of his mercy and love?

If this be true, as true it is,

Truly indeed;

Great thanks to God to yield for this

Then had we need.

This did our God for very troth,

To train to Him the soul of man,

G

And justly to perform his oath

To Sarah, and to Abraham, than

That through his seed, all nations should
Most blessed be,

As in due time performed, He would
All flesh should see.

Which wondrously is brought to pass,
And in our sight already done,

By sending as his promise was

(To comfort us) His only Son,

Even Christ, I mean, that virgin's child

In Bethlehem born:

That Lamb of God, that Prophet mild, With crowned thorn.

Such was His love, to save us all,

From dangers of the curse of God,

That we stood in by Adam's fall,
And by our own deserved rod.

That through His blood and holy name,

All that believe,

And fly from sin, and abhor the same,

Shall grace receive.

For this glad news, this feast doth bring,
To God the Son and Holy Ghost,

Let man give thanks, rejoice and sing,

From world to world, from coast to coast, For other gifts in many ways,

That God doth send :

Let us in Christ give God the praise,

Till life shall end.