Chapter I: Front Matter

_The Curiosities_

OF

_Ale & Beer_:

An Entertaining History.

(_Illustrated with over Fifty Quaint Cuts._)

BY

John Bickerdyke.

In Part collected by the late J. G. FENNELL;
now largely augmented with manifold matters of singular note and
worthy memory by the Author and his friend J. M. D——.

LONDON: SWAN SONNENSCHEIN & Co., PATERNOSTER SQUARE.

1889.

PRINTED BY CHAS. STRAKER AND SONS, BISHOPSGATE AVENUE, LONDON; AND REDHILL.

_Dedicated_

TO THE

_Brewers of the United Kingdom_

AND ALL WHO VALUE

_Honest Malt Liquor_.

_PREFACE._

That the history and curiosities of Ale and Beer should fill a bulky volume, may be a subject for surprise to the unthinking reader; and that surprise will probably be intensified, on his learning that great difficulty has been experienced in keeping this book within reasonable limits, and at the same time doing anything like justice to the subject. Since the dawn of our history Barley-wine has been the “naturall drinke” for an “Englysshe man,” and has had no unimportant influence on English life and manners. It is, therefore, somewhat curious that up to the present, among the thousands of books published annually, no comprehensive work on the antiquities of ale and beer has found place.

Some years ago this strange neglect of so excellent a theme was observed by the late John Greville Fennell, best known as a contributor to _The Field_, and who, like “John of the Dale,” was a “lover of ale.” With him probably originated the idea of filling this void in our literature. As occasion offered he made extracts from works bearing on the subject, and in time amassed a considerable amount of material, which was, however, devoid of arrangement. Old age overtaking him before he was able to commence writing his proposed book, he asked me to undertake that which from failing health he was unable to accomplish. To this I assented, and at the end of some months had prepared a complete scheme of the book, with the materials for each chapter carefully grouped. That arrangement, for which I am responsible, has, with a few slight modifications, been carefully adhered to. The work did not then proceed further, as to carry out my scheme a large amount of additional matter, from sources not then available, was required. A few months later my friend was taken seriously ill, and, finding his end approaching, directed that on his decease all papers connected with the book should be placed at my disposal. His death seems to render a statement of our respective shares in the book desirable.

When able to resume work on the book, with the object of hastening its publication, I obtained the assistance of my friend, Mr. J. M. D——. By the collection of fresh matter, in amplification of that already arranged, and the addition of several new features, we have considerably increased the scope of the work, and, it is to be hoped, added to its attractiveness. To my friend’s researches in the City of London and other Records is due the bringing to light of many curious facts, so far as I am aware, never before noticed. He has also rendered me great assistance in those portions of the book in which the antiquities of the subject are specially treated.

The illustrations have been in most part taken from rare old works. As any smoothing away of defects in such relics of the past would be deemed by many an offence against the antiquarian code of morality, they have been reproduced in exact fac-simile, and will no doubt appeal to those interested in the art of the early engraver, and amuse many with their quaintness.

As aptly terminating the chapter devoted to an account of the medicinal qualities of ale and beer, I have ventured to enter upon a short consideration of the leading teetotal arguments. In extending their denunciations to ale and beer drinkers, the total abstainers are, in my opinion, working a very grievous injury on the labouring classes, who for centuries have found the greatest benefit from the use of malt liquors. Barley-broth should be looked upon as _the_ temperance drink of the people or, in other words, the drink of the temperate.

I have gratefully to acknowledge the kindness and courtesy accorded me during the preparation of this work by the authorities of the British Museum, by Dr. Sharpe, Records Clerk of the City of London, by Mr. Higgins, Clerk of the Brewers’ Company, and by several eminent brewers and a large number of correspondents.

JOHN BICKERDYKE.

_CONTENTS._

CHAPTER I.

Suppression of Beer-shops in Egypt 2,000 B.C. — Brewing in a Teapot. — Ale Songs. — Distinctions between Ale and Beer. — Ale-Knights’ objection to Sack. — Hogarth and Temperance. — Importance of Ale to the Agricultural Labourer. — Sir John Barleycorne introduced to the Reader . . . 1

CHAPTER II.

Origin and Antiquity of Ale and Beer . . . 25

CHAPTER III.

Home-brewed Ales. — Old Receipts. — Historical Facts. — Dean Swift on Home-brew. — Christopher North’s Brew-house . . . 45

CHAPTER IV.

Use and Importance of Hops in Beer: Their Introduction and History. — Hop-growers’ Troubles. — Medicinal Qualities. — Economical Uses. — Hop-pickers . . . 65

CHAPTER V.

Ancient and Curious Laws relating to the manufacture and sale of Ale and Beer . . . 96

CHAPTER VI.

Brewing and Malting in Early Times. — The Ale-wives. — The Brewers of Old London and the Brewers’ Company. — Anecdotes. — Quaint Epitaphs . . . 120

CHAPTER VII.

Various Kinds of Ales and Beers. — Some Foreign Beers. — Receipts. — Songs. — Anecdotes . . . 151

CHAPTER VIII.

Ale houses: Their Origin. — Hospitality in Mediæval Times. — Old London Inns and Taverns. — Anecdotes of Inns and Inn-keepers. — Curious Signs. — Signboard and Ale-house Verses. — Signboard Artists. — Ale-house Songs and Catches . . . 182

CHAPTER IX.

Ancient Merry-makings, Feasts and Ceremonies peculiar to certain Seasons, at which Ale was the principal Drink. — Harvest Home, Sheep-shearing, and other songs . . . 232

CHAPTER X.

The Ales. — Ale at Breakfast. — Bequests of Ale. — Drinking Customs. — A Sermon on Malt. — Excesses of the Clergy. — Anecdotes . . . 266

CHAPTER XI.

Old Ballads, Songs and Verses relating to Ale and Beer . . . 294

CHAPTER XII.

Brewing in the Present Day. — Anecdotal and Biographical Account of some representative London, Dublin, Burton and Country Brewing Firms. — Edinburgh Ales . . . 331

CHAPTER XIII.

Porter and Stout. — Circumstances which led to their Introduction. — Value to the Working Classes. — Anecdotes. — “A Pot of Porter Oh!” . . . 365