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The Jolly Bacchanal
THE JOLLY BACCHANAL1
Come, all ye jolly Bacchanals,
That love to tope good wine, Let's offer up a hogshead
Unto our Master's shrine, Then let us drink and never shrink,
For I'll tell you the reason why: 'Tis a great sin to leave a house
'Till we've drained the cellar dry.
In times of old I was a fool,
I drank the water clear, But Bacchus took me from that rule ;
He thought 'twas too severe. He fill'd a goblet to the brim,
And he bade me take a sup, And had it been a gallon pot,
By Jove I'd tossed it up.
And ever since that happy time,
Good wine has been my cheer. Now nothing puts me in a swoon,
But water or small beer ; Then let us tope about, my boys,
And never flinch nor fly, But fill our skins brimful of wine,
And drain the bottles dry.
1 From untitled collection in the British Museum. No name of writer or composer given.
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