[111] orig. reads _I am here John Dawe_.
[112] orig. reads _vocacyon_.
[113] The same story is to be found in _Scogin's Jests_, with a trifling
variation. _Scogin's Jests_ were published before 1565. Several of the
anecdotes, here narrated, were re-produced in that and other
collections. See also _Joake upon Joake_, 1721, where the present story
is told of King Charles the Second, Nell Gwynne, and the Duchess of
Portsmouth. In this version the Duchess is the sufferer.
+ _Of the frere that stale the podynge._[114] lxviii.
+ A frere of London there was that on a Sonday in the mornynge
yerly[115] in the somer season came fro London to Barnette to make a
colacyon,[116] and was there an houre before hye masse began: and
bycause he wolde come to the churche honestly, he wente fyrst to an ale
house there to wype his shoes and to make him selfe clenly. In the
whyche house there were podynges to sell, and dyuers folkes there
brekynge theyr faste, and eatynge podynges. But the frere brake his
faste in a secrete place in the same house. This frere sone after came
to the church, and by lycence of the curate entered into the pulpet to
make a colacyon or sermon. And in his sermon there he rebuked sore the
maner of them that met to breke theyr faste on the Sonday before hye
masse, and said it was called the deuyls blacke brekefast. And with that
worde spekynge, as he dyd caste his armes out to make his countenaunce,
there fell a podyng out of his sleue, whiche he hym selfe had stolen a
lytell before in the same alehouse; and whan the people saw that, and
specially they that brake theyr faste there the same mornynge, and
knewe well that the wyfe had complayned howe she had one of her podynges
stolen, they laughed so moche at the frere, that he incontynente wente
downe out of the pulpet for shame.
By this tale a man may se that, whan a precher dothe rebuke any synne or
vyce wherin he is knowen openly to be gyltie him selfe, suche prechynge
shall lytell edefye to the people.