Come cease from his labour,
Each friend and each neighbour,
And let us be happy and merry to-day;
For down at the hall yon',
They're having a ball yon',
And we shall be welcome as flowers in May.
Sir Charles has invited,
He shall not be slighted,
Too long from our eyes have they kept him away;
But now we will meet him,
And joyfully greet him,
And we will be happy at Wolseley to-day.
We know the occasion,
Of his separation,
From home and from freedom, and all that is dear;
He sought a redressing,
Of burdens oppressing,
He sought to obtain us our birth-right so clear;
The strong arm of power
Hath now had its hour,
The bird that is free let him sing while he may,
We'll give him a chorus,
Whilst mirth cometh o'er us,
And welcome Sir Charles unto Wolseley to-day.
The lady omitting,
Were never befitting,
May the hand of the mighty each blessing bestow,
With o'erflowing measure
Of every pleasure
Allotted to human existence below;
And bless her young smilers,
Those artless beguilers,
With looks full of brightness, and locks that are fair;
Young William we'll toast him,
The Bard hath not lost him,
A bumper, a bumper to Wolseley's high heir.
The old and the young come,
The feeble and strong come,
The husband, the wife, and their children beside;
Each rosy-lipped beauty,
For pleasure and duty,
Is braided so bonny in virtuous pride;
Whilst bright wine is flowing,
And warm hearts are glowing,
Our mirth shall the precepts of wisdom obey;
And we will be merry,
As long as we tarry,
In honour of freedom and Wolseley to-day.