Part 3 (1/2)

--These, nay, and more, thine own shall be, If thou wilt love, and live with me.

18. THE Wa.s.sAIL

Give way, give way, ye gates, and win An easy blessing to your bin And basket, by our entering in.

May both with manchet stand replete; Your larders, too, so hung with meat, That though a thousand, thousand eat,

Yet, ere twelve moons shall whirl about Their silv'ry spheres, there's none may doubt But more's sent in than was served out.

Next, may your dairies prosper so, As that your pans no ebb may know; But if they do, the more to flow,

Like to a solemn sober stream, Bank'd all with lilies, and the cream Of sweetest cowslips filling them.

Then may your plants be press'd with fruit, Nor bee or hive you have be mute, But sweetly sounding like a lute.

Last, may your harrows, shares, and ploughs, Your stacks, your stocks, your sweetest mows, All prosper by your virgin-vows.

--Alas! we bless, but see none here, That brings us either ale or beer; In a dry-house all things are near.

Let's leave a longer time to wait, Where rust and cobwebs bind the gate; And all live here with needy fate;

Where chimneys do for ever weep For want of warmth, and stomachs keep With noise the servants' eyes from sleep.

It is in vain to sing, or stay Our free feet here, but we'll away: Yet to the Lares this we'll say:

'The time will come when you'll be sad, 'And reckon this for fortune bad, 'T'ave lost the good ye might have had.'

19. THE FAIRIES

If ye will with Mab find grace, Set each platter in his place; Rake the fire up, and get Water in, ere sun be set.

Wash your pails and cleanse your dairies, s.l.u.ts are loathsome to the fairies; Sweep your house; Who doth not so, Mab will pinch her by the toe.

20. CEREMONY UPON CANDLEMAS EVE

Down with the rosemary, and so Down with the bays and misletoe; Down with the holly, ivy, all Wherewith ye dress'd the Christmas hall; That so the superst.i.tious find No one least branch there left behind; For look, how many leaves there be Neglected there, maids, trust to me, So many goblins you shall see.

21. CEREMONIES FOR CANDLEMAS EVE

Down with the rosemary and bays, Down with the misletoe; Instead of holly, now up-raise The greener box, for show.

The holly hitherto did sway; Let box now domineer, Until the dancing Easter-day, Or Easter's eve appear.

Then youthful box, which now hath grace Your houses to renew, Grown old, surrender must his place Unto the crisped yew.