A Christmas Caroll
The 25th Track 4
A Christmas Caroll or ‘So, Now Is Come Our Joyfulst Feast’ was written by George Wither (1588-1667). A song in praise of the joys of feasting, and generally having a good time at Christmas, it conjures up the spirit of a Restoration Christmas – but actually pre-dates the Civil War, having been first published in 1622. In fact, Wither served as a major in the Parliamentarian army, and was imprisoned at the Restoration.
Ian has trimmed down the twelve verses of Wither’s poem, and set the words to a morris tune, ‘William and Nancy’. The instrumental interlude is another morris tune, ‘Constant Billy’.