[7] _i.e._ do out. It is, perhaps, scarcely necessary to mention that in
French, the term _commander_ has a double signification, _to command_
and _to commend_. In our language, the two words are of course distinct;
hence the jest.
[8] Cudgel.
+ _Of John Adroyns in the dyuyls apparell._ iii.
+ It fortunyd that in a market towne in the counte of Suffolke there was
a stage play, in the which play one, callyd John Adroyns which dwellyd
in a nother vyllage ii myle from thens, playde the dyuyll. And when the
play was done, thys John Adroyns in the euynyng departyd fro the sayde
market towne to go home to hys own house. Because he had there no change
of clothying, he went forth in hys dyuylls apparell, whych in the way
comyng homeward cam thorow a waren of conys[10] belongyng to a gentylman
of the vyllage, wher he him self dwelt. At which tyme it fortunyd a
preste, a vycar of a churche therby, with ii or iii other vnthrifty
felows, had brought with them a hors, a hey[11] and a feret to th'entent
there to get conys; and when the feret was in the yerth, and the hey set
ouer the pathway where thys John Adroyns shuld come, thys prest and hys
other felows saw hym come in the dyuyls rayment. Consideryng that they
were in the dyuyls seruyce and stelyng of conys and supposyng it had ben
the deuyll in dede, [they] for fere, ran away. Thys John Adroyns in the
dyuyls rayment, an' because[12] it was somewhat dark, saw not the hay,
but went forth in hast and stomblid therat and fell doun, that with the
fal he had almost broken his nek. But whan he was a lytyll reuyuyd, he
lookyd up and spyed it was a hay to catch conys, and [he] lokyd further
and saw that they ran away for fere of him, and saw a horse tyed to a
bush laden wyth conys whych they had taken; and he toke the horse and
the haye and lept upon the horse and rode to the gentylmannys place that
was lorde of the waren to the entente to haue thank for takynge suche a
pray. And whan he came, [he] knokyd at the gatys, to whome anone one of
the gentylmanny's seruauntys askyd who was there and sodeinly openyd the
gate; and assone as he percyuyd hym in the deuyls rayment, [he] was
sodenly abashyd and sparryd the dore agayn, and went in to his mayster
and sayd and sware to his mayster, that the dyuell was at the gate and
wolde come in. The gentylman, heryng him say so, callyd another of his
seruauntys and bad him go to the gate to knowe who was there. Thys
seconde seruant [that] came to the gate durst not open it but askyd wyth
lowd voyce who was there. Thys John Adroyns in the dyuyls aparell
answeryd wyth a hye voyce and sayd: tell thy mayster I must nedys speke
with hym or[13] I go. Thys seconde seruaunt heryng * *
_8 lines of the original are wanting._
the deuyll indede that is at the gate syttynge vpon an _horse laden
with_ soules; and be lykelyhode he is come for your soule. Purpos _ye_
to _let him have your_ soule and if he had your soule I wene he shulde
be _gon_. _The gentyl_man, than, meruaylously abasshed, called his
chaplayne _and sayd: let a can_dell be light, and gette holy water; and
[he] wente to the gate _with as manye ser_uantes as durste go with him;
where the chaplayne with _muche con_iuracyon sayd: in the name of the
father, sonne and holy _ghost, I commande_ and charge the in the holy
name of God to tell me _wherefore thou_ comeste hyther. + This John
Adroynes in the deuylls _apparell_, seying them begynne to coniure after
such maner, sayd: nay, _feare not_ me; for I am a good deuyll; I am John
Adroynes your neyghboure in this towne and he that playde the deuyll to
day in the playe. I _bryng_ my mayster a dosen or two of his owne conyes
that were stolen in _dede_ and theyr horse and theyr haye, and [I] made
them for feare to ronne _awaye_. Whanne they harde hym thus speke by his
voyce, [they] knewe him well, and opened the gate and lette hym come in.
And so all the foresayd feare was turned to myrthe and disporte.
By this tale ye may se that men feare many tymes more than they nede,
whiche hathe caused men to beleue that sperytes and deuyls haue ben sene
in dyuers places, whan it hathe ben nothynge so.