A Merry Gest of the Friar and the Boy

sig: A1

¶Here begynneth a mery geste of the frere and the boye.

GOd that dyed for vs all

And dranke bothe eysell and gall

Brynge vs out of bale

And gyue them good lyfe & longe

That lysteneth to my songe

Or tendeth to my tale

There dwelled an husbonde in my countre

That had wyues thre

By processe of tyme

By the fyrst wyfe a sone he had

That was a good sturdy ladde

And an happy hyne

His fader loued hym wele

So dyde his moder neuer-a_dele

I tell you as I thynke

All she thought was lost by the rode

That dyde the lytell boye ony good

Other mete or drynke

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And yet ywys it was but badde

And therof not halfe ynough he had

But euermore of the worste

Therfore euyll mote she fare

For euer she dyde the lytell boye care

As ferforth as she dorste

The good-wyfe to her husbonde gan saye

I wolde ye wolde put this boye awaye

And that ryght soone in haste

Truly he is a cursed ladde

I wolde some other man hym hadde

That wolde hym better chaste

Than sayd the good-man agayne

Dame I shall to the sayne

He is but tender of aege

He shall abyde with me this yere

Tyll he be more strongere

For to wynne better wage

We haue a man a stoute freke

That in the felde kepeth our nete

Slepynge all the daye

He shall come home so god me shelde

And the boye shall in-to the felde

To kepe our beestes yf he may

Than sayd the wyfe verament

Therto soone I assent

For that me-thynketh moost nedy

On the morowe whan it was daye

The lytell boye wente on his waye

To the felde full redy

Of no man he had no care

But sange hey howe awaye the mare mare ='incubus, melancholy'; see OED s.v. mare n2, 1b

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And made Ioye ynough

Forth he wente truly to sayne

Tyll he came to the playne

His dyner forth he drough

Whan he sawe it was but bad

Full lytell lust therto he had

But put it vp agayne

Therfore he was not to wyte

He sayd he wolde ete but lyte

Tyll nyght that he came home

And as the boye sate on a hyll

An olde man came hym tyll

Walkynge by the waye

Sone he sayd god the se se: =see, 'watch over, protect'; see OED s.v. see v, 7a

Syr welcome mote ye be

The lytell boye gan saye

The olde man sayd I am an_hongred sore

Hast thou ony mete in store

That thou mayst gyue me

The chylde sayd so god me saue

To suche vytayle as I haue

Welcome shall ye be

Therof the olde man was gladde

The boye drewe forth suche as he had

And sayd do gladly

The olde man was easy to please

He ete and made hym well at ease

And sayd sone gramercy

S[y]ne thou hast gyuen mete to me Syne] Sone 1510-13Syne: the copytext reading 'Sone' is probably the result of eyeskip from the previous line.

I shall the gyue thynges thre

Thou shalte them neuer forgete

Than sayd the boye as I trowe

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It is best that I haue a bowe

Byrdes for to sh[e]te shete] shote 1510-13

A bowe sone I shall the gyue

That shall last the all thy lyue

And euer a_lyke mete

Shote therin whan thou good thynke

For yf thou shote and wynke

The prycke thou shalte [not] hytte not] 1510-13 omits; prycke: =prick, 'bull's-eye, target'

Whan he the bowe in honde felte

And the boltes vnder his belte

Lowde than he lough

He sayd now had I a pype

Though it were neuer so lyte

Than were I gladde ynough

A pype sone thou shalte haue also

In true musyke it shall go

I do the well to wyte

100

All that may the pype here

Shall not themselfe stere

But laugh and lepe aboute

What shall the thyrde be

For I wyll gyue the gyftes thre

105

As I haue sayd to the before

The lytell boye on hym lough

And sayd syr I haue ynough

I wyll desyre no more

The olde man sayd my trouth I plyght

110

Thou shalte haue that I the hyght

Saye on now and let me se

Than sayd the boye anone

I haue a stepdame at home

She is a shrewe to me

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115

Whan my fader gyueth me mete

She wolde theron that I were cheke

And stareth me in the face

Whan she loketh on me so

I wolde she sholde let a rappe go

120

That it myght rynge ouer all the place

Than sayd the olde man tho

Whan she loketh on the so

She shall begyn to blowe

All that euer it may here

125

Shall not themselfe stere

But laugh on a rowe

Fare-well quod the olde man

God kepe the sayd the chylde than

I take my leue at the

130

God that moost best may

Kepe the bothe nyght and day

Gramercy sone sayd he

Than drewe it towarde the nyght

Iacke hym hyed home full ryght

135

It was his ordynaunce

He toke his pype and began to blowe

All his beestes on a rowe

Aboute hym they daunce

Thus wente he pypynge thrugh the towne

140

His beestes hym folowed by the sowne

In-to his faders close

He wente and put them vp echone

Homewarde he wente anone

In-to his faders hall he gose

145

His fader at his souper sat

Lytell Iacke espyed well that

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And sayd to hym anone

Fader I haue kepte your nete

I praye you gyue me some mete

150

I am an_hongred by saynt Ihone

I haue sytten metelesse

All this daye kepynge your beestes

My dyner feble it was

His fader toke a capons wynge

155

And at the boye he gan it flynge

And badde hym ete a_pace

That greued his stepmoders herte sore

As I tolde you before

She stared hym in the face

160

With that she let go a blaste

That they in the hall were agaste

It range ouer all the place

All they laughed and had good game

The wyfe waxed reed for shame

165

She wolde that she had ben gone

Quod the boye well I wote

That gonne was well shote

As it had ben a stone

Cursedly she loked on hym tho

170

An-other blaste she let go

She was almoost rente

Quod the boye wyll ye se

How my dame letteth pellettes fle

In fayth or euer she stynte

175

The boye sayd vnto his dame

Tempre thy bombe he sayd for shame bombe: =boom ('resonant sound'), with a play on bum

She was full of sorowe

Dame sayd the good-man go thy waye

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For I swere to the by my faye

180

Thy gere is not to borowe

Afterwarde as ye shall here

To the hous there came a frere

To lye there all nyght

The wyfe loued hym as a saynt

185

And to hym made her complaynt

And tolde hym aryght

We haue a boye within ywys

A shrewe for the nones he is

He dooth me moche care

190

I dare not loke hym vpon

I am ashamed by saynt Iohnn

To tell you how I fare

I praye you mete the boye to_morowe

Bete hym well and gyue hym sorowe

195

And make the boye lame

Quod the frere I shall hym bete

Quod the wyfe do not forgete

He dooth me moche shame

I trowe the boye be some wytche

200

Quod the frere I shall hym teche

Haue thou no care

I shall hym teche yf I may

Quod the wyfe I the praye

Do hym not spare

205

On the morowe the boye arose

In-to the felde soone he gose

His beestes for to dryue

The frere ranne out at the gate

He was aferde leest he came to late

210

He ranne fast and blyue

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Whan he came vpon a londe

Lytell Iacke there he fonde

Dryuynge his beestes all alone

Boye he sayd god gyue the shame

215

What hast thou done to thy dame

Tell thou me anone

But yf thou canst excuse the well

By my trouth bete I the wyll

I wyll no lenger abyde

220

Quod the boye what eyleth the

My dame fareth as well as ye

What nedeth the to chyde

Quod the boye wyll ye wete

How I can a byrde shete

225

And other thynge withall

Syr he sayd though I be lyte

Yonder byrde wyll I smyte

And gyue her the I shall

There sate a byrde vpon a brere

230

Shote on boye quod the frere

For that me lysteth to se

He hytte the byrde on the heed

That she fell downe deed

No ferder myght she flee

235

The frere to the busshe wente

Up the byrde for to hente

He thought it best for to done

Iacke toke his pype and began to blowe

Than the frere as I trowe

240

Began to daunce soone

As soone as he the pype herde

Lyke a wood man he fared

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He lepte and daunced aboute

The breres scratched hym in the face

245

And in many an-other place

That the blode brast out

And tare his clothes by and by

His cope and his scapelary

And all his other wede

250

He daunced amonge thornes thycke

In many places they dyde hym prycke

That fast gan he blede

Iacke pyped and laughed amonge

The frere amonge the thornes was thronge

255

He hopped wonders hye

At the last he helde vp his honde

And sayd I haue daunced to longe

That I am lyke to dye

Gentyll Iacke holde thy pype styll

260

And my trouth I plyght the tyll

I wyll do the no woo

Iacke sayd in that tyde

Frere skyppe out on the ferder syde

Lyghtly that thou were goo

265

The frere out of the busshe wente

All to_ragged and to_rente

And torne on euery syde

Unnethes on hym had one cloute

His bely for to wrappe aboute

270

His harneys for to hyde harneys: =harness, 'tackle, genitals'

The breres had hym scratched so in the face

And many an-other place

He was all to_bledde with blode

All that myght the frere se

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275

Were fayne awaye to flee

They wende he had ben wode

Whan he came to his hoost

Of his Iourney he made no boost

His clothes were rente all

280

Moche sorowe in his herte he had

And euery man hym dradde

Whan he came in-to the hall

The wyfe sayd where hast thou bene

In an euyll place I wene

285

Me-thynketh by thyn araye

Dame I haue ben with thy sone

The deuyll of hell hym ouercome

For no man elles may

With that came in the good-man

290

The wyfe sayd to hym than

Here is a foule araye

Thy sone that is the lefe and dere

Hath almoost slayne this holy frere

Alas and welawaye

295

The good-man sayd benedicite

What hath the boye done frere to the

Tell me without lette

The frere sayd the deuyll hym spede

He hath made me daunce maugre my hede

300

Amonge the thornes hey go bette hey go bette: the name of a song and dance; see OED s.v. hey int., 3a

The good-man sayd to hym tho

Haddest thou lost thy lyfe so

It had ben grete synne

The frere sayd by our lady

305

The pype wente so meryly

That I coude neuer blynne

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Whan it drewe towarde the nyght

The boye came home full ryght

As he was wonte to do

310

Whan he came in-to the hall

His fader dyde hym soone call

And badde hym to come hym to

Boye he sayd tell me here

What hast thou done to the frere

315

Tell me without lesynge

Fader he sayd by my faye

I dyde nought elles as I you saye

But pyped hym a sprynge sprynge ='dance-tune'; see OED s.v. spring n2

That sayd his fader wolde I here

320

Mary god forbede sayd the frere

His handes he dyde wrynge

Yes sayd the good-man by goddes grace

Than sayd the frere out alas

And made grete mournynge

325

For the loue of god quod the frere

If ye wyll that he pype here

Bynde me to a post

For I knowe none other rede

And I daunce I am but deed

330

Well I wote my lyfe is lost

Strong ropes they toke in honde

The frere to the post they bonde

In the myddle of the hall

All that at the souper sat

335

Laughed and had good game therat

And sayd the frere wolde not fall

Than sayd the good-man

Pype on good sone

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Hardely whan thou wylte

340

Fader he sayd so mote I the

Haue ye shall ynough of gle

Tyll ye bydde me be styll

As soone as Iacke the pype hent

All that there were verament

345

Began to daunce and lepe

Whan they gan the pype here

They myght not themselfe stere

But hurled on an hepe

The good-man was in no dyspayre

350

But lyghtly lepte out of his chayre

With a good chere

Some lepte ouer the stocke

Some stombled at the blocke

And some fell flatte in the fyre

355

The good-man had grete game

How they daunced all in same

The wyfe after gan steppe

Euermore she kest her eye at Iacke

And fast her tayle began to cracke cracke: =crack, 'to make a sharp or explosive noise'

360

Lowde than [coude it] speke coude it] they coude 1510-13Lowde than coude it speke: cf. line 432 below, Lowde coude she blowe

The frere hymselfe was almoost lost

For knockynge his heed ayenst the post

He had none other grace

The rope rubbed hym vnder the chynne

365

That the blode downe dyde rynne

In many a dyuers place

Iacke ranne in-to the strete

After hym fast dyde they lepe

Truly they coude not stynte

370

They wente out at the dore so thycke

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That eche man fell on others necke

So pretely out they wente

Neyghbours that were fast by

Herde the pype go so meryly

375

They ranne in-to the gate

Some lepte ouer the hatche

They had no tyme to drawe the latche

They wende they had come to late

Some laye in theyr bedde

380

And helde vp theyr hede

Anone they were waked

Some sterte in the waye

Truly as I you saye

Starke bely-naked

385

By that they were gadred aboute

Iwys there was a grete route

Dauncynge in the strete

Some were lame and myght not go

But yet ywys they daunced to

390

On handes and on fete

[The] boye sayd now wyll I rest The] They 1510-13

Quod the good-man I holde it best

With a mery chere

Sease sone whan thou wylte

395

In fayth this is the meryest fytte

That I herde this seuen yere

They daunced all in same

Some laughed and had good game

And some had many a fall

400

Thou cursed boye quod the frere

Here I somon the that thou appere

Before the offycyall

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Loke thou be there on frydaye

I wyll the mete and I may

405

For to ordeyne the sorowe

The boye sayd by god auowe

Frere I am as redy as thou

And frydaye were to_morowe

Frydaye came as ye may here

410

Iackes stepdame and the frere

Togyder there they mette

Folke gadered a grete pase

To here euery mannes case

The offycyall was sette

415

Ther was moche to do

Maters more than one or two

Bothe with preest and clerke

Some had testamentes for to preue

And fayre women by your leue

420

That had strokes in the derke

Euery man put forth his case

Than came forth frere Topyas

And Iackes stepdame also

Syr offycyall sayd he

425

I haue brought a boye to the

Whiche hath wrought me moche wo

He is a grete nygromancere

In all orlyaunce is not his pere

As by my trouth I trowe

430

He is a wytche quod the wyfe

Than as I shall tell you blythe

Lowde coude she blowe

Some laughed without fayle

Some sayd dame tempre thy tayle

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435

Ye wreste it all amysse

Dame quod the offycyall

Tell forth on thy tale

Lette not for this

The wyfe was afrayed of an-other cracke

440

That no worde more she spacke

She durst not for drede

The frere sayd so mote I the

Knaue this is longe of the

That euyll mote thou spede

445

The frere sayd syr offycyall

The boye wyll combre vs all

But yf ye may hym chaste

Syr he hath a pype truly

Wyll make you daunce and lepe on hye

450

Tyll your herte braste

The offycyall sayd so mote I the

That pype wolde I fayne se

And knowe what myrth that he can make

Mary god forbede than sayd the frere

455

That he sholde pype here

Afore that I hens the waye take

Pype on Iacke sayd the offycyall

I wyll here now how thou canst playe

Iacke blewe vp the sothe to saye

460

And made them soone to daunce all

The offycyall lept ouer the deske

And daunced aboute wonder faste The rhyme-scheme fails in this stanza.

Tyll bothe his shynnes he all to_brest

Hym thought it was not of the best

465

Than cryed he vnto the chylde

To pype no more within this place

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But to holde styll for goddes grace

And for the loue of mary mylde

Than sayd Iacke to them echone

470

If ye wolde me graunte with herte fre

That he shall do me no vylany

But hens to departe euen as [he] come he] I 1510-13

Therto they answered all anone

And promysed hym anone-ryght

475

In his quarell for to fyght

And defende hym from his fone

Thus they departed in that tyde

The offycyall and the sompnere

His stepdame and the frere

480

With grete Ioye and moche pryde

¶Thus endeth the frere and the boye. Enprynted at London in Fletestrete at the sygne of the sonne / by Wynkyn_de_Worde.