> Folk Music > Songs > The Mistress’s Health

The Mistress’s Health

[ Roud 310 ; Ballad Index BrMa140 ; Wiltshire 336 , 337 , 1039 ; trad.]

The Mistress’s Health is a harvest-home toast from Lucy Broadwood and J.A. Fuller Maitland’s book English County Songs, Leadenhall Press, London, 1893. The words and tune were collected from gamekeeper John Burberry of Sussex in September 1892.

The Wilson Family sang this Mistress’s Health and another Mistress’ Health (Roud 21096) in 1991 on their Harbourtown album The Wilson Family Album.

Magpie Lane sang The Mistress’s Health in 1994 on their CD Speed the Plough. A live recording of them singing Carter’s Health and Mistress’s Health from 21 September 2013 at St Mary’s Church, Bampton, Oxfordshire was Andy Turner’s 11 October 2014 entry of his project A Folk Song a Week.

See also Mistress’ Health (Roud 21096).

Lyrics

Magpie Lane sing The Mistress’s Health

Here’s a health unto the mistress, the fairest of twenty
    Oh is she so, is she so, is she so?
Is your glass full, my boys, or is your glass empty?
    Come let us know, let us know, let us know.
We’ll drink him out so deep and we’ll sing ourselves to sleep,
    And sing ho and sing ho,and sing ho!