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Somerset Wassail

TML # 009550
Click Play Speed Slow 1/4=100 Medium 1/4=130 Fast 1/4=160

Singer toasts the wassail bowl, likewise the residents of the house, begging entry, food, drink, hospitality and money. The custom of "wassailing" (going from house to house, usually on January 5th, begging food, drink and hospitality) is mentioned as far back as the 12th century in England; similar rituals are found across the continent of Europe and in the United States. -PJS "Wassail," incidentally, is from Old English "Wes hael," "Be hale/whole," i.e. "Be in good health." - RBW To tell this wassail song from all the others, consider the first verse: Wassail and wassail all over the town The cup it is white and the ale it is brown The cup it is made of the good old ashen tree And so is our beer of the best barley. The chorus varies; Sharp collected one version that has the refrain To you a wassail Aye, and joy come to our jolly wassail. while another runs For it's your wassail, and it's our wassail, And it's joy be to you and a jolly wassail. - RBW
Wassail and wassail all over the town
The cup it is white and the ale it is brown
The cup it is made of the good ashen tree
And so is the malt of the best barley

For its your wassail and its our wassail
And its joy be to you and a jolly wassail

Oh master and missus, are you all within?
Pray open the door and let us come in
O master and missus a-sitting by the fire
Pray think on us poor travelers, a traveling in the mire
Oh where is the maid with the silver-headed pin
To open the door and let us come in
Oh master and missus, it is our desire
A good loaf and cheese and a toast by the fire

There was an old man and he had an old cow
And how for to keep her he didn't know how
He built up a barn for to keep his cow warm
And a drop or two of cider will do us no harm

The girt dog of Langport he burnt his long tail
And this is the night we go singing wassail
O master and missus now we must be gone
God bless all in this house until we do come again
This royalty free score was generated by the Traditional Music Library On Line Tunebook (Shareware Version). As-is copies of this score may be freely distributed. Further info from WWW.TRADITIONALMUSIC.CO.UK