THRICE WELCOME!

Now thrice welcome, Christmas, Which brings us good cheer, Minced-pies and plum porridge, Good ale and strong beer; With pig, goose, and capon, The best that may be, So well doth the weather And our stomachs agree.

Observe how the chimneys Do smoke all about; The cooks are providing For dinner, no doubt; But those on whose tables No victuals appear, O may they keep Lent All the rest of the year.

With holly and ivy So green and so gay, We deck up our houses As fresh as the day; With bay and rosemary And laurel complete; And every one now Is a king in conceit.

_Poor Robin's Almanac._

CHRISTMAS PROVENDER.

Provide for Christmas ere that it do come, To feast thy neighbor good cheer to have some; Good bread and drink, a fire in the hall, Brawn, pudding, souse, and good mustard withal.

Beef, mutton, pork, and shred pies of the best, Pig, veal, goose, capon, and turkey well drest; Apples and nuts to throw about the hall, That boys and girls may scramble for them all.

Sing jolly carols, make the fiddlers play, Let scrupulous fanatics keep away; For oftentimes seen no arranter knave Than some who do counterfeit most to be grave.

_Poor Robin's Almanac._

GLEE AND SOLACE.

With merry glee and solace This second day of Christmas Now comes in bravely to my master's house, Where plenty of good cheer I see, With that which most contenteth me, As brawn and bacon, powdered beef, and souse.

For the love of Stephen, That blessed saint of heaven, Which stoned was for Jesus Christ his sake, Let us all, both more and less, Cast away all heaviness, And in a sober manner merry make.

He was a man beloved, And his faith approved By suffering death on this holy day, Where he with gentle patience And a constant sufferance, Hath taught us all to heaven the ready way.

So let our mirth be civil, That not one thought of evil May take possession of our hearts at all, So shall we love and favor get Of them that kindly thus do set Their bounties here so freely in this hall.

Of delicates so dainty, I see now here is plenty Upon this table ready here prepared; Then let us now give thanks to those That all things friendly thus bestows, Esteeming not this world that is so hard.

For of the same my master Hath made me here a taster; The Lord above requite him for the same!

And so to all within this house I will drink a full carouse, With leave of my good master and my dame.

And the Lord be praised My stomach is well eased, My bones at quiet may go take their rest; Good fortune surely follow me To bring me thus so luckily To eat and drink so freely of the best.

_New Christmas Carols, A.D. 1661._

ON SAINT JOHN'S DAY.

In honor of Saint John we thus Do keep good Christmas cheer; And he that comes to dine with us, I think he need not spare.

The butcher he hath killed good beef, The caterer brings it in; But Christmas pies are still the chief, If that I durst begin.

Our bacon-hogs are full and fat To make us brawn and souse; Full well may I rejoice thereat To see them in the house.

But yet the minced-pie it is That sets my teeth on water; Good mistress, let me have a bit, For I do long thereafter.

And I will fetch you water in To brew and bake withal, Your love and favor still to win When as you please to call.

Then grant me, dame, your love and leave To taste your pie-meat here; It is the best, in my conceit, Of all your Christmas-cheer.

The cloves, and mace, and gallant plums That here on heaps do lie, And prunes as big as both my thumbs, Enticeth much mine eye.

Oh, let me eat my belly-full Of your good Christmas-pie; Except thereat I have a pull, I think I sure shall die.

Good master, stand my loving friend, For Christmas-time is short, And when it comes unto an end I may no longer sport; Then while it doth continue here, Let me such labor find To eat my fill of that good cheer That best doth please my mind.

Then I shall thank my dame therefore, That gives her kind consent That Jack, your boy, with others more, May have this Christmas spent In pleasant mirth and merry glee, As young men most delight; For that's the only sport for me, And so G.o.d give you all good-night.

_New Christmas Carols, A.D. 1661._

CHRISTMAS ALMS.

Now that the time is come wherein Our Saviour Christ was born, The larders full of beef and pork, The garners filled with corn; As G.o.d hath plenty to thee sent, Take comfort of thy labors, And let it never thee repent To feast thy needy neighbors.

Let fires in every chimney be That people they may warm them; Tables with dishes covered,-- Good victuals will not harm them.

With mutton, veal, beef, pig, and pork, Well furnish every board; Plum-pudding, furmety, and what Thy stock will them afford.

No n.i.g.g.ard of thy liquor be, Let it go round thy table; People may freely drink, but not So long as they are able.

Good customs they may be abused, Which makes rich men to slack us; This feast is to relieve the poor, And not to drunken Bacchus.

This, if thou doest, 'Twill credit raise thee; G.o.d will thee bless, And neighbors praise thee.

_Poor Robin's Almanac._

CHRISTMAS AT THE ROUND TABLE.

The great King Arthur made a royal feast, And held his Royal Christmas at Carlisle, And thither came the va.s.sals, most and least, From every corner of the British Isle; And all were entertained, both man and beast, According to their rank, in proper style; The steeds were fed and littered in the stable, The ladies and the knights sat down to table.