Page:Mad pranks of Tom Tram, son-in-law to Mother Winter (1).pdf/13

 OF TOM TRAM. 13 tented to lie in ſtraw, I will bring you where you may lie dry and warm. They thanked him, and told him they would tell him his fortune in the morning for nothing. Tom thanked them, and therefore conveys them into a little thach'd houſe which had a ditch round about it, very cloſe to the wall there- of; that houſe Tom help'd them to fill with ſtraw, and ſee then take their lodging; and then, it being dark, Tom bad them good, night; and as ſoon as he was over the bridge, which was a plank, he drew it after him; and in the dead time of the night, Tom gets a long pole, with a wiſp of ſtraw at the end of it, and fets the ſtraw on fire, calling out to the rest of the fellows to ſhift for their- ſelves; who thinking to run over the bridge, fell into the ditch, crying and calling out for help, while, by Tom's means, moſt part of the town ſtood to ſee the jeſt; and as the gypſies waded through the ditch, they took them, and curried them into an houſe where there was a good fire, for it was in the midſt of winter; where Tom counſels them, that they ſhould never make him believe that they could tell him any thing, that did not know what danger ſhould beſal themſelves : Bet, ſays he, becauſe you cannot tell me my for- tune, I will tell you yours; For to-morrow in the forenoon you ſhall be whipped for de- ceivers, and in the afternoon be hanged for ſetting the houſe on fire. The gypſies hear- ing this ſo ſtrick ſentence, made haſte to dry