The GELDING of the DEVIL:
The prittiest JEST that e're was known,
How the Baker's Wife her Skill hath shown;
Then listen awhile, and I the News will tell,
Betwixt the Baker and the Devil of Hell.
Tune, Gelding the Devil, etc. or, The Card-players, etc.
Licens'd and Enter'd.
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A Pritty Jest I will you tell,
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Of the Gelding 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 Baker sung with a merry cheer.
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The Baker's Horse was lusty and sound,
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Well worth in Judgment full ten 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, O Baker, then cry'd he,
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How come 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 the Baker did say,
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Because his Stones be cut away.
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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 Devil's Stones;
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The Baker had, etc.
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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 be revenged agen;
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And underneath this greenwood tree,
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Next market-day I will geld thee;
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And underneath this greenwood 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 rode 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 jear;
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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, consent, and be thou wise,
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And I'll some pritty trick devise;
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Then hold, etc.
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I'll 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'll warrant thee next market-day,
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To fright the Devil quite away,
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I'll warrant thee, etc.
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When the Baker's 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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O there she 'spy'd two Devils of Hell:
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And riding merrily over the Hill,
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O there she 'spy'd two Devils of Hell.
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A little Devil and another,
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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 thou dost go;
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Now be thou well, or be thou woe,
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I will geld thee before thou dost go.
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The Baker's 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 her knee,
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And so looking upward from the ground,
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Oh, there he espy'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'll fetch some salve to cure the place,
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But if thou'lt stay, etc.
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She 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 of 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 pleas'd her Husband wondrous well.
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