God bless the master of this house,
Likewise the mistress too;
And all the little children
That round the table go.
Old Devonshire Carol
Included by permission of The H. W. Gray Company.
WASSAILER’S SONG
Wassail! Wassail! all over the town,
Our bread it is white, our ale it is brown;
Our bowl is made of a maplin tree;
We be good fellows all;—I drink to thee.
Here’s to our horse, and to his right ear,
God send master a happy new year;
A happy new year as ever he did see,—
With my wassail bowl I drink to thee.
Here’s to our mare, and to her right eye,
God send our mistress a good Christmas pie;
A good Christmas pie as e’er I did see,—
With my wassailing bowl I drink to thee.
Here’s to our cow, and to her long tail,
God send our master us never may fail
Of a cup of good beer: I pray you draw near,
And our jolly wassail it’s then you shall hear.