Now, Now, The Mirth Comes - The Hymns and Carols of Christmas

Christmas Eve
Come Bring The Noise
On Christmas Eve
Christmas Poetry By Robert Herrick
Source: William Henry Husk, Songs of the Nativity (London: John Camden Hotten, 1868)
Come
bring the noise,
My merry, merry boys,
The Christmas log to the firing;
While my good dame, she
Bids ye all be free,
And drink to your heart's desiring.
With the last year's brand
Light the new block, and
For good success in his spending,
On your psalteries 1 play,
That sweet luck may
Come while the log is a teending. 2
Drink now the strong beer,
Cut the white loaf here,
The while the meat is a shredding
For the rare mince-pie
And the plums standing by,
To fill the paste that's a kneeding.
Husk's Note:
On this eve our ancestor's were wont to lay a log of wood upon the fire, called a Yuleclog,
or log, or Christmas block, to illuminate the house. It was a custom to preserve a
portion of this block until the next year, with which to light the new block, and the
omission to do so was deemed unlucky. The practice still prevails in many parts of the
country.
1. A type of guitar.
2. Husk gives "Kindling." Bullen gives "burning."
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