21/12/2023
All Hail to the Days
17th Century Carol
Art by Val Greeley
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 drive the cold winter away .
Let misery packe,
With a whip at his backe,
to the deep Tantalian flood:
In the Lethe profound,
Let envy be drown'd,
that pines at another mans good:
Let sorrowes expence,
e banded from hence,
all payments of griefe delay:
And wholly consort,
With mirth and with sport,
to drive the cold winter away .
Tis ill for a mind,
To anger inclind,
to ruminate injuries now:
If wrath be to seeke,
Do not let her thy cheeke,
nor yet inhabite thy brow.
Crosse out of those bookes,
Malevolent lookes,
both beauty and youthes decay:
And spend the long night,
In honest delight,
to drive 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 drive the cold winter away .
The Gentry there,
For cost do not spare,
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 drive the cold winter away .
Thus none will allow,
Of solitude now,
but merrily greets 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 January fresh as May:
Comes dancing along,
With a Cup and a Song,
to drive the cold winter away .