"Shaun aRe" > wrote in message
...
>
> "= . . = (EastneyEnder)" >
> wrote
> in message
> eddie.starr...
>> wrote:
>>
>> > Was watching a program on the Tudors (Period in the UK between 1458
>> > -1558). Due to the unsanitary conditions of the casual drinking water,
>> > people use to drink Ale (which is an alcoholic beverage) instead. King
>> > Henry 8 himself drank a pint of Ale for breakfast and even the lowest
>> > servents were allowed up to 6 pints (1 pint is 20fl oz or 0.6L) of Ale
>> > a day.
>> >
>>
>> It was called "small beer" and was very weak, like watered-down beer, &
>> barely alcoholic, otherwise they'd have been too drunk to do anything
> after
>> the first pint!
>>
>> Sue
>> Portsmouth, UK
>
> Aye, indeed!
>
> What's that (IIRC) Shakespeare line go like, life is too short for
> something
> and small beer? Or something similar!
>
*
I was curious enough to look it up. I found a couple other "small beer"
references, but this one seemed the best fit. -- Pablo
CADE: Be brave, then; for your captain is brave, and vows reformation. There
shall be in England seven halfpenny loaves sold for a penny: the
three-hooped pot shall have ten hoops and I will make it felony to drink
small beer.
2 Henry VI, IV, ii