The Good Noppy Ale of Southwerk Keeps many a goodwife from the Kirk.
Moore, in his Odes of Anacreon, sings the praise of ale as an incentive to literary labours:—
If with water you fill up your glasses, You’ll never write anything wise, For Ale is the horse of Parnassus Which hurries a bard to the skies.
The following curious lines, copied from a MS. in the Cottonian Library, indicate some other supplementary uses, or to speak more correctly, the unwished-for effects of the strong ale in which our forefathers indulged:—
Doll thi, doll, doll, doll this ale, dole, Ale mak many a man to have a doly poll. Ale mak many a mane to styk at a brere; Ale mak many a mane to ly in the myere; And ale mak many a mane to stombyl at a stone; Ale mak many a mane to dronken home; And ale mak many a mane to brek his tone; With doll.
Ale mak many a mane to draw hys knyfe; Ale mak many a mane to bet hys wyf. With doll.
Ale mak many a mane to wet hys chekes,
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Ale mak many a mane to stomble in the blokkis; Ale mak many a mane to mak hys hed have knokkes, And ale mak many a mane to syt in the stokkes. With doll.