The Brewers Answer;
Or, Their Vindication, against those Aspersions that hath been put upon them
concerning the Double Excise.
To the Tune of, The Orange.
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IF in this present Reign, the War to maintain,
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A Tax it is laid upon Liquor of Grain,
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Why shou'd People hault, to find out a fault,
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Which none can discern, if it lie in the Mault,
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or the Brewers.
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Our Credit to stain, much pains hath been ta'en,
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But justly to ballance our losses with gain,
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They do not intend, but this is their end,
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Which way that the Rabble may us most offend,
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slighted Brewers.
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What was the intent, of the good Parliament,
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We will not dispute, if you'll give your consent
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But a little to stay, and hear what we say,
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Before that you thus your aspersions do lay
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on the Brewers.
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Mault cheap is, we hear, but Coals they are dear,
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Which adds very much to the charge of our Beer:
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How soon each may rise, we cannot devise,
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Yet both must be paid for, besides this Excise,
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by the Brewers.
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Let us Brew when we will, our Coppers and Mill,
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Besides the first cost, they are chargeable still;
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On Sundays we work, like Pagan or Turk,
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And yet e'ry Draggle-tayl must give a jerk
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to the brewers.
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Our Horses are stout, or they could not hold out,
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And many fair pounds on them we lay out;
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If they happen to dye, some more we must buy,
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Which oft comes to pass, the Purse-strings for to try
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of the brewers.
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By Night and by Day, they eat Corn and Hay,
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Besides we must then buy our Harness and Dray;
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Both which for to mend, our Money we spend,
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Which to lessen the profit doth very much tend,
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of the brewers.
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All this much doth add, to make our case sad,
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Our Servants great wages, besides, make us mad,
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Whom with much to do, from Press-masters Crew,
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We can hardly preserve, yet must pay Taxes too.
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slighted brewers.
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Some strain all their wits, to run in our Debts,
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And when they do break, say it is for the betts;
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By cunning and slight, on'th'Evenining take flight,
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Carry Drink to the Mint, and bid Landlord Good-Night,
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and the brewer.
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Our losses and crosses are much many more,
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Then we can remember, or knew of before;
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Besides many rubbs, we meet with base snubbs,
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If we give not Barrels to make Ale-Wives Tubbs,
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and our Firkins.
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Besides this Excise, how our Charges do rise,
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You plainly may see, if you open your Eyes;
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That it is not this thing, which such profit doth bring,
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For this Tax it surely was made for the King,
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not the brewers.
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FINIS.
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