Scripture Verse

She brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

Introduction

Words: Hen­ry R. Bram­ley, in Christ­mas Ca­rols New and Old, by Hen­ry Bram­ley & John Stain­er (Lon­don: No­vel­lo, Ew­er, 1871), num­ber 18.

Music: Fred­er­ick A. Gore-Ou­se­ley (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Bram­ley (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
Frederick A. Gore-Ouseley (1825–1889)

Lyrics

illustration
Christmas Carols New and Old, 1871

Listen, lord­ings, un­to me,
A tale I will you tell;
Which, as on this night of glee,
In Da­vid’s town be­fell.
Joseph came from Na­za­reth,
With Ma­ry that sweet maid:
Weary they were, nigh to death;
And for a lodg­ing prayed.

Refrain

Sing high, sing high, sing low, sing low.
Sing high, sing low, sing to and fro,
Go tell it out with speed,
Cry out and shout all round about,
That Christ is born in­deed.

In the inn they found no room;
A scan­ty bed they made:
Soon a ba­be from Mary’s womb
Was in the man­ger laid.
Forth He came as light through glass:
He came to save us all.
In the sta­ble ox and ass
Before their mak­er fall.

Refrain

Shepherds lay afield that night,
To keep the sil­ly sheep,
Hosts of an­gels in their sight
Came down from Heav’n’s high steep.
Tidings! Tid­ings! un­to you:
To you a child is born,
Purer than the drops of dew
And bright­er than the morn.

Refrain

Onward then the an­gels sped,
The shep­herds on­ward went,
God was in His man­ger bed,
In wor­ship low they bent.
In the morn­ing see ye mind,
My mas­ters one and all,
At the al­tar Him to find,
Who lay with­in the stall.

Refrain