"The First Nowell" is of Cornish origin. Its current form was first published in Carols Ancient and Modern (1823) and Gilbert and Sandys Carols (1833), both of which were edited by William Sandys and arranged and edited by Davies Gilbert (who also wrote extra lyrics) for Hymns and Carols of God.
Nowell is an Early Modern English synonym of "Christmas" from French Noël, "the Christmas season", ultimately from Latin natalis [dies] "[day] of birth".[4] The word was regularly used in the burden of carols in the Middle Ages towards the early modern period; Sir Christèmas (Ritson Manuscript),[5] "Nowell sing we now all and some" (Trinity Carol Roll)[6] and "Nowel – out of youre slepe arise and wake" (Selden Carol Book) being 15th century examples.[7]
The melody is unusual among English folk melodies in that it consists of one musical phrase repeated twice, followed by a refrain which is a variation on that phrase. All three phrases end on the third of the scale. Writing in the Journal of the Folk-Song Society in 1915, Anne Gilchrist notes it was not recorded prior to Sandys' publication. She speculated based on a set of church gallery parts discovered in Westmorland that the tune may have had its origin as a treble part to another carol "Hark, hark what news the angels bring"; her suggestion was that the treble part was passed down orally and was later remembered as the melody rather than a harmony.[8] A conjectural reconstruction of this earlier version can be found in The New Oxford Book of Carols.[9]
Today, "The First Nowell" is usually performed in a four-part hymn arrangement by the English composer John Stainer, first published in his Carols, New and Old in 1871.[3] Variations of its theme are included in Victor Hely-Hutchinson's Carol Symphony.
In common with many traditional songs and carols, the lyrics vary across books. The versions compared below are taken from The New English Hymnal (1986) (which is the version used in Henry Ramsden Bramley and John Stainer's Carols, New and Old),[1][13]Ralph Dunstan's gallery version in the Cornish Songbook (1929)[14] and Reverend Charles Lewis Hutchins's version in Carols Old and Carols New (1916).[2]
1. The first Nowell the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;
In fields where they lay, keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter's night that was so deep: —Refrain —Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, —Born is the King of Israel.
O well, O well, the Angels did say
To shepherds there in the fields did lay;
Late in the night a-folding their sheep,
A winter's night, both cold and bleak. —Refrain —O well, O well, O well, O well, —Born is the King of Israel.
The first Noel, the angels say
To Bethlehem's shepherds as they lay.
At midnight watch, when keeping sheep,
The winter wild, the light snow deep —Refrain —Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel —Born is the King of Israel.
2. They looked up and saw a star,
Shining in the east, beyond them far:
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night:
And then there did appear a Star,
Whose glory then did shine so far:
Unto the earth it gave a great light,
And there it continued a day and a night.
The shepherds rose, and saw a star
Bright in the East, beyond them far,
Its beauty gave them great delight,
This star it set now day nor night.
3. And by the light of that same star,
Three Wise Men came from country far;
To seek for a King was their intent,
And to follow the star whersoever it went:
And by the light of that same Star,
Three Wise Men came from country far;
To seek a King was their intent –
They follow'd the Star wherever it went.
Now by the light of this bright star
Three wise men came from country far;
They sought a king, such their intent,
The star their guide where'er it went.
4. This star drew nigh to the north-west;
O'er Bethlehem it took its rest;
And there it did both stop and stay
Right over the place where Jesus lay:
The Star went before them unto the North West,
And seemed o'er the City of Bethlehem to rest,
And there did remain by night and by day,
Right over the place where Jesus Christ lay.
Then drawing nigh to the northwest,
O'er Bethlehem town it took its rest;
The wise men learnt its cause of stay,
And found the place where Jesus lay.
5. Then entered in those Wise Men three,
Full reverently upon their knee,
And offered there in his presence,
Their gold and myrrh and frankincense:
Then enter'd in these Wise Men three,
With reverence fall on their knee,
And offer'd up in His presence
The gifts of gold and frankincense.
6. Then let us all with one accord
Sing praises to our heavenly Lord
That hath made heaven and earth of nought,
And with his blood mankind hath bought:
'Tween an ox manger and an ass,
Our Blest Messiah's place it was;
To save us all from bond and thrall,
He was a Redeemer for us all!
^ abcRev. Charles Lewis Hutchins, Carols Old and Carols New (Boston: Parish Choir, 1916), No. 643.
^ ab"The First Nowell". Hymns and Carols of Christmas. carol of the 16th or 17th century, but possibly dating from as early as the 13th century. Barrie Jones, ed. (2014). "carol". The Hutchinson Concise Dictionary of Music. Routledge. Christmas carols were common as early as the 15th century. ... Many carols, such as 'God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen' and 'The First Nowell', date from the 16th century or earlier.
^"Noel". Eytmonline: Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 29 December 2011.
^British Library, Add.5665, in Edith Rickert, Ancient English Christmas Carols: 1400–1700 (London: Chatto & Windus, 1914), p. 218
