Another ancient
custom of this season which, unlike the burning of the Christmas stock, is
not yet wholly obsolete was Wassailing.' This practice, which was formerly
observed throughout England generally, is thus described by Chambers.
'The head of the house,' he writes, 'would assemble his family around a
bowl of spiced ale, from which he drank their healths, then passed it to
the rest that they might drink too. The word that passed among them was
the ancient Saxon phrase, Was ha?, that is, "to your health ".
Hence this came to be the wassail or wassel bowl. The poorer class of
people carried round the neighbourhood a bowl adorned with ribbons,
begging for something wherewith to obtain the means of filling it that
they, too, might enjoy wassail as well as the rich."
Chambers "Book of Days
In Cornwall the
bowl, generally made of wood, was decorated and looped around with furze
blossom, flowers, ivy, and ribbons. Armed with this magnificent trophy,
the wassailers visited the neighbouring farms and houses of the gentry,
before whose doors they struck up the following song:
Play music1
"In one or
two places in the West Country the wassailers still visit the orchards,
sprinkling the trees with cider, to ensure their bearing plentifully in
the coming year. Formerly guns were fired off at such times, in
order to scare away malign spirits. At the conclusion of the ceremony, as
the song suggests, the wassailcrs were assured of a warm welcome, which
generally took the form of a glass of 'shenagrum'
2and a slice
of the Christmas cake. The latter is still a regular feature of the
Christmastide in Cornwall, and there will hardly be found a cottage,
however poor, which does not attempt to provide something of the sort at
this season for the entertainment of chance visitors" A.K. Hamilton Jenkins "Cornwall and its
People" 1934.
On New Year's-eve in the villages of East Cornwall, soon after dusk,
parties of men, from four to six in a party, carrying a small bowl in
their hands, went from house to house begging money to make a feast. They
opened the doors without knocking, called out Warsail, and sang:-
"These poor jolly Warsail boys Come travelling through the
mire." This custom was common one a hundred and fifty years ago, and
is still observed in other South-West Counties.
The following is an account by an anonymous writer of a Christmas custom
in East Cornwall:-
"In some
places the parishioners walk in procession, visiting the principal
orchards in the parish. In each orchard one tree is selected, as the
representative of the rest; this is saluted with a certain form of words,
which have in them the form of an incantation. They then sprinkle the tree
with cider, or dash a bowl of cider against it, to ensure its bearing
plentifully the ensuing year. In other places the farmers and their
servants only assemble on the occasion, and after immersing apples in
cider hang them on the apple-trees. They then sprinkle the trees with
cider; and after uttering a formal incantation, they dance round it (or
rather round them), and return to the farmhouse to conclude these solemn
rites with copious draughts of cider.
"In
Warleggan, on Christmas-eve, it was customary for some of the household to
put in the fire (bank it up), and the rest to take a jar of cider, a
bottle, and a gun to the orchard, and put a small bough into the bottle.
Then they said:- "Here's to thee, old apple-tree! Hats full, packs
full, great bushel-bags full! Hurrah! and fire off the gun." - (Old Farmer, Mid Cornwall, told to T. Q. Couch,
Sept. 1883, W. Antiquary.)
The words chanted in East Cornwall were:- "Health to thee, good
apple-tree, Pocket-fulls, hat-fulls, peck-fulls, bushel-bag fulls."
An old proverb about these trees runs as follows:- "Blossom in March,
for fruit you may search, Blossom in April, eat you will, Blossom in May,
eat night and day." "At one time small sugared cakes were laid
on the branches. This curious custom has been supposed to be a
propitiation of some spirit" -
(Mrs. Damant, Cowes, through Folk-Lore Society.)
The
custom of the wassail bowl was not merely one that was experienced when
someone came to your door. Washington Irving (1783-1859) who's mother was
Cornish 3, gave this description in his sketch of an English
"Christmas Dinner,"
"When
the cloth was removed, the butler brought in a huge silver vessel of
rare and curious workmanship, which he placed before the squire. Its
appearance was hailed with acclamation; being the Wassail Bowl, so
renowned in Christmas festivity. The contents had been prepared by the
squire himself; for it was a beverage in the skilful mixture of which he
particularly prided himself: alleging that it was too abtruse and
complex for the comprehension of an ordinary servant. It was a potation,
indeed, that might well make the heart of a toper leap within him; being
composed of the richest and raciest wines, highly spiced and sweetened,
with roasted apples bobbing about the surface". 4
1. Sung by Ian Marshall on his CD "Cornwall
Christmas".
2.Willie From the North Inn, Pendeen recorded by Ted
Gundry around 1970.
3. William Irven Married Sarah Saunders 18th May
1761 Falmouth, Cornwall England..Source Parish Records.
4.The Wassail Bowl was sometimes composed of ale instead of wine; with
nutmeg, sugar, toast, ginger, and roasted crabs; in this way the
nut-brown beverage is still prepared in some old families, and round the
hearths of substantial farmers at Christmas. It is also called Lamb's
Wool, and is celebrated by Herrick in his Twelfth Night:
This You
Tube video is from a Suffolk Production of Maypoles to Mistletoe at the
Regal Theatre, Stowmarket on December 5, 2010.
Maypoles to Mistletoe is a journey through the seasons in traditional
music, plays, song and dance. I am trying to find out more information
as to how and where the words and music were obtained.
WASSAIL SONG. FIRST VERSION. Noted by J. E. THOMAS. SUNG BY MR. BENJAMIN
LITTLE (Aged 79), TRURO, October 20th, 1925.
Now Christmas is
over, and New Year begin,
Pray open your
doors and let us come in,
With our
warzail,
etc
Chorus
With our wassail,
Wassail, Wassail,
And joy come to
our jolly Wassail.
2 We're at this
door and we already stand,
The jolly warzail
boys, with the bowl in our hand.
With our
warzail, etc
3 Good
mistress and master sitting down by the fire
While we poor
warzail boys are travelling in the mire.
With our
warzail,
etc.
4 Good
mistress and master, will you kindly forbear,
Come fill up our
bowl with cyder or beer.
With our
warzail,
etc.
5 We poor
warzail boys growing weary and old,
Drop a small
piece of silver into our bowl.
With our
warzail,
etc.
6 Good
mistress and master, sitting down at your ease,
Put your hand in
your pocket and give what you please.
Sent by Jno Barrett, 30, Lemon St, Truro. "At last I am
able to send you the Cornish Wassail song, which I promised you
a twelvemonth agone. Mr JJ Mountford, the organist of St John's
church has got the two versions of the music, one from the old
man from whom I got the words, but I do not know from whence he
obtained the other. Michael Nancarrow from whom air and words
were taken is a native of Grampound and is now 73 years old. He
has been singing the song for fifty years, and learnt it from Wm
Griffin and Rd Darker, old men who have been dead near twenty
years. The words I send have been known in this neighbourhood
as the 'Grampound 'song, being distinct from the 'Tregoney' and
other versions. The first three verses are usually sung outside
the house and, before the fourth verse is sung, some liquor is
supplied. The singers carry a bowl into which all liquor given
is poured, and when they leave the home they usually carry some
away in case they should meet anyone on their way to the next
house. Should they do so the ninth verse is sung; verses 10 and
11 are only sung on Twelfth Day
1 Now here at this house we first shall begin
To drink the King's health which a custom has been
Now unto the Master we'll drink his good health
We hope he may prosper in virtue and wealth
Chorus
With our wassail! Wassail! Wassail
Wassail and joy come to our jolly wassail
2 Now here at your door we do orderly stand
Our jolly wassail and our hats in our hand
We do wish a good health to the master and dame
To the children and servants we wish it the same
3 In the friendliest manner this house we salute
That it is an old custom we need not dispute
O ask not the reason from hence it did spring
For we very well know 'tis an ancient old thing
4 Now for this good liquor to us that you bring
We lift up our voices we merrily sing
That all good householders may continue still
To provide the brown liquor our bowl for to fill
5 We hope that your barley will prosper and grow
That you may have barley and beer to bestow
And where you have one bushel we hope you'll have ten
That you may have beer against we come again
6 We hope that your orchards may blossom and bear
That you may have cider against the next year
That where you've one hogshead we hope you'll have ten
That you may have cider when we come again
7 We wish you great plenty and long may you live
Because you are willing and free for to give
To our wassail so cheerful, our wassail so bold
Long may you live happy, be lusty and old
8 Now neighbours and strangers you ever shall find
The wassailers courteous, obliging and kind
We hope our civility you will approve
With a piece of small silver in token of love
9 A welcome kind Sir as we merrily meet
With our jolly wassail as we pass up the street
O welcome kind Sir, if it please you to stop
A piece of small silver in our bowl for to drop
10 Now jolly old Christmas is passing away
He's posting off from us, and this the last day
That we shall enjoy long 'o you to abide
So farewell, Old Christmas, a merry good tide
11 Now jolly old Christmas, thou welcomest guest
Thou from us are parting which makes us look wisht
For all the twelve days are now come to their end
And this the last day of the season we spend
12 Now for this good liquor, your cider, your beer
And for the fair kindness that we have had here
We return you our thanks and shall still bear in mind
How you have been bountiful, loving and kind
13 Now for the great kindness that we did receive
We return you our thanks, and we now take our leave
From this present evening we bid you adieu
Until the next year and same season ensue
No. 37 from the MS belonging to Miss. Minnie Davies
Gilbert and Mrs. Patience Harding, great granddaughters of the
original collector. The MS of Cornish Carols was compiled for
Davies Gilbert by John Hutchens about 1826, as cited in: Canow
Kernow., ed. Inglis Gundry, The Federation of Old Cornwall
Societies, 1966. Pp.18-19.
1. Sweet master of the habitation
With my mistress be so kind
As to grant us all invitation
If we may this favour find
To be now invited in
Then with mirth we will begin.
Happy sweet and pleasant songs
which unto this time belongs.
Chorus
Let every loyal honest soul
Contribute to the wassail bowl.
2. So may you still enjoy the blessing
Of a loving virtuous wife,
Riches, honour still possessing
With a long and happy life,
Living in prosperity
Then let generosity
Always be maintained I pray.
Don’t forget the good old way.
Chorus
Let every loyal honest soul
Contribute to the wassail bowl.
3. Before the season is departed
In your presence we appear,
Therefore soon be noble hearted
To afford some dainty cheer
Freely let us have it now
Since the season doth allow.
What the house doth now afford
Should be placed upon the board
Chorus
Whether it be beef or fowl
And liquour well the wassel bowl.
4. For now it is a time of leisure,
Then to those that kindness show
May they have wealth, peace and pleasure
And the spring of bounty flow
To enrich them while they live
That they may afford to give,
To maintain the good old way
Many a long and happy day
Chorus
Let every loyal honest soul
Contribute to the wassail bowl.
5. You worthy are to be commended
I in this you will not fail.
Now our song is almost ended
Fill our bowl with nappy ale.
Then we’ll drink a full carouse
To the master of this house
Aye and to our mistress dear
Wishing both a happy year,
Chorus
In peace and love without controul
Who brought Joy to our wasel bowl.
1. We stand at your door and we first shall
begin
To drink the Queen's health as the custom has been
And unto the master we wish a good health
And hope he may prosper in virtue and wealth
To maintain our wassail, Wassail! Wassail! Wassail
And joy come to our jolly wassail
2 Now here at your doors we submissively stand
With our jolly wassail And our hats in hand
We wish perfect health to both master and dame
And children and servants we wish you the same
To
maintain our wassail, Wassail! Wassail! Wassail
And joy come to our jolly wassail
3 In a friendly manner the house we salute
That it is an old custom we need not dispute
O ask not the reason from hence it did spring
For we very well know 'tis an ancient old thing
4 And to the old town the same thing do we wish
We hope all good folk will not take it amiss
For us true companions who never will fail
To call at your homes with our friendly wassail
5 Come fill our old jolly bowl up to the brim
Which ever stands garnished so neat and so trim
Sometimes crowned with laurel and sometimes with bay
According to custom we'll keep the old way
6 Methinks I can smile when I look at the bowl
That just now was empty again becomes full
By the hands of good people, long may they remain
And live and continue the same to maintain
7 Now for this good liquor to us that you bring
We lift up our voices we merrily sing
That all good householders may continue still
To provide the brown liquor our bowl for to fill
8. Now for this good liquor, your cider, your
beer
And for the fair kindness that we have had here
We return you our thanks and shall still bear in mind
How you have been bountiful, loving and kind
9. We wish you great plenty and long may you live
Because you are willing and free for to give
To our wassail so cheerful, our wassail so bold
Long may you live happy, be lusty and old
10. O may all your barley both prosper and grow
That you may have barley and beer to bestow
And where you have one bushel we hope you'll have ten
That you may have beer against we come again
11 And now we will wish you one great blessing more
That you trees may bring forth an abundance of store
As much as their stocks and their branches can bear
That you may have plenty of cider next year
12 O may all your apple trees prosper and bear
That you may have cider against the next year
That where you've one hogshead we hope you'll have ten
That you may have cider when we come again
13 But jolly old Christmas the merry old guest
Thou from us are parting which makes us look wisht
For all the twelve days are now come to their end
And this the last day of the season we spend
14 Now neighbours and strangers you always will find
The wassailers courteous, obliging and kind
We hope our civility you will approve
With a piece of small silver in token of love
15 And for the great kindness that we have received
We return you our thanks, and we now take our leave
From this present evening we bid you adieu
Until the next year and same season ensue
Well known in West Cornwall 50 or 60 years before
publication in this source. "The words which are an interesting
commentary on old Christmas and New Year customs ,were
communicated (from an old MS and from personal recollection), in
1912 by Mr. W. Dunstan of Carnon Downs, near Truro."- Source
The Cornish Song Book., (Lyver Canow Kernewek).,"Part
2. Carols and Sacred Music, Ralph Dunstan, Lodenek Press,
Padstow, 1974..p.52
1. O mistress, at your door our Wassail begins,
Pray open the door and let us come in,
Chorus:
With our Wassail, Wassail,
Wassail,Wassail,
And Joy come to our jolly Wassail
2. O Mistress, at your door we kindly salute,
For it is an old custom you cannot dispute,
3. O mistress and Master sitting down by the fire,
While we POOR Wassail-men are travelling thro' the mire,
4. O Mistress and Master, sitting down at your ease,
With their hands in their pockets to give what they please
5. Come young men and maidens, I pray you draw near;
Come fill up our bowl with some cider or beer,
6. You see how we'll smile at our flowing Bowl--
Just now it is empty, by and bye it'll be full,
7. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,
A plenty of money and a barrel of beer.
8. I wish you a blessing and a long time to live
Because you're so free and so willing to give
9. I hope that your apples will prosper and grow
That you may have cider and a plenty to bestow,
I hope that your barley may prosper and grow,
That you may have beer and a plenty to bestow.
Several years
ago, we had on Twelfth Night, the visit of poor old Tommy Climo,
nicknamed Pretty Tommy, lucus a nonlucendo. Tommy was
dressed in a blankctting coat, such as the Cornish
tinners wear. Hanging from his neck, by a collar of listing, was
his tin wassail bowl, holding some not very alluring-looking
drink; made, I was told, of boiled ale, roast apples, sugar, and
spice. My "goodwill " never allowed me to "taste here, once or
twice of our good wassail," as the song invited me. The song
was. superior to the one following. I only remember one
accurately the first verse, though I have lingering echoes of
the others " A jolly Wassail-bowl,
A Wassail of good ale ;
Well fare the butler's soul,
That setteth this to sale.
Our Jolly Wassail!"
It is
probably the song printed in Ellis's Brand (Bohn), vol. i., p.
5.
The Western Antiquary.,
William Henry Kearley Wright,Latimer & son,
1884,p.164
Chorus:
Oh! For singing wassail, wassail, wassail,
And jolly come to our jolly wassail
1.
I wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year
Pockets of money and a cellar of beer
Chorus
2.
Here comes the ship out in full sail -
Ploughs the wide ocean in many a gale.
Chorus
3. Someimes it's laurel, sometimes it's bay,
Come fill up our bowl- dish and we'll drink away.
Chorus
4.
If you got an apple I hope you get ten
To make some sweet cider 'gainst (for when) we comes
again
Chorus
5.
If missus and master is sitting at ease
Put your hand in your pocket and give what you please.
Chorus
Come
knock at the knocker and ring at the bell
I know you'll reward us for singing wassail
Chorus
Recorded by Dave
Bland outside a house in Bodmin, Cornwall, 6 January 1973.
Another version:
At night-time
through all Christmas-tide, we have the visits of boys, and even
men, who bring an empty wassail bowl, and sing this ruder song
:— WAS-HARL.
Chorus
For singing Was-hael, Was-hael,
And joy come to our Jolly Was-hael.
1. Come, Maister
and Missus; Was-hael doth begin,
Pray open your doors and let us come in,
For singing Was-bael, &e.
2.
The Missus at the door she cannot be mute,
For 'tis an old custom you cannot dispute,
For singing Was-bael, &e.
3. There's
Missus and Maister sitting down by the fire,
While we poor Wassailers are out in the mire,
A-singing Was-hael, Sx.
4. О Missus and
Maister, sitting down at your ease,
Put your hands in your pockets, and give what you please.
For singing Was-hael, &c.
5. Come hither, you servant, come hither, my dear,
Come nil up our bowl-dish with cider or beer,
For singing Was-hael, &c.
6.
Come hither, you servant, wherever you be,
Come fill up our bowl-dish with coffee or tea,
For singing Was-hael. &c.
7.
Sometimes it is laurel, sometimes it is bay,
Come fill up our bowl-dish and we'll drink away,
For singing Was-hael. &o.
8.
The roads they are dirty, our shoes аre got thin,
And we've got a bowl-dish to put money in.
For singing Was-hael, &c.
9. If Missus is sleepy, I hope she will wake,
To give we Was-haelers a piece of good cake
For singing Was-hael, &c.
10. Come knock at
the knocker, and ring the door-bell,
And give us some money for singing so well,
Was-hael, &c.
11. We wish you
Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year,
A pocket of money, and cellar of beer ;
And God send you
a hap - - py New Year,a New Year,
And God send you
a hap - py New Year.
2 Good Mistress
and Master,
as you sit by the
fire
Pray think of
wassail-boys,
a travelling in
the mire.
3 God bless
the master of this house,
likewise
the mistress too,
And give us
each a piece of cake,
as other
people do.
4 God
bless the master of this house,
likewise
the mistress too,
And all the
little children
that round the
table go.
The tune is a variant of that given in Bramley and Stainer. The
corruption in the first verse has given rise to an interesting custom.
The Camborne Carol Party, of which Mr. Bennetts was a member, used to
carry with them a small child dressed in evergreens, their " Lucy
Green." This is evidently a substitute for the older wassail bowl.
Another carol choir in the Camborne district was known as the " Turkey
Claw Choir," the collector carrying a turkey's claw in virtue of his
office. Mr. Miners thinks this might be a relic of the insignia of the
old " privileged choirs."-J. E. T.
Cf. English County Songs, p. I4.-L. E. B.
For Lancashire and Yorkshire versions of this " leaves so green "
wassail song see Folk-Song Society Journal, Vol. v, pp.
210 - 211
The small child dressed in evergreens carried round by the Camborne
Carol Party seems to be a confused relic of the custom of bearing the "
vessel-cup " at Christmas, the " vessel " (a corruption of wassail)
being a box containing two dolls dressed to represent the Virgin and
Child. In Yorkshire, formerly, says Thistleton Dyer, (British Popular
Customs, p. 464 see below) only one image was carried-that of the
Saviour, which was placed in a box surrounded by evergreens and
seasonable flowers. The household visited by the party were allowed to
take from these decorations a leaf or flower, which was carefully
preserved as a sovereign remedy for toothache. Dr. Dunstan prints one of
these " Advent Images " carols (see his Second Book of Christmas Carols,
I925). It is the " Seven Joys of Mary," but sung to the " God rest you
merry " tune. He states that it was deemed most unlucky to refuse a
contribution, and also an omen of ill if a household was not visited by
the Advent Images before Christmas Eve at -the latest. Dr. Dunstan |also
prints a West Riding " Vessel-Cup " or \Wassail Song, with an
interesting chorus beginning " Pier! Tier! Wessel ! And a jolly
wessel,"
as now generally sung by children, decked with and carrying ever-greens,
and sometimes having blackened faces.
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