Slight variations from The Oxford School Music Books (Senior Book 2) by Roger Fiske & J.P.B.Dobbs published 1956 (where it can be found in key of 'F' in 6/8 time)

HARVEST HOME

Our oats they are hoed, and our barley's reaped,
Our hay it is mowed, and our hovels heaped.
Come, boys, come; Come, boys, come,
And merrily roar out Harvest Home!
Chorus Come, boys, come; Come, boys, come,
And merrily roar out Harvest Home!


We've cheated the parson, we'll cheat him again,
For why should the vicar have one in ten?
One in ten; one in ten;
For why should the vicar have one in ten?
Chorus One in ten, etc.


For staying while dinner is cold and hot,
And pudding and dumpling are burnt to pot?
Burnt to pot, burnt to pot,
And pudding and dumpling are burnt to pot?
Chorus Burnt to pot, etc.


We'll drink off our dinner while we can stand,
And hey for the honour of Old England!
Old England, Old England;
And hey for the honour of Old England!
Chorus Old England, etc.


From the opera King Arthur, 1691, by Henry Purcell and John Dryden. This version of the words is from V. Sandys' Festive Songs, 1856.


It is possible that a combination of the two versions would best be considered. While the version I quote seems to Bowdlerise the text, the former version is inconsistent in the lines of the first chorus replacing "And merrily" with "We'll merrily"

Also the tune seems a little different (not that I 'know' ABC, If anyome wants a 'scan' of the stave notaion to compare/add ABC, let me know by PM please)

Nigel Parsons