FRIAR AND THE BOY.  

THere dwelled a man in my Country,  
Who in his life had wives three,   

A blessing full of joy:  
●y his first wife a child he had,  
Which was a pretty sturdy Lad,   

A good unhappy Boy.  
●is father loved him very well,  
But his stepmother never a deal;   

I tell you as I think.  
●ll things she thought lost, by the Rood,  
Which might the boy do any good,   

As either meat or drink.  
●nd yet, I wis, it was but bad,  
●or half enough thereof he had,   

But ever more the worst,  
●nd therefore evil might she far,  
That wrought the little boy such care,   

So farforth as she durst.  
Into the man the wife 'gan say,  
● would ye put this boy away,   

And that right soon in haste:  
Truly he is a wicked Lad,  
● would some other man him had   

That would him better chaste.  
Then said the good man: Dame, not so,  
● will not let the young boy go,   

he's but of tender age:  
●e shall with me this year abide,  
Till he be grown more strong and tried,   

For to win better wage.  
We have a man, a sturdy Lout,  
Who keeps our Neat the fields about,   

And sleepeth all the day:  
He shall bide home, as God me shield,  
And jack shall pass into the field,   

To keep them, if he may.  
●en said the wife: In veriment,  
Husband, thereto I give consent.   

For that I think it need,  
On the morrow when it was day,  
The little boy went on his way,   

Towards the fields with speed:  
Of no man took he any cure.  
But sung, Hay ho, away the mure,   

With mirth he did pursue.  
Forward he drew with wight and main  
Until he came amidst the plain,   

And then his dinner drew.  
But when he saw it was so bad,  
Full little list thereto he had,   

And put it up from sight,  
Saying: He had no will to taste,  
And that his hunger still should last,   

Till he came home at night,  
Now as the boy sat on an hill,  
There came an old man him until,   

Was walking by the way:  
Who said: My son, now God thee see  
Full welcome Father, may ye be,   

The little boy did say.  
The old man said: I hunger sore,  
●ack, hast thou any meat in store,   

Which thou mayest give to me.  
The boy replied: So God me save,  
To such poor victuals as I have;   

Right welcome you shall be.  
Of this the old man was full glad,  
The boy drew forth such as he had,   

And said: Go to gladly.  
The old man easy was to please,  
He eaten, and made himself at ease,   

Saying, Son, gramercy:  
And for the meat thou gave to me,  
I will give three things unto thee,   

what e'er thou wilt entreat.  
Then said the boy: The best I know,  
That ye give to me a bow,   

With which I birds may get,  
A bow, my son, I shall thee give,  
which shall last while thou dost live,   

Yea, never bow nor break:  
●or if thou shoot therein all day,  
Talking or winking any way,   

The mark still shalt thou hit.  
●ow when the bow in hand he felt,  
●nd had arrows under his belt,   

He merry was, I wish:  
●nd said: Had I a pipe withal,  
●hough ne'er so little, nor so small,   

I had all that I wish.  
pipe, Son, shalt thou have also,  
●hich in true Music so shall go,   

I put thee out of doubt:  
●hat whosoever shall it hear,  
●hal have no power to forbear:   

But laugh and leap about.  
●ow tell me what the third shall be,  
●or three things will I give to thee,   

As I have said before.  
●he boy then smiling, answer made  
〈◊〉 have enough for my poor trade,   

And will desire no more.  
●he old man said: My troth is p●●ght,  
●hou shall have all I thee be height:   

Say on now, let me see.  
At home I have, the boy replied,  
● cruel stepdame full of pride,   

Who is most cursed to me:  
When meat my father gives to me,  
●he wishes poison it might be,   

And stareth in my face.  
●ow when she gazeth on me so,  
〈◊〉 would she might a far● let go,   

That might ring through the place.  
The old man answered then anon:  
When that she looks thy face upon,   

Her tail shall wind the horn,  
So loudly, that who shall it hear,  
●hal not be able to forbear,   

But laugh her unto scorn.  
●o farewel, son, the old man cried,  
God keep you, Sir, the boy replied.   

I take my leave of thee,  
And he that best of all things may  
Protect thee safe both night and day.   

Gramercy, son said he:  
When it drew near unto the night.  
Jack well advised, hied home full right,   

It was his ordinance;  
And as he went his pipe did blow,  
The whilst his  on a row,   

About him fast did dance.  
Thus to the town h●pypsful trim  
His skipping beasts do follow him,   

Into his father's close.  
He went and put them up each one,  
Then went into the house anon,   

Into the hall he goes.  
His father at his supper sat,  
And little jack espied well that,   

And said to him anon:  
Father, all day I kept your Neat,  
At night, I pray you, give me meat,   

I'm hungry, by Saint john.  
Meatless I have been all the day,  
And kept your beasts they did not stray   

My dinner was but ill.  
His father took a capon's wing,  
And at his son he did it fling,   

Bidding him eat his fill.  
This grieves his stepdames heart full sore  
Who loathes the lad still more and more   

And stairs him in the face.  
With that she let go such a blast,  
As made the people all aghast,   

And sounded through the place:  
Each one did laugh and make good game;  
But the cursed wife grew red for shame   

And wished she had been gone.  
Perdie, the boy said, well I wots.  
That gun was well charged and shot,   

And might have broken a stone.  
Full curstly she looked on him tho,   

And then another fart let go,  
Which gart the thunder rise.  
Quoth jacke Sir, did you never see,  
A woman let her pellets flee,   

More thick and more are ease:  
Fie, said the boy unto his Dame,  
Temper thy tell-tale lo●n for shame,   

Which made her full of sorrow.  
Dame, said the good maid, go thyway,  
For why? I swear by night and day,   

Thy gear is not to borrow.  
Now afterwards, as you shall hear,  
Unto the house there came a Friar,   

And lay there all the night:  
This wife did love him as a Saint,  
And to him made a great complaint,   

Of Jack's most vile despice.  
We have, quoth she, within, I wis,  
A wicked boy, none shrewder is,   

Which doth me mighty care.  
I dar not look upon his face.  
Nor hardly show my shameful case,   

So filthily I far,  
For my sake, meet him to morrow,  
Beat him well, and give him sorrow   

Yea, make him blind and lame.  
The Friar swore, he would him beat,  
She prayed him, not to forget,   

The boy did her much shame.  
He is a witch, quoth she, I smell.  
But quoth the Friar, I'll beat him well   

Of that take you no care,  
I'll teach him witch craft, if I may.  
O, quoth the wife, do so, I pray,   

Lay on, and do not spare.  
Early next morning the boy arose,  
And to the field full soon he goes,   

His cattle for to drive.  
The Friar up as early got,  
He was afraid he came to late,   

And ran full fast and blithe.  
But when he came upon the land,  
He found where little jack did stand,   

Keeping his beasts alone.  
Now boy, he said, God give thee shame,  
What hast thou done to thy step da●●,   

Tell me forthwith 〈◊〉  
And if thou canst no● quite thee well  
I'll beat thee till thy body swell,   

I will no longer bide.  
The boy replied: What aileth thee?  
My stepdame is as well as ye,   

What need you thus to chide?  
Sir, will you see mine arrows flee,  
And hit yond small bird on the eye,   

And other things withal.  
Good Sir, if I have little wit,  
Yet yonder bird I mean to hit,   

And give her you I shall.  
There sat a small bird on a brier.  
Shoot, shoot, thou wag, than said the Friar,   

For that fain would I see.  
jack hit the bird upon the head,  
So right that she fell down for dead,   

No further could she flee.  
Fast to the bush the Friar then went,  
And up the bird in hands he hint,   

Much wondering at the chance.  
Mean time jack took his pipe and played  
So loud, the Friar grew mad apayed,   

And 'gan to skip and dance:  
No sooner he the pipe sound heard;  
But madman like he bound and fared,   

Leaping the bush about.  
The sharp briers scratched him by the face,  
And by the breech and other place,   

That fast the blood ran out.  
He tore his coat down the skirt,  
His cap, his cool, his linen shirt,   

And every other weed:  
The thorns the while were rough a thick,  
And did his privy member prick,   

That fast they g●n to bleed.  
jack as he piped laugh● among,  
The Friar with b●●ers was vivel slung,   

He hopped wondrous high.  
At last the Friar held up his hand,  
And said I can no longer stand   

Oh, I shall dancing die.  
Gentle jack thy pip● 〈◊〉  
And here I vow, for good not ill,   

To do thee any wo.  
jack laughing to him this replied:  
Friar, skip out at the other side,   

Thou hast free leave to go:  
Out of the bush the Friar then went,  
All marty'rd, ragged, scratched and rend   

And torn on every side:  
Hardly on him was left a clout,  
To wrap his belly round about,   

His harlotry to hid,  
The thorns had scratched him by the face  
On hands and thighs, and every place   

He was all bathed in blood:  
So much that who the Friar did see,  
For fear of him were fain to flee,   

Thinking he had been wood.  
When to the goodwife home he came  
He made no brags for very shame,   

To see his  rend all:  
Much sorrow in his heart he had,  
And every man did guests him mad,   

When he was in the hall.  
The goodwife said where haste thou been,  
Sure in some evil place I ween,   

By sight of thine array.  
Dame (said he) I came from thy son,  
The devil and he hath me undone,   

No man him conquer may.  
With that the goodman he came in,  
The wife set on her madding pl●   

Cried here is foul array:  
Thy son that is thy life and dear,  
Hath almost slain the holy Friar,   

Alas and well away.  
The goodman said benedicite,  
What hath the vile boy done to thee,   

Now tell me without let?  
The devil take him, the Friar then said  
He made me dance despite mine head   

Among the thorns the hey go heat,  
The goodman said unto him tho,  
Father hadst thou been murdered so,   

It had been deadly sin.  
The Friar to him made this reply  
The pipe did sound so merrily,   

That I could never blind.  
Now when it grew to almost night,  
jack the boy came home full right,   

As he was wont to do  
But when he came unto the hall,  
Full soon his Father did him call,   

And bid him come him to.  
Boy he said, come let me hear,  
What hast thou done unto this Friar,   

Lie not in any thing  
Father he said, now by my birth,  
I played him but a fit of Mirth,   

and piped him a spring:  
That pipe said his father, I would hear,  
Now God forbidden cried out the Friar,   

His hands then did he wring.  
You shall the Boy said by God's grace  
The Friar replied woe and alas,   

Making his sorrows ring.  
For Gods love said the wretched Friar,  
And if ye will that strange pipe hear,   

Bind me fast to a post;  
For sure my fortune this I read,  
If dance I do, I am but dead,   

My woeful life is lost.  
Strong rops they took both sharp and round,  
And to the post the friar they bond,   

In the middle of the hall.  
And they that at the table sat,  
Laughed and made good sport thereat,   

Saying, Friar thou canst not fall.  
Then said the good man to the Boy  
jack pipe me up a merry toy,   

Pipe freely when thou will.  
Father the Boy said verily,  
You shall have mirth enough and glee   

Till you bide me be still  
With hat this pipe h● quickly hint.  
And piped whilst in vecament,   

Each creature 'gan to dance:  
Lightly they skipped and leapt abo●t,  
●earking there legs, now in now out   

Striving aloft to prince,  
The good man as in sad despair,  
Leapt out, and through, and o'er his chair   

No man could caper hire.  
●ome others leapt quite o'er the stocks,  
Some start at stra●●, and fell over blocks,   

Some wallowed in the fire.  
The goodman made himself good spor●,  
To see the dance in this mad sort:   

The goodwife sat not still,  
But dancing still she looked on ●ack,  
And fast her tail did double each crack,   

Loud as a water mill,  
The Friar this while was almost lost,  
●e knocked his p●te against the post.   

It was his dancing grace:  
The rope rubbeth him under his chin,  
That the blood ran from his ta●ed skin,   

In many a naked place,  
●ack piping ran into the street  
They followed him with nimble feet.   

Having no power to stay  
And in their haste the door did crak:  
Each tumbling over his fellows back.   

Unmindful of their way.  
The neighbours that were dwelling by,  
Hearing the pipe so Merrily,   

Came dancing to the gate.  
Some leapt over doors some o●● the hatch  
No man would stay to draw the larch   

But though he earn to late:  
Some sick or sleeping in their bed,  
As they by chance lift up their head:   

Were with the pipe awaked,  
Strait out they start through door and locks,  
Some in their s●iers, some to their smo●   

And some stark ●●lly 〈◊〉.  
When all were gathered round about,  
There was a vile unruly rout:   

That danced in the street,  
Of which some lame and could not go,  
Striving to leap did tumble so:   

They danced on hands and feet.  
jack ty'rd with sport, said now I'll rest,  
Do, quoth his father, I hold it best,   

Thou cloyst me with cheer.  
I pray thee Boy thou quiet sit,  
In truth this was the merriest fit,   

I heard this seven year.  
All these that dancing thither came,  
Laughed hearty, and made good game   

Yet some got many a fall,  
Thou cursed Boy cried out the Friar,  
Here I do summon thee appear,   

Before the Official.  
Look thou be there on fryda● next,  
I'll meet thee then though now perplexed,   

For to ordain thy sorrow.  
The Boy replied, I make a vow,  
Friar I'll appear as soon as thou,   

If friday were to morrow.  
But friday came as you shall hear,  
jacks stepdame and the dancing Friar   

Together they were met.  
And other people a great pace,  
Flock to the Court to hear each case.   

The Official was set.  
Much civil matters were to do,  
More Libels read then one or two   

Both against Priest and Clark.  
Some there had testaments to prove,  
Some women were through wanton love   

Which got strokes in the dark.  
Each Proctor there did plead his case  
When forth did step Friar Tobias,   

And jacks step dame also:  
Sir Official aloud said he  
I have brought a wicked ●ad to thee,   

Hath done me mighty w●  
He is a witch as I do fear,  
In Orleans he can find no pe●r   

This of my ruth I know,  
He is a devil (quoth the wife)  
And almost beraved me of my life,   

At that her tail did blow;  
So loud, the assembly laughed thereat,  
And said her pistols crack was flat,   

The charge was all amiss.  
Dame (quoth gentle Official)  
Proceed and tell me forth thy tale,   

And do no let for this:  
The wife that feared another crak,  
Stood mute & ne'er a word she spoke   

Shame put her in such dread.  
H● (said the Friar) right angrily,  
●ave this is all still long of thee,   

Now evil mot thou speed;  
The Friar said, Official,  
This wicked Boy will vex us all   

Unless you do him chaste;  
S●r, he hath yet a pipe truly,  
Will make you dance and leap ful●le   

And break your heart at last.  
The Offisial replied perdi●,  
Such a pipe I fain would see,   

And what mirth it can make:  
●ow God forbidden replied the Friar  
●hat ere we should that vile pipe hear   

Ere I my way hence take:  
nypt on jack said the Official,  
●nd let me hear thy cunning all   

jack blew his pipe full loud,  
●hat every man start up and danced,  
doctor's and Priests, and Sommors pranst,   

And all in that great crowd:  
Ever the dask the Official ran,  
●nd hope upon the Table than,   

Strait jumped into the door.  
●he Friar that danced as fast as he,  
●●t him midway dangerously,   

Broke others face full sore;  
〈◊〉 Register leapt from his pen,  
And hoped into the throng of men,   

His Irkhorn in his hand.  
With swinging round about his head,  
Some he strake blind, some almost dead   

Some they could hardly stand:  
The Proctor's thing the bills about,  
The goodwives tail gave many a shout   

Perfuming all the mirth:  
The Somoners as they had been wood,  
Leap o'er the forms and seats a good,   

And wallowed on the earth.  
Wenches that for their penance came  
And other ●eeds of worldly shame   

Danced every one as fast.  
Each sat upon a merry ●in,  
Some broke their heads and some their s●i●   

And some their noses braced.  
The Official thus sore turmoiled,  
Half swelled with sweat almost spoilt,   

Cried to the wanto●●●ld  
To pipe no more within that place  
But stay the sound even for God's grace,   

And love of Mary mild.  
jack said as you will it shall be,  
Provided I may hence go free:   

And no man do me wrong:  
Neither this woman, nor this Friar  
Nor any other creature here,   

He answered him anon.  
jack I to thee my promise plight,  
In thy defence I mean to fight,   

And will oppose thy fond,  
jack cast his ●yp, than all still stood,  
Some laughing into, some raging wood,   

So p●rted at that tide.  
The Official and the Summoner,  
The stepdame and the wicked Friar;  
With much Joy mirth and pride,   
FINIS.