Why was the Partridge in the Pear Tree? Page 5
Lady Gomme, in her Dictionary of British Folk-Lore – Volume 1 (1894) points out that the festival of the twelve days, the ‘great midwinter feast of Yule’, was a very important one, and that ‘in this game may, perhaps, be discerned the relic of certain customs and ceremonies and the penalties or forfeits incurred by those who omitted religiously to carry them out’, she also adds that it was ‘a very general practice for work of all kinds to be put entirely aside before Christmas and not resumed until after Twelfth Day.’
The most common musical setting for this game that turned it into a song is a popular folk tune that changes time signature throughout the song. The Roud Folk Song Index, a database of over 300,000 references to 21,600 songs, named after its founder Steve Roud, Local Studies Librarian in the London Borough of Broydon, gives the tune an index number of sixty-eight. The earliest well-known version of the music was recorded by English Scholar James O’Halliwell in 1842, which he published in his book The Nursery Rhymes of England in 1846. The five gold rings pivotal bars first appeared in an arrangement by the English composer Frederick Austin, which he copyrighted in 1909. In the last 150 years many different versions of this song have come to light, this isn’t uncommon, as many of our favourite carols and songs are regularly set to different folk tunes.
So, we’ve found that the game, which turned into a Christmas song, is almost certainly French in origin, written long before the first discovered printing in 1780, and that the music is relatively recent.
The detective work doesn’t end there though. There are questions about whether it is a nonsense song for children or a rhyme of Christian instruction, perhaps dating to the sixteenth century, when hidden references were placed in songs and rhymes to teach the faith to youngsters. This was a time of great uncertainty and religious strife, with the Protestant Reformation and revolt throughout Europe and the separation of the Church of England from Rome. Perhaps this rhyme or song was part of the counter-reformation that ran from the beginning of the Council of Trent in (1545-1563) until the end of the Thirty Years War (1648), although Catholics were still prevented from practicing their faith openly until 1829.
‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ as a catechism song would give each verse a religious significance.
A depiction of the Twelve Days of Christmas.
Verse
Meaning
One partridge in a pear tree
Jesus
Two Turtle doves
The Old and New Testaments
Three French Hens
Three theological virtues of faith, hope and love (charity)
Four calling birds
The four Gospels; Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
Five gold rings
The ‘Torah’ or ‘Pentateuch’ the first five books of the Old Testament (The Law of Moses)
Six geese a-laying
The six days of Creation
Seven swans a-swimming
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit; wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord.
Eight maids a-milking
The eight beatitudes. The Gospels according to Matthew or Luke differ slightly. Matthew’s Gospel lists them as; The poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, those who are persecuted because of seeking righteousness, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart and the peacemakers.
Nine ladies dancing
The nine fruits of the Holy Spirit are listed in the letter of St Paul to the Galatians ‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.’ Galatians 5:22-3, The Bible – King James Version
Ten lords a-leaping
The Ten Commandments; You shall have no other Gods, you shall not make idols, do not take the God’s name in vain, observe the Sabbath, honour your father and mother, do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not covet your neighbours wife, do not covet your neighbours belongings.
Eleven pipers piping
The eleven faithful Apostles; Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot (ignoring Judas of course, who was supposed to have betrayed Christ).
Twelve drummers drumming
The twelve points of the Apostles Creed; I believe in God the father, almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried, he descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead and ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the God the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come to judge both the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the Holy Catholick (sic) church; the Communion of Saints; the Forgiveness of sins; the Resurrection of the body, and the Life Everlasting.’ Book of Common Prayer
Many have questioned the historical accuracy of this religious origin of the song. Some have suggested it is merely an ‘urban myth’, although there is little ‘hard’ evidence available either way. Some Church historians affirm this account as accurate, whilst others point out discrepancies that could mean the song is merely a good catchy folk tune to words that provided entertainment on the long dark January nights many years ago.
We may never know for certain, but for those who have good memories and the ability to sing a folk song in a different meter and at some speed, this is a favourite.
6
The Holly and the Ivy
The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown
Of all the trees that are in the wood
The holly bears the crown.
The holly bears a blossom
As white as lily flower
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To be our sweet Saviour.
The holly bears a berry
As red as any blood,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To do poor sinners good.
The holly bears a prickle
As sharp as any thorn,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
On Christmas Day in the morn.
The holly bears a bark
As bitter as any gall,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
For to redeem us all.
The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown
Of all the trees that are in the wood
The holly bears the crown.
Carols and hymns never stand alone as mere songs; they all have rich origins that tell a story down the centuries. Intermingled with the Christian imagery in many Christmas carols there is also mention made of evergreen plants and historical details that deserve investigation. To properly understand these symbols and their significance, we need to dig a little deeper, beyond what is commonly accepted about our hymns and carols.
Holly.
The carol ‘The Holly and the Ivy’ is no exception. In this particular carol, which is undoubtedly religious in content, the holly’s features symbolize Jesus and his suffering. The holly produces a white blossom representing his purity. Its scarlet clusters of berries reflect his blood. The holly also has a sharp prickle; this almost certainly symbolizes the crown of thorns worn by Jesus at the time of his death. The question remains however, why is this symbolism used at all? It doesn’t belong to Biblical text or early Christian tradition.
In distant history, we know that the Romans would send boughs of holly and ivy to their friends to celebrate the winter festival of Saturnalia, to honour the God Saturnus, the God of agriculture.
Even though the Romans left Britain in AD 410, the tradition must have been retained or adopted as a Christmas celebration because in AD 596, when St Austin and his disciples baptized 10,000 Anglo-Saxons on Christmas Day, we are told that churches and houses were bedecked for two weeks with holly and ivy to celebrate the occasion. This may well have secured the link between holly and ivy and the mid-winter celebrations.
There is also a link to pagan historical practice, where in the winter when nothing flowers, evergreen plants such as holly, ivy, fir and pine were considered to be a sign of new life, holding magical qualities to ward off evil, ghosts and lightning.
A Harleian manuscript dating back to AD 1451 includes a story of a contest between holly and ivy for the best place in the house. ‘Nay, Ivy, Nay’ tells us that the holly was finally victorious because the black berries of the ivy were no match for the beauty of the red berries on the holly wreath. This probably reflects the ongoing pagan relationship with holly and ivy as signs of good luck and the anticipation of new life in spring, even in the depths of winter.
St Austin.
It is suggested in The Oxford Book of Carols by Dearmer, Vaughan Williams and Shaw (1928) that the holly and the ivy represents the battle of the sexes, with holly having masculine qualities, and ivy feminine. The imagery could have been part of a tribal tale that developed into a dance for young men and women.
One old legend also states that holly sprang up under the footsteps of Jesus when he walked the earth to the cross and says that merely holding it brought good luck. Therefore, in old church calendars it also documented that the churches on Christmas Eve were decked (temple exornate) with holly.
In 1630, with the Stuarts overthrown, the Puritans banned many things associated with Christmas, not just carols, but also holly and ivy as seasonal decoration. With the Restoration, however, these things returned with added vigour. During this period, Edward Fisher refuted the Puritanical war on Christmas by publishing a point-by-point guide to celebrating Christmas in his book The Feast of Feasts (1649). In it he says that the season o
f Christmas is designed:
… to eat mince pies, plum-pottage or brawn in December, to trim churches or private houses with holly and ivy about Christmas, to stick roasting pieces of beef with rosemary or to stick a sprig of rosemary in a collar of brawn, to play cards or bowls, to hawk or hunt, to give money to the servants or apprentices box, or to send a couple of capons or any other presents to a friend in the twelve days.
These, and other texts, undoubtedly helped to secure the place of holly and ivy in the celebration of Christmas. A Victorian merchant in 1851 claimed that he sold 250,000 bushels of holly during the Christmas season, that’s how popular it was!
So where did the carol ‘The Holly and the Ivy’ come from? ‘The Sans Day Carol’ (Saint Day’s Carol), one of the many Cornish carols written in the nineteenth century, also provides a link. St Day was a Breton saint, and the ‘Sans Day Carol’ was transcribed from the singing of Thomas Beard, a villager in St Day, in the parish of Gwennap, Cornwall. The fourth verse is a translation from the Cornish version ‘Ma gron war’n gelln’:
Now the Holly bears a berry as white as the milk
And Mary bore Jesus, who was wrapped up in silk.
Chorus
And Mary bore Jesus Christ our Saviour to be
And the first tree in the greenwood, it was the holly.
Holly, holly,
And the first tree in the greenwood it was the holly.
Now the Holly bears a berry as green as the grass
And Mary bore Jesus, who died on the cross.
Now the Holly bears a berry as black as the coal
And Mary bore Jesus, who died for us all.
Now the Holly bears a berry as blood is it red
Then trust we our Saviour who rose from the dead.
This link clearly shows the ongoing importance of the imagery of holly and ivy in the Christmas season.
So, what about the carol? ‘The Holly and the Ivy’ itself probably dates back to the seventeenth century and was revamped around 150 years later by the famous folk music expert Cecil J. Sharp to be included in his collection of songs, hymns and carols of 1911. A choral arrangement was written by Sir Henry Walford Davies, which remains one most common musical arrangements we hear at Christmas. The original tune however was described as an ‘Old French tune’. In the book Early English Lyrics by Chambers and Sidgwick (1926), there is mention of a broadside printed in Birmingham in 1710 with a version of the carol, which begins:
The holly and the ivy
Now are both well grown
Of all the trees that are in the wood
The holly bears the crown
The book The Oxford Book of Carols (1928) says of the carol, ‘Words and melody taken from Mrs. Clayton at Chipping Camden, Glos. (Supplemented by words from Mrs Wyatt, East Harptree, Somerset)’.
In the twenty-first century it is pleasing to see that people still hold on to the tradition of placing holly and ivy in their homes. Whether it is done to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the baptism of thousands by St Austin, to resurrect the midwinter festival of Saturnalia, to ward off evil spirits or to think of the battle of the sexes, it is certainly a most rich and complex tradition that still continues to this day. And the carol, ‘The Holly and the Ivy’, still echoes through the land, indeed throughout the world.
7
Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
Hark! the herald angels sing
‘Glory to the newborn King!’
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
‘Christ is born in Bethlehem’
Hark! the herald angels sing
‘Glory to the newborn King!’
Christ by highest heav’n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin’s womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! the herald angels sing
‘Glory to the newborn King!’
Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris’n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! the herald angels sing
‘Glory to the newborn King!’
Charles Wesley was probably the most prolific hymn writer Britain has ever produced and this hymn is one of his most famous compositions.
Wesley was born on the 17 December 1707, in Epworth, Lincolnshire, the eighteenth and last child born to Samuel and Susanna Wesley. He was educated in Westminster College, leaving with a scholarship to study in Christ College, Oxford. Whilst there he and his brother John formed the ‘Oxford Holy Club’ for the purposes of Christian worship, but also to organise visits to the sick and imprisoned. Soon, the group became known as ‘Methodists’.
Wesley eventually became a college tutor; however, he left to be ordained as a deacon in the Church of England in 1735. Following a disastrous move to the new colony of Georgia, where he intended to work as a missionary, but became the secretary to the governor, he returned to London emotionally exhausted.
In 1738, Charles suffered serious illness and whilst recuperating met members of the Moravian Church in London. The Moravians, closely linked to the protestant Lutherans, had begun in 1730 after a time of division and uncertainty and were hoping to put down the foundations of a new church. Their evangelical zeal and concern for others inspired Wesley to re-evaluate his own life. The day after their first meeting, Whitsunday, 21 May 1738, he wrote his first hymn, ‘Where Shall My Wondering Spirit Begin’. This was to be the first of over 6,000 hymns he penned.
Later that year, Christmas Day 1738, Charles Wesley preached at St Mary’s Church in Islington, he also administered the chalice at Holy Communion. The next day his close friend George Whitefield said, ‘We had the sacrament this and the following four days, the whole week was a festival indeed; a joyful season, holy unto the Lord’.
Stories tend to suggest that Wesley heard the sound of the bells ringing on his way to church on Christmas Day, filling him with deep happiness and enthusiasm to pen the hymn ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’. There is no evidence that this is the case, however it may well be true. The real question is whether this Christmas Day in 1738 was the first to be celebrated with the singing of ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’ in its original form? It is certainly possible, as a few months later the hymn was published in the book Hymns and Sacred Songs, which Charles Wesley wrote with his brother John. In the following years his old friend George Whitefield shaped it into its present lyrical form.
In 1753, Whitefield altered the first line of the hymn from ‘Hark how all the welkin rings’ to ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’, which although an improvement, must have irritated Wesley, who believed that heaven (the meaning of ‘welkin’) rang with joy, maybe like the bells he reportedly heard on Christmas Day.
Another difficulty for Wesley would have been that as a keen biblical scholar he would have understood that the ‘Angel’ and the ‘Multitude of the Heavenly Host’ in the Bible were not singing at all, they were ‘Saying, Glory to God in the highest’ (Luke 2:13-14).
The title page of Wesley’s Hymns and Sacred Poems.
Quite how much this would have been a problem to Wesley we can only guess, although if he were to have seen the future and the countless thousands of Christmas cards that show singing cherubic angels he might have complained. Both John and Charles Wesley felt strongly that the people should be educated in theological issues to properly understand their faith. Charles used the words of the hymns to explain theology to people who might well be unable to read or write.