Classic Poem

FIT THE THIRD

Instead of coin and money
Some bring─ù her a coney,
And some a pot with honey,
Some a salt, and some a spoon,
Some their hose, some their shoon;
Some run a good trot
With a skillet or a pot;
Some fill their pot full
Of good Lemster wool:
An housewife of trust,
When she is athirst,
Such a web can spin,
Her thrift is full thin.

Some go straight thither,
Be it slaty or slither:
They hold the highway,
They care not what men say,
Be that as be may.
Some, loth to be espied,
Start in at the back─ù-side
Over the hedge and pale,
And all for the good ale.
Some runn─ù till they sweat,
Bring with them malt or wheat,
And Dame Elinour entreat
To birle them of the best.

Then cometh another guest:
She sweareth by the rood of rest
Her lipp─ùs are so dry
Without drink she must die,
" Therefore fill it by and by,
And have here a peck of rye."

Anon cometh another,
As dry as the other,
And with her doth bring
Meal, salt, or other thing,
Her harvest girdle, her wedding-ring,
To pay for her scot
As cometh to her lot.
One bringeth her husband's hood
Because the ale is good;
Another brought her his cap
To offer to the ale-tap,
With flax and with tow;
And some brought sour dough
With " Hey" and with " Ho!
Sit we down a row,
And drink till we blow,
And pipe " Tirly Tirlow! " "

Some laid to pledge
Their hatchet and their wedge,
Their heckle and their reel,
Their rock, their spinning-wheel;
And some went so narrow
They laid to pledge their wharrow,
Their ribskin and their spindle,
Their needle and their thimble.
Here was scant thrift
When they made such shift.
Their thirst was so great
They asked never for meat,
But " Drink, still drink,
And let the cat wink!
Let us wash our gums
From the dry crumbs!"