Quicumque Certum Quaeritis (“All ye who seek a comfort sure”)
Translation: Fr. Edward Caswall, Oratorian
Tune: “St Bernard” • 86 86 (CM)
Page 750
Page 709
Discendi, Amor Santo (“Come down, O love divine”)
Bianco da Siena; translated from Italian by Richard Frederick Littledale.
Tune: “Down Ampney” • 6 6 11 D
Page 685
“Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days” by Claudia Frances Hernaman
Tune: “St Flavian” • 86 86 (CM)
Pages 690-691
The Painful Cross Of Christ (“Whoever to virtue thinketh hard the way”) • This text was written by Saint Thomas More (Lord Chancellor of England) and published circa 1510AD.
Tune: “Lincoln’s Inn” • 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Page 669
“God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen”
The meaning of “God rest you merry” is “God keep you merry.” Note the archaic use of the word rest (“keep”)—indeed, this carol probably dates from the 16th century.
Tune: “God Rest You Merry” • 86 86 86 R
Page 662
Huron Carol of St. Jean de Brébeuf (“Upon the birth of Jesus”)
Translation: Fr. Dominic Popplewell
Tune: “Une Jeune Pucelle” • 86 86 88 R
This famous Christmas carol was possibly written around 1642AD, when Saint Brébeuf was in Quebec, recuperating from a broken collarbone, which had left him in excruciating pain for many months.
Page 664
“Joy To The World” by Isaac Watts
Tune: “Antioch” • 86 86 (CM)
Page 666
“Once In Royal David’s City” by Cecil Frances Alexander
Tune: “Irby” • 87 87 77
Page 658
“Lo! he comes with clouds descending” by John Cennick
Tune: “Helmsley” • 87 87 47
