On his huge chair beside the fire he sate,

80

In revel chief, and umpire in debate;

Each night his string of vulgar tales he told,

When ale was cheap and bachelors were bold:

His heroes all were famous in their days,

Cheats were his boast and drunkards had his praise;

"One, in three draughts, three mugs of ale took down,

As mugs were then—the champion of the Crown;

For thrice three days another lived on ale,