Oh Joseph Was An Old Man
[Oh Joseph Was An Old Man was printed in The Literary Gazette and Journal of the Belles Lettres, Arts, Sciences etc. on page 12 in 1841. It was to be sung to the tune of "My Peggy is a Young Thing." It was reprinted in Notes and Queries, Fourth Series, XII, p. 461.]
O Joseph Was An Old Man- Version D; Child 54 The Cherry-Tree Carol
Notes and Queries, Fourth Series, XII, 461; taken from the mouth of a wandering gypsy girl in Berkshire.
1 O Joseph was an old man,
and an old man was he,
And he married Mary,
from the land of Galilee.
2 Oft after he married her,
how warm he were abroad,
. . . .
. . . .
3 Then Mary and Joseph
walkd down to the gardens cool;
Then Mary spied a cherry,
as red as any blood.
4 'Brother Joseph, pluck the cherry,
for I am with child:'
'Let him pluck the cherry, Mary,
as is father to the child.'
5 Then our blessed Saviour spoke,
from his mother's womb:
'Mary shall have cherries,
and Joseph shall have none.'
6 From the high bough the cherry-tree
bowd down to Mary's knee;
Then Mary pluckt the cherry,
by one, two, and three.
7 They went a little further,
and heard a great din:
'God bless our sweet Saviour,
our heaven's love in.'
8 Our Saviour was not rocked
in silver or in gold,
But in a wooden cradle,
like other babes all.
9 Our Saviour was not christend
in white wine or red,
But in some spring water,
like other babes all.
______________
[The Literary Gazette and Journal of the Belles Lettres, arts, Sciences etc. page 12, 1841 ]
Christmas Carols The following are genuine Christmas Carols, as taken from the mouth of a wandering gipsy girl in Berkshire. They are evidently imperfect, but have some novelty to us; and we give them as they were repeated or chanted, their very errors shewing what is the usual fate of poems handed down by recitation.
Tune—"My Peggy is a Young Thing."
Oh! Joseph was an old man.
And an old man was he.
And he married Mary
From the land of Galilee.
Oft after he married her
How warm he were abroad.
Then Mary and Joseph
Walk'd down to the garden school.
Then Mary spied a cherry,
As red as any blood,—
Brother Joseph, pluck the cherry.
For I am with child.
Let him pluck the cherry, Mary,
As is father to the child.
Then our blessed Saviour spoke
From his mother's womb,—
Mary shall have cherries,
And Joseph shall have none.
From the high bough, the cherry-tree
Bow'd down to Mary's knee,—
Then, Mary, pluck't the cherry,
By one, two, and three.
They went a little further.
And heard a great din,
God bless our sweet Saviour
Our heavens love in.
Our Saviour was not rocked
In silver or in gold.
But in a wooden cradle.
Like other babes all.
Our Saviour was not christened
In white wine, or in red,
But In some spring water.
Like other babes all.