%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> A Jest, / Or, Master Constable. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1624-1624 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 04/26/2011 30853

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Patricia Fumerton Early Modern Center - English Department University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93105 United States of America EMail: pfumer@english.ucsb.edu

R216147 2 the same Tune UNKNOWN The Same Tune the Three Pilgrims UNKNOWN The Three Pilgrims A Pretty jest I shall declare. / Which I not long agoe did hear I Am at your dispose said he, / But pray you here this word from Master Constable [with variation] A wise Constable. [with variation] Roxburghe Ballads Editor None None None None Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 3: 208 3: 209 A Jest, / Or, Master Constable. A Jest; Or, Master Constable. A Jest; Or, Master Constable. 1624-1624 Francis Grove

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 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/ health alcohol animals/ nature Bible/ biblical figures buildings/ architecture catastrophe children class clothing/ appearance country/ nation crime death economics/ commerce entertainments family folklore gender holidays/ seasons infidelity labor/ craft law London love maritime marriage military/ war monstrosity mythology/ Classical news nobility/ court politics/ government procreation punishment race/ ethnicity religious concepts religious figures religious types & sects royalty rural life servitude sex/ sexuality supernatural/ magic The New World travel trickery/ deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgarities/ crass humor youth/ age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 4/26/2011 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America law punishment trickery/ deceit Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 4/26/2011 4:45:48 PM XBallad Mellon, Gillian Created XML Version of Ballad 4/26/2011 4:45:48 PM Transcription Supervisor McAbee, Kristina, Nebeker, Eric Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/26/2011 4:45:48 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Zusky, Catherine Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/26/2011 4:45:48 PM Transcriptionist Two Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/26/2011 4:45:48 PM Transcriptionist One Becker, Charlotte Transcription of ballad manuscript 11/9/2010 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/9/2010 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 1/7/2009 Bibliographer Meghan Fadel Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created 1/7/2009 Checker Meghan Fadel Edited Ballad Catalogue Record
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">A Jest;</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Or, Master Constable.</hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">To the Tune of, the <hi rend="bold">Three Pilgrims.</hi></hi></seg>
A Pretty jest I shall declare, Which I not long agoe did hear Of one who did intend to jeere, Master Constable. I hope theres none wil matter make Of that that I intend to speake, Of a busy man who the place did take. Of a Constable. For I hope each wise man wiser is, Then to think he is touchd in this, For thinking so, he thinks amiss, Twas a busy Constable. For this is but a merry Jest, Which will I hope, no man molest, For I no grudge beare I protest, To any Canstable. Then pray you let this poor man pass For he for money sings alas, Let none then shew himselfe an asse Like this Constable. He as his Office did direct, To set his watch was circumspect And nothing therein did neglect, Like a Constable. Also when any passed by, He did examine them strictly, Observing with discretions eye, A wise Constable. At length it chancd that one came neer And he demanded who goes there You know not (said he without fear Master Constable. Come hither that I may you see, And now what are you shew to me, No Man nor Woman replyed he, Master Constable.
Where have you been then asked he That you thus crosly answer me, Know you not the authority Of a constable. Yes I know your authority, And I have been for certainty, Where you would have been glad to be Master Constable. Then said the Constable, some end, Will come hereof, but say my friend, Whither to goe doe you intend, Why good Constable. I am going thither where You dare not goe for your right eare What you are set upon the jeere said the Constable. What is your name pray tel me that Who dare so boldly to me prate, Be briefe, and truth to me relate, Said the Constable Twenty shillings I am namd I thereof need not be ashamd, Although by you I may be blamd, master Constable Sir, that hereafter we shall see But in the mean time tell to me, Where your dwelling place may be. Quoth the Constable Out of the Kings dominion I, Doe dwell said he assuredly, As my Neighbours can testifie, master Constables But in the Kings dominion you Are now my friend, and you shall rue That still cross language you renew To a Constable.
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The second part to the same Tune.</hi></seg>
I Am at your dispose said he, But pray you here this word from me You shew your selfe herein to be A wise Constable. To prison then incontinent, The Constable this good man sent Although the same he did repent, Like a Constable. Before a Justice the next day, The Constable bore him away, And to his Worship thus did say, Like a Constable, Sir in my Watch the last night I This fellow tooke who saucely, Jeerd me and my authority, Said the Constable. Then quoth the Justice, what said he? That might to you distastefull be, And ile between you judge fairly, Master Constable. First who goes there was ask[']d by me You cannot tell replyed he, And thus he did begin crosly, Said the Constable,. Come before my authority And now what are you tell to me, No Man nor Woman replyed he, Said the Constable. Where have you been then I enquird Where you to be would have desird Thus I againe by him was jeerd, Said the Constable. Weither goe you? then said I And he still crosly did reply Where for my ears I durst not be, Said the Constable. What is your name sir tell to me, Twen[t]y shillings replyed he [Deem you t]hese answers fit to be, Give[n to] a Constable. I aske[d] his dwelling place also, And he this answer did bestow
Out of the Kings dominion know, Quoth the Constable. But when he saw jde him convey, To prison untill the next day, You are quoth he I needs must say, A wise Constable. you my complaint have heard said he Now pray you judge twixt him & me That I may satisfied be, being a Constable. Then said the Justice was not he, In drink that he thus answered thee, If so, that might the reason be, Master Constable. No, in your Worship I doe vow He was as sober as we are now, And therefore doe no favour shew, Said the Constable. Then said the Justice what say you, Is this that he alledges true, If; how durst you such carriage shew, Toward a Constable. Sir I speake truth, first he askd who Goes there, I said he did not know, If he had he would let me goe, Like a Constable. And I am a Taylor by my Trade, Who are no men by the proverb made, Nor am I a Woman jle perswade Master Constable. Then next he asked of me where I had been; which was at good cheer And youd as gladly have been there, Master Constable. And I was agoing thus I sed, where you durst not go for your head For it was with my wife to bed. Master Constable. And sir, Marke Noble is my name, And in your ears I dare proclaime, That twenty shilling is the same, Master Constable.
The King of great Brittain is King as fame throughout the world doth ring But in little Brittain is my dwelling, Master Constable. and I pray your worship further here If I in any thing did erre It was that I did him prefer, For a wise Constable. And sir he ought give me content; Both for my wrong imprisonment, And loss of time with money spent, Through the Constable. Then said the Justice good sir heare This man makes al his words apear To be the truth, and not a jeere Master Constable, And you have been too much to blame To take away thu[s] his good name, And tis fit you pay for the same Master Constable. You said that he was not in drinke And therefore come lay down your chink It is in vaine backward to shrink Master Constable. To pay his charges I you enjoyne, And a French crown for loss of time And friendly drink a pint of Wine. So farwell Constable. which done the man went merily home His wife rejoycd to see him come, Where he to her told the whole summ, Of the Constable. Thus of this Constable I end, Desiring favour of each Friend, For what in mirth by me is pend Of this Constable. But if theres any fault doth find, Such men they have a guilty mind, Or too too busy are inclind Like this Constable.
FINIS. Entered according to Order. London, Printed for Francis Grove on Snow-hill.