Cornish Wassail 5 Lyrics

1. We stand at your door and we first shall begin
To drink the Queen's health as the custom has been
And unto the master we wish a good health
And hope he may prosper in virtue and wealth

To maintain our wassail, Wassail! Wassail! Wassail
And joy come to our jolly wassail

2. Now here at your doors we submissively stand
With our jolly wassail And our hats in hand
We wish perfect health to both master and dame
And children and servants we wish you the same

3. In the friendliest manner this house we salute
That it is an old custom we need not dispute
O ask not the reason from hence it did spring
For we very well know 'tis an ancient old thing

4. And to the old town the same thing do we wish
We hope all good folk will not take it amiss
For us true companions who never will fail
To call at your homes with our friendly wassail

5. Come fill our old jolly bowl up to the brim
Which ever stands garnished so neat and so trim
Sometimes crowned with laurel and sometimes with bay
According to custom we'll keep the old way

6. Methinks I can smile when I look at the bowl
That just now was empty again becomes full
By the hands of good people, long may they remain
And live and continue the same to maintain

7. Now for this good liquor to us that you bring
We lift up our voices we merrily sing
That all good householders may continue still
To provide the brown liquor our bowl for to fill

8. Now for this good liquor, your cider, your beer
And for the fair kindness that we have had here
We return you our thanks and shall still bear in mind
How you have been bountiful, loving and kind

9. We wish you great plenty and long time to live
Because you are willing and free for to give
To our wassail so cheerful, our wassail so bold
Long may you live happy, be lusty and old

10. O may all your barley both prosper and grow
That you may have barley and beer to bestow
And where you have one bushel we hope you'll have ten
That you may have beer against we come again

11. And now we will wish you one great blessing more
That you trees may bring forth an abundance of store
As much as their stocks and their branches can bear
That you may have plenty of cider next year

12. O may all your apple trees prosper and bear
That you may have cider against the next year
That where you've one hogshead we hope you'll have ten
That you may have cider when we come again

13. But jolly old Christmas the merry old guest
Thou from us are parting which makes us look wisht
For all the twelve days are now come to their end
And this the last day of the season we spend

14. Now neighbours and strangers you always will find
The wassailers courteous, obliging and kind
We hope our civility you will approve
With a piece of small silver in token of love

15. And for the great kindness that we have received
We return you our thanks, and we now take our leave
From this present evening we bid you adieu
Until the next year and same season ensue