And Tyb my wife, that, as her lyfe, Loveth well good ale to seeke, Full oft drynkes shee, tyll ye may see The teares run downe her cheeke. Then doth she trowle to me the bowle, Even as a mault-worme sholde, And sayth, sweete harte, I took my parte Of this joly good ale and olde. _Chorus._ Backe and syde go bare, go bare, etc. Now let them drynke, tyll they nod and winke, Even as goode fellowes sholde doe, They shall not mysse to have the blisse Good ale doth bring men to; And all poore soules that have scowred bowles, Or have them lustily trolde, God save the lives of them and their wives, Whether they be yonge or olde. _Chorus._ Backe and syde go bare, go bare, etc.[96] Is there any wonder that his ‘stomacke was not good’? Imagine some of his successors in that See having composed it! Fancy the author of ‘Glory to Thee, my God, this night’ (Bishop Ken), having written it! Mark, too, the insinuation of the fourth line as to the clergy of the period! The authorship is vouched for by Thomas Park. The song begins the second act of ‘Gammer Gurton’s Needle,’ a comedy written in 1551, and acted at Christ’s College, Cambridge. Warton mentions that in the title of the old edition it is said to have been written ‘by Mr. S., Master of Artes.’ Which, being interpreted is, Still; _afterwards_ Bishop of Bath and Wells. It was about this time that that pernicious habit arose of _transacting business_ over drink. We find constant allusions in the Tudor period to the principal men of the boroughs in this manner concluding a bargain. Thus we find an entry of Mr. William Tudbold, Mayor of Lyme, 1551, to this effect:--‘_Item_, paid at Robert Davey’s when we new agreed with Whytte the mason, vi d.’ These taverns were some of them kept by the clergy. Bishop Burnet states that so pillaged were the ecclesiastics of their property, that many clergymen were obliged for a subsistence to turn carpenters or tailors, and some kept ale-houses. Hitherto there had been no civil legislation whatever against drunkenness. The crime is not mentioned in the Statute Book till the fifth year of Edward VI. From this time we shall find a number of statutes framed for the purpose of its prevention or punishment.