A pleasant Countrey new Ditty: Merrily shewing how To driue the cold Winter away. To the tune of, When Phoebus did rest, &c.
ALl hayle to the dayes,
That merite more praise,
Then all the rest of the yeare:
And welcome the nights,
That double delights,
as well the poore as the Peere:
Good fortune attend,
Each merry mans friend,
that doth but the best that he may:
Forgetting old wrongs,
With Carrols and Songs,
to driue the cold winter away.
Let misery packe,
Wi [...] a whip at his backe,
to the deep Tantalian flood:
In the Lethe profound,
Let enny be drown'd,
that pines at another mans good:
Let sorrowes expence,
Be banded from hence,
all [...]arments of griefe delay:
And wholly consort,
With mirth and with sport,
to driue the cold winter away.
Tis ill for a mind,
To anger inclind,
to ruminate iniuries now:
If wrath be to seeke,
Do not let her thy cheeke,
nor yet inhabite thy brow.
Crosse out of these bookes,
Maleuolent lookes,
both beauty and youthes decay:
And spend the long night,
In honest delight,
to driue the cold winter away.
The Court in all state,
Now opens her gate,
and bids a free welcome to most:
The City likewise,
Though somewhat precise,
doth willingly part with her cost:
And yet by report,
From City and Court,
the Countrey gets the day:
More Liquor is spent,
And better content,
to driue the cold winter away.
The Gentry there,
For cost do not space,
the Yeomanry fast in Lent:
The Farmers and such,
Thinke nothing too much,
if they keep but to pay their Rent:
The poorest of all,
Do merrily call,
want, beares but a little sway:
For a Song or a tale,
Ore a Pot of good Ale,
to driue the cold winter away.
Thus none will allow,
Of solitude now,
but merrily gre [...]ts the time:
To make it appeare,
Of all the whole yeare,
that this is accounted the Prime,
December is seene,
Apparel'd in greene,
and Ianuary fresh as May:
Comes dancing along,
With a Cup and a Song,
to driue the cold winter away.
The second part. To the same tune.
THis time of the yeare,
Is spent in good Cheare,
kind neighbours together meet:
To sit by the fire,
With friendly desire,
each other in loue to greet:
Old grudges forgot,
Are put in the Pot,
all sorrowes aside they lay:
The old and the yong,
Doth Car [...]ll his Song,
to driue the cold winter away.
Sisley and Nanny,
More iocund then any,
as blithe as the Month of Iune:
Do Caroll and sing,
Like birds of the Spring,
no Nightingale sweeter in tune:
To bring in content,
When Summer is spent,
in ple [...]sant delight and play:
With mirth and good cheere,
To end the old yeere,
and driue the cold winter away.
The Shepheard, the Swaine,
Do highly disdaine,
to waste out his time in care:
And Clim of the Clough,
Hath plenty enough,
if but a penny he spare:
To spend at the night,
In ioy and delight,
now after his labours all day:
For better then Lands,
Is helpe of his hands,
to driue the cold winter away.
To Maske and to Mum,
Kind neighbours will come,
with Wassels of [...]ot browne Ale;
To drinke and carouse,
To all in this house,
as merry as Bucks in the pale:
Where Cake, Bread and Cheese,
Is brought for your fees,
to make you the longer stay:
At the fire to warme,
Will do you no harme,
to driue the cold winter away.
When Christmas tide,
Comes in like a Bride,
with Holly and Iuy clad:
Twelue dayes in the yeare,
Much mirth and good cheare,
in euery houshold is had:
The Countrey guise,
Is then to deuise,
some gambole of Christmas play:
Whereas the yong men,
Do best that they can,
to driue the cold winter away.
When white-bearded Frost,
Hath threatned his worst,
and fallen from Branch & Bryer:
Then time away cals,
From Husbandry Hals,
& from the good Countrymans fire:
Together to go,
To Plow and to sow,
to get vs both food and array:
And thus with content,
The time we haue spent,
to driue the cold winter away.
FINIS.
Printed at London for H.G.