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Jacobstowe Wassail

Waterson:Carthy with Devil’s Interval sang Jacobstowe Wassail on their 2006 album Holy Heathens and the Old Green Man. Martin Carthy commented in the album’s sleeve notes:

Jim learned Jacobstowe Wassail from the collection of the great Victorian collector of songs of Devon and Cornwall the Rev. Sabine Baring-Gould. Just recently boxes and boxes of his manuscripts have been found and they cast a fascinating light on the music being made and the songs being sung in the South West at the turn of the 19^th/20^th century and Martin Graebe has devoted enormous amounts of time and energy organising them on microfiche. Salute him.

Marilyn Tucker, Paul Wilson and members of the Wren Chorus sang Robin Redbreast in 2008 on their WildGoose CD of traditional songs from Devon and Cornwall from the collection of Sabine Baring-Gould, Dead Maid’s Land. They noted:

Baring-Gould, through his writing and his lectures, encouraged people to send him songs. This Cornish Wassail song text is based on one sung in Jacobstowe and sent to him by Mrs. Batchellor as taken down from a local wassailer. Mrs Batchellor provided no music so a tune sent in independently from G. Lewis Maitland seems to fit the bill.

Lyrics

Waterson:Carthy with Devil’s Interval sing Jacobstowe Wassail

Wassail, wassail,
Good master and mistress, sitting down by the fire,
While we poor wassailers be dabbling in the mire,
With a jolly wassail.
Oh, little Robin Redbreast he has a fine wing,
Give us of your cider and we’ll begin to sing,
With a jolly wassail.

Wassail, wassail,
Good master and mistress, our wassail begin,
Please open your door and let us come in,
With a jolly wassail.
Oh, little Robin Redbreast he has a fine song,
Give us of your cider, we won’t keep you long,
With a jolly wassail.

Wassail, wassail,
Your ale cup is white and your ale it is brown,
Your beer is the best that e’er can be found,
With a jolly wassail.
Oh, little Robin Redbreast he has a fine leg,
Give us of your cider, and we’ll begin to beg,
With a jolly wassail.

Wassail, wassail,
Your gin it is brew’d from the juniper tree,
Your gin is the best that ever can be,
With a jolly wassail.
Oh, little Robin Redbreast he has a fine toe,
Give us of your cider, and we’ll begin to go,
With a jolly wassail.

Wassail, wassail,
With a jolly wassail.