Who published the 1833 version of "I Saw Three Ships"?

William Sandys published the 1833 version of “I Saw Three Ships.”

Sandys was an English lawyer and antiquarian who helped preserve traditional English songs and carols. The version associated with him supplied the modern carol’s familiar lyrics, including the ships sailing into Bethlehem on Christmas morning.

The song itself is older than Sandys’s publication. An earlier printed form dates from the 17th century, possibly from Derbyshire, while numerous later versions used different words and melodies. That is why Sandys is best identified as the publisher of the 1833 version, not necessarily the original author.

The carol’s three ships are sometimes linked to medieval legends about the relics of the Magi being carried to Cologne. The biblical setting is imaginative: Bethlehem is inland, with the Dead Sea more than 20 miles away.