Classic Poem

(i)

Come , come away, to the Tavern I say,
For now at home 'tis washing day;
Leave your prittle-prattle, and fill us a Pottle,
You are not so wise as Aristotle .
Drawer come away, let's make it holy day,
Anon, anon, anon, Sir, what is 't you say?

(ii)

Have you observ'd the wench in the street,
She 's scarce any Hose or Shoes to her feet,
Yet she is very merry, and when she cries she sings ,
I ha' hot Codlins, hot Codlins;
Or have you ever seen or heard
The mortal with a Lyon Tawny beard,
He lives as merrily as any heart can wish,
And still he cryes, buy a Brish, buy a Brish.
Since these are merry, why should we take care,
Musicians like Chameleons must live by the Ayre:
Then let 's be Blith and bonny, and no good meeting Baulk,
For when we have no money, we shall finde Chalk.

(iii)

Have you any work for a tinker, Mistris,
Old Brasse, old Pots, or Kettles, I'll mend them all
With a tink terry tink,
And never hurt your Mettles:
First let me have but a touch of your Ale, 'twill steel me against cold weather,
Or Tinkers Frees, or Vintners Lees, or Tobacco, chuse you whether:
But of your Ale, your nappy Ale, I would I had a Ferkin,
For I am old, and very very cold, and never wear a Jerkin.

(iv)

Three blind mice, three blind mice,
Dame Julian, Dame Julian,
The Miller and his merry old wife,
She scrap'd her tripe, lick thou the knife.

(v)

Wilt thou lend me thy mare to ride a mile?
No, she's lame going over a Stile.
But if thou wilt her to me spare,
Thou shalt have money for thy Mare.
Oh say ye so, say ye so,
Money will make my Mare to go,
Money will make my Mare to go.

(vi)

Why should not we all be merry,
Our Ale is as brown as a Berry?
What then should be the thing,
Should hinder us to sing
Hey down, derry down derry,
Hey down a down hey down derry.