The ftout and ever-thirsty duke
A vow to God did make,
His pleasure within Cumberland
Three live-long nights to take.

Sir Mufgrave too of Martindale,
A true and worthy knight,
Eftfoon with him a bargain made,
In drinking to delight.

The bumpers fwiftly pafs about,
Six in a hand went round;

And with their calling for more wine,
They made the hall refound.

Now when these merry tidings reach'd
The earl of Harolds ears,

And am I (quoth he, with an oath)
Thus flighted by my peers?

Saddle my fteed, bring forth my boots,
I'll be with them right quick;
And, mafter fheriff, come you too;
We'll know this fcurvy trick.

Lo! yonder doth earl Harold come;
(Did one at table fay ;)

'Tis well, replied the mettled duke, How will he get away?

When thus the earl began, great duke,

I'll know how this did chance,

Without inviting me, fure this
You did not learn in France.
E 2

Qne

One of us two, for this offence,
Under the board shall lie;

I know thee well, a duke thou art,
So fome years hence shall I.

But, trust me, Wharton, pity it were,
So much good wine to spill,
As these companions here may drink,
Ere they have had their fill.

Let thou and I, in bumpers full,
This grand affair decide;
Accurs'd be he, duke Wharton said,
By whom it is denied.

To Andrews, and to Hotham fair,
Many a pint went round,
And many a gallant gentleman
Lay fick upon the ground.

When, at the laft, the duke efpied
He had the earl fecure ;

He plied him with a full pint glass,
Which laid him on the floor.

Who never spoke more words than these,
After he downward sunk,
My worthy friends, revenge my fall,
Duke Wharton fees me drunk.

Then, with a groan, duke Philip took
The fick man by the joint,

And faid, earl Harold, 'ftead of thee,
Would I had drunk the pint.

Alack!

Alack! my very heart doth bleed,

And doth within me fink, For furely a more fober earl Did never swallow drink.

With that the sheriff, in a rage,

To fee the earl fo fmit,

Vow'd to revenge the dead-drunk

peer

Upon renown'd fir Kit,

Then flepp'd a gallant 'fquire forth,
Of visage thin and pale,

Lloyd was his name, and of Gang-Hall,

Faft by the river Swale.

Who faid he would not have it told,

Where Eden river ran,

That unconcern'd he should fit by;

So, fheriff, I'm your man.

Now when these tidings reach'd the room,

Where the duke lay in bed,

How that the 'fquire fuddenly
Upon the floor was laid.

O heavy tidings! (quoth the duke).
Cumberland witness be,

I have not any toper more,
Of fuch account as he.

Like tidings to earl Thanet came,
Within as short a space,

How that the under-fheriff too
Was fallen from his place.
E 3

Now

Now God be with him (faid the earl)

Sith 'twill no better be,

I truft I have within my town,
As drunken knights as he.

Of all the number that were there,
Sir Bains he fcorn'd to yield;
But with a bumper in his hand,
He ftagger'd o'er the field.

Thus did this dire contention end;
And each man of the flain
Were quickly carried off to bed,
Their fenfes to regain.

God blefs the king, the duchefs fat,
And keep the land in peace,
And grant that drunkenness henceforth
'Mong noblemen may ceafe.

And likewife blefs our royal prince,

The nations other hope,

And give us grace for to defy
The Devil and the Pope.

COM

SONG XLVI.

OME, come, my hearts of gold,
Let us be merry and wife,

It is a proverb of old,

Sufpicion has double eyes:

Whatever

Whatever we fay or do,

Let's not drink to disturb the brain,

Let's laugh for an hour or two,

And ne'er be drunk again.

A cup of old fack is good,

To drive the cold winter away;
'Twill cherish and comfort the blood
Moft when a mans fpirits decay:

But he that drinks too much,
Of his head he will complain
Then let's have a gentle touch,
And ne'er be drunk again.

Good claret was made for man,
But man was not made for it;
Let's be merry as we can,

So we drink not away our wit;
Good fellowship is abus'd,

And wine will infect the brain;
But we'll have it better us'd,
And ne'er be drunk again.

When with good fellows we meet,
A quart among three or four,
'Twill make us ftand on our feet,

While others lie drunk on the floor.
Then, drawer, go fill us a quart,
And let it be claret in grain;

"Twill cherish and comfort the heart,

But we'll ne'er be drunk again.