%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> THE / Gelding of the DEVIL. / The prettiest Jest that ever was known, / The Baker's Wife her Skill has shown; / Then listen awhile, and the news I'll tell, / Betwixt a Baker and the Devil of Hell. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1763-1763 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 04/28/2011 31054

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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

T40541 A Pretty jest I will you tell, / Of the gelding of the Devil of Hell; And riding, &c. [with variation] Roxburghe Ballads Editor None None None None Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 3: 330 3: 331 THE / Gelding of the DEVIL. / The prettiest Jest that ever was known, / The Baker's Wife her Skill has shown; / Then listen awhile, and the news I'll tell, / Betwixt a Baker and the Devil of Hell. THE Gelding of the DEVIL. The prettiest Jest that ever was known, The Baker’s Wife her Skill has shown; Then listen awhile, and the news I’ll tell, Betwixt a Baker and the Devil of Hell. THE Gelding of the DEVIL. The prettiest Jest that ever was known, The Baker’s Wife her Skill has shown; Then listen awhile, and the news I’ll tell, Between a Baker and the Devil of Hell. 1763-1763

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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 4/28/2011 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America gender sex/ sexuality supernatural/ magic trickery/ deceit vulgarities/ crass humor Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 4/28/2011 4:21:13 PM XBallad Mellon, Gillian Created XML Version of Ballad 4/28/2011 4:21:13 PM Transcription Supervisor Mann, Rachel Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/28/2011 4:21:13 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Becker, Charlotte Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/28/2011 4:21:13 PM Transcriptionist Two Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/28/2011 4:21:13 PM Transcriptionist One Zusky, Catherine Transcription of ballad manuscript 11/29/2010 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/29/2010 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/29/2010 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 1/17/2009 Bibliographer Meghan Fadel Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">THE</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Gelding of the DEVIL.</hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The prettiest Jest that ever was known,</hi></seg> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The Bakers Wife her Skill has shown;</hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="5" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Then listen awhile, and the news Ill tell,</hi></seg> <seg n="6" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Betwixt a Baker and the Devil of Hell.</hi></seg>
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 willow clear, The Baker sung with a merry cheer. And riding, etc. The Bakers horse was lusty and sound, Well worth in Judgment full ten pound His skin was smooth, his flesh was fat. His master was well pleasd at that; Which made him sing most merrily, As he was riding along the way, Which, etc. But as he rid over the hill, O there he met with the Devil of Hell: O Baker! Baker! then cryd he, How came thy horse so fat to be?
These be the words the Baker did say, Because his stones are cut away. These be, etc. Then said the Devil it may be so, Thou shalt geld me before thou dost go, First tie thy horse to yonder tree, And with thy knife come and geld me: The Baker had a knife for the nounce, Wherewith he cut out the Devils stones. The Baker, etc. The Baker as it came to pass. In haste alighted from his horse; And the Devil on his back he lay, While the Baker cut his stones away; Which put the Devil to great pain, And made him to cry out amain. Which put, etc.
O said the Devil, beshrew thy heart; Thou dost not feel how I do smart, And for the deed that thou hast done, Ill be revengd on thee anon, And underneath this greenwood tree, Next market day I will Geld thee, And underneath, etc. The Baker then but little said, Yet in his heart was sore afraid, He durst no longer then to stay, But he rode home another way? And coming home to his wife did tell, How he had gelded the Devil of Hell. And coming, etc. Moreover to his wife he told, A tale as made her heart run cold; How the Devil he did say, He would geld him next market day: O said the good wife without doubt, I had rather both thy eyes were out, O said, etc. For then all people far and near, As know thee will both mock and jeer, And good wives they will rail and bawl, And stoneless Gelding will thee call: Then hold, content, and be thou wise, And Ill some pretty trick devise, Then hold, etc. Ill maks the Devil changs his note, Give me my hat, my band and coat, Thy hose and doublet eke also, And I like to a man will go Ill warrant thee next market day, Ill fright the Devil quite away. Ill warrant. etc When the Bakers wife she was so drest, With all the bread upon the beast, Unto Nottingham Market that fine town, To sell her bread both white and brown; And riding merrily over the hill, O there she espyd two Devils of Hell. And riding, etc. A little Devil and another, As they were playing both together;
O 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. I will geld, etc. The Bakers Wife to the Devil did say, Sir, I was gelded yesterday; O quoth the Devil I mean to see, And pulling her coats up to her knee, And looking upwards from the ground, O there I espyd a terrible wound. And so looking, etc. O 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 the wounds; But if youll stay some little space. Ill fetch some salve to heal the place. But if youll, etc. She had not rid but a little way, But up her belly crept a flea, The little Devil seeing that, He up with his hand and gave it a pat, Which made the good wife for to start, With that she let a rouzing fart. Which made, etc. O said the Devil thy lifes not long, Thy breath it smells so horribly strong; Therefore go thy way and make thy will, Thy wounds are past all human Skill, Be gone, be gone, make no delay, For here thou shalt no longer stay, Be gone, etc. The good wife of 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: The story pleasd him wondrous well, How she had couzend the Devil of Hell. How she had, etc.
Printed and Sold in Aldermary-Church- Yard, Bow Lane, London.