"The Holly and the Ivy" is a traditional Christmas carol, which is among the most lightly Christianised carols of Yuletide[citation needed]. "Holly and ivy have been the mainstay of Christmas decoration for church use since at least the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, when they are mentioned regularly in churchwardens' accounts" (Roud 2004). Holly and ivy also figure in the lyrics of the "Sans Day Carol".
Sir Henry Walford Davies wrote a popular choral arrangement that is often performed at the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols and by choirs around the world.
Origin
European Holly (Gaelic: cuileann) was sacred to druids who associated it with the winter solstice, and for Romans, holly was considered the plant of Saturn. European Holly has always traditionally had a strong association with Christmas. Henry VIII wrote a love song Green groweth the holly which alludes to holly and ivy resisting winter blasts and not changing their green hue So I am and ever hath been Unto my lady true.
Early English Lyrics by Chambers and Sidgwick, published in 1926, mentions a broadside of 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
- Now are both well grown
An early book mentions the carol as well as a manuscript containing a more ancient song which is, or was, in the British Museum. The book was printed in 1823 and entitled Ancient Mysteries Described: Especially the English Miracle Plays founded on Aprocryphal New Testament Story extant among the unpublished manuscripts in the British Museum by the author, investigative journalist, devout Christian and former satirist, William Hone (1780-1842), and printed at 45 Ludgate Hill London. The book contains a list of carols (p 99) described as Christmas Carols now annually Printed including 70. The holly and the ivy, now are both well grown.
The book also describes (p 94) a British Museum manuscript: The same volume contains a song on the Holly and the Ivy which I mention because there is an old Carol on the same subject still printed. The MS begins with,
- Nay, my nay, hyt shal not be I wys,
- Let holy hafe the maystry, as the maner ys:
- Holy stond in the hall, faire to behold,
- Ivy stond without the dore, she ys ful sore acold,
- Nay, my nay etc
- Ivy stond without the dore, she ys ful sore acold,
- Holy and hys mery men, they dawnseyn and they syng,
- Ivy and hur maydyns, they wepen and they wryng.
- Nay, my nay etc'
- Ivy and hur maydyns, they wepen and they wryng.
The music and most of the text was also collected later by Cecil Sharp (1859-1924) from a woman in Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire which is also related to the older carol described as: "The Contest of the Ivy and the Holly", a contest between the traditional emblems of woman and man respectively.
- Holly stands in the hall, fair to behold:
- Ivy stands without the door, she is full sore a cold.
- Nay, ivy, nay, it shall not be I wis;
- Let holly have the mastery, as the manner is.
- Ivy stands without the door, she is full sore a cold.
- Holly and his merry men, they dance and they sing,
- Ivy and her maidens, they weep and they wring.
- Nay, ivy, nay, it shall not be I wis;
- Let holly have the mastery, as the manner is.
- Ivy and her maidens, they weep and they wring.
- Ivy hath chapped fingers, she caught them from the cold,
- So might they all have, aye, that with ivy hold.
- Nay, ivy, nay, it shall not be I wis;
- Let holly have the mastery, as the manner is.
- So might they all have, aye, that with ivy hold.
- Holly hath berries red as any rose,
- The forester, the hunter, keep them from the does.
- Nay, ivy, nay, it shall not be I wis;
- Let holly have the mastery, as the manner is.
- The forester, the hunter, keep them from the does.
- Ivy hath berries black as any sloe;
- There come the owl and eat him as she go.
- Nay, ivy, nay, it shall not be I wis;
- Let holly have the mastery, as the manner is.
- There come the owl and eat him as she go.
- Holly hath birds a fair full flock,
- The nightingale, the popinjay, the gentle laverock.
- Nay, ivy, nay, it shall not be I wis;
- Let holly have the mastery, as the manner is.
- The nightingale, the popinjay, the gentle laverock.
- Good ivy, what birds hast thou?
- None but the owlet that cries how, how.
- Nay, ivy, nay, it shall not be I wis;
- Let holly have the mastery, as the manner is.
- None but the owlet that cries how, how.
- 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.
- Refrain:
- Oh, the rising of the sun and the running of the deer,
- The playing of the merry organ, sweet singing in the choir.
- Oh, the rising of the sun and the running of the deer,
- The holly bears a blossom as white as lily flower,
- And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to be our sweet saviour
- Refrain
- The holly bears a berry as red as any blood,
- And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to do poor sinners good.
- Refrain
- The holly bears a prickle as sharp as any thorn,
- And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ on Christmas Day in the morn.
- Refrain
- The holly bears a bark as bitter as any gall,
- And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ for to redeem us all.
--
Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time.
Have a great day,
Tommy
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