And lying in this danger deep, for feare that he should quarrell, They tooke him straight out of the fat and tunn’d him in a barrell. And then they set a tap to him, even thus his death begun, They drew out every dram of blood, whilst any drop would run. {300} Some brought jacks, upon their backes, some brought bill and bow, And every man his weapon had Barly-corne to overthrow. When Sir John Good-ale heard of this, he came with mickle might, And there he tooke their tongues away, their legs, or else their sight. And thus Sir John in each respect, so paid them all their hire, That some lay sleeping by the way, some tumbling in the mire. Some lay groning by the wals, some in the streets downe right, The best of them did scarcely know what they had done ore-night. All you good wives that brew good Ale, God turne from you all teene, But if you put too much water in the devill put out your eyne! “Printed for John Wright and are to be sold at his Shop in Guilt Spurre Street at the sign of the Bible.” Another version commences:— There were two brothers liv’d under yon hill, As it might be you and I; And one of them did solemnly swear That Sir John Barley-corn should die. Burns’ ballad commences:— There went three Kings into the East, Three Kings both great and high, And they have sworn a solemn oath John Barleycorn should die, {301} and ends— Then let us toast John Barleycorn, Each man a glass in hand, And may his great posterity Ne’er fail in old Scotland. Burns, no doubt, founded his ballad on the West Country _Sir John Barleycorn_, which, according to Robert Bell, in his annotated edition of ancient ballads, can set up a better claim to antiquity than any copy in the _Roxburghe Collection_. It commences thus:— There came three men out of the West Their victory to try; And they have taken solemn oath, Poor Barleycorn should die. This, by the way, reads like the origin of a teetotal movement. Printed on the same sheet as the _Sir John Barley-corne_ of the _Roxburghe Collection_ is another old ballad of probably the same date, the author of which is unknown. It has no illustration, and is entitled:— A new Ballad for you to looke on, How mault doth deale with everyone. * * * * * To the tune of _Triumph and Joy_. * * * * *