THE PRAISE OF ALE;
Reading edition
or, Songs, Ballads, Epigrams, and Anecdotes relating to Beer, Malt, and Hops.
Collected and arranged by W. T. Marchant.
Contents:—Introduction.—History.—Cards and Wassail Songs.—Church Ales and Observances.—Whitsun Ales.—Political.—Harvest.—General.—Barley and Malt.—Hops.—Scotch Songs.—Local and Dialect.—Trade Songs.—Oxford Songs.—Ale Wives.—Brewers.—Drinking Clubs and Customs.—Royal and Noble Drinkers.—Black Beer.—Drinking Vessels.—Warm Ale.—Facts, Scraps, and Ana.
The volume will contain much curious and out-of-the-way information, embracing a short sketch of the rise and progress of the art of brewing in this country; an account of the laws relating to beer, and the statutes against drunkenness; of the manners and customs of “malt worms” and mug-house clubs; and the obsolete phraseology of “toss-pots,” such as “super-nagulum,” “upsee-freeze,” “shoeing horns,” and “carousing the hunter’s hoop.” The author will pay attention to the drinking customs more or less connected with the Church—Whitsun Ales, Bride Ales, Bride Bush, Bride Wain, and the like; the chants of the wassail-bowl, of the Hock Cart, and the Sheepshearing and Harvest Home rejoicings—
“Here’s a health to the Barley mow, brave boys, Here’s a health to the Barley mow”—
and Brazenose songs in honour of the brew for which that college is renowned. Then there are lyrics pertaining to particular sorts and conditions of men, as the songs of the threshers and tinkers, sailors and soldiers, and the clubs, which may be considered as forming a class of themselves. This work will doubtless prove a valuable and pleasant addition to the library of the student of history and lover of poetry.
Printed on Whatman’s hand-made paper at the Chiswick Press, price 1s.