A New Droll

From the Loyal Garland, 1686.  Edited by J. O. Halliwell.

Come let’s drink, the time invites,
   Winter and cold weather;
For to spend away long nights,
   And to keep good wits together.
Better far than cards or dice,
Isaac’s balls are quaint device,
   Made up with fan and feather.

Of strange actions on the seas
   Why should we be jealous?
Bring us liquor that will please,
   And will make us braver fellows
Than the bold Venetian fleet,
When the Turks and they do meet
   Within their Dardanellos.

Valentian, that famous town,
   Stood the French man’s wonder;
Water they employ’d to drown,
   So to cut their troops assunder;
Turein gave a helpless look,
While the lofty Spaniard took
   La Ferta and his plunder.

As for water, we disclaim
   Mankind’s adversary;
Once it caused the world’s whole frame
   In the deluge to miscarry;
And that enemy of joy
Which sought our freedom to destroy
   And murder good Canary.

We that drink have no such thoughts,
   Black and void of reason:
We take care to fill our vaults
   With good wine of every season;
And with many a chirping cup
We blow one another up,
   And that’s our only treason.

Hear the squibs and mind the bells,
   The fifth of November;
The parson a sad story tells,
   And with horror doth remember
How some hot-brain’d traitor wrought
Plots that would have ruin brought
   To King and every member.