Page:010 Once a week Volume X Dec 1863 to Jun 64.pdf/20

12 There is a much earlier example given by Sir Frederic Madden in the "Reliquæ Antiquæ."

The word Nowell, or Noël, which occurs very frequently in old carols, is by many supposed (and with good reason) to be derived from natalis, the birthday of our blessed Lord. This word was used as a cry of joy, and was "sung at Angers during the eight days preceding Christmas." The Portuguese, Irish, and Welsh terms for Christmas evidently come from this source. But on the other hand, Nowell is very frequently used in the sense of news or tidings, and as has been elsewhere stated, was a "joyful exclamation not absolutely confined to Christmas." The following lines, from "Ane compendious booke of Godly and Spiritual Sangs," seem to strengthen this interpretation:—

And again in a fifteenth century carol:—

Christmas Evergreens, the Holly and the Ivy, form the subject of many an old carol. The Holly Carol, most popular and familiar to us, details at length the various symbolical references this favoured evergreen bears to the Incarnation of our LORD, e.g.:—

The editor of "Christmas with the Poets" remarks:—"Several carols relating to the holly and the ivy convey the idea that these two favourite Christmas evergreens had each their partizans, who espoused their several causes as warmly as they supported the claims of tho rival houses of York and Lancaster, whose struggle for pre-eminence was waging at the time these carols were at the height of their popularity."

I give an ancient holly and ivy carol from Mr. Wright's second book of carols:—

One of the carols frequently printed on the cheap broadsides is that of Dives and Lazarus:—

Another species of carol is that for bringing in the wassel. This term, derived from the Saxon, and signifying "Be in health," occurs in the early Anglo-Norman-French carol preserved in the British Museum, and translated by Mr. Douce. The wassel was introduced with considerable state originally upon Twelfth Night, but in course of time New Year's Eve came in for a share of these festivities; and later still, the bowl was carried round from house to house by young damsels with songs, the bearers being repaid for their trouble by some gratuity. The most common of wassel songs is that given in Brand's "Antiquities":—

Wassail! wassail! all over the town,

Our toast it is white, our ale it is brown;

Our bowl it is made of a maplin tree,

We be good fellows all—I drink to thee.

Here's to Dobbin, and to his right ear,

God send to our master a happy new year:

A happy new year as e'er he did see—

With my wassailing bowl I drink to thee.

Here's to Smiler, and to her right eye,

God send our mistress a good Christmas pie;

As good Christmas pie as e'er I did see—

With my wassailing bowl I drink to thee.