384 Straight forth thé 2 start thorrow dores & kockes,3 some in their shirts, some in their smockes, & some starke belly naked. When all were gathered round about, that dancing in the street, 388 Of which, some lame that cold not goe, striuing to leape, did tumble soe they dancet on hands & feet. 5 Iacke tyred with the sport said, "now Ile rest." 392 "doe," quoth his father, "I hold it best, 396 I thou cloyest me with this cheere 6; pray thee, boy, now7 quiett sitt; in faith this was the Merryest fitt I heard this 7 yeere.” All those that dancing thither came, yett some gott many a fall. 400 "Thou cursed boy!" cryed out the 10 fryar,11 beffore the Officiall! "Looke thou be there on fryday next; 404 Ile meet thee then, thou13 now perplext, for to ordaine thee sorrow. 14" 408 2 MS. ye.-F. The boy replyed, "I make 15 avowe, if fryday were to Morrowe." 3 ? small openings; cf. Phillips. Among Sea-men Cocks are little square pieces of Brass, with Holes in them, put into the middle of great Wooden Shivers, to keep them from splitting and galling by the Pin of the Block or Pulley on which they turn."-F. 4 danced.-P. 5 with sport.-P. this not in P[rinted] C[opy].-P. 7 thou.-P. 8 In truth.-P. 9 these.-P. 12 thee appear.-P. But fryday came, as you shall heare; 412 And other people a great pace 416 420 flockt to the court to heare eche case: the Officiall 2 was sett. Much c[i]uill matters were to doo, Each Proctor 5 there did plead his case; 424 "Sir Officiall," a-lowd said hee, "He is a wiche, as I doe feare, 1 frere.-P. 2 Phillips defines an Official, "In the Canon Law, a Person to whom any Bishop commits the Charge of his Spiritual Jurisdiction; the Chancellor or Judge of a Bishop's Court. In the Statute or Common Law, a Deputy whom an Archdeacon substitutes in the executing of his Jurisdiction." Chaucer, in his Freres Tale, tells us the offences that an Archdeacon tried, and we quote his words to illustrate the next stanza above Whilom there was dwellyng in my countre An erchedeken, a man of gret degre, Of chirche-reves, and of testamentes, but is abruptly made ashamed and dumb. The friar tells of Jack's pipe, and raises the official's curiosity, The wiffe that feared another cracke, 444 The fryer said, "Sir Officiall! The Officiall replyd, "perdee! 456 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. -F. all still long of.-P. ? sill, beam. 4 mote.-P. 5 I fain would.-P. 6 frere.-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 loy, mirth, & pride. ffins. In a 2 On the pin, on the qui vive. merry pin, i. e. a merry humour, half intoxicated. Halliwell's Gloss.-F. • MS. pared away, read by Percy.-F. [page 104.] |