“Thus, sirs, having briefly opened and explained my short text, give me leave to make a little use and improvement of the foregoing. First, by way of exhortation: M—My Masters. A—All of you. L—Look for. T—Torment.
“Now to wind up the whole and draw to a close, take with you the characteristics of a drunkard. A drunkard is the annoyance of modesty, the spoil of civility, his own shame, his children’s curse, his neighbour’s scoff, the alehouse man’s benefactor, the devil’s drudge, a walking swill-bowl, the picture of a beast, and monster of a man.”
There was a curious custom in vogue at the beginning of the seventeenth century known as “muggling.” It was thus described by Young, in England’s Bane: “I have seen a company amongst the very woods and forests drinking for a muggle. Sixe determined to try their strengths who could drinke most glasses for the muggle. The first drinkes a glasse of a pint, the second two, the next three, and so every one multiplieth till the last taketh sixe. Then the first beginneth againe and taketh seven, and in this manner they drinke thrice a peece round, every man taking a glasse more than his fellow, so that he that dranke least, which was the first, dranke one and twenty pints, and the sixth man thirty-six.” So great was the ale-drinking at this time, that the headache brought on by it was known by the common expression, “the ale passion,” and one in liquor was said to have been “kicked by the brewer’s horse.”
One or two instances, only, of the drinking songs popular in olden times can be given here. The Merry Fellows, a song of the Restoration, well illustrates the old idea that merriness must be accompanied with potations “pottle deep”:—
Now, since we’re met, let’s merry, merry be, In spite of all our foes; And he that will not merry be, We’ll pull him by the nose.
Chorus.
He that will not merry, merry be, With a generous bowl and a toast, May he in Bridewell be shut up, And fast bound to a post. Let him, &c.
He that will not merry, merry be, And take his glass in course, May he be obliged to drink small beer, Ne’er a penny in his purse. Let him, &c.
He that will not merry, merry be With a company of jolly boys, May he be plagued with a scolding wife To confound him with her noise. Let him, &c.
He that will not merry, merry be, With his sweetheart by his side, Let him be laid in the cold church-yard With a head-stone for his bride. Let him, &c.