Barleycorn
Sir John, a humorous personification of malt liquor. The expression is one of considerable antiquity. Various poets tried a hand at the ballad of Sir John. That by Burns is the best:
There was three Kings into the east,
Three Kings both great and high,
And they hae sworn a solemn oath
John Barleycorn should die.
Three Kings both great and high,
And they hae sworn a solemn oath
John Barleycorn should die.
They took a plough and plough'd him down,
Put clods upon his head,
And they hae sworn a solemn oath
John Barleycorn was dead.
Put clods upon his head,
And they hae sworn a solemn oath
John Barleycorn was dead.
But the cheerfu' Spring came kindly on,
And show'rs began to fall;
John Barleycorn got up again,
And sore surpris'd them all.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
John Barleycorn was a hero bold,
Of noble enterprise,
For if you do but taste his blood,
'Twill make your courage rise.
And show'rs began to fall;
John Barleycorn got up again,
And sore surpris'd them all.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
John Barleycorn was a hero bold,
Of noble enterprise,
For if you do but taste his blood,
'Twill make your courage rise.
Volume I · Aiton’s Encyclopedia