The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #54593   Message #847108
Posted By: masato sakurai
13-Dec-02 - 10:09 PM
Thread Name: Origins: I Saw Three Ships.
Subject: Lyr Add: ALL SONS OF ADAM
The version quoted in Sandys' Christmas Carols (p. 184) seems to be originally from Forbes:

Ritson (Introduction to Scotch Songs, vol. i. p. civ.) gives the following lines as sung during the Christmas holidays about the middle of the 16th century, which bear a similarity to this carol.

      All sons of Adam, rise up with me,
      Go praise the Blessed Trinitie, &c.
      Then spake the Archangel Gabriel, said, Ave, Marie mild,
      The Lord of Lords is with thee, now shall you go with child.
                                        Ecce ancilla domini.
      Then said the Virgin, as thou hast said, so mat it be,
          Welcome be heavens King.
      There comes a ship far sailing then,
      Saint Michael was the stieres-man;
          Saint John sate in the horn:
      Our Lord harped, our Lady sang,
      And all the bells of heaven they rang,
          On Christ's sonday at morn, &c.

There're sound recordings of this song titled "All Sons of Adam" on Sing We Noel / The Boston Camerata (Elektra/Nonesuch 9 71354-2); Mary's Music / Scottish Early Music Consort (Chandos CHAN 8332); and Christmas in Anglia / Ensemble for Early Music (Nonesuch H-71369) [LP]. This is a different (at least musically) song. The following is copied from notes to Mary's Music (no source is given; stanzaic divisions added).

             ALL SONS OF ADAM

      All sons of Adam, ryse up with me,
      Goe lov* the blissed Trinitie, [*praise]
      Sing we nowell, nowell, nowell,
      Cry Kyrie with hosanna,
      Sing Sabaoth, sing alleluya,
      Now save us all Emanuell.

      Then spak archangel Gabriel,
      Said Ave Mary mild,
      The Lord of Lordis is with the,
      Now sall thou goe with chyld.
      Ecce ancilla Domini.
      Then said the virgin young,
      As thou hes said so mot it be,
      Welcom be heavens king.

      Ther cam a ship fair sailland then,
      Sanct Michaell wass the steiresman,
      Sanct John sat in the horne*.   [*prow]
      Our Lord harpit, our Ladie sang
      And all the bells of heavn they rang
      On Chrysts-son-day at morn.

      Then sang the angels all and sum*:   [*all together]
      Lauda Jerusalem, Dominum,
      Lauda Deum tuum, Sion.

      The sons of Adam ansuered them:
      Sing glore be to the* God and man,   [*thee]
      The Father and the Spirit also,
      With honour and perpetual jo*.   [*joy]