It ripens wit, exhillerates the mind, Makes friends of foes, and foes of friends full kind; It’s physical for old men, warms their blood, Its spirits makes the Coward’s courage good: The tatter’d Beggar being warmed with Ale, Nor rain, hail, frost, nor snow can him assail, He’s a good man with him can then compare, It makes a Prentise great as the Lord Mayor; The Labouring man, that toiles all day full sore, A pot of ale at night, doth him restore, {314} And makes him all his toil and paines forget, And for another day’s work, hee’s then fit. * * * * * “Oh the rare virtues of this Barly Broth; To rich and poor it’s Meat Drink and Cloth.” The Court here stopt him, and the Prince did say, “Where can we find this Nectar, I thee pray,” The boon good fellow answered, “I can tell, North Allerton in Yorkshire doth excell All England, nay all Europe for strong Ale, If thither we adjourn we shall not fail To taste such humming stuff, as, I dare say, Your Highness never tasted to this day.” Bacchus’ Court then adjourns to North Allerton, and imbibes the noble ale kept at Madame Bradley’s, with this result:— For arguments some were and learned discourses, Som talk’d of greyhounds, som of running horses, Som talk’d of hounds, and some of Cock o’ th game, Som nought but hawks, and setting dogs did name, Som talk’d of Battels, Sieges and great wars, And what great Wounds and cutts they had and scars, * * * * * Some there were all for drinking healths about, Others did rub the table with their Snout * * * * * Some broke the pipes, and round about them threw, Some smoak’d tobacco till their nose was blew. Some called for victuals others for a crust, Some op’d their Buttons and were like to bust, Som challeng’d all the people that were there And some with strange invented oaths did sweer, * * * * * Some fill’d the room with noise yet could not speak, One word of English, Latine, French and Greek * * * * * Some burnt their Hats, others the Windowes broke, Some cry’d more liquor we are like to choke, * * * * * {315} Lame gouty men did dance about so sprightly, A boy of fifteen scarce could skip so lightly, Old crampy Capts. that scarce a sword could draw, Swore now they’d keep the King of France in awe, And new commissions get to raise more men, For now they swore they were grown young again; Off went their Perriwigs, Coats and Rapers, Out went the candles, Noses for Tapers Serv’d to give light, while they did daunce around, Drinking full healthes with caps upon the ground: * * * * * This moved Bacchus presently to call For a great jug which held about five quarts, And filling to the Brim; come here my hearts Said he, wee’l drink about this merry health,