Ale mak many a mane to ryne over the falows; Ale mak a mane to swere by God and alhalows And ale mak many a mane to hang upon the galows. With doll.
A strange use of good liquor was that which anciently prevailed of partly intoxicating criminals before execution. The ladies of Jerusalem used to provide such a potion, consisting of frankincense and wine. There is a curious similarity between this custom and the old practice of giving to condemned men on their way to Tyburn Tree, a great bowl of ale as their last earthly refreshment. It is stated in Hone’s Year Book that a court on the south side of the High Street, St. Giles’, derives its name of Bowl Yard from the circumstance of criminals on their way to execution being presented with a bowl of ale at the Hospital of St. Giles. Different maxims came ultimately to prevail in reference to this matter, and we are told that Lord Ferrers, when on his way to execution in 1760, for the murder of his land steward, was denied his request for some wine and water, the Sheriff stating that he was sorry to be obliged to refuse his lordship, but by recent regulations they were enjoined not to let prisoners drink when going to execution, as great indecencies had been frequently committed in these cases, through the criminals becoming intoxicated. The old saying that the “Saddler of Bawtry was hanged for leaving his liquor,” arose from the following circumstances: Being sick at heart from his impending death, the Saddler refused the bowl of ale offered him on his way to the gallows. One minute after the poor fellow’s last struggle his reprieve arrived, so that had he but tarried to drink the ale he had been saved.
Very different was the fortune of the Tinkler who had the good luck to meet
——King Jamie, the first of our throne A pleasanter monarch sure never was known.
The little incident is best told in the words of the old ballad:—
As he (the King) was a hunting the swift fallow deer, He dropped all his nobles; and when he got clear, {406} In hope of some pastime away he did ride Till he came to an ale-house, hard by a wood side.
And there with a Tinkler he happened to meet, And him in kind sort he so freely did greet: “Pray thee, good fellow, what hast in thy jug, Which under thy arm thou dost lovingly hug?”
“By the mass!” quoth the Tinkler, “it’s nappy brown ale, And for to drink to thee, friend, I will not fail; For although thy jacket looks gallant and fine, I think my twopence as good as is thine.”
“By my soul! honest fellow, the truth thou has spoke,” And straight he sat down with the Tinkler to joke; They drank to the King and they pledged to each other; Who’d seen ’em had thought they were brother and brother.
In their merry conversation the Tinkler remarks that the King is on the border chasing deer, and that he would much like to see a King. James immediately says he will show him one, if he will but mount behind him. This the Tinkler does, “with his sack, his budget of leather and tools at his back.” Doubts arising in his mind as to how he shall recognise the King, James tells him,