Take Flour made from Wheat most fine
Take Currants fresh from Zante's Isle, —
Take Butter from the choicest Kine
Take Almonds from the Trees that smile

On Jordan's banks: — take of the Spice
That in the Indian Isles abound;
Take new-laid Eggs, quite fresh and nice,
Take Sweetmeats, richest that are found;

Take of the Wine that Falstaff loved —
Take eau de vie from Gallia's shore,
Take of the Sugar most approved
That's grown upon Jamaica's shore,

And when you've beat and mixed them well,
And let them in your Oven bake:
Rest them awhile, before you tell
The glories of the splendid Cake.

Then cover it with snowy hue
Of Eggs and Sugar finely spread,
And Waters richly perfumd through
The Orange Flower's fragrant aid

Then set it on a festive board
All gaily decked with Flowers so fair,
Bid Flora all her sweets afford
And scatter choicest Roses there.

And let the Myrtle there be found
Its blooming flower — its lasting leaf
And Violets shed their perfume round,
And Cornflower with the golden sheaf

And next arrange a choice repast,
And blithely fill the sparkling Bowl;
While round the board may gather fast
A group whose joy knows no control.

And chiefest — dearest — loveliest there
Will march a prized and blooming Bride
And watch the manliest form, most fair
Sit raptured by the Maiden's side.

While favoured friends both old and young
Are come this Pair so blest to meet,
Favours are given and Bells are rung,
And cheerful healths their Union greet.

Then cut the Cake and send it round,
Where other friends more distant dwell
Packets with snow-white ribbon bound,
The welcome vows shall quickly tell.

Then Youths and Maidens love to try
Their future fate in mystic dream,
And to the bridal Ring apply,
And trust the Cake will kindly seem

And let their guileless Fancy roam
On one whose love may long endure
And twine around some future home
Their radiant wreath of joy most pure.