Bentham/Witcombe W’sl

These are the words of the Wassail Song sung in Witcombe and Bentham, according to an article in the Cheltenham Onlooker on 21 December 1912.  No tune was given.

Wassail, wassail all over the town
Our toast it is white and our ale it is brown
Our toast it is made of the maplin tree
We be good fellow all – Idrink to thee,
 
Here’s to our horse and to his right eye [ear?]
God send our master a happy New Year
A happy New Year as e’er he did see
With my wassailing bowl I drink to thee.
 
Here’s to our mare and to her right ear [eye?]
God send our mistress a good Christmas pie
As good Christmas pie as e’er she did see
With my wassailing bowl I drink to thee.
 
Here’s to our cow and to her long tail
God send our master as never may fail
Of a cup of good beer, I pray you draw near
And our jolly wassail it’s then you shall hear
 
Be here any maids? – I suppose here be some
Sure they will not let the young men stand on the cold stone
Sing hey, O maids, come trole back the pin
And the fairest maid of the house let us all in.
 
Come butler, come bring us a bowl of the best
I hope your soul in heaven will rest
But if you do bring in a bowl of the small
Then down fall butler, and bowl and all.