The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #7620   Message #3787968
Posted By: Joe Offer
30-Apr-16 - 02:00 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: 'God bless the master of this house'
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'God bless the master of this house'
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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