West Cornwall Wassail

See generally Wassailing - Notes On The Songs

O mistress, at your door our Wassail begins,
Pray open the door and let us come in,

Chorus:
With our Wassail, Wassail, Wassail, Wassail,
And Joy come to our jolly Wassail

O Mistress, at your door we kindly salute,
For it is an old custom you cannot dispute,

O mistress and Master sitting down by the fire,
While we POOR Wassail-men are traveling thro' the mire,

O Mistress and Master, sitting down at your ease,
With their hands in their pockets to give what they please

Come young men and maidens, I pray you draw near;
Come fill up our bowl with some cider or beer,

You see how we'll smile at our flowing Bowl--
Just now it is empty, by and bye it'll be full,

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,
A plenty of money and a barrel of beer.

I wish you a blessing and a long time to live
Because you're so free and so willing to give

I hope that your apples will prosper and grow
That you may have cider and a plenty to bestow,

I hope that your barley may prosper and grow,
That you may have beer and a plenty to bestow.

Well known in West Cornwall 50 or 60 years before publication in this source. "The words which are an interesting commentary on old Christmas and New Year customs , were communicated (from an old MS and from personal recollection), in 1912 by Mr. W. Dunstan of Carnon Downs, near Truro."- Source The Cornish Song Book., (Lyver Canow Kernewek).,"Part 2. Carols and Sacred Music, Ralph Dunstan, Lodenek Press, Padstow, 1974, p.52.

 

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