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 PT 941.E8E5 1867 
 
 3 1924 026 140 537 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of this book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924026140537 
 
^ 
 
 ■• 
 
 / o 
 
HOWLEGLAS. 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 FREDERIC OUVRY, 
 
 TREAS. S.A. 
 
 LONDON : 
 PRIVATELY PRINTED. 
 
 1867. 
 s 
 

 T. RICHARDS, 37, GREAT QUEEN STREET. 
 
 h 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The great rarity of the early English translation 
 of Eulenspiegel has induced me to reprint a few- 
 copies of it. 
 
 But three copies are known to exist, each being 
 of a different impression, and each being more or less 
 imperfect. 
 
 The copies do not differ in any material respect ; 
 the variations being merely in the spelling, and in 
 the correction of misprints. They are all in small 
 quarto and in black letter. 
 
 Two of the copies are in the British Museum. 
 One, which belongs to the Garrick collection, wants 
 sheet d and the upper right-hand corner of m i . 
 
 The colophon of this copy is — 
 
 ^| Imprynted at London in Tames strete at the 
 Vintre on the thre Craned Wharfe by William 
 Copland. 
 
IV PREFACE. 
 
 The conjectural date of 1528 has been attributed 
 to this copy. 
 
 The second copy in the British Museum was pur- 
 chased by Heber at the Roxburgh sale for 14/. 5s., 
 as appears by Heber's note upon it. It is very 
 imperfect, wanting sheet b and from k iiii to the end. 
 The page c 1 is slightly damaged. 
 
 The date of 1530 has been assigned to this 
 copy. 
 
 The titlepage of each copy has the same woodcut, 
 though the setting-up and character of the type is 
 different. The titlepage, which I reproduce, is that 
 of the Garrick copy. 
 
 I have now to refer to the third copy, which is in 
 the Bodleian Library. It wants the titlepage and 
 early portion of the text. It commences with signa- 
 ture c 11, and is thenceforward perfect. 
 
 The colophon is — 
 
 Imprinted at London in Lothbury by me Wyllyam 
 Copland. 
 
 This copy, which was first noticed by Mr. Collier, 
 
PREFACE. V 
 
 and is described in his " Bibliographical Catalogue 
 of Early English Literature," vol. i, 379, is not only- 
 remarkable as varying in text from the other two 
 copies, but derives additional interest from certain 
 manuscript notes which Mr. Collier believes to be in 
 the handwriting of Gabriel Hervey. 
 
 The more remarkable of these notes I have given 
 in fac-fimile — one, as in the original, under the 
 colophon ; the other (which in the original is 
 on the back of the last page) on a separate sheet. 
 The remainder occur in the Table at' the end of 
 the volume, and are of no particular interest. I 
 may remark, however, that the volume on almost 
 every page is underlined, as if Gabriel Hervey 
 had performed his promise by reading the book 
 carefully. 
 
 No date appears on any one of the copies ; and it 
 must, therefore, be to some extent a matter of con- 
 jecture when this translation was first published, and 
 which of the three copies known to exist was of the 
 earliest impression. 
 
VI PREFACE. 
 
 It seems to me, however, clear that the conjec- 
 tured date, whether 1528 or 1530, is far too early. 
 I am not aware of any dated example of William 
 Copland's press earlier than 1548. Of the dated 
 examples given in Dibdin's " Ames," ranging from 
 1548 to 1557, all, with one exception, were printed 
 in " Flete Strete at the sign of the Rose Garland." 
 The one exception has the imprint of " London" 
 only. One example, dated 1561, was printed "In 
 the Vintre on the thre craned warf." The colophon 
 of the undated examples given by Dibdin is either 
 " Tames Strete at the Vintre on the three Craned 
 warf," or " Lothbury over against S. Margarets 
 Church ;" and one of these with the latter colophon 
 is stated in Dibdin's " Ames" to have been entered 
 at Stationers' Hall 1562-3. 
 
 William Copland died 1568-9. 
 
 The inference I should deduce from these facts is 
 that William Copland's first place of business was 
 the Rose and Garland in Fleet Street ; that he 
 thence removed to the Vintry on the Three Craned 
 
PREFACE. Vll 
 
 Wharf; and that his last place of business was in 
 Lothbury on the site where the Bank of England 
 now stands. 
 
 If I am right in this deduction, the Garrick copy 
 will be earlier than that in the Bodleian. The Heber 
 copy, the colophon of which is wanting, was pro- 
 bably later than the Garrick copy, because it is 
 noticed in the Museum Catalogue that errors in the 
 press in the latter are corrected in the former. 
 Whether the Heber or the Bodleian copy was the 
 earlier, must, in our present state of information, be 
 matter of conjecture. Certainly, the text in the 
 Bodleian copy does not indicate any great correction 
 of the press. 
 
 It will be understood that my reprint down to 
 c ii in the original is necessarily taken from the 
 Garrick copy. The remainder is from the copy in 
 the Bodleian. 
 
 The only liberty I have taken in reprinting the 
 text is that I have disregarded the frequent inter- 
 change of the letters n and u. In the black letter 
 
Vlll PREFACE. 
 
 type this is scarcely perceptible, while in modern 
 type it would materially disguise the words intended 
 to be used. 
 
 Frederic Ouvry. 
 
 12, Queen Anne Street, 
 
 Cavendish Square, 
 October 1867. 
 
INTEODUCTION. 
 
 This singular and important tract must be read in immediate 
 connexion with Greene's " Quip for an Upstart Courtier", which 
 formed the third of our present series of reprints : after " Pierce 
 Penniless", Harvey'.s " Four Letters and certain Sonnets" follow 
 in natural sequence ; and then will come Nash's " Strange News, 
 Pour Letters confuted". 
 
 These productions are already in the hands of the reader of 
 our present Series ; and next to them will succeed Harvey's reply 
 to Nash, under the title of "A new Letter of notable Contents" : 
 all belong to the years 1592 and 1593, but the last is a brief pro- 
 duction, and professes only to treat of the pending controversy, as 
 it were, incidentally. We shall endeavour to give it next ; and 
 then, so far, the collection will be complete, excepting that, with the 
 date of 1593, we shall reprint an epistle by Nash preceding his 
 " Christ's Tears over Jerusalem", in which the writer refers 
 to certain offers of conciliation, which had been made by him, and 
 rejected by Harvey. In due course we shall follow up the 
 " flyting" by the larger publications of both parties, viz., Harvey's 
 " Pierce's Supererogation", and Nash's " Have with you to 
 Saffron Walden, or Gabriel Harvey's Hunt is up" : the close of 
 the whole contest will be Harvey's " Trimming of Thomas 
 
11 
 
 Nash", published under the pseudonome of Bichardo de Medico 
 Campo, i. e., Richard Litchfield, the barber of Cambridge. This 
 was in 1597 ; and we only know of the existence of a single copy 
 of it, because an order was then issued from authority for burning 
 the whole controversy. 
 
 Harvey was considerably older than his antagonist, but long 
 survived him, for Nash was dead in 1601. The two tracts, 
 " Pierce's Supererogation" and " Have with you to Saffron 
 Walden", are long ; and our readers must not look for them until 
 some time shall have elapsed, on account of their extent and the 
 difficulty of procuring transcripts : it may be necessary to divide 
 each of them into two parts. 
 
 Our reproduction of "Pierce Penniless' Supplication" is from 
 the second edition, which the author revised and corrected ; and 
 the copy we have used has Quod T. Nashe in manuscript at the 
 end of it, together with various additional marginal notes, which 
 are probably not in the handwriting of the author. This im- 
 pression, with its many changes, has not been duly noticed by 
 bibliographers : we saw it twenty-five years ago, but we never 
 had an opportunity of collating it until recently : the preliminary 
 Epistle to Abel Jeffes, condemning the first edition printed by 
 Richard Jones, is its great peculiarity. The spelling, to which 
 we have, as usual, closely adhered, even in the Latin quotations, 
 varies throughout ; so that the whole tract, in the printer's 
 
 phrase, was set up again. 
 
 J. P. 0. 
 
rpe 3!eft ofa matt f ijaf foagcalleb$okJegfe&anb 
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 ottyrrplaceg. 
 
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 not&mpe tbfcCtmiB tjaue 31 f ample* ff 0atbere* 
 
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 Cwetobe patt>onet> bott)befc>?eat)o(Hpffc 1»02lDlp,a» 
 
 fo?etjt'0tieflloti)eafo?etiobleatibtonnobIe.3«DriglJt 
 
 lotoM wqupze allttyoCe £ (^allreade o^eare tW0 
 
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 not but onlp to cctietoc £ mtttiiefit of men 0? toomen, 
 
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 pie tmotopno petfones umlO berate rt folfee* 
 
 ran fee.#e tbtn&e it ft be ttec no paflTc ttje 
 
 tptttetoitbCuct)eameti>3fefteaffl> 
 
 laugbe t^ece atanb boo no 
 
 tynne:tbanfo?to 
 
 foepeanabo 
 
 Cprme, 
 
 ftijofoe i^otolcelajsf as befoagbonte, 
 to 40 clttiftcne t> tin e t? mes 
 Upon oneoape. 
 
HOWLEGLAS. 
 
 ■ N the laude of Sassen, in the vyllage of Ruelnige, 
 there dwelleth a rnii that was named Nicholas 
 Howleglas that had a wife named Wypeke, 
 that lay a childbed in the same wyllage : and 
 that chylde was borne to christening & named 
 Tyell Howleglas. And than the chyld was brought into a 
 tauerne where y e father was wyth his gosseppes and made 
 good chere whan the mydwife had wel dronke, she toke y e 
 childe to bere it home, and in the wai was a litle bridg ouer 
 a muddy water. And as the mydwife would haue goe ouer 
 the lytle brydge, she fel into the mudde with the chylde, for 
 she had a lytel dronk to much wyne : for had not helpe 
 come quickly the had both be drowned in y e mudde. And 
 wha the came home with the chylde, the made a kettle of 
 warm water to be made redi & ther they washed j* child 
 clen of the mudde. And this was Howleglas thre tymes in 
 one dai cristened. Once at y e chnrche, once in y e mudde, & 
 once in y B warm water. 
 
 ^[ Howe that Howleglas whan that he was a chylde, 
 aunswered a man that ashed the w/iye. 
 
 Vpon a tie went Howleglas father & mother out & left 
 Howleglas withl y e house. Tha cae ther a man rydyng half 
 
 1 
 
2 Hoioleglas. 
 
 into y e dore & asked is there nobody within : tha answered 
 y" chyld yes ther is a man & a halfe, & a horse head. Than 
 asked the ma, wher is thy father : And the child answerid 
 & sayd, my father is of yl, makig worse : And my mother is 
 goe for scath or shame. And y e man sayde to the childe, how 
 vnderstandest thou that : & tha the chylde sayd : My father 
 is makyng of yl worse, for he ploweth the felde and niaketh 
 great holes that me should fall therein whan the ride. And 
 my mother is to borow bread, and whan she geueth it 
 agayne and gyuete lesse it is shame, and whan she geueth 
 it & geueth more that is scathe. Than said the man which 
 is the way to ryde : and the chyld aunswered and sayd 
 there where the gees go, and than rode y e man his way to y B 
 gees and whan he came to the gees the flew into y e water, 
 than wist he not wher to ryd but turned again to the chyld 
 and sayd the gees be fiowe into y° water, and thus wot I not 
 what to doo nor whether to ryde. Than aunswered the 
 chylde ye must ryde where as y e gees go, and not where the 
 swyme. Than departed y e man and rode hys way & mar- 
 ueyled of the answer of the childe. 
 
 ^f Howe Howleglas sat vpo hys fathers hors behind hym. 
 
 Many greate coplayntes cae before the father of Howle- 
 glas, how his sone was a deceuer of folkes, and a great 
 mocker. This complaint was made on hym whan he could 
 go, and whan he lay in y b cradle, he tumbled vpon the 
 quisshins with hys arse vpward, and whan he came to y" age 
 of nyne yere old he let no vngraciousnes scape fro hym, in 
 so muche y' all the neybours complayned on hym. Than 
 sayd his father to hym howe commeth this that y c people 
 
Howleglas. 
 
 i 
 
 coinplaynetk soo to mee, they say that ye be a mocker & a 
 deceyuer : Than sayd Howleglas good father I doo nobody 
 harme and that shall I shew vnto you. Take a horse and 
 go vpon his baoke and I wyll ryde behind you than you 
 shall see what the people wyll say to me and than lyght his 
 father vpon his horse and toke his soone behynde hym, and 
 whan he was vpon the horse he shewed the peple his arse. 
 Tha sayd the folke what vngracious knaue and begyler is 
 that : Than sayde Howlegas to his father nowe may ye 
 heare, I holde my peace and speake neuer a woorde, and yet 
 saye the that I am a knaue and a deceyuer of folke. And 
 than his father toke hym and sette hym before hym on the 
 horse, and tha began he to grin & put out his tongue vpon 
 the people that his father sawe not, & than the people 
 sayde see what a cursed young knaue is there. Than sayd 
 his father to Howleglas, thou was borne in an vnhappy 
 tyme, for now thou sittest before mee & doest no body 
 harme : & yet for al that they do call the a knaue and a 
 begiler. And so departed Howleglas father out of the land 
 of Mayd a brochim a village fro thence where his wyfe was, 
 & within short space dyed. And than abid Howleglas 
 mother with him, and eat and dranke together suche as the 
 might gette, for she was but pore, & Howleglas would go to 
 no craft but when he was sixtene yeare olde he began to 
 dauce vpo a corde, and no othei'wyse. 
 
 ^[ Howe Howb'ijlaafi fell fro tha ropie into the water whcr of 
 the 'people had good sporte. 
 
 Vpo a tyme Howleglas played vpo y e corde that was sett 
 ouer the water, whcr he made good sport, but at the last 
 
4 How leg las. 
 
 there was one y* cut the rope, so fell he into the water & 
 was all to wette, & he came out as well as he might, for y e 
 lytle spyte he thought to quyte the agayn, and sayd to the 
 come agayne to morow and I wyll doo many more wodres 
 vpo the rope. And y e next dai after came Howleglas and 
 daunced vpon the corde, and than he sayd to the yonge 
 folke ye shall see what newes I can doo. G-yue me euery 
 body your ryghte shoe vpon the rope ende. So they dyd, 
 and the olde men also. And whan he hadde daunced a 
 whyle he caste them theyr shoue vp5 a hepe and bad them 
 take their shoen eche of them a gayne. Than ran they 
 after their shoen and for haste one tumbled over the 
 other. And than the began to ly together by the eares, 
 and smyte with their fystes soo hard that the fell both to 
 the yearth. One sayd wepig this is my sho, and the other 
 laughed and cryd that is my shoe. And thus for their shoene 
 laye they together by the eares. Than began Howleglas to 
 laugh, crying seeke your shoene : eesterday ye bathed me, 
 and he lept fro the corde and went his way to his mothers, & 
 durst not come out agal T the space of a moneth. And so he 
 taried with his mother, wherof his mother was glad but she 
 knew not the cause why he dyd with her, nor what he had 
 done. 
 
 If Howe Howleglas mother learned hym and bad hym go 
 to a crafte. 
 
 Wybeke the mother of Howleglas was glad that her 
 sonne Howleglas was so sottele and wyse & she sayd that he 
 might not lyue so and get moni as therwith. And than she 
 sayd to her Sonne that he should learne a craft. And than 
 
Hoioleglas. 5 
 
 answered Howleglas to his mother, what thing is that that 
 a body should dyspose himself to, that should abid by him 
 al his life. And hys mother aunswered clene contrary & 
 saydey' me also thiketh for in iij. daies I had no bread I my 
 house should I not abid & suffre al my lyfe I had leuer die. 
 Than said Howleglas this is not an aswer to my question, 
 but I will aunswer now to yours, & said. A poor man y' 
 hath nothing to eat he must fast saint Nycholas day, and he 
 y' hath meate may eat on saint Martins euen. And in 
 likewyse it is with you. 
 
 TT Howe Howleglas gut bread for his mother. 
 
 As Howleglas mother was thus wout bred thu bethought 
 Howleglas how he might best get bread for her. Than 
 he went out of y e village to a towne thereby called 
 Stafforde, & went into a bakers house, where he asked ye 
 baker if he wold send his lord for iij. s. bred som whit and 
 some rye, & he named a lorde that was of another land, but 
 he at that tyme was lodged at an inne in the towne, and bad 
 the baker let one go with him and that he should haue his 
 money and the baker was content. And than Howleglas 
 gaue y B baker a bagge that had a hole in y° botom, & 
 therein put he the bread & so departed with the bakers ladd 
 & whan he was in another streat he let fall iij whyte loues 
 at the hole in y e durt. And than bad Howleglas to the 
 bakers seruaunt sete downe the bagge & goo fetch me other 
 whyte breade for this, for I dare not bere it to my lord. 
 And than went y b bakers seruaunt home to chaunge the 
 bread, and in the meane whyle went Howleglas w' the sacko 
 of bread home to hys mothers. And whan the bakers 
 
6 Howleglas. 
 
 seruaut came again to the p]ace and found not" Howleglas, 
 lie retourned home againe & told his master how Howle- 
 glas hade serued him, & the baker heard that Howle- 
 glas was gon his way with his bread : than ran y« baker 
 to the inne that Howleglas named hiin, & asked the ser- 
 uates of the lordes for Howleglas but the said ther came none 
 suche, & than knew the baker that he was deceyved & so 
 returned home. Than sayd Howleglas to hys mother, eate 
 and make mery now you have it & whan you haue no more 
 ye must faste. 
 
 Tf Howe Howleglas creeped into a hae hyite, 8f Tiowe he was 
 stolen in the nyght. 
 
 Upo a tyme went Howleglas w* his mother to the dide- 
 cagio of y" churche. And there he drake so muche that he 
 was dronke, & than wente he into a garden therby, where 
 stode many bee hiues, and ther he sought wher he might 
 haue a place to slepe in, & at the laste he founde an emptye 
 bee hive, wherin he put himself to slepe for that nyght. 
 Than came therin the ded of the nyghte two theues for to 
 steale away the hiues, and they felte which of y e hyues was 
 heuiest, for they thought therin was moost hony, so at the 
 last they felt the heuy that Howleglas was in, and than 
 sayd the thefe too his felowe, here is on that is very heuy 
 this will I haue, take thou another & let vs go. Than toke 
 thei the bee hiues on ther neckes & departed. Than awoke 
 Howleglas & herd al what the said, and it was so darke that 
 the one knew not the other. Than put Howleglas his hade 
 out of y e hyue, and pulled the formost by the heare where- 
 
Hcnclcolas. 
 
 <b 
 
 with he was angry, and saede to his felowe behynde hym, 
 why pullest y u me by the here. And than he answerd, I 
 pull the by the here, and I haue as muche as I can do to 
 bere my hyue. And within a whyle after he pulled the 
 liyndermoste by the here, that was ryght angrye and sayde, 
 I bere so heui that I swefce, and for al that thou pullest me 
 by the here. Thou answerd the formoste thou lyest, how 
 should I plucke thee by the here and I can scantly fynde 
 my waye, and thus went the chydyng by the way and as 
 they were chiding : Howleglas put out his hand againe & 
 pulled the foremoste by the here, wherof he was angry and 
 set downe hys hyue and toke hys felowe by the head, & 
 thus they tubled together by the here in the strete and at 
 the laste whan the one had well beten the other, they ran 
 their waye and lefte the hyues lying and than slepte Howle- 
 glas in the be hyue til in the mornyng and than he arose 
 and went forthe, and as he went he came by a castell and 
 went in, and the lorde asked hym if he wold haue a maister 
 and he said yes, and than the lord hired hym and vpon a 
 tyme he rode with his maister bi the way wher stode hempe. 
 Than sayd his maister to hym whan thou fyndest suche 
 seede shyte therm, for there with men be hanged vpon the 
 gallowes, and vpo the wheeles, both theues and morderers. 
 Than aswered Howleglas that he wold do it and his maister 
 said so because that he was a thefe, and in the night went a 
 robbyng and a steling for he liued almost therby. On a 
 tj r me as his maister was at supper the cooke called Howle- 
 glas and badde hym go into the seller & fetche him the 
 mustard out of y e pot. And than went Howleglas & he 
 vnderstode that y e cooke bad him go fetch a hempen rope. 
 Than marueyled he what he met for he neuer sawe none 
 
8 Howleglas. 
 
 afore. Than thought he, wyll he bind me therwith. Than 
 went Howleglas into the seller, and there he sought 
 about, and at the last he fotid the pot with mustard, and 
 than he remembred hym & sayd, my maister bad me that 
 where I found any such sede that I should shite therin, and 
 than he put his arse ouer the pot, and shyte therin a great 
 heape, and than he styrred it about together and brought it 
 to y c coke and than the cooke dressed the mustarde in 
 saucers and send them to the table and the lorde tasted, 
 and it sauored il tha said he to the cooke, what haue you 
 groud in the mustarde, for it saverethe lyke as there were a 
 turde therin. And than began Howleglas to laughe, than 
 said his maister wherat laughest thou, thynkeste thou we 
 cannot taste, than taste thou. And than aunswered Howle- 
 glas, I eate no mustarde, for wote you not what you bad me 
 do whan that we rode ouer suche sede, thatwha I fond such 
 sede you that than I should shyte in it for with such sede 
 you sayd men were hanged : and so haue I shytten in the 
 seede. Than sayd his maister, o thou vnhappy knaue this 
 seede is not lyke the sede of hemp ; but I know this by very 
 good reason that thou hast doe it of cursednes & great 
 falsnes, and than he toke a staffe and wold have smyted 
 Howleglas. And than Howleglas took his legges and ran 
 away, and his maister after him, but he could not ouertake 
 him. Than he returned home agayn and Howleglas would 
 no more come there. 
 
 T[ How Howleglas ivas hercd of a priest. 
 
 As Howleglas ran out of y e castel, he came to a village 
 that was called Buddest I the land of Brounswike. And 
 
Howie phi 
 
 A 
 
 ther came a priest to Howlcglas and hyrcd hym, but he knew 
 him not, and the priest sayd to hym that he shoulde haue 
 good dayes and eate ad drynke the same meats that he him- 
 selfe & his woman dyd, and al that should be done with half 
 the labour & than sayd Howleglas y' there after would he do 
 his diligece. Then dressed the priestes woman to chikins 
 and she bad Howleglas turne and so he dyd, and he loked 
 vp and sawe that she had but one iye, that whan the 
 chikins were enough : tha he brake one of the chikyns 
 fro the spyt, and eat it with out any bread ad when it was 
 dener tyme, came the woman into y" kechin where Howle- 
 glas turned, & thought to take vp the chikyns ; and whan 
 she was come, she found no more there but one chikyn. 
 Than sayd she to Howleglas where is the other chikyn : 
 there were two chykins than answered he to her, lift vp 
 your iye : & than you shal se the other chiken, than was the 
 woman ther with angry & knew well that Howleglas mocked 
 her and than she ran to the priest & told hym how she had 
 dressed ij chykins, & wha she came to take the vp shee foud 
 but one, & tha he mocked me because I had but one iye, 
 than went the priest to Howleglas, & said whi mocke ye my 
 woman ; there was ij chikyns : than answered Howleglas 
 & said that was truth, I haue sayd to the woman that she 
 should open her eyen, and shee should se well where that 
 other chekyn was become. Than laughed the priest & sayd 
 she cannot se she hath but one iye : than sayd Howleglas to 
 the priest, the on chykin haue I eaten, for ye sayd that I 
 shold eat and drinke as well as you and your woman, and 
 the one I eate for you, and the other I eate for your woman 
 for I was afrayde that you shoulde haue synned, for the 
 promise that ye promysed me, & therfore I made mesure. 
 
 9, 
 
io How leg las. 
 
 Than sayd the priest I care not for the chikes but I wold 
 haue you please my woman and do after her. Than sayd 
 Howleglas. I do your corhaudement and that y e woma bad 
 him do, he did but half for she bad him fetch a boket of 
 water, & he went & brought it but halfe full of water, & 
 whan he shold brynge two loogges he brought but one, & 
 when he should geve the beastes two hotels of hay, he gaue 
 the but one, ■& whan he should fetch a pot ful of bere, he 
 brought it halfe full, & so did he of many other thinges mo. 
 Tha complayned she to the prest of Howleglas again tha 
 sayd y e priest. I bad that you shold do as she bad you 
 and Howleglas answered, I haue done as ye bad me for ye 
 said to me y' I shold do al thing w l halfe labour and your 
 woman would fayne see w' both iyes : but she seeth but 
 with one iye and so do I halfe y e labour & than the priest 
 laughed : and than said y e woan, wyl you haue this vngraci- 
 ous knaue ani lenger : tha wil not I tary no lenger w' you 
 but depart. Than gaue the priest Howleglas leue to depart 
 for his womans sake, but whan the paryshe clerke was dead 
 of j" village, tha sent the priest for Howleglas, & holpe 
 hyme so muche that that he was made the paryshe clerke. 
 
 Tf How Howleglas was made clerlce of Buddenestde. 
 
 As Howleglas was clarke of the churche, he shuld helpe 
 the priest to sing masse, & as he stode afore the altar with 
 the preest, the preeste lette a great fart that al the churche 
 range therof. Tha sayd Howleglas syr person what offer 
 you there, our lord for frankinsence ! Than answered the 
 person, what haste thou to do there wyth : for I haue the 
 power to shyte in the middes of the churche, and I wyll. 
 
How leg las. 1 1 
 
 Than sayd Howleglas I hold a burel of beare that you shal 
 not shyte in the myddle therof. Than sayd the pryest I 
 holde you, thynke you that I am not so hardy nor bolde to 
 do that ? Than toumed the parson hym about and went and 
 shite in the churche a great heape and sayd clarke I haue 
 wonne the barell of bere, thti sayd Howleglas y' ye haue not, 
 for we wyll first meete whether it be in the middes of the 
 church or not. And than they met it, and it lacked of the 
 mydle more than vj fote, and than wan Howleglas the barell 
 of bere wereof the priestes leman was angry, & sayd you 
 wyll keep this ungracious knaue so longe w' you that at the 
 last he wyll shame you. And than in the meane season 
 while Howleglas was paryshe clarke, at Easter they should 
 play the resurrectio of our lord, & for because than the 
 mene wer not learned nor could not read y c priest toke his 
 leman and put her in the graue for an aungell, and this 
 seing Howleglas toke to hym ij. of the symplest persons y' 
 were in the towne, that plaied the iij. maries, and the parson 
 plaied Christe, with a baner in his hand, than saide Howle- 
 glas to the symple persons, wha the aungell asketh you 
 whome you seke, you may saye the parson's leman with one 
 iye. Than it fortuned that the tyme was come that thei 
 must plaie & the aungell asked them who they sought & 
 than said they as Howleglas had shewed & lerned them 
 afore, and than answered they we seke the priests leman 
 with one iye : and than the priest myght heare that he was 
 mocked. And whan the priestes leman herd that, she arose 
 out of the graue and would haue smyten with her fist 
 Howleglas vpon the cheke but she missed him & smote one 
 of the simple parsons that played one of y" thre maries, and 
 he gaue her another, & than toke she hym by the heare, and 
 
1 2 Howleglas. 
 
 that seing his wyfe came : running hastely to smite the priest 
 leaman, and than the priest seing this : caste downe hys 
 baner, and went to helpe his woman, so that the one gaue 
 the other sore strokes and made great noyse in the churche, 
 And than Howleglas seyng them lyinge together by the 
 eares in the bodi of the churche, went his waye out of the 
 village and came no more there. 
 
 \ Howe that Howleglas would flea fro tlie towne huuse of 
 Mewbroiujh. 
 
 After that came Howleglas to Maybrough, wher he dyd 
 many mar ueyleous thynges, y'-his namewas there welknowen. 
 Than bad the principal of the towne, y* he should do some 
 thing y' was neuer sene before. : Than sayd he that he 
 would go to the highest of the counsail house, & flye fro it, 
 and anon that was knowen through all the towne that 
 Howleglas woul flye from the tope of the councel house, in 
 souche that all the towne was ther assembled & gathered in 
 the market place to see hym. Upo the top of the house 
 stod Howleglas with his hands wauering as though he 
 would haue flyen and than the people loked whan he should 
 haue flyed : wherat he laughed, and sayde to the people : I 
 thought there had bene no more fooles but myself: but I se 
 wel y' here is a hole town ful. For had ye altogether said 
 y 1 ye wold haue flie : yet I wold not haue beleued you. And 
 now ye beleue one fore y l sayth that he will flye, which 
 thing is vnpossible for I haue no winges, & no ma can flie 
 without wynges. And than went he his waye fro the top 
 of the coiisail house & left the folke there standing. And 
 
Hoiclce'las. 
 
 ^ 
 
 than departed the folke fro thence, som blamlg him & som 
 laughing, saylg he is a shrewod fole for he tolleth vs tbe 
 truth. 
 
 ^f How Hoivlajlas made him selfe a phecision, and how lie 
 begyled a doctour of the Byxhopps of Mayborough. 
 
 The byshope Bryrne of Mayborough, Earl of Quecforthe 
 & all his nobles loued Howleglas for that he dyd many 
 propre conceites, and therfore the Byshoppe gaue him 
 meate and drinke, clothe and wages. The bysshop had a 
 ryght wyse doctoure withe hym and he in no wyse might 
 here nor se foles. So vpon a tyme as he sawe Howleglas 
 there he sayd to the bysshope and the lordes men, you 
 shoulde lette come in Lordes Courtes wyse men, and no 
 i'ooles ; for the wyse men will be conuersaunt with wyse 
 men and geue wyse reasons, and fooles will be conuersaunt 
 with fooles and geve folish reasons. And than aunswered 
 they and sayde that reason is false, for he that folishnes wyll 
 not here nor see, he maye well depart from them. There 
 bee also that thynke themself wise y' bene often times de- 
 filed of fooles: it belonges to prynces, lordes, and barrens, to 
 haue in their courtes fooles ; for often times they driue a wai 
 heuy thoughtes and fantasies and melancoly. Where lordes 
 be, there will be also fooles. Than sayd Howleglas to the 
 Lordes, what argumet haue you had withe the doctour for 
 my sake forsoth he shalbe quit & you will helpe me therto ; 
 and they sayd all yes. Than departed he out of the court 
 by the space of .iij. wekes, and than came agayne to Gencke- 
 stayne, and than he came to the lodging there where the 
 
1 4 Howleglas. 
 
 doctour laye and was sicke, for the which sicklies he sought 
 far helpe. Than sayd the lordcs, that there was come a 
 cunge man and a maister of phisecke that had helped mani 
 people. The doctour knew not Howleglas, and than he 
 tooke hym by the arme and ledde hym into his lodgyng, 
 where he spake to him & sayde, and ye can helpe me, I 
 shall contente you well for your labour : Than aunswered 
 he I trust to helpe you, but first I must lye by you one 
 nyght, that I may couer you wel that you may swete, and 
 by the ayre of the swete I shall well knowe what syckenes 
 it is that you haue. And tha y 1 priest wenyng that al had 
 bene true : graunted to hym and than gaue Howleglas to 
 him a strong purgacion for to make hym skyte, but he said 
 to the doctour y' it was a medici to meke hym to sweat, and 
 the doctour beleued hym. And than went Howleglas into 
 y* garden, and there stode a pot, the which Howleglas toke 
 and shit in, and he tooke the pot & put it betwene the bed 
 and the wal of the doctour, that y e doctour knew it not, and 
 the doctour went afore to bed : & tha came Howleglas to 
 bede, and the priest turned hym to the wall where the pot 
 stode, and then he felt such a stinke of the durt that stode 
 in the pot, so that he tourned his head agayn toward Howle- 
 glas : than let Howleglas a great stynking fart, and than 
 tourned the doctoure agayn toward the wall, and than 
 stanke the durte in the pot : & thus suffred the doctour the 
 stynke half the night that him thought his heart did break 
 and than began the medicine to worke so much that he be- 
 shyt al the bed : tha sayd Howleglas how do ye maister 
 doctour. Methinke your swete stinkethe very sore y e doc- 
 toure thoughte in his mynde that knowe I well enoughe, 
 but he might not speke because of y e stinke. Than sayd 
 
Howleglas. 1 5 
 
 Howleglas I wil go fetch you a candell, & se how it is with 
 you, and as he rose he let a great fart. Than sayd the doc- 
 tour, alas I dye. But he thanked God that Howleglas was 
 gone : that he might haue some ayre. Than began the daye 
 to appeare, & soo departed Howleglas his way. And than 
 loked the doctour by the beddes syde : and ther founde the 
 pot of durt that stanke so, and than tooke he it and cast it 
 away, and than knew he wel that he was mocked. And 
 within a whyle came the byshop & his nobles to viset the 
 doctour, and when he came to his chamber, they asked hym 
 howe he fared and he aunswered and sayd neuer worse, for 
 I am all moste dead. Than he tolde the beshop how 
 y e maister of phisicke had serued hym and tha bega the 
 byshop to laughe and all his lordes. And sayd this cometh 
 to passe all after your wordes. For ye sayd that fooles 
 wold haue couersacion withe fooles ; and geue folysh reasons, 
 and wise men would haue couersacio with wyse me, & geue 
 wyse reasons. But I se that mani wyse be made fooles of 
 fooles, & so be you : For if that ye wold haue suffred 
 Howleglas and sayd nothyng : ye had not been mocked of 
 hym. For the phisicio that was with you was Howleglas, 
 and that we all knewe well enoughe : But in no wyse we 
 wold shew you : for because ye were so wyse y' he shold be 
 begyled of a foole. For ther is no man that is wyse but he 
 must knowe fooles, for wher no fooles be, how should men 
 know wyse folke : And than the doctour held his peace and 
 spake no more, and then neuer after durst he complal more 
 of fooles, but let them do all that they would after their 
 owne mynde. 
 
1 6 Howleglas. 
 
 If Howe Howleglas made a siclce childe shite that afore 
 
 myght not shyte, and hov) he got great worshyp 
 
 therof and prayse. 
 
 Men let alone, and take no hede of cunniug me y' dwel 
 bi them ; but profer the a litle or nought for ther labour, 
 nor be beloved : but rural persones & vacabudes haue all 
 their desyre. As it is don to Howleglas, that came into the 
 land of Hyldishe, in a lodging wher the good man was not 
 at home, but Howleglas was welcom to the goodwife of the 
 house. In the house ther was a sicke chylde lying by the 
 fyre. And than Howleglas seing the childe lye so ; he asked 
 his hostice, what sicknes that the chylde had. Than an- 
 swered the woman to Howleglas & saide, if the chyld might 
 go to the draught : he should do well ynough. And than 
 aunswered Howleglas thereto, know you no remedy ? Than 
 aunswered the woman, Can ye helpe the chylde. & ye can 
 I shall geue you that ye shall be pleased therwith. Tha 
 answered Howleglas, that is but a lytle thyng to do, nor no 
 cunning. For I will take no thyng therfore. And so de- 
 parted the wife into the garden, and in the mean whyle : dyd 
 Howleglas shyte a grean turde, & than set the shyting 
 chayre ouer the turde, and set the chylde theron, as though 
 the chyld had done it. Than came the woman out of the 
 garden & asked wo had done that, and tha answered 
 Howleglas I haue done it ye said that y e chyld could not 
 go to the draught, therfore I have set the chyld in the 
 chayre. Than toke the woman the chylde awaye, and sawe 
 so much durt vnderneth. Than said she to Howleglas, this 
 is it that hath hindered the chyld so long for this great 
 
Howleslas. 
 
 & 
 
 cure ye must haue great thanke tkerof.* Then said Howle- 
 glas such maistery can I do wyth lesse cost. Then sayde 
 the woman I pray you learne me that cuning, and I wyll 
 giue you therefore what you wyll haue. Then sayd Howle- 
 glas, I must needes depart from hence, but when I come 
 againe I wyll learne you that science and learninge and 
 then went he into the stable and sadled his horse & tooke 
 his leue and so departed from thence. But he toughte 
 not his hostes that science : but so departed. 
 
 were in 
 
 Tf How Howleglas made hole all the sicke tolJie, that 
 the hospital, where the spere of our lord is. 
 
 Vpon a time Howleglas came to Northeborough, and he 
 set vpon the churche dores and vpon the Guilde hall, and 
 euery place that all the people in that towne might know 
 that he was a great maister of Phisicke, That all sicke he 
 could make whole. And then the maister of the spitle 
 house, wher the sper of our Lord is, had mani sick folkes in 
 his house then went the maister of the hospitall to Howle- 
 glas, & asked him if he coulde helpe sicke men, or lame men 
 and make them whole, & he would rewarde him after his 
 owne pleasure. Tha answered Howleglas to the maister of 
 the hospital, wyll ye geue me .cc, golde gyledens, and I shall 
 recouer and make them hole of al y e sikenes, & deases, and 
 wyll haue no monye tyll al the sicke parsons be deliuered 
 out of the hospital. These wordes pleased the maister of 
 the hospital yevj well. And he gane him some money in 
 his hande. Vpon y e morowe after came Howleglas to the 
 hospital w' ij. men after him, & tha he asked y e sicke folke, 
 
 * The following text is from the Bodleian copy. 
 
1 8 Howleglas. 
 
 one after the other, what desease they had, and when he 
 hadde asked them all, then he made the swere vpon a booke 
 that they should kepe his counsail whatsoever he said to 
 them. They answered that they would, then sayde Howle- 
 glas to them, I haue vndertaken to make you all hole which 
 is vnpossible but I must needes brene one of you all to 
 pouder : And then must I take theyr powder of him : and 
 geue all y e other to drinke therof, w* other medicines that I 
 shall minister therto. And he y* is the last, when I shal 
 cal you out of the hospital, and he that cannot go : shalbe 
 he that shalbe brenned. For on wedensday next coming, 
 then shall I come before the maister of the hospitall, and 
 then shall I call and he that slepeth longest shal pay for all ; 
 than prepared euery one of y e sicke folke their crutches, & 
 gore y* the wold not be the last. And when Howleglas was 
 com to the maisters of the hospital : tha called he the, & 
 tha they ran out of the hospital, & some of them had not 
 bene out of their bed. x yeare before, then whan the sick 
 folke were out of the hospitall, then asked he hys mony & 
 then the maister gaue it him and then he departed. And 
 within, iii. daies after came again the poore men to theyr 
 hospital : & complained of ther sicknes, & then the maister 
 of the hospital said to them : how cometh this to passe ? I 
 gaue y e maister of phisik a great sum of mony to make you 
 whole, then aunswred the poore folke, he hath deceyued you 
 and ys bothe, for four daies past he come to euery one of vs 
 and sayd to vs that he should come on wedensday next 
 coming and heale vs, but he sayd he must nedes first bren 
 on of vs, and said that should be he that when he should cal, 
 shold be the last out of his bed, and the powder of hym 
 shold they drinke & be made hole therwith | then knew the 
 
Howleglas. 1 9 
 
 maister of the hospitall that he was deceyued and begiled, 
 and then toke he the poore folke fro the hospitall and put 
 euery one in their bedde as the where before but he dyd all 
 against his will. 
 
 \ How that a bolter hyred Howleglas to be his seruant. 
 
 Vpon a tyme came Howleglas to a baker for to dwel, and 
 the baker had ned of a seruant, and then he hired Howle- 
 glas. In the next morninge after, must the baker bake : so 
 the night before must Howleglas syft the meale without a 
 candel. Then said he to his maister ye must gene me a 
 candell. Tha answered y e baker I neuer gaue a candel to 
 boult w', but the did boalt in the mone light. Then an- 
 swered Howleglas I am contente, then went his maister to 
 bed to slepe. iii. houres, and in the meane while, let he the 
 bulting bag out of the window in the mone shine and then 
 be.gan he to boult the flower vp on the earth in the garden. 
 Tha arose his maister and thought to haue baken : and 
 came to the boulting bouse, and tha he sawe that Howle- 
 glas, had boulted y e meale in the garden vpon the bare 
 grounde. Then sayd the baker to Howleglas, what the 
 deuyll doest thou thinke, the mele cost no more but straw - 
 ing vpon the earth ? then aunswered Howleglas to his mais- 
 ter. I haue doone as ye told me, for it is boulted in y e 
 mone shine. Then answered the baker, I bad thee that 
 thou shouldest boulte it by the moone shine : and then aun- 
 swered Howleglas, so haue I done, for it is sifted in the 
 mone shine, and without the mone shine. And then sayd 
 Howleglas, Ther is not much mele lost, but that we may 
 take it vp againe. And the aunswered the baker it is to 
 
20 Howleglas. 
 
 late now for to bake, for our dowe is not made. Then an- 
 swered Howleglas to his maister & said, I shal helpe you 
 wel. Your neighboure hath dowe redy made in the kneding 
 trough, & I will go fetch that & put yours in the stede. 
 The was ye baker much angry and bad him go to y e galowes 
 & fetch y' was vnder it and then sayd Howleglas he woulde, 
 & tha he departed to the galowes, and wha he came there 
 he foud nothing els but a few boes & those he toke vp & 
 brought home with him. And then said to his maister, I 
 haue brought that that I haue found vnder the galowes what 
 will ye do with it ? Tha was the baker more angry and 
 said. I shall complaine on thee, y e haste stolen away the 
 kinges iustice, then wente out to the market and Howleglas 
 folowed & then came y e baker to y e burges of the town, & 
 began to complaine. And then came Howleglas & stode 
 by y e baker, & therwith was the baker so angry that he 
 wiste not what to say to the burges and said agerly to 
 Howleglas, what wilt thou haue ? then sayd Howleglas I 
 must nedes se the complaint that ye make on me, then 
 aunswered y" baker, go out of my sight thou vngracious 
 knaue, then aunswered Howleglas to the baker, if I were in 
 thy iyes, tha must I needes passe through thy nosethrils, 
 when y u shittest thy eyes j than departed the burges, & 
 knew well what he mocked. And then shewed Howleglas 
 his arse to the baker, and asked him if he coulde bake such 
 a lofe in his mouth. And the departed he & left the 
 baker standing in the market place. 
 
Hozi'icelas 
 
 <b 
 
 If How Howleglas was put in ivages with the foster of an 
 
 halta, for to watche vpon a toure, to se wiien his 
 
 enemies came : and for to bloive an home 
 
 to tvavne them therof. 
 
 Vpon a time the earle of Anhalte hered for a true way- 
 tlier Howleglas, for he had many enemies & for y' cause he 
 must haue mani soldiers in wages that he must geue meate 
 to. But Howleglas y' was in the toppe of the toure, was 
 not of the merest, for he was forget. Vpon a time came 
 his enemies, and fetched away a great stocke of the earles 
 beastes, & that sawe Howleglas, but he held hys peace : & 
 that was spyed and showed to the earle. And the the erle 
 asked him, why he did lye so styll & blew not. Then, 
 aunswered Howleglas, I dyd daunce for my meate. The 
 said the earle, wil ye not blowe enemies. Then aunswered 
 Howleglas I dare not, the hide is so full of enemies. For 
 if I should blowe, they wold come & slea you at your owne 
 gate. And then the earle was cotet & departed. And 
 within a while after was Howleglas againe forgotte. And 
 when the earle was at dyner and had great daintes before 
 him : Howleglas blew eemies. And bi and by the erle & all 
 his souldiers rose fro the tadle, and dressed the in harnes & 
 ran to the gate, but they foude no enemies. In the meane 
 whyle tooke Howleglas as much meat as he would haue fro 
 the earles table. Tha the souldiers and the earle came in & 
 called Howleglas to them, and the erle asked hyin why he 
 blewe enemies and there were none, the erle sayd it was a 
 traytrous deede, & tha he put hym out of office. Then 
 must he nodes run with hys footeme to fyghte with ther 
 
2 2 Howleglas. 
 
 enemies, then sayd he that for thinketh me. I wold I wer 
 hece but he could not. Vpo a time came enemies tha wet 
 the souldiers out vpon them, and Howleglas was last : and 
 when thei retourned agayne he was the fyrst in at the gate, 
 at the last the erle had knowledge and cam to Howleglas, 
 and asked what was the cause that he was the last out, and 
 the first in ? Then answered Howleglas to the earle, wor- 
 shipfull lord if it please you, wha your souldiours made good 
 chere, I stode upon y e tour fasting and therfore I am not so 
 strong as your souldiers be, and that is cause that I am last 
 oute, and the fyrst in. And you wil geve me me ate yuough 
 as ye do y e other, then shall I be the first. Then answered 
 the erle, thynkest thou that I will kepe the so longe as I 
 haue kept thee to do nothing bat mock vs in this maner, as 
 ye haue done so often? Then gaue he Howlegls leue to 
 departe, wherof he was very glad, for he loued no fighting 
 and so departed he. 
 
 Tf How Howleglas whon the liinges foole of Casmery 
 of Posein with a great point offolishnes. 
 
 The kinge of Castner he had wyth hym a certayne foole, 
 which foole could play vpon the feddle, wherfore the kinge 
 loued him much & set great price by hym. Also the 
 king harde oftentimes tell of Howleglas but he neuer could 
 se him : And on a time it fortuned that Howleglas came 
 into the kinges playce, for to ask dwelling, whereof when 
 that the king wist that Howleglas was come there co dwel : 
 he was very glad therof, and toke him in, & made hym 
 goodlly chere. So it fortuned that the kings foole and 
 Howleglas could uot agree, and that spyed the king well 
 
Howleglas. 2 3 
 
 and thought in his minde what shal I do ? and then he 
 made the both to be brought before hym in y e hall and then 
 he sayde to them. Which of you two can the moste foolish- 
 nes ? And one of you doo that the other wyll not do : I 
 shall geue his newe clothyng and .xx. ducats & let it be done 
 in my preseusce, before me and al my lordes in this hal. 
 And thii they answered both to the kinge that they would 
 prepare them, & wyth in a while they came before the king, 
 and his lordes. And then they began to do many proper 
 coceytes, & mery touches of foolishnes, on to the other, 
 wher at the king and his lordes had good laughter, and 
 good pastime thereat, for to see how y B one laboured for to 
 ouercome the other : and to wiune the uewe clothes & the 
 tweti ducates. Tha thought Howleglas this is good for 
 me. Then he thought in hys minde how he myght do a 
 thing that y e other foole would not do. And then came he 
 before the kiuge and his lords, & before them all he dyd 
 shite a great turde. And when he had done so, He tooke 
 a spone and deuided it in the myddes with the spone, and 
 when he had doone soo he came to kinges foole and sayde 
 doo thou as I haue doue, shite here in the myddes, & when 
 that ye haue done deuyde it in the myddes, & take the spone 
 and take the one halfe of my tord and eate it, & I shall 
 take the one halfe of thy torde and eate it : Then answered 
 the kings foole yet had I leuer then I would eate halfe thi 
 turde, or yet mine owne, I had leuer all the daies of my 
 lyfe go naked. The gaue y e kinge and all y e lords y e maistery 
 to Howleglas. And they gaue him the new clothes & the 
 .xx. duckates. Then toke he hys leaue and thanked y e king, 
 & so departed he from thece. 
 
24 How leg h 
 
 as. 
 
 Tf How the Duke of Lunenborough banished Howleglas 
 out of Ms lande. 
 
 It befell on a time : in the lande of Lunenborough that 
 Howleglas had done a great faut and an vnhappy touche to 
 the duke, whereof the duke bad him that he shoulde go 
 out of his land, and neuer after to come more therein. For 
 if he were found there euer after to come more he should 
 lose his head. And then departed Howleglas out of the 
 Dukes lande for he durst no longer tary there, for the 
 strayte commaundement that the duke had comaunded him. 
 And with in a whyle after it fortuned y' Howleglasses way 
 lay so, that he must passe through the dukes lande of they 
 which he was banished, to go to the place where him lust 
 best. And as he passed through y 6 dukes lad it fortuned 
 that he spied the duke riding towarde him, so y' he cold no 
 way passe : but he must nedes se him. Then lighted 
 Howleglas down from his horse that he rod on : and drew 
 out his knife and cut the horses throte. And then he 
 tnrned his horses bely, and rypte out all the bowels of his 
 horse, and cast them awaye and then he set the horse with 
 his bely vpwarde, and wet and stode therein. And within 
 a while after came the duke rydinge by, and as he passed 
 by : one of the dukes seruants spied him standing in the 
 horses belly and he rode to the duke and showed to him 
 where y' Howleglas stode. Then rode the duke to him, 
 and whe he cam to hym he sayd who made thee so bolde as 
 to enter into my lande ? Then Howleglas sayd worshipful 
 Lorde I desyre you the pardon of my lyfe for whe I saw 
 you not far from me, then put I m} T -selfe in my horse belly. 
 
Howleglas. 2 5 
 
 For I haue heard saye, that euery man in his own grouud 
 is free, and nowe I stande in my owne ground & not in 
 yours. Then laughed the duke and said. I geue the par- 
 don go out of the dead horse and do as ye were wont to do 
 & to departed the duke And then said Howleglas to his 
 horse, I thanke the for thou hast saued my life and caused 
 the duke to geue me pardon. Aud so departed Howleglas. 
 
 If How Howleglas tooke upon him to be a painter, Sfc. 
 
 Than it fortuned that Howleglas myght no longer tary in 
 the land of Sassen for hys knauishenesse : thii departed he 
 into the lad of Hessen to Marchborough to the earle, and 
 he asked Howleglas what occapacion he was of? Then aun- 
 swered Howleglas worshipfull lord I am a painter, my cun- 
 ning doth excell al other, for in no land is not fo cunning as 
 I. Then answered y e erle, haue you here any ensaple of 
 your work ? Then answered Howleglas to the earle yes my 
 lorde, I Then had he be in Flauders, & brought with him 
 diuers ymages that pleased the erle wonderfu.ll well. Then 
 sayde the earle to Howleglas Master what shal I geue to you 
 to take vpon you to paint vpo the wal in my hal, al the 
 lordes, & knightes of my progeny, fro the fyrst vnto y e last 
 in y e good lyest and fayrest maner y' y" can with al the 
 erles of Hessen and their ladies with them, and how our 
 forfathers were maried to ladies of straunge lands. And al 
 this must you cast that it may be vpo the wales of my hall. 
 Then answered Howleglas to the earle, worshipfull lorde : if 
 it please you y' you wyll haue all thys y' you haue rehersed 
 to me to be painted so costli & rychly as you speuke of, 
 
 4 
 
26 Howleglas. 
 
 then would it cost, onely the colours y' should long therto 
 aboue, iii. c, golde geldens. Then aunswered the earle to 
 Howleglas and sayde make yt well, and in the best maner 
 that you can & we twaine shal agree after the beste maner. 
 And alsoo I shall doo youe a greater pleasure then all that 
 come the to. And then toke Howleglas the woorke vpon 
 hym. but he sayd to the lorde, that he must nedes haue an. 
 c gildens I earnest to bi the colours y l belonged therto and 
 for his mens wages. And then bad the earle the rent mais- 
 ter geue to Howleglas an. c. gildens, and so he did. Then 
 wente Howleglas and gat him thre felowes, and then came 
 he again to the earle & asked him a bone before he bega to 
 worke : & y e erle grauted him and then he did aske of the 
 earle, that there should no person be so hardy to come into 
 the hall to trouble him and his workemen, without they 
 aske hym lycence. And the erle graunted his desire : and 
 tha went Howleglas into the hal with his seruauntes & when 
 he and they were in the hall, Howleglas set a paire of tables 
 before them, and he bad the play but he made them before 
 to sweare that the shoulde not bewraye him : and the 
 felowes had good pastime, wherewyth they were wel content, 
 & glad that they might haue meat, drinke, and cloth, and 
 doo no other thinge, but play and passe the time in that 
 maner. And Howleglas did no other thinge, but hang a 
 white cloth before y 6 wall. That done, he cam & plaied 
 with hys seruauntes : In meane time longed the earle greatly 
 to see his worke, if it were so goodly as the copy was, and 
 to se if the coloures were good, aud so he departed ad came 
 to Howleglas & said : Good maister painter, I pray you let 
 me go with you to se your worke. Then said Howleglas to 
 the lord, worshipfull lord before y' you see mi worke, I must 
 
Howleglas. 2 7 
 
 shew to you one thinge. He the which is not borne in 
 wedlocke, may not see my painting. Then sayd the erle 
 that wer a merueylous thinge. And then went he with 
 Howleglas into the hall and there had he hanged vp a whit 
 cloth that he should haue painted. And he had in his hande 
 a whit rod & he did awaye the cloth that haged vpon y 9 
 wal and pointed vpon the wall with his whit rode, and 
 shewed the erle that that was the first lord of y e land and 
 erle of Hessen, And this is y e erle of Rome he had a wife 
 that they called Justine, the Dukes doughter of Benem. 
 And after he was made Emperour, And of y e daughter of 
 him came Adulphus. And of a dulphus came william the 
 swarte. And this william had one Lewis, so forthe to your 
 noble grace. And I know well that there is no parson 
 liuinge that can deproue mi workes, so cureously haue I 
 made, and with faire colours, but the Lord saw no worke, 
 but y" plain wal. Then thought he in his minde am I a 
 bastard is my mother a hore ? I see nothiug but the whit 
 wal. And for because that he would not be knowe for a 
 bastard he said to Howleglas, maister your woorke pleaseth 
 me merueylosly well, but my vnderstandinge is very small 
 therm. And with that he went out of the hall, & came to 
 his wife & she asked him how that work did please him ? 
 he said I haue shrewed trust in him. Tha said the erle, I 
 like it well, shall it please you to looke theron, and she 
 graunted, And then she desyred Howleglas that she might 
 se his worke, & he graiited her & then sayd vnto her secretly, 
 as he had sayd before to her lorde & shewed her the lordes 
 vpon the wal w' the white rod in his hande : as he did to 
 the lord and there stode one folishe gentilwoman with the 
 lady & she said, that she saw on painting on the wall and 
 
28 How kolas. 
 
 & 
 
 the other speake not on worde, And the thought Howleglas 
 wyl this foole tel truthe : then must I needes depart. 
 Then hanged he vp the white cloth and so departed the 
 lady. And when she was come to her lord he asked her 
 how she lyketh the worke, she saide how y' it liketh me, it 
 lyketh not my folishe gentlewoman & she sayd that some of 
 her gentle women sayd that it was but deciete & so thought 
 the lord; then sayde the lord to Howleglas, y* he should 
 make redy his worke that he & his lords might fe it to 
 morow y' he might know which of them were borne in wed- 
 locke and which were not, for he that is not borne in wed- 
 locke all his land is forfet to me. Then answered Howleglas, 
 I wyll do it with a good wyl. Then went he to the rent 
 maister, and receiued of him a. c. gold gildes. And when 
 he had receiued the mony, he sayde -to hys seruants. Now 
 must we all departe and gaue them mony, of the which they 
 were contente, & so departed. Then on the morow came 
 the earlo with his lordes into the hall and the asked wher 
 the maister paineer was and his company, for he sayd he 
 would see the worke. Then turned he yp the cloth and 
 asked the & the sawe any worke and they sayde nay. Then 
 sayd, the erle, we be decerned. He sayd we haue sore 
 longed to se Howleglas and nowe he hath begyled vs, but it 
 maketh no great mater for the mony. But let vs banishe 
 him fro our land for a begiler of people, and so they did. 
 And so departed the earle with hys lordes. 
 
 Tf Row Howleglas had many 8f great disputacions viith all 
 the noble doctours of Pragem in Betnen. 
 
 Then departed Howleglas fro the lande of Hessen and 
 
How leg las. 29 
 
 tlien came he to Pragem in Behem, where was an vniuersity 
 of scoles and studients, of doctors and bachilers. Then 
 made Howleglas by lies and set them vpon euery church 
 doore, and he wrote that he would answered to all maner of 
 questions, that were laid vpon him, and geue aunswere 
 thereto. And as he had set vp the bylles : then came y e 
 scolars of the vniuersitie and red them. And when the had 
 red them & found therein, that he should geue an answere 
 to all that was asked him : than toke the a bill and went to 
 the rectour and shewed him that ther was one come that had 
 set vs these letters vpon the churche doores And he saith 
 therin that he wyll geue aunswere to al mouer of questions 
 that were put to him. Then the rectour dereing this : sent 
 a scolar to the place where Howleglas was lodged, and 
 charged the hoste of y e house that he shold to morow bring 
 with him y e man that had set vp the billes vpon paine that 
 should fall therafter. And than the hoost aunswered he 
 woulde. Then departed the scolar home. Than on y e mo- 
 rowe came Howleglas and his host to the vniuersity with ii. 
 or. hi. of his neighbors. And when they were come then 
 was Howleglas take by the arme, and set in a chaire. And 
 the came the rectour with many docturs and shortly thay 
 were fet about him. Then asked he him how many gallons 
 of water was in y e sea ? Then answered Howleglas, Do stop 
 all the riuers that run therin : & then I shall mete it, and 
 then shall I shewe you how many ther be. Then thought 
 the rectoure y' was vnpossible to do but he was content with 
 y" answere. Then asked he Howleglas the second answer 
 How many deies be past sence Adam, to this time ? & then 
 aunswered Howleglas to the rectour, it is eight daies past 
 and more. For whet the weke is done : then beginneth 
 
30 How leg las. 
 
 againe the next weke seuen other dayes, and so forthe the 
 ende of the worlde. Then sayd the rectour tell me now the 
 third answere : and Howleglas bad him say what he wold, 
 Then asked the rectour him, wher was the middle of all the 
 worlde, And then answered Howleglas to the rectour that 
 is here in the myddes of this house, for & you beleue not me 
 tha take a corde, and mete it, and if it lacke a strawe bredth, 
 then wil I be counted for an vnlearned man. And then the 
 rectour had leuer geue him y e maistery then he would mete 
 it, But then he waxed angry and asked him how far is the 
 earth from heauen ? Then answered Howleglas that is here- 
 by, for let men sing neuer so softly here but it is hard in 
 heue, And ye will not me beleue : then take a ladder & go 
 vp into heauen and I shall here speake softly and if ye here 
 it not, then wyll I lose the pryce. Then the rectour sayd to 
 Howleglas : how wyde is al heauen : & how broode is it : 
 Then answered Howleglas to the rectour and said, it is. xii. 
 M. myle brode & x, M, myle wyde, ad if ye will not me be- 
 leue, then must ye take the soone, ad the mone and all the 
 starres of heauen and than goo mete them, and if you fynd 
 it not as I say : then wyll I geue the maistrye to you, and 
 I wyl be ouercome. Then the rectour, and the doctours 
 knew not what they should saye more to Howleglas, but 
 they sayde that he was so suttle for them, and then they 
 gaue hym y e victory and prayse. And than departed he out 
 of the place, for he was afrayd that the would haue done to 
 hym some vnhappenes. 
 
 If How Howleglas became a pardoner. 
 As Howleglas was knowen through all the countrey for 
 
Howleglas. 3 1 
 
 his vnhappy touches & begiling that he had done to them : 
 for y' he was welcome to no place that he came to where 
 he had be muchmade of before all in his youth. Then be- 
 thought Howleglas in what maner he might get mony with 
 litle laboure. Then went Howleglas & got him a priestes 
 gowne, & dressed him like a solar. Then went he into a 
 certaine churchyard where he founde a dead mans head, 
 and then he tooke the head vp, & made it cleane. And 
 when it was cleane he bare it to a sertain goldsmyth, and 
 bad hym that he shoulde bande the head with siluer bandes, 
 & he said that he would contente hym & so he did. And 
 wha it was done : he conteted ye goldsymyth, & then de- 
 parted he to a village ner there by where it was the dedica- 
 tio day. And then came he to the parson of the churche 
 & saluted him, and then he told him y 4 he had a relyke, & 
 he praid the curate y 4 he would do so muche for him : y l he 
 wold shew it vnto the parish, that they might offer to it. 
 And he sayd to y e person that he shold haue y e one halfe of 
 the offering. And then the parso moued with couetise, 
 graunted to him, for he was glad to get mony. Then tolde 
 he to the people of his parish. This man that here standeth 
 hath brought a precious relike, he that offereth therto hath 
 great pardon. He shall come into the pulpet and declare it 
 vnto you. Then went Howleglas into the pulpet, and then 
 tolde he the people of the relike that he had ther, and he 
 said that the bead spake to hym and that it bad him, that 
 he should bild a church ouer him and that the mony that the 
 church should be bilded with should be well gotten. And 
 wha the me and the women should come offer : then saide 
 Howleglas to the wome. All those y* haue made their hus- 
 bandes cuckoldes should sit still and come not to offer ; for 
 
3 2 Howleglas. 
 
 the hed bad him that I should not reaceiue the offring, & 
 then he came down out of the pulpet, & when he was come 
 down, then came the poore men & their wiues & offered to 
 the head. And ther was not on woma but she offered 
 becaute that he had saide so, and he gaue them the 
 blessing with the head : and ther were some that had no 
 mony and they offered their ringes, and some of the offered 
 twise or thrise, because the would be sene, and whe they 
 wer gon ther presed fresh, and thus receiued he their offer- 
 ing both of the good and of y" yl, so that he had gotte a 
 great some of mony by that sayde practise. And when they 
 had al -offered, and that ther was no more that came : than 
 he sayde to them, All ye men and women that here hath 
 come and offered to this head be honest and good & more 
 ouer I charge you on paine of cursyng : that there be not on 
 of you that y e other slaunder or backbyte, for if you had not 
 bene good & honest, I should not haue receyued your offer- 
 yng. And when the poore men of they countrey hearing 
 Howleglas spake in thys maner, they beleued him, And 
 when the masse was done, the came y e parson to Howleglas 
 and sayd to ' him, that he shold geue to hym halfe of the 
 offering, and then deuided Howleglas the offering, and gaue 
 the parson a part therof, that the parson was well content 
 therewith and then departed Howleglas from the parson : 
 and then the woman ther about were very glad of Howleglas 
 & made much of him : So abode he longe with them and 
 spet none of his mony, in such maner could he cloke and 
 hyde his vnhappinesse and falsenesse. 
 
Howleglas. 33 
 
 % How Hoxvleglas came to the towne of Banberch and how he 
 did eate for mony. 
 
 Upon a time came Howleglas from Noreoborough to 
 Banbrech, wher lie entered into a lodging where was a 
 mery hostise, that bad Howleglas often times welcome for 
 she sawe by his clothing y* he was a mery gest. And as 
 diner time came y e hostyse asked him if that he woulde go 
 to diner, & she asked him also if it pleased him to be at the 
 twelue peny table. Then aunswered Howleglas and said to 
 his hostice, I am but a poore man, I pray you for gods sake 
 to geve me my diner. Then sayde the hostise : y e baker 
 and the butcher, will not be so payde : And therefore must 
 I haue mony ; for ther is none in my house, but they eate 
 and drinke all for mony, Then aunswered Howleglas. For 
 mony do men eate & drinke in good faith so will I ? Then 
 answered the woman to him, what table wyl you be at ? 
 For at y e lordes table they geue me no lesse then to shy- 
 lynges ; and at the marchauntes table .xvi. pence ; and at 
 my houshold seruates geue me twelue pence. Then aun- 
 swered Howleglas to his hostise. Sithe I must nedes eate 
 and pay mony the geue me the best meate that you haue. 
 And the he set him downe at the lords table. And tha his 
 hostise brought to the table, the best meate, & drink y* she 
 had, and she bad him make good chere ; she said oft much 
 good do it you getel sir, and Howleglas thaked his hostise 
 may times. He eat & drake, & made hi well at ease, and 
 he eat so much of y e good meate y 4 he swet againe : when yt 
 he had made him well at ease, & eate and dronken al that 
 he would, then bad he his hostise too auoyde the table, for 
 
 5 
 
34 How leg las. 
 
 he sayde, he must departe frome thence, And right shortly 
 at his comaundemet the tabele was auoyded, And so he 
 arose and stode by the fyre & when he was throwe warme 
 he tooke hys leue with his hostice, & would haue departed, 
 That seyng the hostise : toke hym by the sleue, & bad hym 
 to geue her .ii. shyllyng for his diner. Then aunswered he 
 god thank you, for you haue remebred me, I must haue two 
 shillinges of you. For you sayd to me, that there came no 
 maner of persons within your house but that the eat for 
 mony. And when you had toulde me that : I sat me downe 
 & said I would do the same. And I ate so muche that I 
 swet again, and therfore you geue mony, Then sayde his 
 hostise must I geue y e mony to eate, my meate & drink my 
 drink such gestes I may haue great piety, Pai me mi mony 
 shortly for the bakers and bruers, will not be so answered. 
 Then aunswered Howleglas to his hostise, geue me mony, 
 for thinkest thou that I wyll eate so much and laboure my 
 selfe so sore as I dyd, not to be payd for my laboure : yet 
 I had muche leuer neuer to haue sene, y 8 nor thy house, 
 For I haue eaten so much for mony, that my belly is lyke 
 to burst, would you that I should haue such great laboure 
 & not to paye there fore ? I haue other thinges to do, than 
 to stande that rig here with the : and therfore com of lightly & 
 geue me my mony, and let me be gon, for I haue right well 
 deserued it, Then said his hostise to him, Syr you haue 
 eaten my meate, and dronke my drinke : and by my fyre, 
 you haue had your ease and all at your owne desyre, wher- 
 fore I praye you to geue me mony. And he aunswered 
 right angerly, woulde y e haue me to paye mony, and I dyd 
 eate therefore, they which is to my great harm ? Tha she 
 aswered to Howleglas, if your eating do you harme, I am 
 
Hoivleglas. 3 5 
 
 not the cause, thereof but your eating is to iny losse, not 
 onely that I haue lost more then that cometh to. And then 
 she saide depart thou fro my house and neuer after thys y' 
 thou be so bold once to enter within my dores. Then said 
 Howleglas, wil you on your conscience take my labour for 
 nothing : well farewell. And then departed Howleglas, and 
 he was glad that he had so scaped fro her & she was glad 
 that she was so deliuered of him. 
 
 If How Hoivleglas went to Borne to speake with the Pope. 
 
 Then when Howleglas had longe occupied hys falsenes : 
 then he remembred this olde prouerbe I wil to Rome my 
 maners to amend ; & home againe my lyfe for to end. And 
 then departed he too Rome where he shewed part of his vn- 
 graciousnes, and when he came to Rome, he lodged with a 
 wydow and they widowe did ofte beholde him in the face 
 and because he was a fayre yong man she sayd oftetymes 
 sir you be ryght well come, Good syr she sayde from whence 
 be you ? I am of Sasson and my coming hether is for to 
 speak "with the Pope, Then answered she to Howleglas 
 good frende you may see him but you shal not speake 
 with hym. For I y* am borne in Rome, would haue geue 
 an .c. ducates to speke to him but I coulde never speake to 
 him. Then sayd Howleglas Hostyse will you geue an, c. 
 ducates and I shall' bring you to the speche of the pope, 
 And she swered to him by her faith she would for other- 
 wise it would cost her more in gyftes. The on a tyme 
 should the pope syng masse his owne person, at saint John 
 Lateraum. For euery fowre wekes he must sing masse ther 
 And as y e pope was at masse : then Howleglas drew nere to 
 
36 How leg las. 
 
 the aulter, and when the Pope was at the holy sacramente 
 then tourned Howleglas hys backe to the aulter and that 
 seing all the cardinalles : when masse was done the came to 
 the pope, and they tould to his grace, that ther stode a faire 
 young man, all the while that we were at masse, and harde 
 it deuoutly tyll the tyme of the leuacion, And wha that you 
 lyfted vp the challyce aboue your head : then tourned he his 
 backe toward the sacramente of the aulter, Then said the 
 pope, y' is a thing to be loked on for it is a great doubte 
 whether that man beleue wel or not, And therfore it is 
 nedefull for vs to send for that man, and to examin him 
 what errour it was that he held, the cardenalles answered, 
 y* was the best, then the pope sende for Howleglas to his 
 Inne : and y e messengee brought him to the pope, and when 
 he came before the pope, & the ordinalles, they begane 
 straightly to examine hym and they asked of him, what was 
 his belefe, then answered Howleglas to the pope, I beleue 
 as a true christia ma ought for to beleue : And I beleue in 
 Jesu Christ and I beleue that, that our holy mother the 
 church doth teach me ; and I beleue as my good hostise 
 doth beleue ; and he named her before the pope and al that 
 whole congregation, and then sent y e pope a messeger to 
 the Inne where y* Howleglas was lodged & whan he was 
 ther he came to the hostise and bad her that she shold make 
 her ready for she must nedes go with him to the pope 
 wherof she had great marveile and made her redy and so 
 went with him to the pope and when she was come before 
 the pope he asked her what her belefe was ? And she an- 
 swered to the pope. Reuerend father, I beleue as a true 
 christien woman should do, For I beleue as the holy churche 
 beleues and also I beleue in al that the holy churche bindes 
 
Howleglas. 37 
 
 me to, Tha sayd Howleglas the same beleue I, Then the 
 pope asked him, why he tourned his back to the holy sacra- 
 ment, when he did minister it ? Then sayd Howleglas to 
 the pope, Reuerend father in God I thought in my minde, 
 when that thou lyft vp the blessed sacrament, that I was 
 nat worthy it to beholde, nor there on to loke, tyll the tyme 
 that I was confessed & made cleane of all my syns, And 
 then was the Pope with that answer marueilously well con- 
 tented and pleased, And after that the pope bad him that 
 he shold cofesse him of his sinnes, and to make him clene 
 thereof and that sayd he gaue his benediction to Howleglas 
 and his hostice, & so they twaine departed. And shortly 
 after departed the pope with all his cardinales into the 
 palacie ; and so Howleglas was quite thereof, And then 
 sayd Howleglas to his hostise I must haue my .c. ducates 
 that I haue earned, And then the woman gave him the .c. 
 ducates, whereof he was glad and he sayd to his selfe that 
 was the better for that journey to Rome. 
 
 If How Howleglas deceyued the Ieives with durte, 
 
 When Howleglas the great deceiuer had bene at Rome : 
 then came he to the towne of Frankeforde, where a marte 
 or a great market was kepte, And as Howleglas went 
 aboute the market he spied a yong man goo with muske of 
 Allexander to sell, that which was well solde and much set 
 by. Then sayd Howleglas to hys selfe, I will goo wyth 
 some marchaundise for to sell, as well as that yonge ma 
 doth, and he chought in his mind how he might find some 
 practis to get mony without labour. Then thought he in 
 his minde euery night what was best to do, for the flene did 
 
38 Howleglas. 
 
 bite hirn that he could not slepe And he would ryght 
 gladly have taken them : but he could not. And whan that 
 the day began to spring he arose and walked forth and as he 
 walked, then spied he by the way a fayre fyg tree, the which 
 bare goodly fruite. And then went and gathered two or 
 three of them, and then he sayde to himselfe this is good 
 for my marchaundise and brought them with hym into 
 Frankforth in Portingale, to the place wher he was lodged 
 and he dressed them after his mind. And wha he had 
 dressed them : he put them in his arse and tempered them 
 with his durte, and let them lye thereby him, by the space 
 of .ii. or iii dayes, that they shouid not smell to much of 
 durte. And in a morning by tymes arose out of his bed, & 
 went to hys hostyse and hyred a lytle table, & then he went 
 into the market & bought two or thre silken clothes, and 
 therin a house he croussed these portingales figges that had 
 lyen so longe in his arse with they silken clothes like as it 
 had bene the musk. Then toke he his table and went into 
 they market, and set vp his table, And when it was vp 
 theo shewed he the portingale fygges, that he had made 
 like as it had ben musk. Then came they many marchaunts 
 of diuers landes to hym and they asked him what mar- 
 chaundise he had to sell : and he stode styl and gaue none 
 of them no answer, wherof the marueyled, and so departed. 
 And at the last there came to him two Iewes, & the asked 
 him wha marchaundyse he had there to sell ? and then an- 
 swered Howleglas to them, and said. This is a precious 
 thing, for al those that do eate of it. or those that smel to 
 it, they shall say the trouth bi and by. Then went the 
 Iewes to counsail what was best to be don. Tha sayd the 
 oldest Iewes of them all : Me thinke it is best and most 
 
Howleglas. 39 
 
 expedent for vs to bye that marchaudise, for then shal we 
 knowe when that our Messyas shall come, therefore I coun- 
 saile you to bye it for it shalbe to vs a great iewel & com- 
 fort and continently they were a greed al for to bye the 
 marchaudise of Howleglas, And tha the returned w* right 
 great hast vnto Howleglas. And when they were come : 
 they asked the price of on of the Prophetus that was 
 wrapped in the silke, then aunswered Howleglas to ye 
 Iewes Departe fro hence, and let my merchaundise alone for 
 it is to costly for you to bye for one of them shall cost you 
 v, c, goulde gildens, and ye will haue it : then answered the 
 Iewes to Howleglas and sayde the price is all to great for 
 vs : then sayd, he, y' I tolde you before and therfore if thou 
 wyll not bye, the depart shortly fro hence, And then the Jewes 
 heryng Howleglas speake so sharpely to them, and made no 
 more count vnto them : then they beleued him, & conti- 
 nently they gaue to him .v. c, gold gildens without speak- 
 ing of any more words ; for he spake so angerly that they 
 were afrade to displease him. And when they had bought 
 it, they brought it to the principall Iewe. And the caused 
 him to aggregate al y e Iewes both olde and young, when the 
 were assembled, then was there one stod vpon the scaffolde, 
 that was called a kypna, and he sayde that be the mighte of 
 God they had gote a Prophetus and he said he that should 
 haue it in his mouth should, prophecie the truth, and then 
 he sayde to the Iewes. By this prophetus we shall know 
 when our Messias shal come and he commaunded them to 
 fast thre daies. And the he should Isaake take it in his 
 mouth, and prophecy the truth, and so he did. And as he 
 had it in his mouth, on j" highte Maysayes, and an other 
 Isaac that were the servautes of god they asked it him how 
 
4-0 Howleglas. 
 
 it sauoured and lie answered I am inspired with the holy 
 goste, to prophecy the truth. There must be another of 
 gods seruaiites to haue it in his mouth, and so they did, wha 
 he had tasted therof he sayd I am inspired with the holy 
 ghost. I shall tel you the truthe : we are begyled for it is 
 no other thynge but a turde, and they tasted and the 
 turd haged in theyr teeth, with the here that he had cut fro 
 his arse, and then they knew well that they were decerned. 
 And forthwith departed Howleglas fro thence, and he went 
 toward his owne countrye, and made good chere with good 
 felowes homewarde, as long as the mony would last. 
 
 ^f How Howleglas had gotten the parsons horse, by his 
 confession. 
 
 In Resen being in that vilag was a parson that ha a fayre 
 horse, and a proper handemayden, which he loued one as 
 the other, then it fortuned that the duke of Bronsewyke 
 on a time sawe the horse, & when y' he had sene the 
 horse, his mind ran so much on the horse, y' he must nedes 
 haue hym. Then vpo a tyme cam the duke, and desired the 
 horse oftentimes of the parson, & the parson said him nay. 
 Then was the duke sory because he might not* haue the 
 horse, & he durst not take by forse ; for he was one of the 
 counsell of Broneswike. And when Howleglas hard y 4 the 
 duke desired the horse, then sayd Howleglas to y° duke, & 
 you will rewarde me, I shall get you the parsons horse. 
 The answered the duke to Howleglas I shal geue the my 
 gowne of red chamblot, the on sleue set with pearles, Then 
 saide Howleglas to the duke I shall bring him I haue no 
 doubt. So depart Howleglas, and he came to the inne, 
 
Howleglas. 4 r 
 
 where lie was well knowe & the hoste sayde he was welcome. 
 And Howleglas rested there thre daies and after that he 
 made himself sicke. Then was he brought to bed sick that 
 the parson of the towne & his mayde were so heuy, & knew 
 not how do nor him to helpe. And then began he to waxe 
 sicker and sicker. And then said the parson to "Howleglas, 
 I counsaill you to be shriuen, ad to take your rightes of the 
 holy churche, as it belongeth to a true christen mi. And 
 when HQwleglas hard the parsone speake to him. Then 
 sayd Howleglas to y e perso I desyre you hartefully to be 
 confessed, Tfor I knowe my selfe giltye, and a great syner. 
 Then the parson examined him vnder confessione right 
 buselye, he bad him to remember that he had a soule for to 
 kepe, and he preached and teached to him the vse of confes- 
 sion, And then shewed Howleglas to hyine, parte of hys 
 mynde. And at the laste when he spake no more, then 
 asked the parson of Howleglas if that he had no more synnes 
 in his minde that were great and abhominable, that he was 
 ashamed to shewe. Then answered Howleglas to the par- 
 son yes I haue one more and that I dare not confesse me of 
 to you, and therefore, you must fetche me another priest : 
 for if I shold shew it vnto you then would ye be angry & 
 out of patience Then answered the parson to Howleglas 
 and sayde they way is far from this place and very foule. 
 More ouer if it, fortuned you in the meane whyle to dye thii 
 were we both in great perill & daunger. And thevfor tel 
 me that sinne, & I shall absolue the therof, be it neuer so 
 great and abhominable. And if I wer angry with you yet 
 you knowe I must keepe your counsail. And if it be any 
 thinge that longes to mee, I for gene ye frely, and therfore 
 tel it me. The longed he more then euer he did : then said 
 
 G 
 
42 Howleglas. 
 
 Howleglas to y e priest. I know well that you wyll be 
 angry, but I feele me sore sick that I wene that I shal die 
 and therfore I shal shew it to you quickely. And then he 
 sayde : I haue lyen by your mayde your seruaunt. Then 
 asked he how ofte haue ye lyen by her ? And then sayd 
 Howleglas no more then fiue times : And then the priest 
 thought in his mind ; therfore the deuill breake thy neck, 
 and he gaue him absoluciS shortly, and forth with he de- 
 parted fro Howleglas whom to his house. And when he 
 came horn, he cauled his maide to him, and asked him if she 
 had lyen by him ? And the mayde aunswered to him and 
 sayd : that did I neuer, Then answered the priest, thou 
 lyest. For vnder confession he hath tolde me that he hath 
 lyen by the more then .v. times. And then the maide sayd 
 naye, and the priest yes. And the the priest toke a staffe 
 in his hand and he bet is maid therewith, that she was both 
 blacke and blewe. And Howleglas lay in his bedde and 
 laughed, and sayd himselfe, Now weneth the priest to win 
 his shone againe of the mayde, And in the morning wexed 
 Howleglas hole, and arose and sayd it was well amended 
 with him ad he asked his hostise, & the priest what he had 
 spend in his sicknes : And then rekned the priest he knew 
 not what, for he was so angry in his minde and the maid 
 also for she was beate for his sake, and then said Howleglas. 
 Tell me what is my duty to paye ? And the preist aun- 
 swered not a word, and then sayde Howleglas to him. Re- 
 member you not maister parson that you haue disclosed my 
 confession ? I shall ryde to hauerstad to the bishop and I 
 shall complaine on you : that you discryed my confession 
 that I cofessed me vnto you. When y" priest hard Howle- 
 spek after that manor : then forgot he his anger, and 
 
Howleglas. 43 
 
 fel on his knees before him, for he thought that heewas in more 
 daunger then euer he was before, and then he sayd to How- 
 leglas, if that you wyll kepe your peace and make no more 
 wordes herof. I shall geue to you twenty golde gildens, 
 and I shal do as much for you as lies in me for to be done. 
 Then made Howleglas hymselfe very angry with the parsone, 
 and sayd vnto him, If that you would geue me an .0. golde 
 gildens that I should not shewe, I wil not take them for my 
 gowne, Then the priest prayed the maide with weping 
 teares, that she would go to to Howlegls & to entreat him, 
 that he should not go to shewe the Bishop, and byd him 
 aske what he will and he shall haue it, Then went the 
 mayd to Howleglas, and she shewed him what the priest 
 sayd and then came Howleglas to the priest and sayd, wyl 
 you geue to me your horse that you loue so well and then 
 shal I kepe your counsayle : and I tel you plainly, I wil 
 haue no other thlg then that only, and then the priest was 
 more soryer the euer he was. And he sayd to howleglas, 
 that he wold geue to him as much mony as he would desird 
 & not to aske his horse. The sayd Howleglas. I will haue 
 none other thing but only the horse, and the the parson had 
 leuer loose his horse, then he would haue the bishop to 
 knowe, Then gaue he the horse to howleglas with il wyl. 
 And then when howleglas had the horse, then he departed 
 fro the parson, and was very glad. And then he came 
 towarde the duke, And when he was come there, the duke 
 spied Howleglas and y e parsons horse : tha was he very glad. 
 And then brought Howleglas y 6 horse to him, whereof he 
 was very glad, And then gave he the gowne of red cham- 
 blet to Howleglas, and he thanked him greately for that gift 
 and laughed ; and the priest was very angry for the losse of 
 
44 Howleglas. 
 
 his horse, and oftentimes he bete hys maiden therfore, for 
 he sayd, she was the cause therof. And he bete his maid so 
 oft, that at the laste shee ran from him, and so he lost both 
 his horse and the maide and the priest lowred on howleglas 
 euer after, that loued hym so well before, 
 
 IT How Howleglas was hired of a black smith, 
 
 At Eastland in Rosticke dwelleth a smith that hired 
 Howleglas for hys man, and when he was hired : he put him 
 to y e bellowes to blowe, And'when he blew not well, then 
 toke the smith the belowes in his hande and blewe, and sayd 
 felowe do thus. Bere the belowes vpright and then he gaue 
 y e belowes to Howleglas againe, then wente the smith forth 
 with into the garden, and then toke Howleglas the belowes 
 on his necke, and folowed after his master with the into the 
 garden where his maister was a shiting and then saide 
 Howleglas to his maister where shall I leue this belowes y 4 
 I may go fetch the other vnto you. Then answered his 
 maister and sayd good man what meanest thou art y e not 
 well in thy minde ? Groo take the belowes and bare them 
 where thou had the he spake faire to Howleglas and right 
 lothe he was to displease him. For euery night by the 
 space of ,viii, dayes long he called vp euery night his ser- 
 uaunts at midnight for to worke wherof they marueiled what 
 he nient, for they were very angry therwith : and one said 
 to the other, I thynke our maister is not well in his minde 
 that he ryses euery night at mydnight to worke he was not 
 wont so for to doo in times paste : And as they were speak- 
 ing of thys rising together, the said Howleglas to his felowes 
 & asked the if that they would be wel content with hym and 
 
Howleglas. 45 
 
 if he asked of his'maister what was the cause that he dydde 
 call them vp euery night at midnight to worke, And rhe 
 aunswered the seruauntes, we wyll not be displeased ther- 
 with, but right glade thereof, and well contente, therewith, 
 & then sayde Howleglas to the seruauntes I will go to 
 him. And forth with spake Howleglas to his maister and 
 said to him, wherfore do ye wake vs euery night at niyd- 
 night oute of our slepe, Then aunswered the smyth and 
 sayd. That is my manner that my men the first eyght dayes 
 suffer I not the to slepe, but halfe the night. Then held 
 Howleglas hys peace, and all his felowes, and sayde no 
 more woordes, and the nexte night the smyth called hys 
 men at midnight to worke. And Howleglas then tooke the 
 bed and bare it on his backe, and when the yron was hote, 
 the maister bet it so hard that the sperkes flewe on the 
 bedde of Howleglas, Then sayde his maister wyll not that 
 vngracious felow arise. Thii came Howleglas with his bed 
 on his back. And when the mayster saw the bed on 
 his back, he said : what wilt thou do with the bed : 
 Bere it into the place, wher thou had it. Then aun-, 
 swered Howleglas to his maister, be ye hot angry w' 
 me, for this is mi maner euer, For when that I haue, 
 slept the one halfe of the night, then bere I the bed on my 
 backe they other halfe of the nighte. Then began the 
 smyth to waxe angry and sayde. Go bere the bed wher thou 
 had it and tha, go thou aboue out of my house, Then aun- 
 swered Howleglas, and said maister with a good will and 
 then be bare they bed yp into the place wher it was before, 
 Then wha he had borne the bed in his place, then toke he a 
 ladre and climed vp to the house top, & ther he brake a 
 gret hole in the house top, and pulled away the thatching 
 
46 How leg las. 
 
 therof, and he passed through and went ouer the houses and 
 so went his way from thence and neuer came thereafter, 
 And as the smith was besy working, the hard a great noise 
 aboue in the chamber and a great knocking, Then asked 
 he his seruantes, who was aboue in the chamber that made 
 such a noise, Then aunswered the men to their maister ad 
 said we know not who is aboue. Then sayd the smy th, then 
 will I go lok, and then left the smith his woorke and went 
 vp into the chamber, and when he was aboue, he said al the 
 roofe of the chamber was pulled down and also caste all 
 about, then was he angrye and wist not what to do for he 
 wiste not who had done it : And at the last he looked vp 
 and spied the ladre, then knewe he well that it was Howle- 
 glas dede, Then came he downe and fetched a sworde, and 
 he would have run after him to haue slaine him. Then the 
 seruauntes seing the maister takinge the sworde they held 
 him, and asked him what He woulde do : Then aunswered he 
 & tolde how Howleglas had done. The answered the ser- 
 uants to their maister. Let him go for he hath done as you 
 bad him, for you bad him goo vpon the house, and so he 
 hath done as ye may see. And so they smith was content. 
 And the he caused his house to be newe thatched againe. 
 
 1 How Howleglas ivas hired of a shomalcer. 
 
 Upon a tyme serued Howleglas a shomaker, and vpon a 
 time the shomaker had busines in the towne, & then gaue 
 he to Howleglas a hide of lether, & bad him y' he should 
 cut all the hide. And Howleglas asked him what facion he 
 should cut them And the maister sayd little and great, as 
 the swinherd did driue his beastes. And tha sayd howle- 
 
Howleglas. 47 
 
 glas with a good will. And then departed y e cordiner : and 
 then tooke Howleglas the hide, and began to cut y e lether 
 for Oxen and Shepes fete, and Swyne. Then came his niais- 
 ter home, and came to see what his seruaunt had cut out 
 and to loke whether he had cut y e lether as he bad him. 
 And when that he had sen, that he had cut out his lether all 
 in beastes clawes then was he angry and sayd to Howleglas 
 ?wherefore haste thou marred all my lether, and cut it for 
 beastes fete. Tha aunswered he to him and said, I haue 
 done as ye bad me. The maister sayde thou liest, for I bad 
 thee that thou should not marre my lether, Then aunswered 
 Howleglas to his maister and sayde, I haue done as ye bad 
 me, ye bad me that I should cut both gret and smal, as the 
 swenecherde driueth out his beastes and then haue I done. 
 Then aunswered the cordiner to Howleglas & sayde I ment 
 not that : I mente that ye should haue cut out of the hide 
 bothe great shoone and little shoone ? The aunswered 
 Howleglas to his maister. If that ye had tolde me it before : 
 I woulde haue done it with a good wyll. And I pray you 
 maister forgeue me this : & I shal nowe do it with a good 
 wyl and then dyd his maister forgeue him for that tyme and 
 then promised Howleglas to hys maister that he would do 
 that, that he bad him. Then y e next daye after cut howle- 
 glas maister himselfe, y° shoone out both litle and great, and 
 gaue them to him, and he bad him that he should sowe the 
 great with y" smalle and Howleglas said with a good wyll, 
 and then toke Howleglas the shoone, and put the little 
 shoone into the great shone, and sowed them both together, 
 as his maister bad him, and that spied his maister : and 
 sayde, ye be a good seruaunt for ye do al thing that I byd 
 you. Then answered Howleglas and said. They that do as 
 
48 Howleglas. 
 
 the be bid : they be worthy to haue thanke Then sayde the 
 maister, ye do after my saying & not after my meaning. 
 For I meane that first ye shoulde have sowed a litle paire, 
 and after a great paire. And the maister was hasty, and 
 toke him other lether and saide, cut me all thys lether vpon 
 one laste. And they maister thoughte no more of they 
 falsenes of Howleglas, and he departed to his chamber, and 
 when he was come home, th e remembred he what he had 
 said to howleglas. Then went he as fast as he coulde 
 towarde the shop where as Howleglas was, and or he came 
 there Howeglas had cut all the lether, vpon y e litle laste, al 
 for the left fote. Then when his maister sawe al his lether 
 cut for the left foote then asked he Howleglas if there be- 
 longed not to they lefte foote a right foote, and he was very 
 angry with him. Then sayde Howleglas to his maister. If 
 that he had tolde to me before, I would have cut them, but 
 & it please, you. I shall cut as many right shone vnto them. 
 The mayster sayde : I bad the cutte the on with the other 
 and then aunswered Howleglas, ye bad me cutte all vpon 
 one laste. Then aunswered the shomaker. If that I should 
 kepe you long : you woulde make me so poore that I mnste 
 nedes goe a begging, But nowe geue me mony for my 
 lether y' thou haste marred me, and departe thou fro hence, 
 Then aunswered Howleglas to the shomaker, The hyde of 
 a bul will make two hides, And with those wordes he arose 
 ad saide In this house haue I bene, but I will not come here 
 againe, and so departed he fro thence. 
 
 Tf How Howleglas sold turdes for fat, 
 And as Howleglas had destroied much lether of the sho- 
 
Howleglas. 49 
 
 maker, whereof the shoemaker was very sory, and that 
 hering Howleglas returned againe to the towne, and came 
 to his maister, & tolde him that he had a last of talowe, and 
 he told hys maister that he should haue it good chepe, for 
 too restore hym part of the harme, that he had doone to 
 hym before in his lether. And then the shoemaker sayd yf 
 it be good, I pray, you let me haue it before another, And 
 then sayd howleglas with a good wil. And then departed 
 they and then went Howleglas to the turds fermers, and 
 made him fill twelue barells wich turdes for a litle mony, 
 and then toke he a lytle talowe, and put in the barels fowre 
 inches thickes, as though it had ben altogether grece, and 
 closed it so close that it could not stynke, For it was in the 
 winter when there was a great frost, that the durte was fast 
 frozen to y e barrell, and the other sixe bareles he filed with 
 other talowe or fat more thicker then the other sixe were for 
 thei where the example of his marchaundise and when that 
 he had dressed all the barels he send for his maister they 
 shomaker, and he asked him, if y* he would come to see the 
 marchaundise, and he sayd he would, Then within a while 
 came the shomaker to Howleglas : and when he was com 
 there, Howleglas made the heades of the best barels, to be 
 broken vp, when the cordener sawe the barelles they liked 
 him very wel, and then Howleglas asked him how the barels 
 pleased him and he answered very well, and the asked he 
 the pryce, and then answered Howleglas ye shal geue me no 
 more then fowre and twenty gyldes xii. in hand & the other 
 twelue at y e yeres end and tha was the shomaker content, 
 ■and thought no deceyte and gaue to him, xii, gildens in 
 hand and Howleglas receyued the mony, and then departed 
 he, and y e cordyner was glad of the bargaine, and thought 
 
 7 
 
50 Howleglas. 
 
 that y e foresayde harme that he had don him, should be re- 
 stored. And then he hyred a seruaunt to melt the talow 
 and he brought one barel by the fyre, and when they durt 
 began to waxe hote it began to smel, Then sayd the one 
 to the other I wen some of vs hath beshitten their breches, 
 and then came the maister & bad them make cleane theyr 
 shone, for on of you hath troden in a tourde, and then they 
 loked about, but the founde nothing. And then shoulde the 
 haue put one of they bareles in the caudrene, then sawe 
 they wel that it was the barrell that stank, for it was full of 
 tourdes And then they left their work, and went for to 
 seeke Howleglas, but he was gone : and so the shomaker 
 must suffer the laste losse with the first. 
 
 *\ How Howleglas serued a tayler, 
 
 On a tyme serued Howleglas a tayler, & the tayler asked 
 him, if that he could sowe well a clothe, that no man might 
 se the seame. And the sayd Howleglas yes, And then 
 went Howleglas & sowed vnder a barrell. The sayd his 
 maister what doest thou now this is a meruelous sowing. 
 Then answered Howleglas, I sow so clouse that no mil can 
 see as you bad me nor I myselfe see not then answered his 
 maister good seruaunt I ment not so : I bad the sow that 
 euery man might see. And then the third night the maister 
 had labored so sore, that he must nedes slepe, tha cast he to 
 Howleglas, a husbandmans gowne, and he bad him take a 
 wolfe & make it vp. And then sayd Howleglas I shall do 
 it. Then wet he to bed. Then cut Howleglas the hus- 
 bandmans gowne, and made therof a woulffe with the head 
 and feete. And when that he had sowed it together, then 
 
Howleglas. 5 1 
 
 set he it vpon the table with staues, then in the mornynge 
 arose hys maister, and cam down, and wha he sawe the 
 woulfe standinge vpon the table he was afraide : and asked 
 hym what he had done, and he sayde maister : I haue made 
 a woulfe as you bad me, then said the maister, I ment that 
 you should haue made vp y e russet gown for a husband mans 
 gowne is called here a woulfe. Then aunswered howleglas. 
 If that I had knowen that before I would haue don so, for I 
 had leuer haue done a gowne then a wolfe, and at the last 
 was, the maister contente. And within fowre dayes after, 
 watched the mayster so muohe that he muste needes goe to 
 sleepe And there was a cote readye made, but it laked the 
 sleues, Then the maister toke the cote and the sleeue and 
 gaue them to Howleglas and he bad hym that he should cast 
 on the sieve, and he sayd he would, Then went his maister 
 to bed and then toke Howleglas the cote & hanged it on a 
 balke and set on euery syde a candel, and stode vp & cast 
 the sleues at the cote all they night long. And the arose y e 
 tailer and that spied howleglas, and he cast y e sleues more 
 faster then euer he dyd before at the cote. And y' aspyed 
 wel the tayler, & sayd what folish touches be those y l you do 
 ther, And the answered Howleglas very angerly, This is 
 no folish touche for I haue stand all the night castinge che 
 sleeues at the cote, and they will not abide thereon, and now 
 I se it is but lost labour. Then sayd they master to Howle- 
 glas. It is my faute for I wend y' he would haue vnderstand 
 me better, for I ment you shuld haue sowed on the sleues on 
 y" cote, The said Howleglas to his maister. The deuil 
 take you, for if ye had said so to me before. I might haue 
 sowed on the sleues & haue gone to slepe. But now maister 
 go you & sowe al y'' day long, & I wil go slepe and then aun- 
 
52 Hoioleglas. 
 
 swered the taler, & haue I hired you to slepe ? And thus 
 began they to chide, and as the wer thus chiding, the tailer 
 bad him pay for his candels, that he had brened that night, 
 and then Howleglas speake neuer a worde more but toke al 
 his clothes & went his way and came no more thete, 
 
 \ How Howleglas through his sottle disceytes disceyued a 
 wine drawer in Lubeke 
 
 On a time came Howleglas to Lubeke, where is very 
 straight Justice, & the while that Howleglas was ther abidin, 
 he herd tell of a wine drawer that was in a lordes seler, that 
 was very proud and presumptuous. And it was sayd that 
 there was no man that could deceiue hi nor passe him in 
 wisdo and ther was none of all the lordes that loued hym : 
 Then thought Howleglas in hys mynde, how he myght de- 
 ceyue him, then vpon a tyme tooke howleglas two pottes, 
 one of water, and the other empty, and he hid the emte pot 
 that no man saw it & he cae to the seller & gaue the wine 
 drawer the empty pot, & bad him fil the pot with wine, & so 
 he dyd. And when it was full he broughte it vp to Howle- 
 glas, and then he loked aside & in the meane whyle Howle- 
 glas set y e pot of water in y 6 place of wine & hid the pot of 
 wine And then asked he y e wine drawer what he shuld pai 
 And the drawer sayd ,x, miten, then sayde Howleglas the 
 wine is to dere for me, I haue but, viii. mite then was the 
 drawer angry, & sayde wyl ye sette an other price on the 
 wyne then the lordes haue set ? then sayd Howleglas I haue 
 no more mony, & I shall not haue it so, then take your wine 
 againe for I knewe it not before, then was they wine drawer 
 very angry, and he toke the pot with the water, and bare it 
 
Howleglas. 53 
 
 down Ito the seller : and poured out the water into the 
 vessel & he wende it had ben the wine and came & gaue 
 Howleglas the pot, and sayd, Make ye me fyll wine and ye 
 haue no mony to paye for it, ye wene ye be a foole ? And 
 then sayde Howleglas ye be begyled of a foole, and with 
 that woorde he wente hys waye with they pottes. And tha 
 the drawer mistrusting Howleglas for the wordes that he 
 sayde, toke a sergeaunt and ouer toke him, and serched hym 
 and then they found that he had two pottes vnder the matel. 
 Then tooke the howleglas ad peched him for a thefe, & 
 brought hym to the pryson. And then said some, y* he had 
 deserued to be hanged and som sayde that it was done for 
 the nonse to deceiue the wine drawer, & that was but wel 
 done for he should haue se there to before for he sayd dayly 
 that no man should begyle him : but they that loued not 
 Howleglas sayde that he was a theefe & that he should be 
 hanged and tha was Howleglas brought before the iudge, 
 and he gaue sentence, y J he shold be hanged. And on the 
 morow was he brought vnto the gallowes for to be hanged 
 for they that loued him not would faine haue seene Justice 
 done on him, And there were gathered many of the towne 
 to see howleglas suffer death. But the Lordes of Lubeke 
 were sory for him for some wende that he could do wich- 
 crafte, that he thereby might be delyuered. And as he 
 was led toward the galowes, he lay al stil as though 
 he had been dead. And whc he came vnder the ga- 
 lowes then desired he to speke with the lords. And when 
 the lordes were com he fell vpo his knes and he prayed 
 them that the wold graunt him a bone and the lordes sayde, 
 Thou woldst despre thy pardo Then said Howleglas. That 
 would I not aske life nor mony, nor it shal not cost you one 
 
54 Howleglas. 
 
 peny. Then all the lordes of Lubeke went to the other sid 
 of the galowes, and there they layde their heades together 
 & ther the rehearsed his wordes againe and the agreed to 
 graunt him his peticion. That done they came to hym and 
 the bad him aske what he would, saue those wordes spoken 
 of before to be except. And Howleglas thanked the Lordes 
 and saide I praye you that euery one of you geue me your 
 hands so therof. And they all together gaue him their 
 handes, so that al the lordes had graunted him both with 
 word and hand. Then sayd Howleglas to the lordes. Be- 
 cause I know you be faythfull of your wordes. I shall shewe 
 to you my bone. And then he sayd this is my bone. Then 
 euery lorde of Lubeke do come & kisse my arse when that 
 I haue haged on the galowes by the space of thre daies 
 long, with his mouth in the morning fasting and the borow 
 maister ferste and all the Lords after in order. Then aun- 
 swered the lordes to Howleglas and sayd. that his desire 
 was an vnmanerly boone for to be asked. And then sayde 
 Howleglas to the lordes of Lubeke I knowle the cofisail of 
 Lubeke, to foure of their promise that they wil holde that 
 that they haue promised me both wyth hand and mouth. 
 Then went the lordes againe to counsayle, then sayd they 
 one to the other thys thinge that he asketh of vs is vnlaw- 
 fully asked, for it were a great shame for vs all that we that 
 be the greatest lords of the town, should come, and kisse 
 his arse, better it wer for to geue him his pardon, and let 
 him goo his waye, for it is but a small faute that he hath 
 done, then agreed all they lordes and sayde that it was 
 best so for to do, the the lordes called the sergeauntes, and 
 they bad them too unbinde Howleglas and to let him go at 
 large. For all they had graunted him his pardon. And 
 
Hoivleglas. 55 
 
 then they vnlosed Howleglas. And when Howleglas was 
 at large, he thanked, the Lordes. And then departed he 
 from Lubeke, and neuer came there after. 
 
 If Hoive Howleglas became a maker of spectacles how he could 
 finde no woorlce in no lande where he came. 
 
 On a tyme the senatours of Rome, had great discorde 
 among themselfe, which of all the Lordes should be Eurpe- 
 roure. And at the last was y e earle of Supplembrogh king 
 of Romaines and Bmperour of Rome, but thee were many 
 other that loked for it. So when he was made, he lay. vi. 
 wekes longe before the towne of Frankforde abyding there 
 for all other lordes to tormet where was great company as- 
 sembled. And this hering Howleglas, he thought in hys 
 minde to go thether, & so he did. And ther be thought to 
 get some gyfte. And it wer no more but the Bmperours 
 syluer harnes. And as Howleglas passed by Frankforde he 
 met with the bishop of Naer and becaused y 4 he was clothed 
 auenture lyke, he asked hym what he was then answered 
 Howleglas I am a spectacle maker came out of Brabane, and 
 I can finde no worke. Then said the Bishop me thinke your 
 craft shoulde be better daylye, for the people y e longer they 
 lyue, they lesse syght they haue therefore your craft should 
 be the better. And then sayd Howleglas to the byshop, my 
 lorde you say truth but ther is one thinge that destroye our 
 craft : and if you wil take no displesure, I shall shew it to 
 you. And then the Bishop bad him saye what he woulde. 
 And then sayd he, thys destroyeth our craft, that suche 
 great lordes as you be kinges, dukes Brles lordes Bishops 
 knightes, lawyers and gouernours of landes and townes, al 
 
 & 
 
56 Hoialeglas. 
 
 those looke through theyr fyngers, and not with spectacles. 
 They were wont to study in the olde tyme the righte and 
 then behoued the me many spectacles. And also the priestes, 
 were wont to studey and reade their seruice but now they 
 vse no spectacles at all and by thys maner is our craft de- 
 troyed and nought set by. And by heades of the countrey 
 that poore men of the contree learne al to looke throwe 
 their handes that they be almoste as cunning, as the heades 
 of the contrey. The the bishop vnderstode the text but not 
 the glose and he spake to Howleglas and sayde, come with 
 me to Frankeford, and I shall geue vnto thee my harnes or 
 clothing, and then was Howleglas very glad and he wente 
 with the Bishop to Frankeforde, where the Bmperour was 
 chosen : and when they triumphe was don that the bishop 
 gaue him that that he promised him, and then was he glad 
 and he went with the by shop, and so he retourned againe 
 to Sassen : 
 
 \ Sow Howleglas was hired of a merchaunt to be his colce. 
 
 At Heldersem dwelled a marchaunt, that on a tyme went 
 walking without the town, and as he walked he foud How- 
 leglas lying on a grene hyll. Then asked the marchaunt 
 Howleglas what he was howleglas answered vnder his 
 couered falsnes I am a cooke, and without a maister. Then 
 sayd the marchaunt : yf you wyll be a good seruaunt, I wyll 
 hyre you, and geve vnto you wages, I haue a cooke at home 
 but my wyfe complayneth on hym alwaye. Then promised 
 Howleglas the marchaunte to bee true to hym. Then asked 
 the marchaunt hys name, then annswered Howleglas my 
 name is Bartholomeus. Then sayd the marchaunt, that 
 
Howleglas. 5 7 
 
 name is all to longe your name shall be Dole, then sayde 
 howleglas I holde me contented therewith. Then sayde the 
 marchaunt, Dole my man, nowe let vs go gether some herbes 
 for yong chekins, for to morow I must haue gestes to diner : 
 and then went the home to hys place together, And when 
 the marchauntes wyfe sawe Howleglas she asked her hus- 
 bande : what shall we do with this ma : went you that our 
 bread mouldes ? Then sayde the mercheaunt. Be contente 
 wyfe, this shalbe your man for he is a coke, Then called he 
 his man and sayd. Dole take a basket and follow me to 
 the fleshe shambles, and so he did. And when they were 
 there the marchant bought meate for to roste, and when he 
 came home, he called his man and sayd Dole to morowe lay 
 the meate to the fyre, and rost it coldly y l y e burne it not : 
 and Howleglas said he wold and then he arose in the morn- 
 inge, and broughte the meate by the fyre, and he toke the 
 meat that he shold roste and put it on the spytte, & bare it 
 down into the seller, and he layd it betwene two barelles of 
 bere, that it shold lye colde iDOUgh, and burne not. And 
 because the marchaut should haue gestes, he came home be- 
 fore to see whether that his meate was wel rosted or not. 
 And when he came home, he caled Dole and asked him, if 
 that ther meate was ready : and Howleglas answered, ye 
 maister al saue the rosting. Where haste thou done it : 
 benethe in the seller betwene two barreles, for in all the 
 house could I not fynd so cold, a place to lay it in for burn- 
 ing. The merchaunt sayd is it not rosted ? and howleglas 
 sayde naye, for I dyd as ye bad me. I laid it colde inough 
 for I knowe not the tyme that you would haue had it rosted, 
 and as they were talking together came in the gestes, iid 
 the marchaunt told to hys gestes howe that Howleglas had 
 
58 Howleglas. 
 
 serued him, and the laughed therat but his wife was not 
 content therwith and right glad she would haue bene redy 
 of him, and very angry she was because of that touche, Then 
 sayd the marchaunt to his wife Be contented at this tyme, 
 for to morow I muste to haslaer and he shall wayte on me, 
 and when I shall come home againe,then shall I put hym awaye 
 fro hence and then went the merchaunt with his gestes to 
 diner and made good chere and at night called the marchaur 
 his man and sayde. Dole make the wagen ready, for to 
 morow I am in though. I and my priest to take our journey 
 to haslaer, and grease it that it may go trime : and then 
 went howleglas and gresed the wagen within and without, 
 and in the morninge went the marchaunt & the priest to 
 the wagen, and rode their way, and by the way, the priest 
 layde hys hande on the railes of they carte, and they made 
 hys handes al grease : and then he loked better, and both 
 the marchaut & the priest were all arayed with grese. Then 
 the called Howleglas, and the bad him see and very angrye 
 they were with him, & in the mean time came there a man 
 of the country with a lod of straw and then they bought 
 parte of hys strawe, & dressed their wagen therewith for 
 filying of their clothes and then they went vnto the wagen 
 again then sayd the marchaunt angerly. Go driue it vnder 
 y e galowes ad as he was a litel further he spied a galowes 
 and theither droue he the wagen vnder the galowes 
 and when it was vnder the galowe she made the wagen 
 to stand styll .& he vntyed the horse. Then sayd the 
 marchount what will you nowe do then sayd howleglas 
 tary you here al night, for you bad me to driue you under 
 the galowes. And when they saw that the were vnder 
 the galowes, the priest laughed but the marchaut was 
 
Howleglas. 59 
 
 very angrd lid. bad him to driue forth ryght, and neuer to 
 stand stilj Then sayd howleglas, he would then pulled he 
 out a pin that was in y" wagen that helde it fast to the 
 horse and droue the horse forthe and he left thern vnder 
 the galostes, Then the marchaiit seeing that he lept out of 
 the wagen & they priest with him and they ran after him & 
 at the laste they ouertoke him, and then the inarchant 
 drewe his sworde & would haue smite him but the priest 
 would not suffer him and then made he fast the horse againe 
 and so droue the iourney to an ende. When the marchaunt 
 was come horn, hys wife asked how he fared and how he 
 lyked his man he aunswered not of they best. Then he 
 called Howleglas and he bad hym tary there that night, and 
 in the morninge to departe fro thence for he sayd he was 
 but a begiler and a deceyuer whersoeuer he went, Then said 
 Howleglas good maister that shal I do. And then arose 
 howleglas erly in the morning, and as he was vp the mer- 
 chaunt sayde: Eate and drynke your belly full and ridde the 
 house of you that I fynde you not here when that I come 
 againe, for I must to churche & when I return if I fynde 
 you here stand to that that shalbe fall, And Howleglas held 
 hys peace, and spake neuer a worde to him, and then the 
 merchont wet to church. Then he begon for to red all the 
 houshold stuffe and bere it into the streate, then came worde 
 vnto his maister to the churche that all his housholde stuffe 
 stode in the streate, Then came the marohaunt home and 
 sawe that it was howleglas that had borne out all his stuffe, 
 he asked his man why he did so and howleglas sayd I did as 
 you bad me : for ye bad me that I should rid your howse, 
 and so I haue of all youre stuffe that ye haue, Then sayde 
 the marchaunt to howleglas depart fro hence, and come no 
 
60 Hozoleelas. 
 
 <•> 
 
 more here. I geve thee warning for here is no body that 
 thanks the for thy labour, And then departed howleglas 
 his waye and so was the marchant faine to cary in his gere 
 againe that howleglas had borne out, 
 
 IT How howleglas was desyred to diner, 
 
 In Lunenborough dwelled a flute maker that knewe Va- 
 cabundes by sight. And on a time it fortuned hym to spy 
 howleglas, to whom hee sayd, To morow I desyre you to 
 dine with me then howleglas thanked him & said y* he wold 
 And the departed y e flute maker & on y B morow at none 
 howleglas went to the pipe makers house & when he was 
 ther the dores were shit, And he taried till none was past, 
 & then he knew wel y' he was gretly deceived & so he re- 
 turned home again. And on y e morning as he walked in 
 the market, he spide the pipe maker, & then went he to him, 
 & thaked him for hys diner, & he sayd wha, ye bed a body 
 to diner, ye shit all your dores, and the pipe maker & sayd, 
 I bad you come to diner, Then sayd howleglas your dores 
 wer shit, Then laughed the pype maker & sayd Go to my 
 house before, and I shal come after to dinner for ye shall 
 finde both roste and soden. And then departed howleglas 
 to the pipe makers house ; & there he founde all true as the 
 pipe maker had tolde him, And the sayd he to the pipe 
 makers wife that she shold go as fast as she could to her 
 husbande, for he sayde that he had a greate sturgian geuen 
 him and he sayd that he would turn the spit till that she 
 came againe. The woman said good Howleglas kepe the 
 house tyll that I come againe, and let no body in. Then 
 departed the woma with her maid towardes her husbande as 
 
Howies las. 61 
 
 <b 
 
 fast as she could and met with him by the way, And when 
 he saw her; he asked her whether she went so fast : And 
 she said to help him. For she said that Howleglas had told 
 her that ye had a sturgion geuen you, and he sayde y' ye 
 bade that we shold coe & helpe you for it was so grete that 
 you were not able to bere it. Then was the ma angry, and 
 said knowe ye not well that Howleglas ys suche a mocker 
 and a deceiuer, then went he home with his wife and when 
 he came home he knocked at y° dore, and howleglas sayde 
 let be your knocking, for the hoste hathe charged me, that 
 I should let no gest in til diner was done. Then went the 
 hoste to his neighbours and taried there tyl Howleglas had 
 dined, and when Howleglas had dined, then he opened the 
 doore, and then the pipe maker came with all his folke. 
 And when he was within he sayd to Howleglas that it was 
 no honesty for a gest to shit his hostise out of the dores, 
 And in this maner he serued the hoste, and his hostise. 
 
 H How Howleglas won a pece of clothe of a man of the 
 countreij. 
 
 Howleglas would euer farewell and make good cheare but 
 he would not woorke. Then on a time came he to Ossem, to 
 a goodly company of men of the country, and as he walked 
 he espyed one man alone with a grene cloth on his arme, 
 then imagined he in his minde, how that he might get 
 y e cloth. So he came to him, and he asked him wher he 
 was dwelling and then the husband tolde him : and then de- 
 parted Howleglas fro him, & continently he met with a 
 shottishe priest. And an other knaue and he saide to them. 
 I desire you to helpe me, and I shall geue you for your labour, 
 
62 How leg las. 
 
 and they sayd they wold. The sayd Howleglas when I call 
 you to recorde to know what colour yonder cloth is : ye shal 
 say blewe, I wil go before, & come after, then went he to 
 the husbandman, and he asked him how he solde his blew 
 cloth, then sayde the husband man that it was grene, & not 
 blew. I holde .xx. gildens against thy cloth that it is blewe, 
 then sayde the husbandma I holde you, It is done sayd 
 Howleglas, and the first man that comes hereby shalbe the 
 Judge therto. Agreed sayde the husbandman, & the made 
 Howleglas a signe to the men, y* he had hired and they 
 come, then sayd the husbandman, we two striue what colour 
 this cloth is, I pray you breke our strife, then the felowe 
 said it is faire blew coth, then said y e husbandma ye be to 
 false for me to medle with for it is made betwixt you two to 
 deceiue mee, then sayd Howleglas cause that ye saye we be 
 agreed, let him go here cometh a priest, wil ye be conteted 
 what he saieth? and the man of the country sayde yes, then 
 came the priest by, then said Howleglas I praye you to tell 
 vs, what colour this cloth is ? the priest said ye se well 
 inough what nede you to aske me, the husbad man said I 
 know the colour of this cloth wel inough but these two men 
 say it is another colour and there fore we striue, then saide 
 the Priest what haue I to do with your striuing : then sayd 
 the husbandman I pray your sir departe vs of our striuinge, 
 then sayde the priest, I can se no other, but that it is a 
 fayre blewe. And tha said the husyanma, and ye were not 
 a priest in fayth ye did lye, for ye be thre falsemen, But 
 sythe ye be a priest, I must beleue you, And then gaue he 
 howleglas the cloth, and wente his waye, Then did Howle- 
 glas with his, ii, felowes cloth them with the husbandmans 
 cloth againste the winter, But the good pooreman prayed 
 
Howleglas. 6 
 
 a 
 
 to god, many a tyme and ofte that the deuill might take 
 them al thre, for the poore man was they worse all they 
 daies of hys lyfe after that great losse. 
 
 IT Hoive Howleglas gaue .xx, gildens to .xii. poore men for 
 christes loue. 
 
 On a tyme came Howleglas Hanouer, where he dyd many 
 vertuous thinges. On a tyme rode howleglas without the 
 towne, and as he rode he met with .xii. blinde men to whom 
 he said, whether wil ye go : y e blinde men so hering that he 
 was on horsebake they put of the ther capes, for they wende 
 that he had bene a great gentleman, and saide, we haue bene 
 at a doale of a riche man, that died yesterday in the town. 
 Then sayd Howleglas. I take gret thought for you how you 
 shall do this winter, for me thinke you shall frese to death, 
 before the winter be done. And tha he sayde holde her is 
 .xx. gyldens and returne againe all you to the place where 
 that I was lodged, and he named his host, & he bad them 
 make good chere til winter were done, And then they 
 thanked hym for they thought that he had geue them mony 
 but he did not And then departed they to the place, 
 whether he set them, & the thought y l | some of the company 
 had the mony. And when y' they came to the inne, the 
 said to the hostise y' by the way as they went, they met with 
 a good ma y 1 gaue them .xx. gildens for gods sake and he 
 bad vs come hither, and make good chere therfore for he 
 said y' he had bene lodged here, & for his said we shold haue 
 good chere, when the hoste herde that thei had mony, he 
 toke the in, & made the good chere. And when that their 
 
64 How leg las. 
 
 .xx. gildens were spent, then said the hoste to them. Now 
 wil you recken good brethren for now the .xx. gildens be 
 spent, The blind men sayd we be contented to pay you, & 
 then spake on of the blind men & sayd. He that hath 
 twenty gildes pay our hoste And then [s]ayd the one to the 
 other, I haue not the ,xx gildens Nor I haue not the twen- 
 tee gildens And then some sate and clawed their head, & 
 some clawed their arme, And then they knewe that the 
 were deceyued. Then thought the hoste in his minde what 
 shal I do with them ? Shal I let them go that they spend me 
 no more mony ? Nay not so, Tha shit he the blind men in 
 the stable, and brought to them hay & strawe. ad when that 
 Howleglas thought that al the mony was spent : then came 
 he riding into the same inne, wher the blind men were, and 
 he had chauged hys clothing that they should not knowe 
 him, and so entred, into the inne, where the blind, men 
 were, and led his horse into the stable wher the pore men 
 were And he had set vp his horse : he came to his hoste, 
 asked his hoste wherfore that he had kept the blinde me in 
 the stable so fast shyt in ? And he asked hi what harme the 
 had done to hym ? Then sayde the hoste. I woulde that 
 they were to gether in the water so that I had my costes 
 payde me, and then he tolde hym all the matter. And then 
 sayd howleglas, and the had a borowe woulde you lette them 
 goo, and the hoste sayde yes with a good wyll. Then sayd 
 Howleglas I wyll go see if I can finde any borow for them 
 Then went he to the curate of the churche and sayde Mais- 
 ter parso I haue an host y' this night was take with the fende 
 I desire you for to helpe him. The curate sayd with a good 
 will, but you must tary two or thre daies, for it may not be 
 done in haste : well sayde Howleglas that is wel sayde but I 
 
Howleglas. 65 
 
 wyl go fetche hys wife that she may here what you sai, And 
 y e priest soid I shal tel to her the same that I told to you 
 without fayle. And then went Howleglas home to his host, 
 & he tolde him that he had founde a borow, and that it was 
 the parson of the churche and let your wyfe goo with me & 
 she shal here him speake y e sam that he hath sayd to mo and 
 then was hoste glad and he sende his wife with Howleglas 
 to the curat, And whe the were come to the curat : How- 
 leglas sayd to him maister parsone here is the wife of the 
 man that I spake of to you now tell her the' same that you 
 haue sayd to me, And the curate sayd with a good wi] 
 that sayd he to the woman tary a daye or two : and I shall 
 helpe your husband well, And then was the woma glad & 
 retourned home againe with Howleglas and when she came 
 home, she tolde her husband what the curate said wherof 
 the host was glad, and he went vnto the stable and let the 
 blinde men lose and the went ther way, And then howle- 
 glas reckned with his host and so departed from thece, and 
 when the third day came then wente the woman to y e priest 
 and she asked him twente gildens that the blinde man had 
 spende. The curate asked her hathe your husbande that 
 ye tolde to me, and the woma sayd no Then sayd the cu- 
 rate, that is the false deuil that wold haue the mony, Thii 
 sayd she what false deuil menest thou ? Geve me my mony 
 for jmy costes : then sayd the curet to the woman, It was 
 told me that your husbande was taken with y e false deuyil 
 bring hym hether, and I shall helpe hym therof by the 
 grace of god, then sayd the woman to y e priest such be- 
 gylers fynde I many. Now you should pay me for my 
 costes : you bring to me a back rekenlg and you say my 
 husband is taken with the deuyl, and that you shal knowe 
 
 9 
 
66 Hcnoleglas. 
 
 shortly, And then she ran to her husband and told him 
 how the priest said to her and when the hoste hard those 
 words : he was angry and toke the spite with the rost that 
 lay at the fire, and ran to the priestes chambere, And 
 when the curate spyed him he was afrayde, & called the 
 neighbours to helpe hym, and he made a sine of the holy 
 crosse before him and he cryed for help to take that ma 
 that was so beset with the deuyl, then sayd the hoste, thou 
 prest pay me my mony, and the priest gaue him no aun- 
 swere. The would the hoste haue run thorow hym with 
 the hote spyt, but the neighbours wente betwene them & 
 departed them, and they held the hoste still with gret 
 payne from maister persone. But as long as the host liued 
 he asked his mony of the priest, for the costes of the 
 blynde men, but the prest avnswered to him, that he ought 
 him nought and nought he wold pay him. but sayd and you 
 be taken with a deuil. I shall helpe you therof. But neuer 
 after loued on the other, 
 
 If Hoiv Howlegl as feared his hoste with a dead woulfe, 
 
 In the setleuon dwelled an Inne holder that was very 
 spitefull and mockinge, and he preised greatly hys boldnes, 
 Vpon a time it befell in the winter season, when there had 
 bene a great snowe, howleglas came riding with other .thre 
 marchauntes fro Sasson to ysetleuen, & it was very late or 
 they came ther, & wha they were come, the entred into the 
 Inne that the man kept, Then sayde their hoste angerly 
 where haue you ben so late, it is no time now to take your 
 Inne ? Then they aunswered, Be ye not angry, for we 
 haue been hounted with a woulfe in the snow we coulde not 
 
Howleglas. 67 
 
 scape till now, Then the hoste mocked thern, because 
 they .iiii. were hunting of one woulfe & sayd, if there came 
 .x. woulfes to me in y 6 field, I wold haue slaine them euerich 
 one, & mocked y e marchants til they went to bed. And 
 howleglas sate by the fyre & herd al to gather. Then should 
 they go to bed. And it fortuned that Howleglas and the 
 marchants should lie in one chamber. And when the were 
 in y e chamber together : the toke counsaile together how 
 the might stop their hoste of his mocking, Then sayde 
 Howleglas our hoste is full of mocking let me alone I shall 
 pay him well inough, that he shall not mocke vs no more, 
 Then promised they marchauntes to Howleglas to pay all 
 his costes, and giue him more monye for his labour. Then 
 sayd Howleglas do your Journey, and businesse of your 
 marchaundise, and when ye haue it come again and lodge 
 at this Inne : and ye shall finde me here, & then we shall, 
 make our hoste y' he shal mocke no more. And tha arose 
 y 6 marchauntes in the morning and called the hoste, & paied 
 him for their costes, and Howleglas also. Then they tooke 
 their horses, & departed from thence. And when the were 
 paste a lytle, he cryed to the marchauntes take heede that 
 ye wolfe byte you not, in mockage, The thanked their 
 hoste because he gaue them warning before. And as they 
 rode ? howleglas found a woulfe that was frosen to y° deth, 
 and that he tooke vp, and put in a bagge, and layd it be- 
 fore him, and then they retourned againe to ysetluen, to 
 that Inne where they were lodged before. And he kept y e 
 wolfe so close that no man knew therof. And when the 
 night was come and that they sat all at supper, then the 
 hoste began to laugh at them & he resoned agaist their 
 hardines, & agaxst the woulfe. Then sayd the, so it for- 
 
68 Howleglas. 
 
 tuned at that time, you sayde y' you would sle .x. woulfes 
 but sir first I wold se you kil one, & then sayd y e hoste 
 that should I do alone. And thus they iested tyll the 
 went to bedde. And howleglas held hys peace tyll that he 
 and the marchauntes wet aboue all together in the chamber. 
 And then sayd howleglas to y e marchauntes frendes. Let 
 me nowe begyn to woorke & wake you a litle while. And 
 then wente the hoste & al his folke were a sleepe, then 
 went he priuely into the chambre & he fetched the dead 
 woulfe that was stifle frosen, and dressed hym with stikes 
 & put two children shoone in his mouth and made him stand 
 as thoughe he had ben a Hue, And then left he the wolfe 
 standing in the hal, and he came againe into the chambre 
 to y e marchantes, and when he was aboue he & the mar- 
 chauntes called theyr hoste. And there host asked the 
 what they would haue, Then aunswered y 8 to hym that 
 they would haue some drinke, for the had so gret thyrste 
 that the must needes drinke, Let your mayde or man 
 bringe vs some, and we wyll paye for it to morowe, Then 
 waxed the hoste angrye and sayde, Thys is the Sassen 
 maner for to drinke both daye and night. And then he 
 called his mayd and bad her that she should geue the mar- 
 chents drinke. And then the maide rose, and as she went 
 to light a candel, she saw the woulfe with .ii. shoone in his 
 mouth. Tha she was afraid and ran to the gardeyn, for 
 she thought, that he had eaten both the children then caled 
 thei againe. Then caled the hoste his ma, and bad hym 
 arise and bere the Sassons drynke, Then arose he ad 
 lighted a candle, for he wed that the mayde had slepte 
 styll, Then loked he aside and sawe the woulfe stand he 
 was afraide and he thought that the woulfe had eaten the 
 
Howleglas. 69 
 
 iriaide, and let fall the candle and ra into y e seller. Then 
 called Howleglas and the marchentes the third time, ad 
 praied that he himselfe wold bring them some drinke for 
 the sayd there came no bodye, or els geue them a candle, 
 and they wold draw it the selfe, Then arose the hoste 
 himselfe, for he wend that his man and his mayd were 
 fallen a slepe a again, and then lighted he a candel and 
 when that he had done, he loked a syde and spyed y e 
 woulfe : and he was so afraide, that he fel ynto the ground, 
 and then arose he and cryed to the marchantes and he 
 praied them for to come helpe him for there was for a 
 woulf, that had eaten both his man and his mayde. And 
 this hard they maid in the garden and the man in the seller 
 & come to helpe their maister and the marchentes also, 
 And Howleglas laughed at this hardye man that would 
 haue slaine ten woulfes and he was made afraid of one deade 
 woulfe, And whe they hoste sawe it was done in mockage, 
 then was he ashamed, and he wiste not what for to say. 
 And then left he his bosting, and jesting, and went to bed 
 againe. And on the morow it was knowen through the 
 towne, whei'of the hoste was sore ashamed, And the in 
 the morning arose the marchauntes and payed ther costes, 
 and Howleglas also, and rode their waye, and then neuer 
 after praysed the hoste his mandhode. 
 
 \ Howleglas fieed a hountle . and gaue the shin for 
 halfe Ms diner. 
 
 On a time came Howleglas verye late into an Inne where 
 the host was not at home, but onely the hostise, this hostise 
 
Jo Howleglas. 
 
 had a bloud hound, the which she loued very well and as 
 she had nothing to do, she toke the hounde on her lappe, 
 and plaied with him : & Howleglas satte by the fire drinking 
 a potte of bere and the hostise had taught her hounde to 
 drinke bere in a dishe, and as howleglas was drinkinge of 
 hys bere, the hound fauned on him and wagged his taile on 
 howleglas, and then sayd they hostise, geue they hounde 
 some drinke in his dishe, for that is the meaning, and 
 Howleglas said with a good will and then gaue he the 
 hounde often to drinke, and he gaue him also parte of al 
 thing that was on the table, that the hounde was ful as he 
 might be, & then went he & laide hym downe stretching 
 him by the fyre, & withe in a while Howleglas had eaten 
 inoughe, & then asked they hostise if she would reken and 
 she sayde yes. Then asked he hys hostise yf she had had a 
 geste that had eaten her meate, and drinketh her drinke 
 should pay nothing would ye be cotent therwith. The went 
 the hostise that he ment himselfe and thoughte not of her 
 hound. Then sayd she to him good frende, here is no man 
 that eateth here, but he payeth monye or a pledge. How- 
 leglas sayd I am contet therewith to pay my part, and the 
 other must pay his parte. And the wet the hostise into her 
 chaber for to do her busines, ad tha. toke Howleglas the 
 houde vnder his gowne and went vnto the stable, & flyed 
 of his skin, And the came he againe to his hostise that 
 sate by y e fyre, & he had the houndes skyn vnder his 
 gowne : & then caled howleglas for a reckening, when she 
 sayd reckened he gaue her halfe therof. Then asked she 
 him who shold geue to her that other halfe ? Then sayde 
 howleglas chose you here is my parte ye had an other geste 
 that went away and payde nothinge, and eate & dranke as 
 
Hoivleglas. 71 
 
 well as I did lette hym pay the other halfe of the mony. 
 Then sayd the hostise, what gest was that and what pledge 
 had he to geue ? Then sayd howleglas the best coat that 
 he had on. Then drue he out the dogges skyn, and sayd to 
 his hostise here is the beste coate that the gest hath, And 
 whan she saw her dogs sokyn then spake she very angerly 
 and cursedly wherfore haue ye flyed my hounde ? Then 
 sayd howleglas let alone your banning and your cursing in 
 this maner for it is your faut, for ye bad to me that I 
 should geue to your hounde meat and drinke and I told to 
 you that the gest had no mony & ye said that ye wold not 
 trust him, but that ye would haue a pledge or money to 
 paye for his costes : so haue I broughte to you the best cot 
 that he hath for a pledge. Then was thei hostise more 
 angry, & sayd. Go out of my house shortly and neuer 
 come here more within my dores. Then sayde Howleglas, 
 Shall go out of your dores : naye but I shall ride out of 
 your dores. Then tooke he hys sadel and sadled his horse, 
 & light on him and or he departed fro thence, he sayde to 
 his hostise. Kepe well your pleedg, y l he may haue your 
 mony. And within a while I shal come vnto you vn bidde. 
 And if I drink not of your drinke, than neede I not paye 
 nothinge. And then departed he fro thence, and rode his 
 way. 
 
 \ Soive Hoivleglas seruecl the same hostise an other tyme, 
 and how he lay on a wheele. 
 
 Within a whyle after came Howleglas to Stafforde, in the 
 same Inne where he had bene lodged before : and he had 
 done other clothes on because that his hostise should not 
 
72 How kg las. 
 
 know him, And when he was come into the Inne, he 
 spide a whele lye therby and then he alighted & came & 
 layde him theron, and bad his hostise good morowe. And 
 he asked her, if she harde any newes of howleglas ? And 
 she sayde nay, what should I here of him ? I cannot suffer 
 him to be named howleglas sayd what harme hath he done 
 to you, that ye maye not here speake of him he is a knaue 
 in dede, I neuer herde tell yet y* ye came in any place, 
 but or he departed he did some shrewde touche. Then 
 sayd the hostise that is true. For it is but .vii. daies agone 
 that (for the great chere that I made to hym) like a trei- 
 toure be flayed my hounde and he gaue me the skyn for 
 my meate and drinke, Then sayde howleglas that was a 
 knavishe touche. And the woman saide therfore shall he 
 come to euill ende. Then sayd Howleglas. Is this al his 
 rewarde ? It is not thre houres agone sithen I sawe him 
 lye vpon a whele Then sayd the hostise I had knowen that 
 I should haue bette him with a staffe, that I should haue 
 broken some of his ribbes, for that he hathe done to me. 
 And then arose Howleglas and sayde, let be your anger, 
 for when I -spake to you he laye vpon the whele And 
 now a-dewe I come not here againe. 
 
 ^f How Howleglas set his hostise vpon the hots ashes with 
 her hare arse. 
 
 As Howleglas was come fro Rome, he came to an Inne 
 where his host was not at home, And when he was within, he 
 asked his hostise if y l she knewe not howleglas, and the hos- 
 tise said nay : but I here say that he is a false deceyuer and 
 begiler, then sayde howleglas wherefore say ye so ye knowe 
 
Hoivleglas. 73 
 
 him not, the sayde the hostise that is truth but I haue 
 herd speke much of hys vnhappinesse then sayd howleglas : 
 good woma he hath don to you neuer no harme, wherfore 
 slaunder ye him for the words of other people, the hostise 
 sayde : I saye no other of hym, then the people do, For I 
 haue hearde him be spoken of, of many of my gestes, that 
 haue lodged her. Then held Howleglas his peace, & spake 
 no more til in the morning, and then spred he abrode the 
 hote ashes on the harthe, and then toke he the hostise out 
 of her slepe, & set her theron one her bare arse, & so was 
 his hostise well brenned, then sayde he to her, Nowe may 
 ye say boldely, that ye haue sene the false deceiuer and be- 
 gyler howleglas, then cried y e hostise for helpe & lowred 
 vpon him. Then went he out of her dores and sayde to her. 
 Should not me correct and reproue slaunderers and back 
 biters, that saye it of men, and neuer sawe them : nor 
 neuer had done harme to them, yes it is a charitable thing to 
 do. And then tooke he his horse and departed fro thence. 
 
 If How hoivleglas serued a hnlader w* a rosted aple. 
 
 Vpon a time came Howleglas to Andwarpe to an Inne, 
 wher was many holaders mery, And he brought with him, 
 ii. egges which he rosted for to eate, for he was sicke and 
 coulde eate no fleshe, And this seyng a holander sayde, ye 
 Thomme of the countrey, wyl not your hostyse meate serue 
 you but y l ye must bring meate with you wene ye that ye 
 should haue no meat here, and with those words, he tooke 
 y e egges and supped them vp, and wha he hadde done, he 
 gaue too howleglas the shelles and sayde to hym, holde 
 here is they boxe, the relikes be gone, and than laughed all 
 
 10 
 
74 Howleglas. 
 
 the gestes at that touch, and howleglas also ; and in the 
 eueninge fetched howleglas a fayre apple and cut out all the 
 core therof, and put therm a strong purgacion, and rosted 
 the apple in the fire and than tooke howleglas the apple 
 and cut it in pieces, vpon his trenchour, & strawed therof 
 pouder of ginger and set it vpon the table and went from 
 the table as though he would haue gon and fetched more. 
 And as sone as Howleglas had tourned his back, the ho- 
 lander tooke the apple and eate it in gret hast. And by 
 and by he fell to parbraking, and caste vp all that was 
 within him, and he was very sicke therof, that the hoste 
 and all the gestes wend that he should haue died of the, 
 apple. And then sayde howleglas to they gestes : be not 
 afrayde of hym for it is a litle purgacion, that I haue geuen 
 him, he was to hasty to eate y e apple son, I shold haue 
 warned hym thereof. For the rosted apple coulde not suffer 
 y e rere egges in hys mawe, but that they must needes come 
 out againe : and then the gestes made good chere and 
 laughed. And whan the purgacion had wrought al that it 
 would & that the holande was a mended, he sayde to How- 
 leglas, Roste and eate whatsoeuer ye wyll, for I wyll neuer 
 eate with you more. 
 
 If How howleglas made a woman that solde earthen pottes, 
 to smite them all in pieces. 
 
 Vpon a time toke howleglas his iourney to Bremen, to 
 the bishop, that loued him wel, For at all times he did 
 some mad touche, whereat he made the bishop to laughe. 
 Then on a time as the Bishope and Howleglas were a 
 walkinge the bishop desired of him, y' he wold do some 
 
Howleglas. 7 5 
 
 mery Jest, but Howleglas went talking to himselfe as 
 though he had sayde his pater noster, and answered not the 
 bishop. But at; the last he sayde to him. I praye thee to 
 se some newes And he sayd he wold. But he praied the 
 bishop to tary a while. And he gaue him silence. And in 
 the meane while went howleglas to a woman y' hathe 
 earthen pottes to sel 1 y° market, the which pottes he 
 bought on a condicion, that when he made a signe to her, 
 the she shold smite al y e pottes in pieces. And she granted 
 to him. And then he paied her and returned to the bishop, 
 And when he was come, the bishope asked him where he 
 had bene ? And howleglas sayde I was at churche, he said 
 my lord go with me vnto the market. And so he did 
 And when they were there Howleglas said to the bishop 
 Se you the woman with y e earthen pottes : I shall stand 
 here still by you, & speke neuer a word : & yet shal I make 
 her to smite her pottes all in pieces. Then sayd the bishop 
 I holde the .xxx. gildens that thou shalt not do it, And 
 howleglas did holde, the xxx, gildens with the bishop, 
 And then went the into the towne house, and there they 
 taried. And then cryed and called the woman, & at the 
 laste made he the sygne to her that was made betwene 
 them. And then tooke she a staffe, and smytte vpon the 
 pottes so long till y* she had broken them euery chone, so 
 that the bishop and al they that were in the market place 
 did laugh thereat. And as the bishop was come home then 
 called he howleglas a syde vnto hym and sayde Tell me 
 shortlye what thing ye dyd to the woman y* ye made her take 
 a staffe, and smyte all the pottes to peces, and then shall I 
 geue vnto you the xxx, gildens Then sayd Howleglas to 
 the bishop, My lorde I did it not with sorcery nor witch- 
 
76 Howlcrlas. 
 
 'i> 
 
 craft, but I had payd y B woman before for her pottes, & we 
 were both agreed. And then laughed the bishop thereat, 
 and gaue vnto Howleglas xxx, gildens, and he made him 
 so swere on a booke, that he should not shew no body y e 
 thing & he sayd he would geue hym a fat oxe. Then said 
 howleglas that thing shall I do with a . good wyll, & spek 
 neuer a woorde, And then departed howleglas fro thence, 
 and he let the bishop do what he would, And then went 
 the bishop, that when he should make a sygne to her, the 
 should she smyte the earthen pottes all in pieces, and this 
 was the cunnynge that then Howleglas dyd, Then were all 
 the nobles ashamed and angry in their mynde wyth the 
 bishop, but they durst not speake one woorde but clawed 
 theyr heades, when that they sawe theyre fatte oxen before 
 their face that they had geuen to the bishop for that foolish 
 deede. But after they comforted themselfe againe, and 
 sayde, He is our Lord and mayster and yf that he had asked 
 the oxen for noughte, wee woulde haue geuen them to hym, 
 and howleglas had for his parte one of the fat oxen, wherof 
 he was glad as the other did so y' the gift a mouted to xx, 
 fat oxen, and then went euery man home, & fetched a fat 
 oxe and brought it unto the byshope, and whan that they 
 were all come in, they stode talking with the bishop and 
 than came Howleglas riding by them, and he sawe all the 
 oxen stand there, the he sayd vnto the bishop this gaines is 
 halfe mine, tha said he to Howleglas, wil you not hold that 
 thing that ye haue promised me, and than sayd Howleglas 
 yes, for another fat oxe, than gaue the Bishop vnto howle- 
 glas a, fat oxe and he bad him that he shoulde departe and 
 so he dyd and lefte the bishop with all his lordes talkinge 
 than called the bishop al the nobles together, & when that 
 
H oiK.' leg las. 7 7 
 
 they were come, he sayd to them, Nowe shall I shewe vnto 
 you all this greate cunning of the breaking of the pottes 
 openly, then sayd he to them, thys is it. Howleglas had 
 ben before with that woman y' solde the erthen pottes in 
 the market, & he had paied her for al the pottes, and 
 be bad to her than when he sholde make a signe to her, 
 than shold she smite y e earthen pottes all in peces, and 
 thys was the cunninge that Howleglas did. Then were the 
 nobles ashamed and angry in theire mynde wyth the by- 
 shop, but they durst not speake one woorde but clawed 
 theyr heades, when that they sawe theyr fatte oxen before 
 before their face that they had geuen to the bishop for that 
 foolysh deede. But after they comforted themselfe agayne, 
 and sayde, He is our Lorde and mayster and yf that he had 
 asked the oxen for noughte, wee woulde haue geuen them 
 of hym, and howleglas, for his part one of the fat oxen, 
 wherof he was glad. 
 
 If How howleglas Iralce the staires that the monlces should 
 
 come downe on to mattins, and how they fell dowue 
 
 into the yarde. 
 
 Howleglas as he waxed olde and feble, and had bene in 
 many contreys, then begane he to take a litle repentaunce 
 on him, and thought to go to be a religious persone. Then 
 toke he his way to Merlen dall And when he came ther he 
 went into the abbay to the abbot, and whe he came to him, 
 he desired of y e abbot that he might be a brother in the 
 place, and to haue a place, and he promised the abbot that 
 he would geue in the abbay al y e mony that he had. Then 
 sayde the abbot to hym, & iested with hym for he was a 
 
78 Howleglas. 
 
 mery iester, that lie shold haue a place, but he .must haue an 
 office therewith for to doo some laboure for ye well, that all 
 my brethren do that thinge that I commaunde thein, and 
 take the office that is geuen vnto them, and be cotent ther- 
 with, then sayde Howleglas to y e abbot, whatsoeuer it please 
 you to bid me do, I shall do it with a good wyll, then sayd 
 the abbot they labour is no not gret that I shal geue vnto 
 you, for ye shall be porter, so that ye may haue cuuersacion 
 with the people daile, and no other thing then for to open 
 the gate, and for to shit it againe ; that sayde Howleglas to 
 the abbot, God thanke you my Lorde that ye haue ordeined 
 for me a poore oldeman, so light an office, and therfore shal 
 I do al that ye bid me and leue all that ye forbid me, then 
 sayde the abbot to hym, take here is the keyes ye must not 
 let in euery body, nor scarseley in the .iii. nor the .iiii. for 
 thee be so many vacabundes and landriuers. For if that ye 
 shoulde let them al in that comes, the would eate & drinke 
 so much, that at the yeres ende the wold bring y e place, to a 
 lowe ebbe. Then sayd Howleglas to the abbote That shall 
 I do with a good will, And then kepte he the gate and 
 when that the seruauntes and munkes should haue come in 
 the would he let in no more, but the .iii, or the .iiii. And 
 then they complained to y° abbot of Howleglas, & tolde him 
 that Howleglas was a deceiuer, and a begiler of folke, for he 
 would not let them in, that belonged vnto the place. Then 
 called y" abbot Howleglas to hym and asked hym why that 
 he did not let in the seruauntes of y B place ? And howleglas 
 aunswered, I haue done as ye bad me, for ye bad me that I 
 should let in but y e third or the fourth and to more, and so I 
 did, and therefore haue I not broken your commaundement. 
 Then saide the abbot ye haue done like a false knaue, and 
 
Howleglas. 79 
 
 therfore shall.I put y e out of thine office, for ye wil not ]eue 
 your false touches. And then gaue he that office to an other 
 monke, and then sayd he to Howleglas, this shalbe your 
 office, you shal tel euery night how many mukes come to 
 matins ] and ye misse one : ye shall out of the abbay. Then 
 sayd Howleglas to the abbot. My lord y* were I loth for to 
 do, for to go out of the abay, wel I wyll do after your com- 
 maundement, but the abbot gaue to him that office, because 
 that he would haue him out of the abbay, and so for to be 
 rid of him. And Howleglas though in his minde, not for to 
 tary longe. And then went howleglas & pulled awaye .ii. or 
 .iii. stepes of the stayres, that the mukes should come down 
 unto matins. And at midnight came the priour fyrste that 
 was a good olde man, and was wonte to be they first ; And 
 when he thought to haue gone down : he fel and brake his 
 leg. And the he cryed piteously, so that the other munkes 
 herd him, and came running hastelye for to see what that he 
 ailed and lacked & then fel they eche after other downe the 
 staires, Then in they morning complained the munkes to 
 the abbot, and shewed hym howe that Howleglas had serued 
 them. Then was the abbot more angry, and sayd to howle- 
 glas what haue ye done ? Howleglas sayde as ye bad me, for 
 ye bad me y* I should tel y e munkes when they came to 
 matins, and so I haue done, looke here is the table. Then 
 sayd the abbot go out of the abbay for ye haue told them 
 like a false knaue, And then departed howleglas fro that 
 abbay and went to Mollen, 
 
8o Hozuleglas. 
 
 If How Howleglas bought creame of the women of the coutreij, 
 that brought it for to sell to Maryandra. 
 
 Within a while after or that he woulde enter into the 
 abbay of Maryandra to be a munke, he went a walkinge on 
 the market daye to Bremen, where he saw many women 
 standing there to sell creame, And then went howleglas to 
 the house wher he was lodged, ad borowed a tub of his 
 hostise, and went again into y e market, And when he was 
 there, he set down his tub and came to a woman of the 
 countrey and he asked they price of her creame. And when 
 they were both agreed : he made her for to put y e creame 
 into his tub and then wet he to another, and agreed with her 
 also & made her to put her creme into his tub, and so went 
 he fro the one to the other, tyll that he had made all the 
 women that had ther creme : to put it into hys tub. And 
 when he had soo done that asked they poore women their 
 money of Howleglas ; for they woulde departe home. Then 
 sayde Howleglas to the women ye must do so much for me, 
 as to trust me these eyght daies, for I haue no mony at this 
 time. Then ware the women of the countrye angry, & they 
 ran to they tub for to take euery one of them their cream 
 againe for they would not trust him, And as they would 
 have taken their creame again, then began they to fall to- 
 gether by the eares, & sayde. Thou takest more then thou 
 shoulde haue. And the other stode all weping & sayde to 
 them. Shall I loose my creame ? And other twain were 
 tumbling by the here, in the myddes of the canell. And 
 thus the pulled and haled on y e other that at the last the tub 
 fell downe, & arayed the very foole, so that they were all 
 
Howleglas. 8 1 
 
 a 
 
 disfigured and wist not of whom the should be auenged of. 
 And the arose the [y] and asked where is this false knaue y' 
 hath broughte our milke, and hath deceyued vs so, for had 
 we hym here amonge vs, we shoulde christen him here in 
 the creame, that is in the cannell, and paint him therewyth 
 as wel as we be, for he is a false begyler and desceyver. 
 But he was gone fro thence for hee cast before y such a 
 thing should folowe, And when the burgeys of the towno 
 and many other folke of the town sawe that the cannels ran 
 with creame : Then went they to the market place for to se. 
 And when y e were there, they asked how the creme was 
 spylt, and then it was tolde them, And when that the 
 knewe it then they returned home laughing, and praised 
 greatly y e falsenes and suttelty of howleglas, 
 
 If How howleglas came, to a scaler to make verses with hym 
 
 to that vse of reason, And howe that Hoirlrglas 
 
 her/an as after shall folow. 
 
 IT Hoivleijlas 
 Mars with septer, aud king coronate 
 Furius in affection, & taketh no regarde 
 By terrible fighting, he is our prymate 
 And god of battell, and person ryght frowarde. 
 Of warries the tutor, the locke, and the warde 
 His power his might, who can them resyste 
 Not all this world if that himselfe list. 
 
 The scoler. 
 Tf Not all this world who tolde the so : 
 Where is that writen, right fayne would I see ? 
 
 11 
 
82 How leg las. 
 
 ye came lyke a foole. and so shall ye go, 
 By one person only, deceyued ye may be 
 And by astronomy, I tell it vnto the 
 If that will not helpe, some shyft shall I finde 
 By craft, or cunning, Mars for to blynde. 
 
 Hoivleglas 
 If Venus a god of loue most decorate 
 The floure of women, and lady most pure 
 Louers to concord she doeth aggregate 
 with perfet loue as marble so dure 
 The knot of loue she knyttes on them sure 
 With frendly amite, and neuer to discorde 
 By dedes thought cogitation, nor worde 
 
 The scaler, 
 \ Not to discorde yet did I neuer see 
 knowe not here tell, of louers sucbe twaine 
 But some there was learne this of me 
 Other in thought or yet in wordes plain 
 your reasons be nought, your tong goeth in vaine 
 By naturall person : such loue is not found 
 In Fraunce, Maunders, nor yet English ground 
 
 Howleglas. 
 The god of wine, that bachus hath to name 
 The sender of fruytes, that maketh wynes all 
 My flake, or make or put them in frame 
 All at his pleasure, and vse diuryall 
 He may the exalte in lykewise to fall 
 Their lorde and maister and chiefe gouernour 
 He may them destroy, and make in a houre. 
 
Howleglas. 83 
 
 The scoler 
 If All to destroye, it is not by his might 
 Nor yet for to make of that be thou sure 
 (Omnia per ipsum saint John sayes ful right 
 Then we call Christ, our god and our tresure 
 Presume not so hye, you fayle of your measure. 
 Rede, heare, and see and bere well away : 
 Vnknowen vnsayd and for grace thou pray. 
 Vale. 
 
 If How Howleglas at Mollem was syck and how he did shite 
 in the poticares boxes, and how he was borne in 
 the holy ghost. 
 
 As howleglas was come from Mecindasse, then he fell syck 
 and when he was syck, he went to Mollem, wher he was 
 lodged in a poticaries house, for to make medicines therefore. 
 Then should the poticarye geue to him a medicine for his 
 sicknesse and then he gane to howleglas a stronge purga- 
 cion, And in the morning the purgacion begon to woorke, 
 And then arose howleglas for to haue gone to they draughte, 
 but he coulde not fynde none : and so he beshit all theyr 
 chambre. And then he toke the .xii. boxes that the medi- 
 cines were in and he shyt in euery one of them, and he sayd, 
 here come out the medicines again it wer great pity to lose 
 them, for I haue no mony to geue him for them, when they 
 poticary hearde those wordes, then was he angry, he woulde 
 haue him no longer in his house but toke and bare him into 
 an hospetall of the holy ghost, and when he was wythin then 
 he sayd I have prayed god long y' the holi gost might coe 
 
Howlep-las. 
 
 -<b ■ 
 
 vnto me, but my prayer is clene contrary, for I am come 
 into the holy gost, & he abideth without me, & I in him. 
 Then laughed the people & sayd, as me Hue so is their ende. 
 Tha herde his mother say that he was sick, then she came to 
 him, and she had thought for to haue had some mony of 
 hym, for she was olde & pore and when she sawe him she 
 wepte & sayd, wher be ye so syck. And howleglas sayd 
 here betwene the bed & the wal. Then sayd his mother 
 speke to me one swet word, the sayd Howleglas to his 
 mother, honi hony is not y l a swete worde, then sayd his 
 mother, tell me some thinge that may do me ease, the said 
 howleglas to his mother, whe that you ferst : turn your arse 
 with the wind & then you shall fel no stinke. Then sayd his 
 mother, geue me some of your good, then sayd howleglas to 
 his mother, he that hath none shall geue none. For my 
 good is, so secrete that no man can finde it, & you can finde 
 any take it. And the howleglas waxed sicker & sicker so y' 
 the folke axed him whether that he would be shriuen, for 
 they sawe wel that he shold not recover, then sayd an olde 
 syster that was a good frende of his she counsayled him to 
 be cofessed & take repentaunce for hys synnes and so to be 
 y e seruaut of god. And howleglas sayd, I wil not cdfesse 
 me secretly : for al that I haue done, I haue don it opely to 
 many men in diuers landes, and that is wel knowen for they 
 that I haue done good to, they will say good of me, And 
 they that I have done harme to, the wyl say harme of me, 
 But I am very sory of two thinges y l which I could neuer 
 bring to passe in my lyfe, Then sayd the syster be sory of 
 thy synnes, and be glad that ye did not those two thinges, 
 if y' they wer yll, And if they were good, be sory because 
 the were not done, Than payd Howleglas it is as men will 
 
Howleglas. 85 
 
 take it, For 1 was sory in rny minde whan I sawe a man 
 pycke hys teethe with his knife, that I had not shytton on 
 the end of it, The other is that I am sory for, that I did not 
 drive a woden wedge in all womes arses, y' were aboue .1. 
 yeare ; for they be nother clenly nor profitable. I desyre it 
 for no other cause but this, y' is that the shoulde not shite 
 on the ground, the which bringeth fruites. Then sayd the 
 sister to Howleglas god saue all women of that age and all 
 those that bene more. For I here well and you were strong, 
 and that you had you might as you haue had before this erle 
 you would or you departed wedge mine arse, with a woden 
 wedge, for I am a woman of, lx, years & more Then he an- 
 swered to the sister, I am ryght sorye, & heuy because it is 
 not done, Tha answered the sister it were much better that 
 the diuil had the, The auDSwered howleglas it is truth, for 
 a woman is no soner angry but she is worse then the deuil. 
 And than the sister departed and let him lye, 
 
 If Howleglas decelaed his gostlij -father, 
 
 And as Howleglas was thus sycke, and then they brought 
 to him a prieste, And when that priest was come there he 
 thought in his mynde, this hath bene a great deceyuer of the 
 people and begiler, wherewith he hath get much mony. And 
 then came the priest vnto him and sayde, howleglas remem- 
 ber your selfe, for ye haue done many synnes, and nowe 
 must you remembre that you haue a soule, to keepe ad how 
 you haue gotten much mony by desceite, & false hode, & 
 now bestowe that mony to the worship of god and poore 
 priestes as I am, and that I couucel you for to do, and I 
 
86 Howfaglas. 
 
 '£> ' 
 
 shall order it well and remembre you hereafter and do many- 
 masses for you. Then sayde howleglas. Good father if it 
 please you to come at noone againe, then shall I make redy 
 some mony for you. Then was the prest glad, and then de- 
 parted. Thil tooke Howleglas an earthen pot ad fylled it 
 halfe ful of turdes, and he strawed theron a lytle mony, soo 
 that the durte was couered, And when it was noone, the 
 priest came and he sayd to howleglas, Frende shall I haue 
 that y' you promised me ? And howleglas sayde ye, Then 
 he set the pot before hym, and sayde. Take, now your 
 selfe, but be not to hasty nor put not your hand to depe, 
 Then sayde the priest I shall do as you bid me. And how- 
 leglas did it open the pot and he bad the priest to gripe 
 softly, for it was almost ful. Then was the priest hasty, and 
 put his hand into the pot, & he grype a great handfull : 
 And when he felt it softe : he pulled out his hande, and it 
 was all to be shitten, Then the priest sayde, ye may well 
 be called a deceyver & begiler, that have deceiued his 
 ghostly father, and when ye be at the pointe of death. Then 
 sayde Howleglas to the priest, Good syr did I not shewe 
 vnto you before y * you sholde not gripe to depe ? And if that 
 ye were couetous, it was not my faut, Then sayd the priest, 
 ye passe in vngraciousnesse all other that ever I sawe, In 
 faith it was greate pity y l thou scaped from hanging, when 
 thou sholdest haue bene hanged at Lubeke, and then the 
 priest departed from thence. Then Howleglas called the 
 preist againe, and he sayd to hym, Maister parson come 
 againe, & take your mony with you. But he wente hys 
 waye and made it as he hard it not, 
 
Hoivleglas. 8 7 
 
 \ How howleglas made his testament. 
 
 In the meane tyme wexed howleglas sicker, and sicker. 
 Then he called for y e lordes to make hys testamente. And 
 when they were come : he gaue his goodes in .iii. partes. 
 One parte of his kinsfolke ; and other to the lordes of 
 Mole ; and the other to the parson of Molen, whe soeuer he 
 died. And he asked to be buryed in christen mans buryal, 
 and to singe for hys soule, Placebo and Dirig, with masses 
 & other good seruices, after the custome and vsans. And 
 then he shewed to them a great chest y l was wel barred 
 with yron, and fowre keyes therto belonging, and he told 
 vnto them, that in that chest was al his good, & then he 
 gaue the cheste to them to kepe, that wer right heuy for 
 him. And then within a moneth after his death then the 
 foure should take the keyes therof, and open the cheste, 
 and deale all the money for his soule. And within a while 
 after he departed, And when he was dead they wound 
 him in a winding shete, and after in a coffin, and after on a 
 bere, Then came the priestes and fetched him to church 
 and songe for him placebo and dirig, And in the meane 
 time came in a sow with her pigges, and went ouer the 
 bere, for she hade found the taste of dead fleshe & with her 
 nose she cast down the bere, wherof the priestes and 
 clerkes wer a fraide, and they saw that it was downe, then 
 they ran so fast y' eche fell in other necke, for the thought 
 that he had bene risen againe and so they lafte hym there. 
 And then the sisters of a nonnery tooke the corse, and 
 brought it to graue and buried it. And whe a moneth was 
 past : then came the thre parties for to vnlocke the chest, 
 
88 Howleglas. 
 
 and for to deale the money for hys soule. And when that 
 they ha4 opened the cheste, that founde no other but stones 
 therin. Then the woundered therof, and the one loked on 
 the other ; and the parson had wende, that the lordes had 
 had the mony because they had the chest in keping ; and 
 the lordes wende that his frendes had opened the chest and 
 take out the treasure, & put in stones the whyle that he 
 was sycke, and so to haue shyt the cheste againe : And his 
 frendes wende that the curate had coueied y e treasure when 
 that he confessed him. And then in a great anger they 
 departed tog thence for at the last y e knew that it was he 
 that had du it for to mocke them. And after that the lordes 
 and the curate agreed together again, and so to bury him 
 vnder the galowes, And so they did. And as they were 
 deluing of his graue, hee stanke so sore that they could not 
 abide y 6 ayre therof And so the couered hym wyth earth 
 againe and lette him lie still, and so they departed, 
 
 ^f How Howleglas was hurled. 
 
 Thus as Howleglas was deade, then they brought him to 
 be buryed, ans as they would haue put the coffin into the 
 pytte with, ii, cordes the corde at the fete brake, so that the 
 fote of the coffi fel into the bosome of the pyt, and the coffin 
 stoode bolt vpryght in the myddes of the graue, Then de- 
 syred y e people that stode about the graue that tyme, to all 
 y e coffin to stande bolte vpryght, For in hys lyfe time he 
 was a very merueilous man, and he did many woderfull 
 thinges, and shall be buryed as meruelously : and in this 
 maner they lefte howleglas stand bolt vp ryght in his graue, 
 
How leg las. 89 
 
 and they couered hym with earth And then they layde a 
 stone. And on the stone was graue and oule holding a glas 
 with her clawes : And thereon was grauen thys scripture 
 Presume no man awaye this stone 
 to take, For vnder this stone 
 was howleglas bu- 
 ry ed late. 
 In the yeare of our Lord 
 God, M, CCC, & 
 
go Jlowleplas 
 
 1 HERE BEGYNNETH THE TABLE. 
 
 If Howe howleglas as he was borne was christened .iii. 
 tymes vpon one day. 
 
 How howleglas aunswered a man that asked the hyghe 
 
 waye. 
 
 How that howleglas sat vpon hys fathers horse, behynde 
 hyrn, 
 
 How howleglas fell fro the rope into the water. 
 
 How howleglas mother learned him, ad bad him go to a 
 craft. 
 
 How howleglas gat bread for his mother. 
 
 How howleglas was stolen out of a bye hyue, by night. 
 
 How howleglas was hyred of a priest. 
 
Howleglas. 9 1 
 
 How howleglas was made a parish clarke. 
 
 How liowleglas wold flye fro a house top. 
 
 How howleglas made himselfe a phisicion, and how he 
 begyled a doctour with his medicines. 
 
 How howleglas made a syck child for to shite, that a fore 
 myght not shyte, and how he gat great worship therof. 
 
 How howleglas made hole all the sycke folke that were in 
 the hospitall, where the spere of our lord is. 
 
 How howleglas was hyred to be a bakers seruat. 
 
 How howleglas was put in wages, with the fostter of 
 Anhalte for to watche vpon a tower, to se wha his enemies 
 came, and then for to blowe an home to warne them therof. 
 
 How howleglas won a great deale of mony wyth a poynt 
 of folishnes, 
 
 How the Duke of Lunenborough banished howleglas out 
 of his lande. 
 
 How howleglas set his hostesse vpon the hoote asshes with 
 her bare arse. 
 
 How howleglas toke vpon hym to be paynter, 
 
9 2 How leg las. 
 
 How howleglas had a great disputation with al the douc- 
 tours of Praigem in Beruen, 
 
 How howleglas became a perdoner, 
 
 How howleglas did eate for inony, in the towne, Badber- 
 betche, 
 
 How howleglas wet to Eome to spek with the pope 
 How howleglas decerned jiii, Jewes with durt, 
 
 how howleglas had gotten the persons horse by hys con- 
 fession, 
 
 how howleglas was hyred of a blacke smith, 
 
 how howleglas was hyred of a shomaker, 
 
 how howleglas serued a tayler. 
 
 how howleglas sold turdes for fat, 
 
 how howleglas through hys subtle disceytes deceyued a 
 wine drawer in Lubeke, 
 
 how howleglas became a maker of Spectacles and how he 
 could fynde no worke in no lande., 
 
 howe howleglas was hyred of a marchaunt man to be hys 
 cooke, 
 
Howleglas. 93 
 
 how howleglas was desyred to diner, 
 
 how howleglas wane a piece of cloth, of a man of the 
 country. 
 
 how howleglas gaue ,xx, gyldens to ,xii, poore men for 
 Christes loue, 
 
 how howleglas feared his host w 1 a dead woulfe. 
 
 how howleglas flied a hounde and gaue the skyn for halfe 
 hys dynner, 
 
 how howleglas serued y e same hostise another time and 
 lay on a whele, 
 
 how howleglas serued a holander w' a rosted aple. 
 
 how howleglas made a woman that sold earthen potts to 
 smite them all in pieces. 
 
 how howleglas brake the staires that the munkes should 
 come downe to matins, and how they fell downe into the 
 yarde : 
 
 how howleglas bought creme of the woman of the cuntrey 
 that brought it for to sell. 
 
 how howleglas came to a scholer, to make verses with 
 him to the vse of reason. 
 
94 
 
 Hcnvleglas. 
 
 how howleglas was sicke at Molen and Low he did shite 
 in the potioaries boxes, and was borne in y e holy ghost. 
 
 How howleglas deceyued his ghostly father, 
 How howleglas made his testament. 
 How howleglas was buried. 
 
 If Thus endeth the life of Howleglas. 
 
 If Imprinted at London in Lothbury, by me 
 Wyllyam Copland. 
 
Hoiukg/as. 95 
 
 oft & M^Wero <j^E* tiffing I