PUBLISHER’S NOTE
Reading edition
The original edition of A Book of Christmas Verse was issued in 1895. At his death in 1919 Dean Beeching left a copy of the book marked with deletions and corrections, and an amount of new matter for insertion. This revision has been carried out, and both deletions and additions have been a little increased. But substantially the book remains the same; its editor’s divisions have been preserved, and the omission of his own preface to the first edition is in accord with his markings. A few poems by contemporary writers have been added.
Dean Beeching’s acknowledgements for permission to use copyright poems are here reprinted from his notes:
For No. 54 to the authorities of Christ Church, Oxford; for No. 71 to Messrs. Macmillan; for No. 112 to Mr. Robert Bridges; for No. 113 to Messrs. Kegan Paul and Trench; for No. 133 to the Chiswick Press; and for No. 114 to Mr. Davidson (with an omission specially sanctioned by him). Nos. 78 and 79 (by Gerard Hopkins and Selwyn Image) appeared for the first time in this book.
For poems now appearing for the first time acknowledgements are due as follows: for No. 77, by Coventry Patmore, to Messrs. George Bell; for No. 81, by R. L. Stevenson, to Messrs. Chatto & Windus; for No. 82, by Mrs. Meynell, to Messrs. Burns & Oates; for No. 83 to Mr. Robert Bridges; for No. 84., by Mr. Hilaire Belloc, to Messrs. Duckworth; for No. 85 (from The Wild Knight) to Mr. G. K. Chesterton and Messrs. Dent; for Nos. 86 and 87 to the Rev. R. L. Gales; for No. 88, by Miss Sayers, to Mr. Basil Blackwell; for No. 89 to Mr. J. D. C. Pellow; for No. 90 to Messrs. Macmillan; for No. 91 to Mrs. Chesterton; for No. 92 to Mr. Francis Keppel.
CONTENTS
EARLY CAROLS page
1. Welcome Yule 3
2. I sing of a Maiden 4
3. As Joseph was a-walking 4
4. Now is Christëmas ycome 4
5. This Endris Night 8
6. Lullay, my Liking, my Dear Son 10
7. Saint Stephen was a Clerk 11
8. The Shepherds’ Offerings 13
9. Can I not sing but Hoy! 15
10. When Christ was born of Mary free 18
11. Be we merry in this Feast 18
12. Man, be merry as Bird on Berry 19
13. All this Time this Song is best 20
14. Mater, ora filium 21
15. Eya, Jesus hodie 22
16. Ave maris stella 23
17. Noël, Noël, Noël, Noël 24
18. Of a Rose, a Lovely Rose 25
TRADITIONAL CAROLS
19. God rest you merry, Gentlemen 29
20. Remember, O thou Man 31
21. I saw Three Ships 33
LATER POEMS AND CAROLS
22. Of the Nativity of Christ William Dunbar 37
23. The Burning Babe Robert Southwell 39
24. New Prince, New Pomp Robert Southwell 40
25. New Heaven, New War Robert Southwell 41
26. A Child my Choice Robert Southwell 43
27. Nativity John Donne 44
28. For Christmas Day Joseph Hall 45
29. A Hymn on the Nativity of my Saviour Ben Jonson 45
30. The Shepherds’ Song Edmund Bolton 46
31. Of the Epiphany Sir John Beaumont 48
32. The Angels William Drummond 50
33. The Shepherds William Drummond 50
34. A Rocking Hymn George Wither 51
35. Gloria in Excelsis Giles Fletcher 53
36. Who can forget? Giles Fletcher 54
37. A Christmas Carol Robert Herrick 56
38. An Ode on the Birth of our Saviour Robert Herrick 57
39. Christmas George Herbert 59
40. On the Morning of Christ’s Nativity John Milton 60
41. A Hymn of the Nativity Richard Crashaw 69
42. Satan’s Sight of the Nativity Richard Crashaw 74
43. A Hymn for the Epiphany Richard Crashaw 77
44. Hymn for Christmas Day Jeremy Taylor 80
45. Hymn for Christmas Day Jeremy Taylor 81
46. Christmas Day Joseph Beaumont 82
47. Sonnet XXV Joseph Beaumont 85
48. On the Nativity of our Saviour J. M. 85
49. The Shepherds Henry Vaughan 87
50. Christ’s Nativity Henry Vaughan 89
51. And they laid Him in a Manger Sir Edward Sherburne 90
52. At the Sign of the Heart 91
53. Lodged in an Inn 92
54. Yet if His Majesty our Sovereign Lord 93
55. And art Thou come, Blest Babe? 94
56. Song of the Angels at the Nativity Nahum Tate 95
57. Shepherds, rejoice Isaac Watts 96
58. A Cradle Song Isaac Watts 97
59. A Hymn for Christmas Day John Byrom 98
60. A Hymn for Christmas Day Philip Doddridge 99
61. A Hymn for Christmas Day Charles Wesley 100
62. The Shepherds went their hasty Way Samuel Taylor Coleridge 101
63. From Ottfried’s Paraphrase of the Gospel Samuel Taylor Coleridge 103
64. The Virgin’s Cradle Hymn Samuel Taylor Coleridge 104
65. Brightest and best of the Sons of the Morning! Reginald Heber 105
66. They leave the Land of Gems and Gold Aubrey de Vere 106
67. Christmas and New Year Bells Alfred Tennyson 107
68. The First Christmas Eve Alfred Domett 109
69. Christ was born on Christmas Day John Mason Neale 111
70. A Christmas Carol Charles Kingsley 112
71. A Christmas Carol Christina Rossetti 113
72. Masters, in this Hall William Morris 115
73. Outlanders, whence come ye last? William Morris 117
74. Sir Galahad, A Christmas Mystery William Morris 119
75. Aishah Schechinah R. S. Hawker 128
76. King Arthur’s Waes-hael R. S. Hawker 130
77. Regina Coeli Coventry Patmore 131
78. Mary Mother of Divine Grace,
compared to the Air we breathe Gerard Hopkins 132
79. A Meditation for Christmas Day Selwyn Image 136
80. A Morning Song for Christmas Day Herbert P. Horne 137
81. Christmas at Sea R. L. Stevenson 139
82. Unto us a Son is given Alice Meynell 142
83. Noel: Christmas Eve, 1913 Robert Bridges 143
84. Noël Hilaire Belloc 145
85. A Christmas Carol G. K. Chesterton 146
86. The Creatures’ Nowel R. L. Gales 147
87. The Heavenly Noel R. L. Gales 148
88. Carol Dorothy L. Sayers 150
89. Christmas Carol J. D. C. Pellow 150
90. The Oxen Thomas Hardy 151
91. How far is it to Bethlehem? Frances Chesterton 152
92. Epiphany Francis Keppel 153
POEMS ON CHRISTMAS MERRY-MAKING
93. Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell 157
94. Man, be joyful 157
95. Make we merry 158
96. Holly and Ivy 159
97. Alleluia, Alleluia 159
98. Ivy Chief of Trees it is 160
99. Nay, Ivy, nay 161
100. Hey, hey, hey, hey 162
101. Caput apri defero 163
102. Nowel, Nowel, Nowel, Nowel 164
103. Proface, welcome, welcome 164
104. Christmas Merry-making George Wither 165
105. Ceremonies for Christmas Robert Herrick 169
106. The Wassail Robert Herrick 170
107. Twelfth Night Robert Herrick 172
108. To Sir Simond Steward Robert Herrick 173
109. Song Thomas Campion 175
110. Song 176
111. The Damsel donn’d her Kirtle Sheen Sir Walter Scott 176
112. Winter was not unkind Robert Bridges 178
113. Ballade of Christmas Ghosts Andrew Lang 179
114. Christmas Eve John Davidson 180
115. Now have good Day! 184
LATIN HYMNS
116. Puer natus in Bethlehem 189
117. Heu quid jaces stabulo John Mauburn 190
118. Adeste fideles 191
119. Corde natus ex Parentis Prudentius 193
120. Ave Jesu, Deus magne 194
121. Nowell, Nowell, Nowell 195
INDEX OF AUTHORS 197
INDEX OF FIRST LINES 198