¶ Heere beginneth a mery I est of Dan [...] Hew Munk of Leicestre, and how he was foure times slain and once hanged.
[Page] IN olde time there was in Lecester town
An Abbay of Munks of great renown
As ye shall now after heer
But amongst them all was one there
That passed all his Brethern iwis
His name was Dane Hew so haue I blis
This Munk was yung and lusty
And to fair women he had a fansy
And for them he laid great wait in deed
In Leicester dwelled a Tayler I reed
Which wedded a woman fair and good
they looued eche other by my hood
Seuen yeer and somwhat more
Dane Hew looued this taylers Wife sore,
And thought alway in his minde
When he might her alone finde
And how he might her assay
And if she would not to say him nay
Vpon a day he said fair woman free
without I haue my pleasure of thee
I am like to go from my wit
Sir she said I haue many a shrewd fit
Of my husband euery day,
Dame he said / say not nay
My pleasure I must haue of thee
what so euer that it cost mee
She answered and said if it must needs be
Come to morow vnto me
For then my husband rideth out of the town
and then to your wil I wil be bown
And then we may make good game
and if ye come not ye be to blame
[Page] But Dane Hew first tel thou me
What that my rewarde shalbe
Dame he said by my fay
twenty nobles of good money
For we wil make good cheer this day:
And so they kist and went their way
The tayler came home at euen tho
Like as he was wunt to doo
And his wife tolde him all and some
How Dane Hew in the morning would come
and what her meed of him should be
What? dame thou art mad so mot I thee
Wilt thou me a Cuckolds hood giue?
That should me shrewdly greeue,
Nay Sir she said, by sweet saint Iohn
I wil keep my self a good woman
And get thee money also iwis
For he hath made therof a promisse
To morow earely heer to be
I know wel he wil not fail me
And I shall lock you in the chest
that ye out of the way may be milt
And whē dane Hew commeth hether early
About fiue of the clock truely
For at that time his houre is set
to come hether then without any let
Then I shall you call ful lightly
Look that ye come vnto me quickly
And when the day began to appeer in ye morning
Dane Hew came thither warde fast renning
He thought that he had past his houre
then softly he knocked at the taylers door
[Page] She rose vp and bad him come neer
And said Sir welcome be ye heer
Good morow (he said) gentle mistris
Now tel me where your husband is
That we may be sure indeed
Sir she said so God me speed
He is foorth of the town
And wil not come home til after noon
With that Dane Hew was wel content
And lightly in armes he did her hent
And thought to haue had good game
Sir she said let be for shame
For I wil knowe first what I shall haue
For when I haue it I wil it not craue
Giue me twenty Nobles first
And doo with me then what ye list
By my Preesthood quoth he than
thou shalt haue in Golde and siluer anon
Thou shalt no longer craue it of me
Lo my mistresse where they be
And in her lap he it threw
Gramercy she said vnto Dane Hew
Dane Hew thought this wife to assay
abide sir she said til I haue laid it away
For so she thought it should be best
With that she opened then a Chest
then Dane Hew thought to haue had her alone
But the tayler out of the chest anon
And said sir Munk if thou wilt stand
I shall giue thee a stroke with my brand
that thou shalt haue but little lust vnto my wife
And lightly without any more strife
[Page] He hit Dane Hew vpon the hed
That he fel down stark dead
Thus was he first slain in deed
Alas then said his wife with an euil speed
Haue ye slain this munk so soone?
Whither now shall we run or gone?
There is no remedy then said he
without thou giue good counsail to me
To conuay this false preest out of the way
That no man speak of it ne say
That I haue killed him or slain
Or els that we haue doon it in vain
Yea sit (she said) let him abide
Til it be soon in the euen tide
Then shall we him wel conuay
For ye shall beare him into the Abbay
And set him straight vp by the wall
and come your way foorth withall
The Abbot sought him all about
For he heard say that he was out
And was very angry with him in deed
and would neuer rest so God me speed
Vntil Dane Hew that he had found
and bad his man to seek him round
About the place, and to him say
That he come speak with me straight way
Foorth went his man til at the last
Beeing abrode his eye he cast
Aside: where he Dane Hew did see
and vnto him then straight went he
And thinking him to be aliue
He said, Dane Hew so mut I thriue
[Page] I haue sought you and meruel how
that I could not finde you til now
Dane Hew stood as stil as he that could not tel
what he should say, no more he did good nor il
With that the Abbots man said with good intent
Sir ye must come to my Lord, or els you be shent
When Dane Hew answered neuer a dele.
He thought he would aske some counsail
Then to the Abbot he gan him hye
I pray you my Lord come by and by
And see where Dane Hew stands straight by the wall
and wil not answere what so euer I call
And he stareth and looketh vpon one place
Like a man that is out of grace
And one woord he wil not speak for me
Get me a staf (quoth the Abbot) and I shall see
And if he shall not vnto me answere.
Then when the Abbot came there
And saw him stand vp right by the wall
He then to him began to call
And said thou false Bribour thou shalt aby
Why keepest thou not thy seruice truely
Come hether he said with an euil speed
But no woord that Dane Hew answered in deed
what whorsō (ꝙ the Abbot) why spekest not thou?
Speak or els I make God avow
I wil giue thee such a stroke vpon thy head
That I shall he gaue him such a rap
That he fel down at that clap
Thus was he the second time slain
and yet he wroght them much more pain
[Page] As ye shall afterward heer ful wel
Sir quoth the abbots an ye haue doon il
For ye haue slain Dane Hew now
And suspended this place I make God a vow
What remedy (quod the Abbot than?)
Yes quoth his man by sweet Saint Iohn
If ye would me a good rewarde giue
That I may be the better while that I liue
Yes (ꝙ the Abbot) xl. shillings thou shalt haue
And if thou can mine honor saue
My Lord I tel you so mot I thee
Vnto such a Taylers house haunted he
To woo his prety wife certain
and thither I shall him bring again
And there vpright I shall him set
that no man shall it knowe or wit
And then euery man wil sain
That the Tayler hath him slain
For he was very angry with him
That he came to his wife so oft time
Of his counsail he was wel appaid
and his man took vp dane Hew that braid
And set him at the Taylers door anon
and ran home as fast as he might gone
The Tayler and his wife were in bed
And of Dane Hew were sore afraid
Lest that he would them bewray
and to his wife began to say
All this night I haue dreamed of this false caitife
that he came to our door (quoth he to his wife)
Iesus (quoth his wife) what man be ye
That of a dead man so sore afraid ye be?
[Page] For me thought that you did him slo
With that the Tayler to the door gan go
And a Polax in his hand
and saw the Munk by the door stand
Whereof he was sore afraid
And stil he stood and no woord said
Til he spake vnto his wife
Dame now haue I lost my life
Without I kil him first of all
Foorth he took his Polax or mall
And hit Dane Hew vpon the head
that he fel down stark dead
And thus was Dane Hew three times slain
And yet he wrought him a train
Alas quoth the Taylers wife
This caitife dooth vs much strife
Dame he said what shall we now doo?
Sir she said so mote go
The Munk in a corner ye shall lay
til to morow before the day
Then in a Sack ye shall him thrast
and in the Mil dam ye shall him cast
I counsail it you for the best surely
So the Tayler thought to doo truely
In the morning he took Dane Hew in a Sack
And laid him lightly vpon his back
Vnto the Mil Dam he gan him hye
and there two theeues he did espye
That fro the Mil came as fast as they might
But when of the Tayler they had a sight
They were abashed very sore
For they had thought the miller had come thore
[Page] For of him they were sore afraid
that the Sack there down they laid
And went a little aside I cannot tel where
And with that the Tayler saw the sack lye there
Then he looked therin anon
And he saw it was ful of Baron
Dane Hew then he laid down there
And so the bacon away did beare
Til he came home and that was true
the theeues took vp ye sack with dane Hew
And went their way til they came home
One of the theeues said to his wife anon
Dame look what is in that sack I thee pray
For there is good bacon by my fay
Therfore make vs good cheer lightly
the wife ran to the Sack quickly
And when she had the Sack vnbound
the dead Munck therein she found
Then she cryed out and said alas
I see heer a meruailous case
That ye haue slain Dane Hew so soon
Hanged shall ye be if it be knowen
Nay good dame said they again to her
For it hath been the false miller
Then they took Dane Hew again
and brought him to the mil certain
Where they did steale the Bacon before
And there they hāged Dane Hew for store
Thus was he once hanged in deed
and ye theeues ran hōe as fast as they could speed
The Millers wife rose on the morning erly
And lightly made her self redy
[Page] To fetch some Bacon at the last
But when she looked vp she was a gast
That she saw the Munk hang there
She cryed out and put them all in fere
And said heer is a chaunce for the nones
for heer hangeth the false Munk by cocks bones
That hath been so Lecherous many a day
And with mens wiues vsed to play
Now some body hath quit his meed ful wel
I trow it was the Deuil of Hel
And our Bacon is stolne away
this I call a shrewd play
I wot not what we shall this winter eate
What wife (quoth the Miller) ye must all this forget
And giue me some good counsail I pray
How we shall this Munk conuay
And priuily of him we may be quit
Sir she said that shall you lightly wit
Lay him in a corner til it be night
and we shall conuay him or it be day light
The Abbot hath a close heer beside
therin he hath a good horse vntide
Go and fetch him home at night
and bring him vnto me straight
And we shall set him there vpon in deed
and binde him fast so God me speed
And giue him a long pole in his hand
Like as he would his enmies withstand
And vnder his-arme we wil it thrust
Like as he would fiercely iust
Fo (she said) as ye wel knowe
the Abbot hath a Mare gentle and lowe
[Page] Which ambleth wel and trotteth in no wise
But in the morning when the Abbot dooth rise
He commaundeth his mare to him to be brought
For to see his workmen if they lack ought
And vpon the mare he rideth as I you tel
For to see and all things be wel
And when this Horse seeth this mare anon
Vnto her he wil lightly run or gone
When the Miller this vnderstood
He thought his wiues counsail was good
And held him wel therwith content
and ran for the horse verament
And when he the horse had fet at the last
Dane Hew vpon his back he cast
And bound him to the horse ful sure
that he might the better indure
To ride as fast as they might ren
Now shall ye knowe how the Miller did then
He tooke the horse by the brydle anon
and Dane Hew sitting therdn
And brought him that of the mare he had a sight
Then the horse ran ful right
The Abbot looked a little him beside
and saw that Dane Hew towarde him gan ride
And was almoste out of his minde for feare
When he saw Dane Hew come so neere
He cryed help / for the looue of the trinite
For I see wel that Dane Hew auenged wil be
Alas I am but a dead man
and with that from his Mare he ran
The abbots men ran on Dane Hew quickly
and gaue him many strokes lightly
[Page] With Clubs and staues many one
They cast him to the earth anone
So they killed him once again
thus was he once hanged and foure times slain
And buried at the last as it was best
I pray God send vs all good rest.
Amen.
¶ Imprinted at London at the long Shop adioyning vnto Saint Mildreds Churche in the Pultrie, by Iohn Allde.