a Christmas poem for all our readers!
I pray good beef and I pray good beer
This holy night of all the year,
But I pray detestable drink to them
That give no honour to Bethlehem.
May all good fellows that here agree
Drink audit ale in heaven with me,
And may all my enemies go to hell!
Noel! Noel! Noel! Noel!
May all my enemies go to hell!
Noel! Noel!
— Hilaire Belloc
Now that’s what I call dialogue!
Have a merry and all of that sort of thing, Alan.
— Noah Millman · Dec 24, 04:20 PM · #
I thought the el in No-el stood for the L-word. I.e. it means make your season bright by prohibiting Left-Liberals.
— The Reticulator · Dec 24, 10:11 PM · #
Merry Christmas to all, folks.
— Klug · Dec 25, 10:55 PM · #
What is the meaning of the word “audit” in the second stanza?
— David T · Dec 25, 11:27 PM · #
David T, in Ye Olden Dayes of England, the lord of the manor would have brewed a specially fine ale for “audit days,” the days when his tenants would come to pay their rents and other bills to him. Presumably this was to ease the pain of payment, but in any case, “audit ale” is the best of ales.
— Alan Jacobs · Dec 26, 02:56 PM · #
Belated Merry Christmas to you all. Bring on the audit ale!
— Joules · Dec 27, 03:41 AM · #