December 28

The Virgin and Child Embracing

by Giovanni Battista Salvi Sassofrrato (1660-1685)

The Seven Joys of Mary

performed by The Choir of King's College, Cambridge

arranged by Stephen Cleobury

The very first joy that Mary had,

It was the joy of one

To see her blessed Jesus Christ

When He was first her Son

When He was Her first Son, Good Man;

And blessed may we be,

Both Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

To all eternity.

The next good joy that Mary had,

It was the joy of two

To see her own son Jesus Christ,

To make the lame to go.

To make the lame to go, Good Man,

and blessed may we be,

Both Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,

To all eternity.

The next good joy that Mary had,

It was the joy of three

To see her own son Jesus Christ,

To make the blind to see.

To make the blind to see, Good Man,

and blessed may we be,

Both Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,

To all eternity.

The next good joy that Mary had,

It was the joy of four

To see her own son Jesus Christ,

To read the Bible o'er.

To read the Bible o'er, Good Man,

and blessed may we be,

Both Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,

To all eternity.

The next good joy that Mary had,

It was the joy of five

To see her own son Jesus Christ,

To bring the dead alive.

To bring the dead alive, Good Man,

and blessed may we be,

Both Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,

To all eternity.

The next good joy that Mary had,

It was the joy of six

To see her own son Jesus Christ,

Upon the Crucifix.

Upon the Crucifix, Good Man,

and blessed may we be,

Both Father, Son and Holy Ghost,

To all eternity.

The next good joy that Mary had,

It was the joy of seven

To see her own son Jesus Christ,

To wear the crown of Heaven.

To wear the crown of Heaven, Good Man,

and blessed may we be,

Both Father, Son and Holy Ghost,

To all eternity.

This is another one of the many "counting carols" of Christmas, although traditionally, "The Joys of Mary" has been sung throughout the year. William Sandys, the author of "Carols Ancient and Modern" (1833), wrote that "...this [is] taken from popular broad-side carols, [and contains] rather curious legends, of which may have already been observed in the old carol for St. Stephen."

The earliest known version is in a manuscript of the fourteenth century, where it is entitled "Joyes Fyve." There are many, many different variations of the lyrics, however, and during my research this week, I have discovered as many as fifteen different verses. Of the many variations, the most generally accepted versions are "Joys Seven", and "The Twelve Joys of Mary". It is noted, however, that the extension of the Seven Joys to Twelve is confined to the northern parts of England, hence its tag of "The Newcastle Version".