Lyr Req: 'God bless the master of this house'

Subject: Old Caroler's Song Lyr Req
From: Candace
Date: 19 Nov 98 - 03:43 PM

Hello again,
Now I'm looking for a carol of which I saw a snippet in a newsletter. It gave no info. other than that it was "an old carolers' song"

'God bless the master of this house,
likewise the mistress too.
May their barns be filled with wheat and corn,
and their hearts be always true.
A Merry Christmas is our wish
Where'er we do appear,
To you a well-filled purse, a well-filled dish,
and a Happy Bright New Year.'

I searched the DT and came up with a "Souling Carol" meant for Nov. 1, which had an identical two lines but was otherwise fairly different.
Thanks
Candace

Subject: RE: Old Caroler's Song Lyr Req
From: MMario
Date: 19 Nov 98 - 03:48 PM

Candace - (In my opinion) this sounds like one of the many many variations of a Wassail Song. try seaching for wassail and see if any match.

MMario

Subject: RE: Old Caroler's Song Lyr Req
From: Candace
Date: 20 Nov 98 - 05:00 PM

Still can't find it... anyone else?

Subject: RE: Old Caroler's Song Lyr Req
From: Bruce O.
Date: 20 Nov 98 - 07:33 PM

I have not doubt that MMario is vasically correct. But there many variations, and one might search for a long time to find a specific one. Several of the variant versions are the final song in some of the Christmas mummers plays. See for example R. J. E. Tiddy, 'The Mummers Play', 1923 and 1972.

Subject: RE: Old Caroler's Song Lyr Req
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 06:10 PM

This Website (http://lisaslagoon.freeservers.com/christmas.html) says it's a verse from an Irish mummers' play, which follows what MMario and Bruce say.

That page and similar one-verse renditions are the only mention I could find of it.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr Add: GOD BLESS THE MASTER
From: masato sakurai
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 08:23 PM

"God Bless the Master"
(Sung by The Watersons on their Sound Sound Your Instruments of Joy LP, and re-released on the Frost and Fire CD.)

God bless the master of this house
And send him long to reign
Wherever he walks wherever he rides
Lord Jesus be his guide
Lord Jesus be his guide

God bless the mistress of this house
With a gold chain round her breast
Amongst her friends and kindred
God send her soul to rest
God send her soul to rest

From morn till morn remember thou
When first our Christ was born
He was crucified between two thieves
And crowned with a thorn
And crowned with a thorn

From morn till morn remember thou
When Christ lay on the rood
Twas for our sins and wickedness
Christ shed his precious blood
Christ has shed his precious blood

From morn till morn remember thou
When Christ was wrapped in clay
He was put into some sepulchre
Where never no man lay
Where never no man lay

God bless the ruler of this house
And send him long to reign
And many a merry Christmas
We may live to see again
We may live to see again

Now I have said my carol
Which I intend to do
God bless us all both great and small
And send us a happy new year
And send us a happy new year

(From https://mainlynorfolk.info/watersons/songs/godblessthemaster.html)

~Masato

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'God bless the master of this house'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Apr 16 - 02:00 PM

I'm guessing this song is what the Traditional Ballad Index calls the Sussex Mummers' Christmas Carol:

Sussex Mummers' Christmas Carol, The

DESCRIPTION: "When righteous Joseph wedded was Unto a virtuous maid, A glorious angel from Heaven came." "O mortal man, remember well, When Christ our Lord was born.""God bless the master of this house WIth happiness beside...."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: before 1882 (Broadwood)
KEYWORDS: religious childbirth Jesus floatingverses
FOUND IN: Britain(England(South))
REFERENCES (1 citation):
BroadwoodCarols, pp. 80-83, "The Sussex Mummers' Christmas Carol" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #1066
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "God Bless the Master of this House" (lyrics)
cf. "The Bellman's Song (The Moon Shone Bright)" (lyrics)
cf. "When Righteous Joseph Wedded Was" (lyrics)
NOTES: This appears to be a composite, with the first verse from "When Righteous Joseph Wedded Was," plus material from "The Moon Shone Bright" or one of its relatives and several other floating verses. How much of this is due to Broadwood's editing is unclear. The collective result can hardly be matched with any particular song, however, so I file it separately. - RBW
Last updated in version 2.8
File: LEBC080

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Subject: ADD: Sussex Mummers' Carol
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Apr 16 - 02:19 PM

THE SUSSEX MUMMERS' CAROL

1. A glorious angel from Heaven came
Unto a virtuous maid;
Strange tidings and great news of joy
The humble Mary had.
The humble Mary had.

2. O mortal man, remember well
When Christ our Lord was born'
He was crucified betwixt two thieves
And crowned with the thorn
And crowned with the thorn.

3. O mortal man, remember well
When Christ died on the rood;
'Twas for our sins and wicked ways
Christ shed His precious blood.
Christ shed His precious blood.

4. O mortal man, remember well
When Christ was wrapped in clay;
He was taken to a sepulcher
Where no man ever lay
Where no man ever lay.

5. God bless the mistress of this house
With gold chain round her breast;
Where e'er her body sleeps or wakes,
Lord send her soul to rest,
Lord send her soul to rest.

6. God bless the master of this house
With happiness beside;
Where e'er his body rides or walks,
Lord Jesus be his guide.
Lord Jesus be his guide.

7. God bless your house, your children too,
Your cattle and your store;
The Lord increase you day by day,
And give you more and more.
And give you more and more.

Sheet Music from Lucy E. Broadwood and John Broadwood, Sussex Songs (Popular Songs of Sussex). London: Stanley Lucas, Weber & Co., 1890.

Source: http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/sussex_mummers_carol.htm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'God bless the master of this house'
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 30 Apr 16 - 04:03 PM

Search the DT on Mudcat 'wassail' - you'll find a dozen examples.

There are more on the wonderful Mainly Norfolk site - Google for 'Mainly Norfolk wassail'.

There are two distinct variations of wassailing. One involves groups of merrymakers going from one house to another, wassail bowl in hand, singing traditional songs and generally spreading fun and good wishes.

The other form of wassailing is generally practised in the countryside, particularly in fruit growing regions, where it is the trees that are addressed.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'God bless the master of this house'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Apr 16 - 05:36 PM

Yes, it does tie closely to many wassail songs, but I'm wondering if maybe this one is indeed a song from a mummers' play, the concluding verse sung by a John Roberts type of singer to give the moral of the story.
Is there a singer more suited to mummers' plays, than John Roberts?

-Joe-