Carols in Praise of Alr.
DURING the continuance of the Christmas banquet, there is no doubt
but that a class of Carols were sung, either by the assembled company
or by the attendant minstrels, having, for their subject matter, neither
reference to the religious origin of the festival, nor to any of the particu-
lar ceremonies connected therewith. The following racy drinking songs
we may presume to have been of the number, and doubtless they have
oftentimes been chaunted forth from the stentorian lungs of many a
jovial tippling crew, during the pauses which took place in the serving
of the feast. The first one is taken from a manuscript of the commence-
ment of the sixteenth century in the British Museum," and is there
intituled, " A Christenmesse Carroll.” The others have been extracted
from the reprint by Mr. Wright, of the ancient manuscript in his own
possession, before alluded to.

BONE, God wot!

Sticks in my throat-
Without I have a draught

Of cornie ale,

Nappy and stale,
My life lies in great waste.

Some ale or beer,

Gentle butler,
Some liquor thou us show,

Such as you mash

Our throats to wash,

The best were that you brew. • MS. Cott. Vesp. A, xxv., fol. 168, ro.

Saint, master, and knight,

That Saint Malt hight,
Were pressed between two stones;

The sweet humour

Of his liquor
Would make us sing at once.

Master Wortley,

I dare well say,
I tell you as I think,

Would not, I say,

Bid us this day,
But that we should have drink.

Ilis men so tall

Walk up his hall,
With many a comely dish ;

Of his good meat

I cannot eat,
Without I drink, I wis.

Now give us drink,

And let cat wink,
I tell you all at once,

It sticks so sore,

I may sing no more,
Till I have drunken once.

II.

--

RING us in good ale, and bring us in good ale ;
For our blessed Lady's sake, bring us in good ale.

in

Bring us in no brown bread, for that is made of bran ;
Nor bring us in no white bread, for that is only grain ;

But bring us in good ale.

Bring us in no beef, for there are many bones;
But bring us in good ale, for that goes down at once ;

Then bring us in good ale.

Bring us in no bacon, for that is passing fat;
But bring us in good ale, and give us enough of that ;

So bring us in good ale.

Bring us in no mutton, for that is often lean ;
Nor bring us in no tripes, for they be seldom clean ;

But bring us in good ale.

Bring us in no eggs, for there be many shells ;
But bring us in good ale, and give us nothing else ;

Then bring us in good ale.

Bring us in no butter, for therein are many hairs;
Nor bring us in no pig's flesh, for that will make us boars ;

But bring us in good ale.

Bring us in no puddings, for they're not over good;
Nor bring us in no venison, for that suits not our blood ;

But bring us in good ale.

Bring us in no capon’s flesh, for that is often dear;
Nor bring us in no ducks' flesh, for they slobber in the mere;

But bring us in good ale.

Good ale, however, like most other things when taken in excess, is attended by certain inconveniences, as the following song, which forms an appropriate moral to the two preceding ones, will serve to explain.

ALE makes many a man to stick at a brier;
Ale makes many a man to lie in the mire;
And ale makes many a man to sleep by the fire-

With dole. *

Ale makes many a man to stumble at a stone;
Ale makes many a man to go drunken home;
And ale makes many a man to break his bone-

With dole.

Ale makes many a man to draw his knife;
Ale makes many a man to cause great strife ;
And ale makes many a man to beat his wife-

With dole.

Ale makes many a man to wet his cheeks;
Ale makes many a man to lie in the streets;
And ale makes many a man to perform strange feats-

With dole.

Ale makes many a man to stumble at the blocks ;t
Ale makes many a man to give his head hard knocks;
And ale makes many a man to sit in the stocks,

With dole.

Ale makes many a man reel over the fallows;
Ale makes many a man to swear by God and All-hallows;
And ale makes many a man to hang upon the gallows-

With dole.

• Grief,

+ Probably alluding to the “horse blocks,” or “mounting stones," then common in every market-place, and at the door of every ale-house.