The Heywood Sumner Wassail Song Pray master and mistress if you are within Leave open the door and let us come in. For we are come with our Christmas carol. We are come if you please to help empty your barrel. Chorus: Wassail, Wassail all round the town, our cup is white and our ale is brown. Our bowl is made of a good ashen tree and here my kind fellow we drink to thee. We are in the old time: the new time comes fast The new time comes fast the old time is past. So I wish you all a happy New Year Your pockets full of money, your barrels full of beer. We'll drink master's health and our mistress beside, And all the pretty family around the fireside And all that he has got, I know he does not mind We'll drink master's health in water or in wine. We'll drink master's health with the star all on his breast And when that he is dead we hope his soul will rest So I wish you all a happy New Year So I wish you all a happy New Year. Source: The Besom Maker., Heywood Sumner, Noorwood, 1973. CB apr00
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!