_To the Editor._
Sir,--Your _Every-Day Book_ contains several interesting accounts
relating to the present joyous season of the year. Amongst others, a
correspondent ~G. H. J.~ (in vol. ii. col. 1168,) has furnished us with
some amusing particulars of the old customs of the harvest supper. It
should seem, however, that he is but imperfectly acquainted with the old
“catch” of this country. That which he has given is evidently compounded
of two different songs in use on these occasions, and I have no doubt
when you have read and compared them you will be of my opinion. A few
years more, and probably (but for your notice of them) they will be
entirely forgotten.
The health-drinking catch, which is always the last thing before
parting, is as follows:--
_First the mistress_:--
Now supper is over, and all things are past,
Here’s our mistress’s good health in a full flowing glass;
She is a good mistress, she provides us good cheer,
Here’s our mistress’s good health, boys--Come drink _half_ your
beer--
She is a good mistress, she provides us good cheer,
Here’s our mistress’s good health, boys--Come drink _off_ your beer.
During the time the catch is going round the whole party are standing,
and, with the exception of the drinker, they join in chorus. The glass
circulates, beginning with the “Lord” in regular succession through the
“company:” after that it is handed to the visitors,--the harvestmen of
gone-by days,--who are not, or ought not to be, forgotten on the
occasion. If the drinker be taken off his guard, and should drink off
his beer at the pause in the catch, he is liable to a forfeit: if one of
the chorus misplaces the words _half_ and _off_, which not unfrequently
happens at the heel of an evening, he incurs a similar penalty.
_After the mistress the master_:--
Here’s health to our master, the lord of the feast,
God bless his endeavours, and give him increase,
And send him good crops, that we may meet another year,
Here’s our master’s good health, boys--Come drink _half_ your beer.
God send him good crops, &c.--Come drink _off_ your beer.
Where the beer flows very freely, and there is a family, it is sometimes
usual to carry on the catch, through the different branches, with
variations composed for the purpose, perhaps at the spur of the moment:
some of these I have known very happily conceived. The other glee to
which I alluded in the beginning of my letter, and which I conceive ~G.
H. J.~ to have had in view, is this:--
Here’s health unto our master, the founder of the feast,
God grant, whenever he shall die, his soul may go to rest,
And that all things may prosper whate’er he has in hand,
For we are all his servants, and are at his command;
So drink, boys, drink, and mind you do none spill,
For if you do
You shall drink two,
For ’tis our master’s will!
If the foregoing be acceptable, it will be a satisfaction to have
contributed a trifle to a miscellany, which has afforded a fund of
instruction and amusement to
Your constant reader and admirer,
~T. B. H.~
_Norfolk, August 20, 1827._
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