Ale mak many a man to styke at a brere

Words and Music: Traditional English

 

See: Ale Makes Many A Man To Stick At A Brier (Vizetelly, 1851)

Source: Thomas Wright, Songs and Carols Now First Printed, From a Manuscript of the Fifteenth Century (London: The Percy Society, 1847), Song #66, printed verbatim from a manuscript probably owned by a professional musician, and apparently written in the latter half of the fifteenth century, circa 1471-1485.

    Doll thi ale, dol, dol thi ale, dole,
    Ale mak many a mane to have a doty poll.

Ale mak many a man to styke at a brere;
Ale mak many a mane to ly in the myere;
And ale mak many a mane to slep by the fyere;
            With doll.

Ale mak many a mane to stombyl at a stone;
Ale mak many a man to go dronken home;
And ale mak many a mane to brek hys tone;
            With doll.

Ale mak many a mane to draw hys knyfe;
Ale mak many a mane to mak gret stryfe;
And ale mak many a mane to bet hys wyf;
            With dole.

Ale mak many a mane to wet hys chekes;
Ale mak many a man to ly in the stretes;
And ale mak many a man to wet hys shetes;
            With dole.

Ale mak many a mane to stombyll at the blokkes;
Ale mak many a mane to make his hed have knokkes;
And ale mak many a man to syt in the stokkes;
            With dol.

Ale mak many a mane to ryne over the falows;
Ale mak many a mane to swere by God and alhalows;
And ale make many a mane to hang upon the galows;
            With doll.

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