FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44  
45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   >>   >|  
There the roysters they do play, Drab and dice their lands away, Which may be ours another day; And therefore let's be merry. The client now his suit forbears, The prisoner's heart is eased; The debtor drinks away his cares, And for the time is pleased. Though other purses be more fat, Why should we pine or grieve at that? Hang sorrow! care will kill a cat, And therefore let's be merry. Hark! how the wags abroad do call Each other forth to rambling: Anon you'll see them in the hall For nuts and apples scrambling. Hark! how the roofs with laughter sound! Anon they'll think the house goes round: For they the cellar's depth have found, And there they will be merry. The wenches with their wassail bowls, About the streets are singing; The boys are come to catch the owls, The wild mare in is bringing. Our kitchen-boy hath broke his box, And to the dealing of the ox Our honest neighbors come by flocks, And here they will be merry. Now kings and queens poor sheep-cotes have, And mate with everybody; The honest now may play the knave, And wise men play at noddy. Some youths will now a mumming go, Some others play at Rowland-ho, And twenty other gameboys mo, Because they will be merry. Then wherefore in these merry days, Should we, I pray, be duller? No, let us sing some roundelays To make our mirth the fuller. And, whilst thus inspired, we sing, Let all the streets with echoes ring, Woods, and hills, and everything Bear witness we are merry. _George Wither._ CHRISTMAS EVE CUSTOMS. I. Come, guard this night the Christmas-pie, That the thief, though ne'er so sly, With his flesh-hooks, don't come nigh To catch it, From him, who alone sits there, Having his eyes still in his ear, And a deal of nightly fear To watch it! II. Wash your hands, or else the fire Will not teend[D] to your desire; Unwashed hands, ye maidens, know, Dead the fire, though ye blow. _Robert Herrick._ FOOTNOTE: [D] Burn. MERRY SOULS. O you merry, merry Souls, Christmas is a-coming, We shall have flowing bowls, Dancing, piping, drumming. Delicate minced pies To feast every virgin, Capon a
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44  
45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

honest

 

Christmas

 
streets
 

roundelays

 
duller
 

CHRISTMAS

 

George

 

witness

 

Wither

 

echoes


CUSTOMS

 

fuller

 

whilst

 

inspired

 

nightly

 

coming

 

FOOTNOTE

 

Robert

 

Herrick

 

virgin


minced

 

Delicate

 

flowing

 

Dancing

 
piping
 
drumming
 

maidens

 

Unwashed

 

Having

 

desire


Should

 

abroad

 

sorrow

 

grieve

 
scrambling
 
apples
 

laughter

 

rambling

 

client

 
roysters

forbears
 

prisoner

 
pleased
 
Though
 
purses
 
debtor
 

drinks

 

queens

 

youths

 
mumming