Page:English folk-carols.djvu/85

 the two men performed together. I have not, however, embodied any of these variants in the air printed in this book. The singers had with them a chap-book (from which the words in the text have been copied), called A Good Christmas Box (Dudley, 1847), consisting of 125 pages and containing the words of 48 carols, several of which are still sung in that neighbourhood.

The tune is a very fine variant of one that is constantly used by carol-singers (see "The Sinner's Redemption", No. 8; Folk-Songs from Somerset, No. 96; and The Folk-Song Society's Journal, IV, pp. 15–22).

This carol was sung to me by the two singers in unison, Mr. Vandrell refreshing his memory by referring to a small book of carols, printed locally, from which the words in the text have been transcribed. I have, however, omitted seven stanzas between the eighth and the last. "The Truth" is printed in A Good Christmas Box, and is included in Hone's list.

A version of this carol to a different tune and with four stanzas only of the words, noted by Dr. Vaughan Williams at King's Pyon, is printed in The Folk-Song Society's Journal (IV, p. 17). For a variant of the tune see "There is a Fountain" in the same publication (IV, p. 21).

Mr. Bates sang from a copy of A Good Christmas Box, from which the words in the text have been copied. The carol is mentioned in Hone's list.

The two singers, who sang in unison, could only remember the words of the first and the last stanzas. I also noted a variant from Mr. Samson Bates. The carol is printed in A Good Christmas Box, but, as unfortunately this particular page was missing from his copy, Mr. Bates was compelled to sing from memory. Nearly all the lines in the text have been taken from another chap-book (undated, printed by J. Bates, New Town, Bilston), but, in a few cases, I have adhered to the words that Mr. Bates sang. I do not know what the word "pearly" in the second stanza may mean. Mr. Bates could not explain it.

The tune is in the dorian mode and has affinities with the airs of "The Moon shines bright" (No. 5), and "God bless you, merry gentlemen" (No. 6).