The Tempest, To which are added…/The Joys of the Harvest

The JOYS of the HARVEST.

COME all ye Lads and Laſſes,
together let us go,
Into ſome pleaſant corn-field,
our courage for to ſhow.
With the edge of our sickles,
ſo brave we clear the land?
Work on my boys the Farmer cries,
here's liquor at command.

With a good old leathern bottle,
and beer that is to brown,
We ſtrip and reap together,
while bright Phœbus does go down:
So early in the morning,
the birds begin to ſing,
Such echoes of ſweet harmony,
make all the groves to ring.

And in comes pretty Nancy,
her colour for to raiſe,
She is a lovely creature,
I muſt ſpeak in her praiſe:
She is a lovely creature,
the flow'r of my delight,
Through a!l the groves and foreſts,
l'Il range both day and night.

John Preſton has good liquor,
good liquor it is ſaid,
Good liquor makes good blood,
and good blood pretty maids,
She gathers it and ſhe binds it,
the loads it in her arms,
She pitch'd it to the waggoner,
for to fill up his barns.

And thus the induſtrious Farmer,
by the ſweet of his brow,
He labours and endeavours,
to make his barley now.
New harveſt it's all over,
and corn is free from harm;
Before we to the market go,
we muſt threſh in the barn.

And at the harveft ſupper,
ſo merrily we will ſing:
We'll drink a health to the barley-mow,
and to great George our King,
So here's a health to the Farmers,
er elſe we were to blame,
We'll wiſh then health and happineſs,
till harveſt comes again.