The Gelding of the Devil

The Bakers horse was lusty and sound,
Well worth in judgment full five pound,
his skin was smooth, and his flesh was fat,
his Master was well pleas'd at that,
Which made him sing so merrily,
As he was passing on the way,
Which made him sing so merrily,
As he was passing on the way,

But as he rode over the Hill,
There met with him the Devil of Hell,
O Baker, Baker, then cry'd he,
How came thy Horse so fat to be?
These be the words the Baker did say,
Because his Stones be cut away.
These be the words the Baker did say,
Because his Stones be cut away.

Thou shalt Geld me before thou dost go,
Then (quoth the Devil) if it be so,
First tye thy Horse to yonder Tree,
And with thy knife come and Geld me:
The Baker had a knife for the nonce,
Wherewith to cut the Divils stones,
The Baker had a knife for the nonce,
Wherewith to cut the Divils stones,

The Baker, as it came to pass,
In hast alighted from his Horse,
And the Devil on his back he lay,
Whilst the Baker he cut his Stones away,
Which put the Devil to great pain,
And made him to cry out amain.
Which put the Devil to great pain,
And made him to cry out amain.

The Second Part,
Oh quoth the Devil beshrew thy heart
Thou dost not feel how I do smart,
And for the deed that thou hast done,
I will revenged be agen,
And underneath this green-wood Tree,
Next Market-day I will Geld thee.
And underneath this green-wood Tree,
Next Market-day I will Geld thee.

And underneath this green wood Tree,
The Baker then but little said,
But at his heart was sore afraid,
He durst no longer then to stay,
But he rod home another way
And coming to his Wife did tell,
How he had Gelt the Devil of Hell.
And coming to his Wife did tell,
How he had Gelt the Devil of Hell.

Moreover to his Wife he told,
A Tale That made her heart fall cold,
how that the Devil to him did say,
That he would geld him next Market-day,
Oh, quoth the good Wife without doubt,
I had rather both thy Eyes were out.
Oh, quoth the good Wife without doubt,
I had rather both thy Eyes were out.

For then all the People far and near
That know thee will both mock and jear
And Good-wives they will chide and brawl
And stoneless Gelding will they call
Then hold content, and be thou wise,
And Ile some party trick devise,
Then hold content, and be thou wise,
And Ile some party trick devise,

Ile make the Devil change his Noat,
Give me thy Hat thy Band, and Coat
Thy Hose and Doublet eke also,
And I like to a Man will go,
Ile warrant thee next Market-day,
To fright the Devil clean away,
Ile warrant thee next Market-day,
To fright the Devil clean away,

When the Bakers Wife she was so drest,
With all her Bread upon her Breast,
To Nottingham Market that brave Town,
To sell her Bread both White and Brown
and riding merrily over the Hill,
Oh there she spy'd two Devils of Hell,
and riding merrily over the Hill,
Oh there she spy'd two Devils of Hell,

A little Devil and another,
As they were playing both together,
Oh, be, quoth the Devil then right fain,
Here comes the Baker riding amain:
Now be thou well or be then woe,
I will Geld thee before thou dost go.
Now be thou well or be then woe,
I will Geld thee before thou dost go.

The Bakers Wife to the Devildid say,
Sir I was Gelded yester day,
Oh quoth the Devil I mean to soe,
And pulling her Coats above her knee,
And so looking upwarts from the ground,
Oh, there he spy'd a terrible wound
And so looking upwarts from the ground,
Oh, there he spy'd a terrible wound

Oh quoth the Devil, I see,
He was not cunning that Gelded thee,
for when he had cut out thy stones,
He should have closed up thy wounds,
But if thou'll stay hear a little space,
Ile fetch some salve to cure the place,
But if thou'll stay hear a little space,
Ile fetch some salve to cure the place,

He had not ran but a little way,
But up her belly crept a flea,
The little Devil seeing that
He up with his paw and gave her a pat,
Which made the good-wife for to start,
And with that she let go a rowsing fart.
Which made the good-wife for to start,
And with that she let go a rowsing fart.

Oh, oh quoth the Devil thy life is not long
Thy Breath it smells horrible strong,
Therefore go thy way & make thy Will,
Thy wounds are past all humans skill,
Begon, Begon, make no delay,
For here thou shalt no longer stay.
Begon, Begon, make no delay,
For here thou shalt no longer stay.

The good wife with this news was glad,
So she left the Devil almost mad,
And when she to her Husband came,
With joyful heart she told the same,
How she had couzen'd the Devil of Hell,
Which pleas'd her Husband wondrous well
How she had couzen'd the Devil of Hell,
Which pleas'd her Husband wondrous well