Words and Tune from Rev. M. P. Holme, Tattenhall, Cheshire.

The latter part of the second stanza is restored from Miss Burne's Shropshire Folk Lore, p 385. The rest of the song was sung exactly as it stands by a little girl in Tattenhall School in October, 1891. A full account of the custom of "souling" is given by Miss Burne, Shropshire Folk Lore, pp 378-390. It is still practised on All-Souls' Day in the district referred to, and traces of the custom are to be found in many parts of England. See also Halliwell's Popular Rhymes, pp 238 and 249.

Here is a curious rhyme which they sang in Shropshire as they went round to their neighbours, collecting contributions:--

"Soul! soul! for a soul-cake!
I pray, good missis, a soul-cake!
An apple or pear, a plum or a cherry,
Any good thing to mek us merry.
One for Peter, two for Paul,
Three for Him who made us all.
Up with the kettle, and down with the pan,
Give us good alms, and we'll be gone."

Shropshire is a county peculiarly rich in "souling" traditions, and one old lady had cakes made to give away to the souling-children up to the time of her death in 1884. At that period the custom of "souling" hd greatly declined in the county, and where it still existed the rewards were usually apples or money. Grown men, as well as children, sometimes went round, and the ditties sung often contained verses of good-wishes for the household practically identical with those sung by wassailers at Christmas.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

God bless the master of this house,
The misteress also,
And all the little children,
That round the table go:

And all your kin and kinfok,
That dwell both far and near;
I wish you a merry Christmas,
And a happy new year.

Nov. 1.] ALL SAINTS' DAY.
[...]

CHESHIRE.

On All Souls' Eve, both children and grown-up people go from door to door, a-souling, i.e., begging for soul cakes, or anything else they can get. In some districts they perform a kind of play as well, but in all instances the following, or a similar song, is sung:--

"You gentlemen of England, pray you now draw near
To these few lines, and you soon shall hear
Sweet melody of music all on this evening clear,
For we are come a-souling for apples and strong beer.

Step down into yourn cellar, and see what you can find,
If your barrels are not empty, we hope you will prove kind;
We hope you will prove kind with your apples and strong beer,
We'll come no more a-souling until another year.

Cold winter it is coming out, dark, dirty, wet and cold,
To try your good nature, this night we do make bold;
This night we do make bold with your apples and strong beer,
And we'll come no more a-souling until another year.

All the houses that we've been at, we've had both meat and drink,
So now we're dry with travelling, we hope you'll on us think;
We hoe you'll on us think with your apples and strong beer,
For we'll come no more a-souling until another year.

God bless the master of this house, and the mistress also,
Ad all the little children that round the table go;
Likewise your men and maidens, your cattle and your store,
And all that lies within your gates we wish you ten times more;
We wish you ten times more with your apples and strong beer,
And we'll come no more a-souling until another year."

Jour. of the Arch. Assoc. 1850, vol. v. p. 252.