The Harvest Home
In olden days, harvest time was the great social season of the year on the farm, when master and man worked and rejoiced together in common bonds of fellowship, and finally celebrated the festival of the Harvest Home as one family. Tusser thus describes the old-time harvest:
In haruest time, haruest folke, seruants and all,
should make all togither good cheere in the hall;
And fill out the black boule of bleith to their song,
And let them be merie all haruest time long.
Once ended thy haruest, let none be begilde,
please [pay] such as did helpe thee, man, woman, and childe.
Thus dooing, with alway such helpe as they can,
thou winnest the praise of the labouring man.