Glen Collection of printed music > Printed music > Wit and mirth, or, Pills to purge melancholy > Volume 3

148 Songs Compleat>
Baker, quoth the Devil, tell me that,
How came thy Horse so fair and fat ?
In troth, quoth the Baker, and by my fay,
Because his Stones were cut away :
For he that will have a Gelding free,
Both fair and lusty he must be :
Oh ! quoth the Devil, and saist thou so,
Thou shalt geld me before thou dost go.
Go tie thy Horse unto a Tree,
And with thy Knife come and geld me ;
The Baker had a Knife of Iron and Steel,
With which he gelded the Devil of Hell,
It was sharp pointed for the nonce,
Fit for to cut any manner of Stones :
The Baker being lighted from his Horse,
Cut the Devil's Stones from his Arse.
Oh ! quoth the Devil, beshrow thy Heart,
Thou dost not feel how 1 do smart ;
For gelding of me thou art not quit,
For I mean to geld thee this same Day seven-night.
The Baker hearing the Words he said,
Within his Heart was sore afraid,
He hied him to the next Market Town,
To sell his Bread both white and brown.
And when the Market was done that Day,
The Baker went home another way,
Unto his Wife he then did tell,
How he had gelded the Devil of Hell :
Nay, a wondrous Word I heard him say,
He would geld me the next Market Day ;
Therefore Wife I stand in doubt,
I'd rather, quoth she, thy Knaves Eyes were out.
I'd rather thou should break thy Neck-bone,
Than for to lose any manner of Stone,
For why, 'twill be a loathsome thing,
When every Woman shall call thee Gelding.
Thus