Poem: Sussex Carol (On Christmas Night All Christians Sing)

Painting by Guido Reni (1575-1642) - Courtesy of Wikipedia

Sussex Carol (On Christmas Night All Christians Sing) is an anonymous English Christmas carol. An early version was published in the 17th century by Fr. Luke Wadding O.F.M. (October 1588-1657), but it is uncertain if he was the original author or was setting down an existing folksong. None-the-less, the song remained popular in oral tradition and was collected in 1919 by the folklorist,  Cecil Sharp (1859-1924) together with the composer, Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958). It is this version which is most commonly known today. Sussex Carol is included in the Poems for Advent and Christmas Appendix of the Divine Office (1974).

Arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams

SUSSEX CAROL (Anonymous)

On Christmas night all Christians sing
To hear the news the angels bring.
News of great joy, news of great mirth,
News of our merciful King's birth.

Then why should men on earth be so sad,
Since our Redeemer made us glad,
When from our sin he set us free,
All for to gain our liberty?

When sin departs before His grace,
Then life and health come in its place.
Angels and men with joy may sing
All for to see the new-born King.

All out of darkness we have light,
Which made the angels sing this night:
"Glory to God and peace to men,
Now and for evermore, Amen!"

Now Let Us All with One Accord / Ex More Docti Mystico / Precemur Omnes Cernui

In Fellowship with Ages Past

Now Let Us All with One Accord, first published in 1972 is a translation and adaption by the editors of Praise the Lord Hymnal (Geoffrey Chapman, publisher) of the Lenten Hymn sung in the Roman Breviary: Ex More Docti Mystico (see 2nd video) attributed to St. Gregory the Great (540-604). In the Roman Breviary this Latin hymn has been divided into two separate hymns for Lent: Ex More Docti Mystico (Verses 1-4, Sunday Matins) and Precemur Omnes Cernui (Verses 5-9, Sunday Lauds). In the Liturgy of the Hours, Now Let Us All with One Accord is used during Lent. It is set to the tune, The Truth Sent From Above: a Herefordshire Folk Song collected by Cecil J. Sharp and popularized by Ralph Vaughan-Williams.


Tune: The Truth Sent From Above

EX MORE DOCTI MYSTICO

1. EX MORE DOCTI MYSTICO
servemus abstinentiam,
deno dierum circulo
ducto quater notissimo.

2. Lex et prophetae primitus
hanc praetulerunt, postmodum
Christus sacravit, omnium
rex atque factor temporum.

3. Utamur ergo parcius
verbis, cibis et potibus,
somno, iocis et arctius
perstemus in custodia.

4. Vitemus autem pessima
quae subruunt mentes vagas,
nullumque demus callido
hosti locum tyrannidis.

5. PRECEMUR OMNES CERNUI,
clamemus atque singuli,
ploremus ante iudicem,
flectamus iram vindicem:

6. Nostris malis offendimus
tuam, Deus, clementiam;
effunde nobis desuper,
remissor, indulgentiam.

7. Memento quod sumus tui,
licet caduci, plasmatis;
ne des honorem nominés
tui, precamur, alteri.

8. Laxa malum quod fecimus,
auge bonum quod poscimus,
placere quo tandem tibi
possimus hic et perpetim.

9. Praesta, beata Trinitas,
concede, simplex Unitas,
ut fructuosa sint tuis
haec parcitatis munera. Amen
 
Ex More Docti Mystico (Ambrosian)

PRECEMUR OMNES CERNUI

1. PRECEMUR OMNES CERNUI,
clamemus atque singuli,
ploremus ante iudicem,
flectamus iram vindicem:

2. Nostris malis offendimus
tuam, Deus, clementiam;
effunde nobis desuper,
remissor, indulgentiam.

3. Memento quod sumus tui,
licet caduci, plasmatis;
ne des honorem nominés
tui, precamur, alteri.

4. Laxa malum quod fecimus,
auge bonum quod poscimus,
placere quo tandem tibi
possimus hic et perpetim.

5. Praesta, beata Trinitas,
concede, simplex Unitas,
ut fructuosa sint tuis
haec parcitatis munera. Amen