The Melodist/The Tankard of Ale

by Anonymous

The Tankard of Ale.

Not drunk, nor yet sober, but brother to both,
I met a young man upon Aylesbury dale,
I saw by his face that he was in good case
To go and shake hands with a tankard of ale.
Laru la re, laru, &c. I saw, &c.

The hedger that works in the ditches all day,
And labours hard all day at the plough tail,
He’ll talk of great things about princes & kings.
When once he shakes hands with a tankard of ale.
Laru la re, laru, &c. He'll talk, &c.

The beggar that begs her bread from door to door,
And has scarce got a rag For to cover her tail,
She’s as merry in rags, as a miser with bags,
When once she shakes hands with a tankard of ale.
Laru la re, laru, etc. She's as, &c.

The widow who bury'd her husband of late,
And has scarcely forgot for to weep & to wail,
Thinks every day ten, till she's marry'd again,
When onco she shakes hands with a tankard of ale.
Laru la re, laru, &c. Thinks, &c.

The old parish Vicar, when he’s got in liquor,
Doth merrily on his parishioners rail,
Come pay up your tythes, or I'll kiss all your wives,
When once he shakes baud's with a tankard of ale.
Laru la re, &c. Come pay, &c.

The old parson’s clerk, his eyes are so dark,
And the letters so small that he scarcely can tell;
But he’ll see each letter, and sing the psalms better,
When once he shakes hands with a pot of good ale.
Laru la re, &c. But he'll see, &c.

The blacksmith by trade, a jolly brisk blade.
Cries, Fill up the bumper, dear host, from the pale;
So chearful he’ll sing, & make the house ring,
When once he shakes hands with a tankard of ale.
Laru la re, &c.So chearful, &c.

The tinker, you ken, cries, Old kettles to mend,
With his budget & hammer to drive in the nail,
Will spend a whole crown at one sitting down,
When once he shakes hands with a tankard of ale.
Laru la re, &c.Will spend, &c.

The mason, brave John, the carver of stone,
The Master’s grand secret he will not reveal;
Yet haw merry is he, with a lass on his knee,
When once he shakes hands with a tankard of ale?
Laura la re, &c.Yet how merry, &c.

You maids of the game, pray do not me blame,
Tho’ your private practice in public I tell,
Young Bridget and Nell to kiss will not fail,
When once they shake hands with a tankard of ale.
Laru la re, &c.Young Bridget, &c.

There's some jolly wives loves drink as their lives,
Dear neighbours but mind of this sorrowful tale,
Their husbands they'll horn, as sure's they were born,
If once they shake hands with a tankard of ale.
Laru la re, &c.Their husbands, &c.

From wrangling or jangling, & every such strife,
Or any thing else that may happen to fall;
From words comes to blows, and a bloody nose,
But friends again over a tankard of ale.
Laru la. re, &c.From words, &c.

0 0 0