Farewell my pleasures past, Welcum my present payne, Cease now the passing-bell, For the sound my deth doth tell, Sound my end dolefully, 20 VI. A CAROL ON BRINGING UP A BOARS HEAD TO THE TABLE ON CHRISTMAS-DAY. -Printed from that eminent and excellent antiquary Thomas Hearnes "Notæ et Spicilegium" to William of Newborough (III. 745.), where it is thus introduced :-"I will beg leave here to give an exact copy of the Christmas Carol upon the Boar's Head (which is an ancient dish, and was brought up by K. Henry II.' with trumpets before his son when his said son was crowned [Hollynshed's Chron. Vol. III. p. 76.]) as I have it, in an old fragment (for I usually preserve even fragments of old books) of the Christmas Carols printed by Wynkyn de Worde,....by which it will be perceived how much the same Carol is altered as it is sung in some places even now from what it was at first*. It is the last thing, it seems, of the book (which I never yet saw intire) and at the same time I think it proper also to add the printer's conclusion, for this reason, at least, that such as write about our first printers may have some notice of the date of this book, and the exact place where printed, provided they cannot be able to meet with it, as I believe they will find it pretty difficult to do, it being much laid aside about the time that some of David's psalms came to be used in it's stead." (See also his preface to "Robert of Gloucester's chronicle," p. xiii.) The Colophon runs thus: ¶ Thus endeth the Christmasse carolles, newely enprinted at London, in the fletestrete at the sygne of the sonne by Wynkyn de Worde. The pere of our lorde. M. D. xxi. This antique ceremony is still observed in Queens-college, Oxford, with this considerable improvement, indeed, that the Boars head is neatly carved in wood. The book of Psalms above referred to is in a note thus described: * "An insinuation, cunningly, but plainly, levelled at the gentlemen of Queen's." (Wartons" Companion to the guide," p. 29, 30.) "Certaine of David's Psalmes intended for Christmas Carolls fitted to the most common but solempne tunes, every where familiarly used: By William Slatyer. Printed by Robert Young 1630. 8°." Queen Margaret, wife to James IV. of Scotland, "at the furst course" of her wedding-dinner, "was served of a wyld borres hed gylt, within a fayr platter." (Lelands Collectanea, 1770, iii. 294.) The ancient crest of the family of Edgcumbe was the Boars head, crowned with bays, upon a charger; which has been very injudiciously changed into the entire animal. The partiality shown by one of this species to the late lord is the subject of a very humorous ode by the facetious Peter Pindar. Caput apridefero' Reddens laudes' domino. THE bores heed in hand bring I, With garlands' gay and rosemary, I pray you all synge merely, Qui estis in convivio. The bores-head, I understande, Is the chefe' servyce in this lande; Servite cum cantico. Be gladde, lordes, bothe more and lasse, The bores-heed with mustarde. V. 1. differo. V. 2. laudens. V. 8. thefe. VII. IN DIE NATIVITATIS. This, and the following ancient Christmas Carols, are given, merely as curiosities, from the editors folio MS., where each is accompanied with a musical composition for three voices; but which, neither in point of merit nor antiquity, seems to deserve a place in this work. Nowel, Nowel (the old French name for Christmas), and a great cry at that period, was the usual burden to this sort of things. Many instances of which may be found in No. 2593. Bib. Sloan. It was likewise the name of this sort of composition, which is equally ancient and popular. Books of carols were cried about the streets of Paris in the thirteenth century. "Noel, noel, à moult grant cris." NOWELL, nowell, nowell, nowell, The borys hede that we bryng here A bore ys a soverayn beste, Nowell. And acceptab[1]e in every feste, So mote thys lord be to moste and leste, Nowell. This borys hede we bryng with song, VIII. IN DIE NATIVITATIS. NOWELL, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, I am here, syre Chrystesmasse. Wellcome my lord syre Chrystesmasse, Welcome to us bothe mor and lasse, Com ner, Nowell. Deu vous garde, bewe syre. Tydynges y you bryng, A mayde hath born a chylde full yong, The weche causeth yew to syng, Nowell. Criste is now born of a pure mayde, Wherefor syng we alle atte a brayde, Nowell. Bevux bien, par tutte la company, VOL. II. Nowell. C |