Ale is Physic

In walking past a doctor's house at the top of Newton Ee,
Twas there I got a sudden stop and gan be feared to dee,
Me hand shook like an aspen leaf, I shivered [dithered ?]/ in me shoon,
It seemed as dark as twelve at neet tho' twere but twelve at noon,

I thowt I saw the gallows tree where yon cock thief were hung
And that Owd Nick were chasin me and there he'd have me hung,
I groped me way to t'doctor's door and there I tumbled down,
The flewer it gave me such a stroke it welly broke me crown.

Now what were doctor thinking of to bring to mesel',
To save a sick and dying man so feared of death and knell [death an' 'ell],
He brought no lance, he brought no draught that quickens or that soothes,
But brought a glass of home brewed ale as had come from Willy Booth's.

He placed it in me wackerin' hand that were so pale and thin,
I swiped it down all in one draught and I've never ailed nowt since.


Ale is physic, ale is physic, ale is physic for me….

This is all I can remember off the top of me head, so if you can get hold of Deep Lancashire, it might help you translate the very rich dialect.

Newton Ee is presumably Newton Heath Welly = verily Wackerin = shaking ??? = some part of door or doorstep which escapes an ailing memory

Hope all this helps.

Chris Nixon

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