They came to her Assistance,

As she did make Resistance,
Against the Priest and Devil,
The Actors of all Evil,
Who were so grand uncivil,
To tempt a Saint to Sin.
The Parson then confounded,
To see himself surrounded,
With Mob and sturdy Watch-men,
Whose Business 'tis to catch Men,
In leudness with a Punk,
In leudness with a Punk.
He made some faint Excuses,
And all to hide Abuses,
In taking up the Linen,
Against the Saints Opinion,
Within her soft Dominion,

Alledging he was Drunk.

But tho' he feigned reeling,
They made him pay for feeling,
And Lugg'd him to a Prison,
To bring him to his Reason,
Which he had lost before,
Which he had lost before.

And thus we see how Preachers

That should be Gospel-Teachers,
How they are strangely blinded,
And are so fleshly minded,

Like Carnal Men inclined,

To lie with any Whore.

FINIS.

London, Printed for N. Palmer, near Shoe-Maker-Row.

[White-letter. Date: Early in 18th century, before 1720.]

The Crafty Country-Woman.

MANY an old ballad is directed against the fraudulent Baker,

1

who was often assigned as unquestionable property to the Fiend; especially in times of scarcity (ex. grat., "A pretty jest I will you tell," which was in print before 1656: see Roxb. Coll., ii. 192; Bagford Coll., i. 51; and Merry Drollery, ii. 12). Most countries found it necessary to enact special laws and punishments, to insure his good behaviour. The difficulties found in making his favourite adjustment of weights and measures conform to the national standard, as well as unto the wishes of his customers, occasionally resulted in his assuming a public appearance in the Pillory (like the Edmonton. Baker, herein satirized); or in his having his ears nailed to his own door-post, which was a practice among the mild Turks. After the latter operation had been performed many times, on an incorrigible offender, it needed a skilful official to lay hold of the scanty remnant which still adorned the scull. 'Beating on the Drum" alone remained, in such emergencies, for even ears are terminable properties. The Edmonton Baker deserved his exposure, for meanness as well as for criminality. He had been fairly warned of the consequences, if he drove a hard, dishonest bargain against a woman who could make reprisals. The "Fair Maid of Islington" thus punished the London Vintner (see Bagford Collection, ii. 113).

We know of no other copy than the present one. J. Shooter's ballads are not numerous: his date is reported as 1697-1699.

1 The latest employment of the Pillory in London was in 1830, in the case of P. S. Bossy. The use and abuse of the Pillory was not abolished in Great Britain by Act of Parliament until 1837.

"Gentyll bakers, sophystycate not your breade made of pure whete: yf you do. I wold you shuld shake out the remnant of your sackes, standyng in the Temmes vp to the harde chynne, and .iii. ynches aboue, that whan you do, come out of the water you myght shake your eares as a spanyell that veryly commeth out of the water." 1542, Andrew Boorde, Dyetary, ed. Furnivall, p. 260-1. Powell's edition of 1567, or 1547, reads: "And euyll bakers, the whyche doth not make good breade of whete, but wyl myngle other corne with whete, or do not order and seson hit, gyuinge good weyght, I wolde they myght play bo pepe thorowe a pyllery."—ib. p. 260, note 5.

BAGFORD.

[Bagford Collection I. 81, verso.]

The

Crafty Country Woman :

Dr,

The Pillory Baker Dut-witted

By his Neighbour's Burome life who made him pay severely for the use of her merry Water-mill.

TUNE OF, The beating of the Drum, etc.

A

Baker lives in Edmonton,

that dearly loves the Poor; In e'ry Peck of Wheaten-bread, he wants a Pound* or more;

Besides his Barly-meal,

he mingles at his Will;

But the Baker ground his Corn we hear

in a Woman's Water-mill.

In South-street lives a Husband-man,

but I'll forbear his name;

He has a brisk and jovial Wife,

is counted of the Game:

8

12

The Baker was resolved

that she should try her skill; And he carried her his Corn

to grind in her Water-mill.

He kept this Womans company,

full half a Year or more; Till he for Bread had trusted her twelve Shillings on the Score;

But wanting of his Mony,

he carry'd her a Bill;

And then she turn'd the flush off

from her Water-mill.

If you ask me for Mony,

you sorry Rogue, said she,

I'll go unto a Justice,

and swear you ravish'd me,

For I will have my Tole,

now you have ground your fill; You might have ground at home, in your Wive's Water-mill.

Her talking so rashly

put him into a fear;

He seem'd to yield unto her,

saying, Hold your tongue my Dear:

If ever I do ask you more
then use me as you will:
But now I'll grind at home,
In my Wive's Water-mill.

But in a short time after,

this simple foolish Ape

Arrested her Husband,

And then she swore a Rape;

16

Which made him for to stamp and swear,

to see the bitter Pill;

That the Woman would be paid,

for his grinding in her Mill. Then he through perswasions, did yield for to agree; A Mark he gave the Bailiffs, which is their usual fee;