A pleasant Country new Ditty: Merrily showing how To drive the cold Winter away. To the tune of, When Phoebus did rest, etc.  

 

ALl hail to the days,  
That merit more praise,  
Then all the rest of the year:  
And welcome the nights,  
That double delights,  
as well 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 Carols and Songs,  
to drive the cold winter away.   

Let misery pack,  
Wi●● a whip at his back,  
to the deep Tantalian flood:  
In the Lethe profound,  
Let enny be drowned,  
that pines at another man's good:  
Let sorrow's expense,  
Be banded from hence,  
all garments of grief delay:  
And wholly consort,  
With mirth and with sport,  
to drive the cold winter away.   

'tis ill for a mind,  
To anger inclined,  
to ruminate injuries now:  
If wrath be to seek,  
Do not let her thy cheek,  
nor yet inhabit thy brow.  
Cross out of these books,  
Malevolent looks,  
both beauty and youth's 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 Country gets the day:  
More Liquor is spent,  
And better content,  
to drive the cold winter away.   

The Gentry there,  
For cost do not space,  
the Yeomanry fast in Lent:  
The Farmers and such,  
Think nothing too much,  
if they keep but to pay their Rent:  
The poorest of all,  
Do merrily call,  
want, bears but a little sway:  
For a Song or a tale,  
o'er a Pot of good Ale,  
to drive the cold winter away.   

Thus none will allow,  
Of solitude now,  
but merrily gre●ts the time:  
To make it appear,  
Of all the whole year,  
that this is accounted the Prime,  
December is seen,  
Apparelled in green,  
and january fresh as May:  
Comes dancing along,  
With a Cup and a Song,  
to drive the cold winter away.    

The second part. To the same tune.  

THis time of the year,  
Is spent in good Cheer,  
kind neighbours together meet:  
To sit by the fire,  
With friendly desire,  
each other in love to greet:  
Old grudges forgot,  
Are put in the Pot,  
all sorrows aside they lay:  
The old and the young,  
Doth Carol his Song,  
to drive the cold winter away.   

Cicely and Nanny,  
More jocund than any,  
as blithe as the Month of june:  
Do Caroll and sing,  
Like birds of the Spring,  
no Nightingale sweeter in tune:  
To bring in content,  
When Summer is spent,  
in pleasant delight and play:  
With mirth and good cheer,  
To end the old year,  
and drive the cold winter away.   

The Shepherd, the Swain,  
Do highly disdain,  
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 joy and delight,  
now after his labours all day:  
For better than Lands,  
Is help of his hands,  
to drive the cold winter away.   

To Mask and to Mum,  
Kind neighbours will come,  
with Wassels of ●ot brown Ale;  
To drink 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 warm,  
Will do you no harm,  
to drive the cold winter away.   

When Christmas tide,  
Comes in like a Bride,  
with Holly and Iuy clad:  
Twelve days in the year,  
Much mirth and good cheer,  
in every household is had:  
The Country guise,  
Is then to devose,  
some gambole 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 & Bryer:  
Then time away calls,  
From Husbandry Hals,  
& from the good Countryman's fire:  
Together to go,  
To Blow and to sow,  
to get us both food and array:  
And thus with content,  
The time we have spent,  
to drive the cold winter away.   
FINIS.    

Printed at London for H.G.