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,

he hopped wonderous hye.

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,
he made noe bragge for verry shame
to see his clothes rent all;

280 Much sorrow in his hart he had,

[page 101.]

The goodwiffe said, "where hast thou beene?
sure in some evill place, I weene,

by sight of thine array."

"Dame," said he, "I came from thy sonne;
the devill & he hath me vndone,

noe man him conquer may."

with that the goodman he came in, the wiffe sett on her madding pin,4 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,
"he made me dance, despite my head,8

among the thornes the hey-to-bee.9"

6 frere.-P.

7 take him . . . then.-P.

8 mine head.-P.

hey-go-beat.-P. Hey, to sport, play

or gambol; to kick about. Halliwell.-F.

The goodman said vnto him thoe,
"father! hadst thou beene murdered soe,

it had beene' deadly sine.2"

304 The fryar to him made this replye, "the pipe did sound soe Merrilye that I cold never blin.3"

316 "ffather," he said, "now by my birthe,

320

324

I plaide him but a fitt of Mirth

& pipet him vp a spring."

"That pipe," said his father, "wold I heare."8

66

now god forbidd!" cryed out the fryar9;

his hands he then did1o wringe.

"You shall," the boy said, "by gods grace."
the ffryar replyed, "woe & alas!"

making his sorrowes ringe.

"ffor gods loue!" said the warched fryar,11
"& if you will that strange pipe heare,
binde me fast to a post!

and, when Jack comes home,

calls him

to account for his doings.

Wishes himself to hear the pipe.

At his own request the friar

There is a tag to the e as if for s.-F.
Pype

9 frere.-P.

I would.--P.

10 then did he.-P.

11 frere.-P.

is bound

fast to a post.

Jack pipes, and every creature dances,

the goodman

Strong ropes they tooke, both sharpe & round,

332 & to the post the fryer bounde1

The good man, as in sad dispaire,
leapt out & through & ore his chayre,
noe man cold caper hyer 6;

352 Some others leapt quite ore the stockes,
some start att strawes & fell att blockes,7
some wallowed in the fyer.

[page 102.]

throw out or move with a spring.Johnson.-P.

caper higher.-P. 'o'er blocks.—P. 8 MS. sone, with a mark of contraction Over the n.-F.

The goodman made himselfe good sportt 356 to see them dance1 in this madd sortt; the goodwiffe sate not still,

360

But as shee dancet shee2 looket on Iacke,
& fast her tayle did double each cracke,
lowd as a water Mill.

The fryer this while was almost lost,
he knocket3 his pate against the post,

it was his dancing grace;

364 The rope rubd him vnder the chinn 4
that the blood ran from his tattered sckin
in many a Naked place.

Iacke, piping, ran into the street; 368 they followed him with nimble ffeet, hauing noe power to stay,

372

And in their hast they 5 dore did cracke,
eche tumbling over his ffellows backe
vnmindfull of their way.

The Neighbors that were dwelling by,
hearing the pipe soe Merrilye,

came dancing to the gate;

376 Some leapt ore dores, some oer the hatch,
Noe man wold stay to draw the latch
but thought they came to Late;

380

Some sicke or sleeping in their bedd,
as thé7 by chance lift vp their heade,
were with the pipe awaked;

1 the dance.-P.

2 But dancing still she.-P. knockt.-P.

4 chim, MS.-F. his chin.-P.

5 the.-P.

6 A wicket, or half-door. Halliwell's Gloss.-F.

' they.-P.