The Gelding of the Devil.
OR,
The prittiest Jest that e're was known,
How the Bakers wife her skill hath shown,
Then listen a while, and I the news will tell,
Betwixt the Baker and the Devil of Hell.
To a dainty new Tune called, The Gelding of the Devil: Or, the Card Players.
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A Pretty jest I will you tell,
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Of the gelding of the Devil of Hell;
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There was a Baker of Mansfield Town,
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To Nottingham Market he was bound:
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And riding under the Willows clear,
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The Baker sung with a merry cheer;
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And riding under the willows clear,
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The Bakor sung with a merry cheer.
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The Bakers Horse was lusty and sound,
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Well worth in Judgment full five pound;
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His skin was smooth and his flesh was fat,
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His Master was well pleas'd at that:
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Which made him sing so merrily,
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As he was passing on the way;
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Which made him sing, etc.
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But as he rode over the Hill,
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There met he with the Devil of Hell:
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O Baker, Baker; then cry'd he,
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How came thy horse so fat to be?
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These be the words the baker did say,
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Because his Stones be cut away;
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these be the words, etc.
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Thou shalt Geld me before thou dost go,
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Then (quoth the Devil) if it be so,
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First tye thy horse to yonder tree,
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And with thy Knife come and geld me:
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The baker had a Knife for the nonce,
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Wherewith to cut out the Devils stones.
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The Baker had a Knife for the nonce,
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Where with to cut out the Devils stones.
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The baker as it came to pass,
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In hast alighted from his horse,
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And the Devil on his back he lay,
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While the baker cut his stones away,
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Which put the Devil to great pain,
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And made him to cry out amain:
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Which put the Devil to great pain,
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And made him to cry out amain.
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OH quoth the Devil, beshrew thy heart,
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Thou dost not feel how I do smart;
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And for the deed which thou hast done,
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I will revenged be agen:
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And underneath this green-wood tree,
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Next Market-day I will geld thee:
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And underneath this green-wood tree,
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Next market-day I will geld thee.
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The Baker then but little said,
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But at his heart was sore afraid:
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He durst no longer then to stay,
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But he rod home another way;
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And coming to his Wife did tell
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How he had gelt the Devil of Hell:
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And coming to his wife, etc.
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Moreover to his wife he told,
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A tale that made her heart full cold;
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How that the Devil did say,
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That he would geld him next Market-day:
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Oh, quoth the good-wife without doubt,
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I had rather both thy eyes were out:
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Oh, quoth the good-wife, etc.
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For then all the People far and near,
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That knows thee, will both mock and fear;
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And good-wives they will chide and brawl;
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And stoneless Gelding will thee call:
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Then, hold content and be thou wise,
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And i'le some pritty trick devise;
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then hold, etc.
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I'le make the Devil change his Note,
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Give me thy Hat, thy Band and Coat;
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Thy Hose and Doublet eke also,
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And I like to a man will go:
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I'le warrant thee next Market-day,
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To fright the Devil quite away:
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I'le warrant thee, etc.
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When the Bakers wife she was so drest,
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With all her bread upon her beast,
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To Nottingham Market that brave Town,
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To sell her bread both white and brown:
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And riding merrily over the Hill,
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Oh there she spy'd two Devils of Hell:
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And riding, etc.
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A little Devil and an[other,]
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As they were playing both together;
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Oh, oh, quoth the Devil then right fain,
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Here comes the baker riding amain:
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Now be thou well or be thou woe,
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I will geld thee before dost go,
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Now be thou, etc.
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The bakers wife to the Devil did say,
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Sir I was gelded yesterday;
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Oh, quoth the Devil I mean to see,
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And pulling her Coats above knee her,
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And so looking upward from the ground,
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Oh, there he spy'd a terrible wound,
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And so looking, etc.
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Oh, quoth the Devil, now I see,
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He was not cunning that gelded thee;
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For when he had cut out thy Stones,
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He should have closed up thy wounds.
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But if thou'lt stay some little space,
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I'le fetch some Salve to cure the place,
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But if thou'lt stay, etc.
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He had not rid but a little way,
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But up her belly crept a Flea,
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The little Devil seeing that,
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He up with his Paw and gave her a pat:
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Which made the good wife for to start,
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And with that she let go a Rowzing Fart;
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which made the, etc.
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Oh, oh, quoth the Devil, thy life is not long
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Thy breath it smells so horrible strong;
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Therefore go thy way and make thy will,
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Thy wounds are past all humane skill;
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Be gone, be gone, make no delay,
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For here thou shalt no longer stay:
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Be gone, be gone, etc.
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The good-wife with this news was glad,
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So she left the Devil almost mad;
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And when she to her Husband came,
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With joyful heart she told the same,
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How she had couzen'd the Devil of Hell,
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Which pleas'd her Husband wondrous well
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How she had couzen'd the Devil of Hell
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which pleased her husband wondrous wel[l.]
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