The Merry Fellows; Or, He That Will Not Merry, Merry Be

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Title:     The Merry Fellows; Or, He That Will Not Merry, Merry Be
Author: Anonymous (Poetry's author) [More Titles by Anonymous (Poetry's author)]

[The popularity of this old lyric, of which ours is the ballad-printer's version, has been increased by the lively and appropriate music recently adapted to it by Mr. Holderness. The date of this song is about the era of Charles II.]

Now, since we're met, let's merry, merry be,
In spite of all our foes;
And he that will not merry be,
We'll pull him by the nose.
Cho. Let him be merry, merry there,
While we're all merry, merry here,
For who can know where he shall go,
To be merry another year.

He that will not merry, merry be,
With a generous bowl and a toast,
May he in Bridewell be shut up,
And fast bound to a post.
Let him, &c.

He that will not merry, merry be,
And take his glass in course,
May he be obliged to drink small beer,
Ne'er a penny in his purse.
Let him, &c.

He that will not merry, merry be,
With a company of jolly boys;
May he be plagued with a scolding wife,
To confound him with her noise.
Let him, &c.

[He that will not merry, merry be,
With his sweetheart by his side,
Let him be laid in the cold churchyard,
With a head-stone for his bride.
Let him, &c.]

[The end]
Anonymous's Poem: Merry Fellows; Or, He That Will Not Merry, Merry Be

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