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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.

LIII.

CEREMONIES FOR CANDLEMAS EVE.

Down with rosemary and bays,
Down with the misletoe
Instead of holly, now upraise

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.

APHORISMS.

CVI.

FAME MAKES US FORWARD.

To print our poems, the propulsive

Is Fame, the breath of popular applause.

LIX.

CHRISTMAS-EVE, ANOTHER CEREMONY.

Come, guard this night the Christmas-pie, That the thief, though ne'er so sly,

With his flesh-hooks, don't come nigh

To catch it.

From him, who all alone sits there,

Having his eyes still in his ear,

And a deal of nightly fear,

To watch it.

LX.

THE SPELL.

Holy water come and bring;
Cast in salt for seasoning;
Set the brush for sprinkling ;
Sacred spittle bring ye hither;
Meal and it now mix together;
And a little oil to either:
Give the tapers here their light;
Ring the saints' bell, to affright
Far from hence the evil sprite.

LXI.

ANOTHER.

Wassail the trees, that they may bear
You many a plum and many a pear;
For more or less fruits they will bring,
As you do give them wassailing.

LXII.

TWELFTH NIGHT, OR KING AND QUEEN.

Now, now the mirth comes,
With the cake full of plums,

Where bean's the king of the sport here;
Beside we must know,

The pea also

Must revel as queen in the court here.

Begin then to choose,

This night as you use,

Who shall for the present delignt here;

Be a king by the lot,
And who shall not

Be twelfth-day queen for the night here.

Which known, let us make

Joy-sops with the cake;

And let not a man then be seen here,
Who unurg'd will not drink,

To the base from the brink,
A health to the king and the queen nere.

Next crown the bowl full
With gentle lambs' wool;

Add sugar, nutmeg, and ginger,

With store of ale too;

And thus ye must do

To make the wassail a swinger.

Give then to the king
And queen wassailing;