She stares again, with the same result. The boy triumphs. She tells her wrongs to a friar, 168 "Perdy," the boy sayd, "well I wott ffull curstlye2 shee lookt on him tho : 172 Quoth the boy, "did" you euer see 176 180 More thicke & more at ease? "ffye!" said the boy vnto his dame, 66 6 Dame," said the goodman, "goe thy way, Now afterwards, as you shall heare, & lay there all the night. 184 The wiffe this fryer loued as a Saint,9 "for gods loue meet this boy' to-morrow, & make him blind or lame." 196 The fryar swore he wold him beat, the wiffe prayd him 3 not to forgett, 3 the boy did her much shame : "Some wiche he is," quoth1 shee, "I smell." 200 "but," quoth the fryar, "Ile beat him well! of that take you noe care; 204 Ile teach him witchcraft, if I may." "O," quoth the wiffe, "doe soe, I pray, lay on & doe not spare." Early next morne the boy arose, & to the field full soone he goes, 208 The fryer then5 vp as early gatt, But when he came vnto the land,8 212 he found where litle Iacke did stand, keeping his beasts alone. [page 100.] "Now, boy," he sayd, "god giue thee shame! and asks him to beat the boy soundly. The friar agrees. Next day the boy goes afield as before, followed by the friar ; who asks him to explain his conduct. Jack changes the subject; offers to shoot a bird and give it to the friar. Shoots it. The friar gone among the bushes to pick it up, Jack pipes and makes him dance, The briars scratch and tear him. There sate a small birde in a5 bryar: "Shoot, shoot, you wagg," then sayd the fryer, 232 Iacke hitt the bird vpon the head soe right that shee fell downe for dead, noe further cold shee flee. ffast to the bush the fryar went, 236 & vp the bird in hand' hee hent,8 240 much wondering at the chance. Meane while Iacke tooke his pipe & playd & fell to skip & dance; Now sooner was 12 the pipes sound heard, & leapt the bush about; 244 The sharpe bryars cacth 14 him by the face, It tare his clothes downe to the skirt, 248 his cope, his coole,3 his linen shirt, 252 The thornes this while 5 were rough & thicke, & did his priuy members pricke, that fast they gan to bleede. Iacke, as he piped, laught amonge 6; the fryar with bryars was vildlye stunge, 256 Att last the fryar held vp his hand, The thornes had scratcht him by the face, 272 the hands, the thighes, 10 & euery place, he was all bathed in bloode Jack laughs. The friar begs for mercy. Jack lets him go. The friar goes away ragged and lacerated, to the stepdame, When to the good wife home 2 he came, 280 Much sorrow in his hart he had, & euery man did guesse him made3 when he was in the hall. [page 101.] and recounts his woes. She complains of the boy to the goodman, who inquires into the case, The goodwiffe said, "where hast thou beene? 284 sure in some evill place, I weene, 288 by sight of thine array." "Dame," said he, "I came from thy sonne; noe man him conquer may." with that the goodman he came in, the wiffe sett on her madding pin, cryed, "heeres5 a foule array! 292 thy sonne, that is thy liffe & deere, hath almost slaine the holy fryar,6 alas & welaway!" The goodman said, "Benedicitee! 296 what hath the vile boy done to thee? 300 1 were fain.-P. 2 MS. hone.-F. 3 mad.-P. now tell me without let." "The devill him take!"7 the fryar he sayd, among the thornes the hey-to-bee.9" 4 See note 2 to 1. 484, p. 28.-F. here is.-P. |