Page:Mad pranks of Tom Tram, son-in-law to Mother Winter (1).pdf/16

 16 THE MAD PRANKS ſeaſon; and Tom he drank good ale, and told old tales all the winter time, and ſo they could never but thrive all the year thro'. Tom lived by good ale, and his wife by eat- ing oatmeal; and when Tom went to be drunk in the morning. the put oatmeal in The ale, and made caudle with muſtard in- ſtead of eggs, which bit Tom ſo by the noſe, that it would run water ; but the next day the would be drunk again.

CHAP. X.

How Tom uſed a ſinging man of a Cathedral Church in the Weſt.

ONCE there was a cathedral ſinging man, that had very much anger'd Tom, and had made ſongs and jeſts on him, where. upon Tom got upon his back an ox-hide, with the horns ſet, upon his head, and ſo lay in a hedge bottom, waiting till the ſinging man came by, who he was ſure muſt paſs that way: at laſt came the ſinging man, up ſtarted !om out of the hedge bottom in his ox-hide, and followed him: the ſinging man cried out, the devil! the devil! No, quoth Tom, I am the ghoſt of goodman Johnſon, living hard by the church ſtile, unto whole houſe ye came and ſung catches, and owes me Five Pounds for ale, therefore appoint me a day when ye will bring me my money hither, or elſe I will haunt thee ftill, The ſinging man promiſed that day fe'enight,