A Pleasant new Ballad you here may behold,
How the Devill, though subtle, was guld by a Scold.
To the tune of, The Seminary Priest.
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GIve eare, my loving Countrey-men,
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that still desire newes,
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Nor passe not while you heare it sung,
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or else the song peruse.
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For ere you heare it, I must tell
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my newes, it is not common,
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But, Ile unfold a trueth betwixt
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a Devill and a woman.
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Tom Thumb is not my subject,
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whom Fairies oft did aide,
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Nor that mad spirit Robin
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that plagues both wife and maid,
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Nor is my song satyricke like,
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invented against no man,
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But onely of a pranke betwixt
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a Devill and a woman.
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Then widdowes, wives and maids,
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give eare as well as men,
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And by this woman learne
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to gull the world agen:
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You may by this turne artists,
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or masters of your Art,
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And when the Devill comes for you,
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you need not care a fart.
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A woman well in yeares,
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livd with a husband kinde,
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Who had a great desire
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to live content in minde.
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But twas a thing unpossible
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to compasse his desire,
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For night and day with scolding
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she did her husband tire.
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With roughish, lowtish clowne,
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despight thee Ile be wilde,
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Doest thou think I marryed thee
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to use thee like a childe,
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And set thee on my lap,
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or humour what you speake?
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Before Ile be so fond,
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thy very heart Ile breake.
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Why loving wife, quoth he,
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Ile never doe thee wrong,
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So thoult be ruld by me,
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and onely hold thy tongue,
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And when I come from worke,
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wilt please at board and bed.
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Doe this my loving wife,
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and take all being dead.
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Marke well quoth she, my words,
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what ere you speak me to,
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By faire meanes or by foule,
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the contrary Ile doe.
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According to her speech,
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this man led such a life,
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That oft he wisht the Devill
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to come and fetch his wife.
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Had he bid her goe homely,
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why then she would goe brave,
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Had he cald her good wife,
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she cald him rogue and slave:
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Bade he, wife goe to Church,
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and take the fairest pew,
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Sheed goe unto an Alehouse,
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and drinke, lye downe and spew.
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The Devill being merry
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with laughing at this mirth,
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Would needs from hell come trotting
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to fetch her from the earth,
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And coming like a horse,
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did tell this man his minde,
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Saying, Set her but astride my backe,
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Ile hurry her through the winde.
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The second part, To the same tune.
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KInde Devill quoth the man,
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if thou a while wilt wait,
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Ile bid her doe that thing
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shall make her backe thee straight.
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And here Ile make a vow,
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for all she is my wife,
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Ile never send for her againe
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whilest I have breath or life.
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Content the Devill cryd,
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then to his wife goes he,
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Good wife goe leade that horse
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so black and fair you see.
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Goe leade, sir knave, quoth she?
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and wherefore not goe ride?
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She took the Devill by the reines,
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and up she goes astride.
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The Devill neighed lowd,
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and threw his heeles ith ayre,
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Kick in the Devills name, quoth she,
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a shrew doth never fear.
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Away to hell he went,
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with this most wicked scold,
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But she did curbe him with the bit,
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and would not loose her hold.
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The more he cryd, Give way,
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the more she kept him in,
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And kickt him so with both her heeles,
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that both his sides were thin.
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Alight the Devill cryd,
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and quicke the bridle loose.
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No, I will ride (quoth she)
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whiles thou hast breath or shooes.
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Againe she kickt and prickt,
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and sate so stiffe and well.
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The Devill was not so plagud,
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a hundred yeares in hell.
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For pitty light (quoth he)
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thou putst me to much paine,
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I will not light (quoth she)
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till I come home againe.
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The Devill shewd her all
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the paines within that place,
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And told her that they were
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ordaind for Scolds so base.
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Being bereft of breath,
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for scolding tis my due,
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But whilest I live on earth,
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Ile be revengd on you.
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Then did she draw her knife,
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and gave his eare a slit,
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The Devill never felt
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the like from mortall yet.
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So fearing further danger,
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he to his heeles did take,
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And faster then he came,
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he poast hast home did make.
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Here take her (quoth the Devill)
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to keep her here be bold,
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For hell will not be troubled
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with such an earthly scold.
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When I come home, I may
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to all my fellowes tell,
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I lost my labour and my bloud,
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to bring a scold to hell.
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The man halfe dead did stand,
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away the Devill hyde.
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Then since the world nor hell
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can well a scold abide:To make a saile of ships
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let husbands fall to worke,
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And give their free consents
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to send them to the Turke.
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Then honest wives and maides,
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and widdowes of each sort,
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Might live in peace and rest,
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and Silence keep her court.
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Nor would I have a scold
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one penny here bestow,
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But honest men and wives
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buy these before you goe.
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