All hail to the days that merit more praise
Than all the rest of the year;
And welcome the nights, that double delights
As well for the poor as the peer!

Good fortune attend each merry man's friend
That doth but the best that he may;
Forgetting old wrongs, with carrols and songs,
To drive the cold winter away.

Let Misery pack, with a whip at his back,
To the deep Tantalian flood;
In Lethe profound let envy be drown'd,
That pines at another man's good;

Let Sorrow's expense be banded from hence,
All payments have greater delay,
We'll spend the long nights in cheerful delights
To drive the cold winter away.

'Tis ill for the mind to anger inclined
To think of small injuries now;
If wrath be to seek, do not lend her thy cheek
Nor let her inhabit thy brow.

Cross out of thy books malevolent looks,
Both beauty and youth decay,
And wholly consort with mirth and with sport,
To drive the cold winter away.

The Court all in state now opens her gate
And bids a free welcome to most;
The City likewise tho' somewhat precise
Doth willingly part with her roast;

But yet, by report from City and Court
The Country will e'er gain the day:
More liquor is spent, and with better content,
To drive the cold winter away.

Our good gentry there for costs do not spare,
The yeomanry fast not till Lent;
The farmers and such think nothing too much,
If they keep but to pay for their rent.

The poorest of all now do merrily call,
When at a fit place they can stay,
For a song or a tale or a cup of good ale
To drive the cold winter away.

Thus none will allow of solitude now,
But merrily greets the time,
To make it appear of all the whole year
That this is accounted the prime.

December is seen apparel'd in green
And January, fresh as May,
Comes dancing along with a cup and a song
To drive the cold winter away.

* * * * *

This time of the year is spent in good cheer,
And neighbours together to meet;
To sit by the fire, with friendly desire,
Each other in love to greet.

Old grudges forgot are put in a pot,
All sorrows aside they lay;
The old and the young doth carrol this song,
To drive the cold winter away.

Sisley and Nanny, more jocund than any,
As blithe as the month of June,
Do carol and sing like birds of the spring,
No nightingale sweeter in tune;

To bring in content, when summer is spend,
In pleasant delight and play,
With mirth and good cheer to end the whole year,
And drive the cold winter away.

The shepherd, the swain do highly disdain
To waste out their time in care,
And Clim of the Clough hath plenty enough
If he but a penny can spare

To spend at the night, in joy and delight,
Now after his labour all day;
For better than lands is the help of his hands
To drive the cold winter away.

To mask and to mum kind neighbours will come
With wassails of nut-brown ale,
To drink and carouse to all in the house,
As merry as bucks in the dale;

Where cake, bread and cheese, is brought for your fees
To make you the longer stay;
At the fire to warm 'twill do you no harm,
To drive the cold winter away.

When Christmas tide comes in like a bride,
With holly and ivy clad,
Twelve days in the year, much mirth and good cheer,
In every household is had;

The Country guise is then to devise
Some gambols of Christmas play;
Whereas the young men do best that they can
To drive the cold winter away.

When white-bearded Frost hath threatened his worst
And fallen from branch and briar,
Then time away calls from husbandry halls,
And from the good countryman's fire,

Together to go, to plough and to sow,
To get us both food and array;
And thus will content the time we have spent
To drive the cold winter away.