Wassail Song, by Ralph Vaughan Williams

"Wassail" is an ancient toast meaning something like "Good health!" and also a mulled cider that was drunk as part of "wassailing" festivities, typically on the Twelfth Night of Christmas. The practice of wassailing is old and exists as a folk tradition in many parts of the United Kingdom, even today. We present here Ralph Vaughan Williams' 1913 joyful setting of the "Gloucestershire Wassail," perhaps the most famous of all the local wassail traditions. The performance was part of "Carols for Quire 5," at Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland, OH, December 20-22, 2013.

1. Wassail, wassail, all over the town, our bread it is white and our ale it is brown;
our bowl it is made of the green maple tree; in the wassail bowl we’ll drink unto thee. Wassail.
2. Here’s a health to the ox and to his right eye, pray God send our master a good christmas pie, a good Christmas pie as e’er I did see. In the wassail bowl we’ll drink unto thee. Wassail.
3. Here’s a health to the ox and to his right horn pray God send our master a good crop of corn, a good crop of corn as e’er I did see. In the wassail bowl we’ll drink unto thee. Wassail, wassail.
4. Here’s a health to the ox and to his long tail, pray God send our master a good cask of ale,
a good cask of ale as e’er I did see. In the wassail bowl we’ll drink unto thee.
5. Come butler come fill us a bowl of the best; then I pray that your soul in heaven may rest;
but if you do bring us a bowl of the small, may the Devil take butler, bowl and all!
6. Then here’s to the maid in the lily white smock, who tripp’d to the door and slipp’d back the lock; who tripp’d to the door and pull’d back the pin, for to let these jolly wassailers walk in.
Wassail, wassail, all over the town, wassail.

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