subs. (old).—In general colloquial use: thus, OIL OF BARLEY (or BARLEY-BREE, -BROTH, -JUICE, -WATER, or -WINE) = (1) strong ale; and (2) = whisky (GROSE); BARLEY-ISLAND = an alehouse; JOHN BARLEY (or BARLEYCORN) = the personification of malt liquor: cf. proverb, ‘Sir John Barleycorn’s the strongest knight’; BARLEY-CAP = a tippler; BARLEY-MOOD (or SICK) = (1) drunk; and (2) = ill-humour caused by tippling; also TO HAVE (or WEAR) A BARLEY-HAT (-CAP, or -HOOD).

1

  c. 1500.  Colyn Blowbols Testament [HAZLITT, Remains of the Early Popular Poetry of England, I. 105].

        They that be manly in dronkenesse for to fyte,
Whan one ther hede is sett a BARLY-HATE.

2

  d. 1529.  SKELTON, The Tunnynge of Elynoure Rummynge, 372.

        And as she was drynkynge
She fyll in a wynkynge
Wyth a BARLY-HOOD.

3

  1593.  Bacchus Bountie [Harleian Miscellany (1809) II. 273]. The BARLEY-BROATH aboue all other, did beare away the bell, and … neither grape nor berry might be compared to the maiestie of the mault.

4

  1598.  E. GULPIN, Skialetheia (1878), 67. Some weeuil, mault-worme, BARLY-CAP.

5

  1611.  COTGRAVE, Dictionarie, s.v. Forbeu … pot-shotten, whose fudling or BARLEY CAP is on.

6

  c. 1620.  Pepysian Library. A pleasant new ballad … of the bloody murther of SIR JOHN BARLEYCORN [Title].

7

  1625.  J. HART, The Anatomie of Urines, I. v. 46. The women … are not so busie … with the strong BARLEY-WATER as our British women.

8

  c. 1640.  JOHN DAY, Peregrinatic Scholastica or Learninges Pilgrimage (1881), 72. Goeing to take in fresh water at the BARLIE ILAND.

9

  c. 1650.  The Bad Husband [COLLIER, Roxburghe Ballads (1847), 300].

        She’d tell me it was too early,
    or else it was too late,
Until by the OYL OF BARLEY
    they had gotten my whole estate.

10

  1679.  HEYWOOD [Yorkshire Diaries (Surtees), II. 262]. He never WORE a cap, unlesse it was a BARLEY-CAP.

11

  1725.  RAMSAY, The Gentle Shepherd, i. 2 [Works, II. 61].

        And may be, in his BARLICKHOODS, ne’er stick,
To lend his loving wife a loundering lick.

12

  1786.  BURNS, Scotch Drink, iii. JOHN BARLEY-CORN, Thou king o’grain. Ibid. xiii. How easy can the BARLEY-BREE Cement the quarrel.

13

  1727.  JOHN BARLEYCORN [PERCY, Reliques]. JOHN BARLEY-CORN has got a beard Like any other man.

14

  1790.  MORRISON, Poems, 151. (JAMIESON).

        When hame the husband comes just roarin’ fu’,
Nor can she please him IN HIS BARLIC MOOD.

15

  1805.  A. SCOTT, Poems, 51.

        When e’er they take their BARLEY-HOODS,
And heat of fancy fires their bludes.

16

  1884.  W. BLACK, Judith Shakespeare, xxxi. A cupful of BARLEY-BROTH will do thee no harm.

17