_How Tom served a Company of Gentlemen._
It happened that a company of gentlemen being disposed to create mirth,
rode some miles from home to be merry, one of them would needs have Tom
to wait upon him, and Tom was as willing as he to be in that company
but as they were coming home, one of them cuts the reins of Tom's
bridle; so that when Tom mounted upon his horse, the reins broke, and
the horse run away with him in the midst of a great heath whereon stood
a large gallows against which the horse stood, and rubbed his neck,
so that the gentleman hoop'd and hallow'd, and said, Farewel, Tom,
farewel; but Tom alighted from his horse, and made fast his reins, and
with his sword cut three or four chips from off the gallows; and at the
next tavern Tom met with them, where they jeer'd him not a little; but
Tom very earnestly entreated them to forbear; yet the more he entreated
them, the more they play'd upon him: But to be even with them, in the
morning Tom calls the ostler, and sends him for nutmegs and ginger, and
gets a grater; and when he had grated them, he also grated the chips of
the gallows, and mix'd with the spice only a little nutmeg and ginger
he laid towards one end of the trencher for himself, and with a gallon
of ale into the gentlemen's chamber he goes, begging of them not to
mock him any more with the gallows; and he would give them that ale and
spice; and so, says he, gentlemen, I drink to you all. Now as soon as
he had drank, the ostler call'd him, as he gave him charge before so to
do, down stairs runs Tom, as fast as he could: the gentlemen made all
possible speed to drink up the ale and spice before he came up again,
and that was what Tom desired. When he came again, seeing all the ale
and spice gone, he says, Gentlemen, will you know why my horse carried
me to the gallows? Yes, says one of them, Well, says Tom, it was to
fetch you some spice to your ale, and if you want I have more for you;
and with that shewed them the chips out of his pocket, and away he
runs, leaving the gentlemen to look one upon another, studying how they
should be revenged on him.