The Duke of Leeds heard it sung there and included it in the repertoire of his own singing group. Over 30 years later, in 1785, it was sent to the Portuguese chapel in London. REFRAIN O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him Christ the Lord. In 1750 he slipped this hymn into a manuscript he was copying for the English Roman Catholic College in Lisbon, Portugal. Lyrics: VERSE 1 Come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem Come and behold Him, born the King of angels. It was originally written in Latin as "Adeste Fidelis." Wade was a Roman Catholic, and all services in the church were conducted in Latin. But recent scholarship indicates that he did, in fact, write the hymn. Scholars have debated whether Wade merely copied this hymn or whether he actually wrote it.
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Wade became famous for his artistic calligraphy, and he had a knack for copying music as well. The real meaning of the Carol, remains, however, although whose birth we choose to celebrate in it remains a matter of personal decision.John Francis Wade made his living copying manuscripts by hand. “Adeste Fideles seems to have lost its Jacobite meanings not long after Wade’s last published book in 1773, perhaps as Jacobitism ebbed in popular consciousness and as Roman Catholics neared religious freedom in the late 1770s. Bethlehem is a common Jacobite cipher for England, and Regem Angelorum is a well-known pun on Angelorum (angels)/Anglorum (English). Zon added: “The meaning of the Christmas carol is clear: ‘Come and Behold Him, Born the King of Angels’ really means, Come and Behold Him, Born the King of the English – Bonnie Prince Charlie! So ‘Adeste fideles’, commonly translated as ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’, really means Come, faithful Catholics laeti triumphantes, venite, venite in Bethlehem, ‘Joyful and Triumphant, O Come Ye, O Come Ye to Bethlehem’ really means, Joyful and Triumphant Jacobites, Come to England ‘natum videte, regem angelorum’. Zon said that unlike Vexilla Regis Prodeunt, Adeste Fideles is a Birth-ode to Bonnie Prince Charlie, written in praise of his birth near to Christmas, on 20 December 1720.
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Amongst other things, it portrays a colourful image of Bonnie Prince Charlie, set over the image of a diagonal cross, imitating the text on the opposite page, the great Battle Hymn, Vexilla Regis Prodeunt – ‘Behold the Royal Ensigns Fly, Now Shines the Cross’s Mystery! The same book has a Jacobite cryptogram in Latin on its title page, which when deciphered gives a very clear sense of its Jacobite connections.” “One important book including Adeste Fideles, to be shown on The Truth About Carols, reveals a wealth of Jacobite imagery. In John Francis Wade’s books it and other liturgical texts with ‘hidden’ Jacobite meaning are often strewn – even laden – with Jacobite floral imagery. “In its earliest forms, from the 1740s to 70s, Adeste Fideles is often found in English Roman Catholic liturgical books next to, or physically very near, prayers for the exiled monarch.
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The lyrics written by John Wade have clear Jacobite references to the restoration to the British throne of Charles Edward Stuart - the exiled King also known as ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’. Prof Zon says: “Adeste Fideles, the song which became O Come All Ye Faithful, is recognised as being the work of the 18th century music scribe, John Francis Wade, but there’s far more to this beloved song than meets the eye. Prof Zon, the Head of the Department of Music at Durham University, will be appearing on the BBC 2 programme ‘The Truth About Carols’ (Christmas Day, 5.00 pm) and explaining the Jacobite twist to the popular carol. See the Christmas song lyrics table of contents for the words to more carols. There are several different keys available, allowing you to choose the one that best suits your range. The Christmas carol is sung at festive services across the country but music expert Professor Bennett Zon claims that many people probably don’t realise that the popular song has distinctive political roots. For the sheet music to this carol, visit the main page for O Come, All Ye Faithful. The well known Christmas carol 'O Come All Ye Faithful' has distinctive political roots, says Durham University expert. Engraved portrait of Charles Edward Stuart surrounded by Jacobite symbols