but is abruptly made ashamed and dumb. The wiffe that feared another cracke, and raises the official's curiosity, The fryer said, "Sir Officiall! The Officiall replyd, "perdee! 456 ere 1 almost berd me of my.-P. 2 Compare Russell's Boke of Nurture, 1. 304 : And euer beware of gunnes with thy hynder ende blastyng.-F. 3 all still long of.-P. ? sill, beam. -F. 4 mote.-P. 5 I fain would.-P. 6 frere.-P. 460 464 468 472 476 480 "Pipe on, Iacke!" sayd the officiall, Tacke blew his pipe full lowde & all in that great crowde; Over the deske the officiall ran, straight Iumpt vnto3 the flore. The register leapt from his pen, his inkhorne in his hande; with swinging round about his head, The proctors flung their bills about, the goodwines tayle gaue many a shout, The Somners, as they had beene woode, Wenches that for their pennance came, at whose bidding Jack pipes away, and all the world begins dancing, even the The Register's ink-horn swings about banefully. Proctors and somners hop madly. 8 i.e. at a good rate.-P. Cp. our "a good 'un."-F. 9 worldly.-P. 10 daunst.-P. At last the official begs the boy to give over playing. Jack will do so on condition of an amnesty. The condition agreed to, Jack stops his pipe. 484 Each sett on a merry pin,2 some broke their heads, & some their shin, & some their noses brast. The officiall thus sore turmayld, 488 Halfe swelt 3 with sweat, & almost spoyld, 492 'To pipe noe more within that place, Iacke sayd, "as you will, it shalbe, & no man doe me wrong, 4 496 Neither this woman nor this fryer,5 he answered him anon, "Iacke, I to thee my promise plight, 504 1 sat upon.-P. Iacke ceast his pipes: then all still stood; soe parted at that tide The Officiall & the Somner, the stepdame & the wicked fryer,8 with much Ioy, mirth, & pride. ffins. 2 On the pin, on the qui vive. merry pin, i. e. a merry humour, intoxicated. Halliwell's Gloss.-F. In a half MS. pared away, read by Percy.-F. [page 104.] 12 16 As I was ridinge by the way.' [Page 104 of MS.] As I was ryding by the way, a woman profered me a bagge, & 40tye. cattell more, to stay & giue her belly but a swagge. A pox on the whore, they were but scrapps the cattell had lice, or else perhapps 8 I had light and tooke her by the coney. 20 24 I had not further rydd a Myle but I mett with a market Maide who sunge, the way for to beguile, in these same words, and thus shee said: "I see the Bull dothe Bull the cow; & shall I liue a maiden still? I see the bore doth brim the sow; I had some hope, & to her spoke, "sweet hart, shall I put my flesh in thine?” "with all my hart, Sir! your nose in my arse," quoth she, "for to keepe out the winde." Shee ryde vpon a tyred mare, & to reuenge noe time withstoode, I bluntlye asket pro to occupye her; but first shee wold know wherfore that was good. 1 A loose but humorous song.-P. First I met a woman who wanted me. Then I met a market maid who sang that she wanted a lover. I offered myself, and she sold me. I asked to |