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 caseTo 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.
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