Here we come a-wassailing among the leaves so green;
Here we come a-wandering so fairly to be seen
Chorus:
Our jolly wassail, our jolly wassail,
Love and joy come to you,
And to our wassail bough;
Pray God bless you and send you a happy New Year,
A New Year, A New Year,
Pray God bless you and send you a happy New Year.
We are not daily beggars, that beg from door to door;
We are the neighbours' children, whom you have seen before.
I have a little purse, it is made of leather skin;
I want a little sixpence, to line it well within.
Bring us out your table, and spread it with the cloth;
Bring us out the bread and cheese, and a bit of your Christmas loaf.
God bless the master of this house, and the mistress too;
Also the little children which round the table grew.
abc | midi | pdf
Source: Broadwood, Lucy, 1893, English Country Songs, Leadenhall Press, London
Notes:
Lucy Broadwood wrote:
Words and tune from H. M. Bower, Esq.Bramley and Stainer's Christmas Carols New and Old (1871) version of The Wassail Song has the now familiar words & music.
This song is sung about Anston, in South Yorkshire, and about Galphay, near Ripon. The children carry green boughs, and wave them over their heads, asking for a New Year's gift. The version is that sung at Aston. Compare the Souling Song; the Peace Egging Song and other ditties of the same kind. A Shrewsbury version, more nearly resembling the "Souling Song" is given in Shropshire Folk Lore, p 568, and a different tune is given there.
Roud: 209
VWML: JHB/11/14, JHB/14/27B, JHB/12/17, JHB/12A/17, JHB/13/5, AGG/3/62b, AGG/3/4/23c, AGG/7/158
Laws:
Child:
Related Songs: A wassail, a wassail throughout all this town! [Gower Wassail] (thematic) The Souling Song - Cheshire [Cheshire Souling Song] (thematic) We've been a while a-wandering (thematic)