Lyr Req: Old Christmas Returned (Hospitality

Subject: Old Christmas Returned (Hospitality Rev'
From: Tom French
Date: 06 Dec 01 - 04:39 PM

I'm looking for the lyrics to Old Christmas Returned, otherwise called Hospitality Revivived. Printed in William Chapell's Popular Music of Olden Time and reprinted by Dover 1965.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Christmas Returned (Hospitality
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 Dec 01 - 06:17 PM

No luck, Tom.

Subject: Lyr Add: OLD CHRISTMAS RETURNED
From: Anglo
Date: 06 Dec 01 - 08:48 PM

You want 'em all, don't you Tom? Here's from Nowell Sing We Clear, which may be slightly adapted from the original. I'll try to get the line breaks this time.

OLD CHRISTMAS RETURNED

All you that to feasting and mirth are inclined
Come, here is good news for to pleasure your mind
Old Christmas is come for to keep open house
He scorns to be guilty of starving a mouse
Then come, boys, and welcome of diet the chief
Plum pudding, goose, capon, mince pies and roast beef.

The times were ne'er good since Old Christmas was fled
And all hospitality hath been so dead
No mirth at our festivals late did appear
They scarcely would part with a cup of good beer
But now you shall have for the ease of your grief
Plum pudding, goose, capon, mince pies and roast beef.

The butler, the baker, they now may be glad
The times they are mended, though they have been bad
The brewer, he likewise may be of good cheer
He shall have good trading for ale and strong beer
All trades shall be jolly, and have for relief
Plum pudding, goose, capon, mince pies and roast beef.

The holly and ivy about the walls wind
And show that we ought to our neighbors be kind
Inviting each other for pastime and sport
And where we best fare, there we most do resort
We fail not of victuals, and that of the chief
Plum pudding, goose, capon, mince pies and roast beef.

Young gallants and ladies shall foot it along
Each room in the house to the music shall throng
Whilst jolly carouses about they shall pass
And each country swain trip about with his lass
Meantime goes the caterer to fetch in the chief
Plum pudding, goose, capon, mince pies and roast beef.

Then well may we welcome Old Christmas to town
Who brings us good cheer, and good liquor so brown
To pass the cold winter away with delight
We feast it all day, and we frolic all night
Both hunger and cold we keep out with relief,
With plum pudding, goose, capon, mince pies and roast beef.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Christmas Returned (Hospitality
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 06 Dec 01 - 08:51 PM

For the source of the original see ZN150 in the broadside ballad index at www.erols.com/olsonw

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Christmas Returned (Hospitality
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 Dec 01 - 08:56 PM

Well, hello, Bruce. You just couldn't stay away, could you? Glad somebody found this for Tom.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Christmas Returned (Hospitality
From: MMario
Date: 06 Dec 01 - 08:58 PM

If I am reading theindex correctly - that would make the tune B108 from Bruce's site. 'Delights of the Bottle'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Christmas Returned (Hospitality
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 06 Dec 01 - 10:08 PM

Chappell has 15 verses.  I'll post the rest when I've finished work.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Christmas Returned (Hospitality
From: Tom French
Date: 06 Dec 01 - 11:10 PM

Thanks Anglo,

Your help on both songs is deeply appreciated. I was able to at least get started on Welladay, but I couldn't get enough of Old Christmas by ear to even guess at the lyrics. Tunes and harmony follow the rules and can be deciphered, but the lyrics are obvious or not. I very often wish that all recordings of songs included copies of the lyrics. Thanks to all.

Subject: ADD: Old Christmas Returned
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 07 Dec 01 - 09:11 AM

Anglo has already posted some of this, but at the risk of redundancy I shall add the full set from Chappell, rather than mess about indicating where the additional verses fit in.

OLD CHRISTMAS RETURNED

(Words anonymous; tune by Matthew Lock)

All you that to feasting and mirth are inclin'd,
Come, here is good news for to pleasure your mind,
Old Christmas is come for to keep open house,
He scorns to be guilty of starving a mouse:
Then come, boys, and welcome of diet the chief,
Plum-pudding, goose, capon, minc'd pies, and roast-beef.

A long time together he hath been forgot,
They scarce could afford for to hang on the pot;
Such miserly sneaking in England hath been,
As by our forefathers ne'er us'd to be seen;
But now he's returned you shall have in brief,
Plum-pudding, goose, capon, minc'd pies, and roast-beef.

The times were ne'er good since Old Christmas was fled,
And all hospitality hath been so dead,
No mirth at our festivals late did appear,
They scarcely would part with a cup of March beer;
But now you shall have for the ease of your grief,
Plum-pudding, goose, capon, minc'd pies, and roast-beef.

The butler and baker, they now may be glad,
The times they are mended, though they have been bad;
The brewer, he likewise may be of good cheer,
He shall have good trading for ale and strong beer,
All trades shall be jolly, and have for relief,
Plum-pudding, goose, capon, minc'd pies, and roast-beef.

The holly and ivy about the walls wind,
And show that we ought to our neighbours be kind,
Inviting each other for pastime and sport,
And where we best fare there we most do resort,
We fail not of victuals and that of the chief,
Plum-pudding, goose, capon, minc'd pies, and roast-beef.

The cooks shall be busied by day and by night,
In roasting and boiling for taste and delight;
Their senses in liquor that's nappy they'll steep,
Though they be afforded to have little sleep;
They still are employed for to dress us, in brief,
Plum-pudding, goose, capon, minc'd pies, and roast-beef.

Although the cold weather doth hunger provoke,
'Tis a comfort to see how the chimneys do smoke;
Provision is making for beer, ale, and wine,
For all that are willing or ready to dine;
Then haste to the kitchen for diet the chief,
Plum-pudding, goose, capon, minc'd pies, and roast-beef.

All travellers as they do pass on their way,
At gentlemen's halls are invited to stay,
Themselves to refresh, and their horses to rest,
Since that he must be Old Christmas's guest,
Nay, the poor shall not want, but have for relief
Plum-pudding, goose, capon, minc'd pies, and roast-beef.

Now Mock-beggar-hall it no more shall stand empty,
But all shall be furnisht with freedom and plenty,
The hoarding old misers who us'd to preserve
The gold in their coffers, and see the poor starve,
Must now spread their tables, and give them in brief
Plum-pudding, goose, capon, minc'd pies, and roast-beef.

The court, and the city, and country, are glad
Old Christmas is come to cheer up the sad;
Broad pieces and guineas about now shall fly,
And hundreds be losers by cogging a die,
Whilst others are feasting with diet the chief,
Plum-pudding, goose, capon, minc'd pies, and roast-beef.

Those that have no coin at the cards for to play,
May sit by the fire, and pass time away,
And drink off their moisture contented and free,
"My honest good fellow, come, here is to thee,"
And when they are hungry, fall to their relief
Plum-pudding, goose, capon, minc'd pies, and roast-beef.

Young gallants and ladies shall foot it along,
Each room in the house to the music shall throng,
Whilst jolly carouses about they shall pass,
And each country swain trip about with his lass;
Meantimes goes the caterer to fetch in the chief,
Plum-pudding, goose, capon, minc'd pies, and roast-beef.

The cooks and the scullion, who toil in their frocks,
Their hopes do depend upon their Christmas box;
And few there are now that do live on the earth,
But enjoy at this time either profit or mirth;
Yea, many are charged to give for relief,
Plum-pudding, goose, capon, minc'd pies, and roast-beef.

Then well we may welcome Old Christmas to town,
Who brings us good cheer, and good liquor so brown,
To pass the cold winter away with delight,
We feast it all day, and we frolic all night,
Both hunger and cold we keep out with relief,
Plum-pudding, goose, capon, minc'd pies, and roast-beef.

Then let all curmudgeons who dote on their wealth,
And value their treasure much more than their health,
Go hang themselves up, if they will be so kind,
Old Christmas with them but small welcome shall find;
They will not afford to themselves without grief,
Plum-pudding, goose, capon, minc'd pies, and roast-beef.

"OLD CHRISTMAS RETURNED, or Hospitality revived; being a Looking-glass for rich misers, wherein they may see (if they be not blind) how much they are to blame for their penurious house-keeping; and likewise an encouragement to those noble-minded gentry who lay out a great part of their estate in hospitality, relieving such persons as have need thereto:

Who feasts the poor, a true reward shall find,
Or helps the old, the feeble, lame, and blind."

To the tune of The Delights of the Bottle.

This from William Chappell's Ballad Literature and Popular Music of the Olden Time (1859).  Chappell commented:

"(This) is in the Pepys Collection (i.174).  It was printed for P. Brooksby, and licensed by Roger L'Estrange; therefore the copy cannot be of a later date than the reign of James II., and is more probably of that of Charles II.
(The Delights of the Bottle) was a song, sung by Bacchus, in the last act of Shadwell's opera, Psyche, and the music by Matthew Lock."

Psyche was produced in 1675.  Chappell gives the music from the opera; a midi made from that notation goes to  Mudcat Midis,  and can be heard meanwhile care of the  South Riding Folk Network  site:

Old_Christmas.mid

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Christmas Returned (Hospitality
From: MMario
Date: 07 Dec 01 - 09:25 AM

Thanks Malcolm!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Christmas Returned (Hospitality
From: masato sakurai
Date: 07 Dec 01 - 08:06 PM

A version in Bodleian Library (Good Old Christmas Returned) is similar to the one Angelo has posted above.
~Masato