A "wassail" is a wintertime carol, and also an alcoholic punch featuring cider, ale and spices. Wassail would be served to wassailers, who would go house to house, serenading their neighbors in a manner reminiscent of trick-or-treating - blessings for the apple trees were given, or withheld, based on how generously the wassailers were received.
lyrics
Wassail, wassail all over the town
Our bread it is white and our ale it is brown
Our bowl it is made of the white maple tree
With a wassailing bowl, we’ll drink unto thee
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 that we may all see
With a wassailing bowl, we’ll drink unto thee
Here’s a health to the cow, and to her long tail
Pray God send our master a good cask of ale
A good cask of ale that we may all see
With a wassailing bowl, we’ll drink unto thee
Come butler, come bring 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!
And here’s to the maid in the lily-white smock
Who tripped to the door, and slipped back the lock
Who tripped to the door, and pulled back the pin
For to let these jolly wassailers in
Wassail, wassail all over the town
Our bread it is white and our ale it is brown
Our bowl it is made of the white maple tree
With a wassailing bowl, we’ll drink unto thee
credits
from Wassail!,
released December 16, 2016
Music and lyrics: Traditional
Arrangement: Conspiratio
Singers: Amanda Keogh, Carol Monahan, Ezra Homison, Marie Cooley, Victoria Dzenis, William Elder
"Conspiratio" is the latin word for harmony. It literally means "breathing together". It also means conspiracy. We conspire solely to amuse ourselves and others with very old songs, mostly about drinking!
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