====== Wexford Carol ======

==== Lyrics ====

1. Good people all, this Christmas time,\\
Consider well and bear in mind\\
What our good God for us has done\\
In sending his beloved son\\
With Mary holy we should pray,\\
To God with love this Christmas Day\\
In Bethlehem upon that morn,\\
There was a blessed Messiah born.

2. The night before that happy tide,\\
The noble Virgin and her guide\\
Were long time seeking up and down\\
To find a lodging in the town.\\
But mark how all things came to pass\\
From every door repelled, alas,\\
As was foretold, their refuge all\\
Was but a humble ox's stall.

3. Near Bethlehem did shepherds keep\\
Their flocks of lambs and feeding sheep\\
To whom God's angels did appear\\
Which put the shepherds in great fear\\
Prepare and go, the angels said To Bethlehem, be not afraid\\
For there you'll find, this happy morn\\
A princely babe, sweet Jesus, born.

4. With thankful heart and joyful mind\\
The shepherds went the babe to find\\
And as God's angel had foretold\\
They did our Saviour Christ behold\\
Within a manger he was laid\\
And by his side the virgin maid\\
Attending on the Lord of Life\\
Who came on earth to end all strife.

5. There were three wise men from afar\\
Directed by a glorious star\\
And on they wandered night and day\\
Until they came where Jesus lay\\
And when they came unto that place\\
Where our beloved Messiah lay\\
They humbly cast them at his feet\\
With gifts of gold and incense sweet.

==== Music & Performance ====

{{wiki:wexford_carol.mp3}} \\
[[https://musescore.com/user/30522520/scores/5885945|Source]]

{{youtube>Pa9OHZGa9Rs?small=rel=0}}

==== Background ====

A traditional Irish Christmas carol. Origins are probably 16th century.

**Origin**: Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Ireland\\
**First Published**: 1928 in the Oxford Book of Carols (first English publication)
==== More Information ====

[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wexford_Carol|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wexford_Carol]]