[HARVEST-HOME.]
Here's a health unto our maister,
The founder of the feast,
And I hope to God wi' all my heart,
His soul in heaven mid rest.
That everything mid prosper
That ever he tiak in hand,
Vor we be all his sarvants,
And all at his command.
These verses were sometimes said in proposing the health of the farmer at a harvest-home supper. Another version of them is given in Hone's Table Book, ii. 334. When they have had a fortunate harvest, and the produce has been carried home without an accident, the following lines are sang at the harvest-home:
Harvest home, harvest home,
Ne'er a load's been overthrown.
[THE BARLEY MOW.]
Here's a health to the barley mow,
Here's a health to the man,
Who very well can
Both harrow, and plough, and sow.
When it is well sown,
See it is well mown,
Both raked and gravell'd clean,
And a barn to lay it in:
Here's a health to the man,
Who very well can
Both thrash and fan it clean.
[ALL-SOULS' DAY.]
"November 2nd is All Souls, a day instituted by the Church of Rome in commemoration of all the faithful departed this life, that by the prayers and suffrages of the living they may be discharged of their purging pain, and at last obtain life everlasting. To this purpose the day is kept holy till noon. Hence proceeds the custom of Soul-mass cakes, which are a kind of oat-cakes that some of the richer sort of persons in Lancashire and Herefordshire (among the Papists there) use still to give the poor on this day; and they, in retribution of their charity, hold themselves obliged to say this old couplet:
"God have your saul,
Beens and all."
Festa Anglo-Romana, 1678, p. 109.