All about coffeeUkers, William H. (William Harrison)
History
All about coffee
Ukers, William H. (William Harrison)
Coffee; Coffee Industry; Drinking customs
Gives him a nod, and speaks him thus,
Hold brother, I know your intent,
That's no dispute convenient
For this same place, truths seldome find
Acceptance here, they'r more confin'd
To _Taverns_ and to _Ale-house_ liquor,
Where men do vent their minds more quicker
If that may for a truth but pass
What's said, _In vino veritas_.
With that up starts the _Country Clown_,
And stares about with threatening frown.
As if he would even eat them all up.
Then bids the boy run quick and call up,
A _Constable_, for he has reason
To fear their Latin may be _treason_
But straight they all call what's to pay,
Lay't down, and march each several way.
THE COMPANY
At th' other table sits a Knight,
And here _a grave old man_ ore right
Against his _worship_, then perhaps
That _by_ and _by_ a _Drawer_ claps
His bum close by them, there down squats
_A dealer in old shoes and hats_;
And here withouten any panick
Fear, dread or care a bold _Mechanick_.
HEIR DISCOURSE
The _Knight_ (because he's so) he prates
Of matters far beyond their pates.
_The grave old man_ he makes a bustle,
And his wise sentence in must justle.
Up starts th' _Apprentice boy_ and he
Says boldly so and so't must be.
_The dealer in old shoes to_ utter
His saying too makes no small sputter.
Then comes the pert _mechanick blade_,
And contradicts what all have said.
* * * * *
There by the fier-side doth sit,
One freezing in an _Ague_ fit.
Another poking in't with th' tongs,
Still ready to cough up his lungs
Here sitteth one that's melancolick,
And there one singing in a frolick.
Each one hath such a prety gesture,
At Smithfield fair would yield a tester.
Boy reach a pipe cries he that shakes,
The songster no Tobacco takes,
Says he who coughs, nor do I smoak,
Then _Monsieur Mopus_ turns his cloak
Off from his face, and with a grave
Majestick beck his pipe doth crave.
They load their guns and fall a smoaking
Whilst he who coughs sits by a choaking,
Till he no longer can abide.
And so removes from th' fier side.
Now all this while none calls to drink,
Which makes the _Coffee boy_ to think
Much they his pots should so enclose,
He cannot pass but tread on toes.
With that as he the _Nectar_ fills
From pot to pot, some on't he spills
Upon the _Songster_. Oh cries he.
Pox, what dost do? thou'st burnt my knee;
No says the boy, (to make a bald
And blind excuse.) _Sir 'twill not scald_.
With that the man lends him a cuff
O' th' ear, and whips away in snuff.
The other two, their pipes being out,
Says _Monsieur Mopus_ I much doubt
My friend I wait for will not come,
But if he do, say I'm gone home.
Then says the _Aguish man_ I must come
According to my wonted custome,
To give ye' a visit, although now
I dare not drink, and so _adieu_.
The boy replies, O Sir, however
You'r very welcome, we do never
Our _Candles_, _Pipes_ or _Fier_ grutch
To daily customers and such,
They'r _Company_ (without expence,)
For that's sufficient recompence.
Here at a table all alone,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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