For Master Doctoure1
A most excellent olde songe, sette to a delectable tune, which said songe is to be sung by the said Master Doctoure, when his voice suiteth, fifteen minutes and a halfe after supper in gode companie.
Come, come, jolly Blades! sons of Comus! appear!
We’ll empty a Hogshead to wind up2 the year.
’Tis the season of Mirth, and with songs be it crowned;
Each heart shall be merry when Bumpers go round;
’Tis the season of Mirth, and with songs be it crowned;
Each heart shall be merry,
Merry, Boys, merry,
Each heart shall be merry when Bumpers go round.
This Time of good humour let no man be told,
Tho’ a twelvemonth be past, he’s another year old;
Grim visaged ill-nature retire for to-day,
And Grumbling and Gripes (’tis my fiat) away,
’Tis the season of Mirth &c.
Buonaparte, young Nap, Ney and Louis the Fat
French vices, french treason, french faith, and all that —
O spare me! what Jargon! ye praters have done,
Ye daemons of Party I charge you begone.
’Tis the season of Mirth &c.
Begone! but haste hither each mirth-loving power
Wit! humour! whatever can brighten the hour;
And oh! let not Beauty the Table refrain,
Sweet love, and the Graces, who smile in her train.
’Tis the season of Mirth &c.
Old Time sees our frolics, He shares in our joy
And laments that his duty compels him to fly
Yes he flies and our wine give new speed to his wings
Yet while he forsakes us in Chorus he sings
’Tis the season of Mirth &c.
A Physician who flourished 300 years ago, celebrated in the annals of that age for his convivial talents, and the sonorous intonation of his songs after supper which fame says was louder than a chorus of Trombones, double drums, and thunder. ↩
N.B. If the time of singing the foregoing song should be before the end of the yeare, then must the songe be sung as it is here put down; but if the time be after the new yeare has commenced then must the words “wind up” which do apply to the finishing or concluding of the olde yeare be changed to “wellcome” which best suiteth to the arrival or beginning of the new yeare; by which ingenious device the Author of the said songe has contrived to make it to fit both ends of the yeare; which deserveth much praise from all gode fellows with loud voices — and further N.B. that the more noise in the Chorus the better, as much noise greatly encreaseth mirth and gode fellowship as master Geoffrey Chaucer right wittingly sayeth. ↩