Classic Poem

I

When winterly weather doth pierce to the skin,
Then hey! for a bottle of wine from the bin;
And hey! for a tankard, and ho! for a tankard,
Sing ho! for a tankard of ale at the inn.
 It's hey! for a bottle, it's ho! for a bottle,
 Sing ho! for a bottle of wine from the bin;
 And it's hey! for a tankard, it's ho! for a tankard,
 Sing ho! for a tankard of ale at the inn.

II

The squire's at the Hall with his kith and his kin;
He'll drink like a hero till daylight begin,
With hey! for a bottle, with ho! for a bottle,
A mellow old bottle of wine from the bin.
 Sing hey! for a bottle, a mellow old bottle,
 Sing ho! for a bottle of wine from the bin,
 And sing hey! for a tankard, a right flowing tankard,
 Sing ho! for a tankard of ale at the inn.

III

The parson, God bless him, he says it's no sin,
When winterly weather hath made the blood thin,
To toss off a tankard, to toss off a tankard,
To toss off a tankard of ale at the inn.
 So it's hey! for a bottle, a bottle, a bottle,
 It's ho! for a bottle of wine from the bin,
 And it's hey! for a tankard, a heart-easing tankard,
 It's ho! for a tankard of ale at the inn.

IV

For duns and the devil he cares not a pin
Who is rich in a bottle of wine from his bin,
And the cream of all wisdom is quaffed from a tankard,
A heart-easing tankard of ale at the inn.
 Then hey! for a bottle, a mellow old bottle,
 Then ho! for a bottle of wine from the bin,
 And hey! for a tankard, a fair foaming tankard,
 And ho! for a tankard of ale at the inn.

V

The lads must have lasses and woo them, and win,
And the business of wives is to bake and to spin,
But men love a tankard, but men love a tankard,
But men love a tankard of ale at the inn.
 Then hey! for a bottle, then ho! for a bottle,
 Sing ho! for a bottle of wine from the bin,
 And it's hey! for a tankard, a tankard, a tankard,
 And ho! for a tankard of ale at the inn.