A carol for St John's Day

from Old Christmas Returned by Passamezzo

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about

17thC Christmas ballad about mince pies. To the tune of Sellenger's Round

lyrics

The Little Barley-Corn
Come and do not musing stand, if thou the truth discern,
But take a full cup in thy hand, and thus begin to learn,
Not of the earth, nor of the air, at evening or at morn,
But jovial boys your Christmas keep, with the little Barley-Corn.
It is the cunningst alchymist that ere was in the land;
'Twill change your metal, when it list, in the turning of the hand,
Your blushing gold to silver wan, your silver into brass;
'Twill turn a tailor to a man, and a man into an ass.
If sickness come this physic take, it from your heart will set it;
If fear encroach, take more of it, your heart will soon forget it:
Apollo and the Muses nine, doe take it in no scorn;
There's no such stuff to pass the time as the little Barley-Corn.
'Twill make a weeping widow laugh, and soon incline to pleasure;
'Twill make an old man leave his staff, and dance a youthful measure:
And though your clothes be ne'er so bad all ragged rent and torn,
Against the cold you may be clad with the little Barley-Corn.
Thus the Barley-Corn hath power even for to change our nature,
And make a shrew, within an hour, prove a kind-hearted creature:
And therefore here, I say again, let no man tak't in scorn
That I the virtues doe proclaim of the little Barley-Corn.
Roxburghe Ballads, c1618


A Carol for St Stephen’s Day
With merry glee and solace, this second day of Christmas
Now comes in bravely to my master’s house,
With plenty of good cheer I see, with that which most contenteth me,
As brawn and bacon, powder’d beef and souse.
For the love of St Stephen, that blessed saint of Heaven,
Which stoned was for Jesus Christ his sake,
Let us all both more and less cast away all heaviness,
And in a sober manner merry make.
So let our mirth be civil, that not one thought of evil,
May take possession of our hearts at all,
So shall we love and favour get of those that kindly thus do set
Their bounties here so freely in this hall.
New Carolls for the Mery Time of Christmas, 1661


A Carol for St John’s Day
In honour of Saint John we thus do keep good Christmas cheer;
And he that comes to dine with us, I think he need not spare.
The butcher he hath killed good beef, the caterer brings it in;
But Christmas pies are still the chief if that I durst begin.
Our bacon hogs are full and fat to make us brawn and souse;
Full well may I reject thereat to see them in the house
But yet the minced pie it is that sets my teeth on water;
Good mistress, let me have a bit, for I do long thereafter.
And I will fetch your water in to brew and bake withal,
Your love and favour still to win when as you please to call.
Then grant me, dame your love and leave to taste your pie-meat here;
It is the best in my conceit of all your Christmas-cheer.
The cloves and mace and gallant plums that here on heaps do lie,
And prunes as big as both my thumbs, enticeth much mine eye.
Oh, let me eat my belly-full of your good Christmas-pie;
Except thereat I have a pull, I think I sure shall die.
New Carrolls for this Merry Time of Christmas, 1661

credits

from Old Christmas Returned, released March 2, 2017
Robin Jeffrey: cittern
Alison Kinder: Bass viol
Tamsin Lewis: Renaissance Violin
Michael Palmer: Baritone

license

all rights reserved

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Passamezzo London, UK

London based early music ensemble specialising in English 16th and 17th repertoire.

Early modern music, song, ballads, theatre & dance. Viols, lute, voices, violin, recorders, harp. Christmas, Elizabethan, Tudors, Stuarts

Part of the intercultural project 'Shore to Shore', working with Moroccan Sufi musicians, Ensemble Mogador. ... more

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