The gelding of the devil. Or, The prettiest jest that e're was known, how the bakers wife her skill hath shown, then listen a while, and I the news will tell, betwixt the baker and the devil of hell. To a dainty new tune called, The gelding of the devil: or, The card players. 1670 Approx. 7 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-IV TIFF page image. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2011-04 (EEBO-TCP Phase 2). B03559 Wing G465 Interim Tract Supplement Guide C.20.f.8[192] 99887711 ocm99887711 183361

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 Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. B03559) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 183361) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books; Tract supplement ; A5:2[152]) The gelding of the devil. Or, The prettiest jest that e're was known, how the bakers wife her skill hath shown, then listen a while, and I the news will tell, betwixt the baker and the devil of hell. To a dainty new tune called, The gelding of the devil: or, The card players. 1 sheet ([1] p.) : ill. (woodcuts). s.n., [London : 1670?] Imprint suggested by Wing. Verse: "A pretty jest I will you tell ..." Imperfect: trimmed, affecting imprint. Reproduction of original in the British Library.

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 eng Ballads, English -- 17th century. Devil -- Poetry -- Early works to 1800. 2020-09-21 Content of 'availability' element changed when EEBO Phase 2 texts came into the public domain 2008-09 Assigned for keying and markup 2008-11 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2009-03 Sampled and proofread 2009-03 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2009-09 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion
The Gelding of the Devil. OR, The prittiesſt Jeſt that e're was known, How the Bakers wife her skill hath ſhown, Then liſten a while, and I the news will tell, Betwixt the Baker and the Devil of Hell. To a dainty new Tune called, The Gelding of the Devil: Or, the Card Players.

A Pretty jeſt I will you tell, Of the gelding of the Devil of Hell; There was a Baker of Mansfield Town, To Nottingham Market he was bound: And riding under the Willows clear, The Baker ſung with a merry cheer; And riding under the willows clear, The Bakers Horſe was luſty and ſound, Well worth in Iudgment full five pound; His skin was ſmooth and his fleſh was fat, His Maſter was well pleas'd at that: VVhich made him ſing ſo merrily, As he was paſſing on the way; Which made him ſing, &c. But as he rode over the Hill, There met he with 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, &c. 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, VVherewith to cut out the Devils ſtones. The Baker had a Knife for the nonce, The baker as it came to paſs, In haſt alighted from his horſe, And the Devil on his back he lay, VVhile the baker cut his ſtones away, VVhich put the Devil to great pain, And made him to cry out amain: Which put the Devil to great pain, OH quoth the Devil, be ſhrew thy heart, Thou doſt not feel how I do ſmart; And for the deed which 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. 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, &c. Moreover to his wife he told, A tale that made her heart full cold; How that the Devil 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, &c. For then all the People far and near, That knows thee, will both mock and fear; And good-wives they will chide and brawl; And ſtoneleſs Gelding will thee call: Then hold content and be thou wiſe, And i'le ſome pritty trick deviſe; then hold, &c. I'le make the Devil change his Note, Give me thy Hat, thy Band and Coat; Thy Hoſe and Doublet eke alſo, And I like to a man will go: I'le warrant thee next Market-day, To fright the Devil quite away: I'le warrant thee, &c. When the Bakers wife ſhe was ſo dreſt, With all her bread upon her beaſt, 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, &c. A little Devil and an 〈…〉 As they were playing both together; Oh, oh, quoth the Devil then right fain, Here comes the baker riding amain: Now be thou well or be thou woe, I will geld thee before thou doſt go, Now be thou, &c. The bakers wife to the Devil did ſay, Sir I was gelded yeſterday; Oh, quoth the Devil I mean to ſee, And pulling her Coats above knee her, And ſo looking upward from the ground, Oh, there he ſpy'd a terrible wound, And ſo looking, &c. Oh, quoth the Devil, now 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'lt ſtay ſome little ſpace, I'le fetch ſome Salve to cure the place, But if thou'lt ſtay, &c. He had not rid 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 Rowzing Fart, which made the, &c. Oh, oh, quoth the Devil, thy life is not long Thy breath it ſmells ſo horrible ſtrong; Therefore go thy way and make thy will, Thy wounds are paſt all humane skill; Be gone, be gone, make no delay, For here thou ſhalt no longer ſtay: Be gone, be gone, &c. 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 pleaſed her husband wondrous wel •

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