Page:Mad pranks of Tom Tram, son in law to Mother Winter.pdf/24

 A Farmer's wife in the weſt had three pigs, which ſhe loved exceedingly well, and fed them with good butter-milk and whey; but they would come running into the houſe and befoul the rooms: whereupon ſhe reſolved to ſell them at the market, becauſe they were better fed than taught, but afterwards they were ſtolen away from her; whereupon ſhe ſuppoſed they were driven up to London to learn manners; but ſaid ſhe, they were too old to learn to turn the ſpit in Bartholomew fair, and therefore believed ſome butchers had ſtole them away.

Her cock had a piece of cloth ſewen about him, and was left upon the porch, but afterwards ſtolen; whereupon ſhe ſaid, that her cock was turned ſcholar in a black gown; and ſo ſhe went to Oxford to a conjurer, to know what was become of her pigs and her cock. The ſcholar ſmil'd, and told her, the three pigs were blown home, and the cock was made a batchelor of arts in one of the colleges. I thought ſo, ſaid the woman, for ſure batchelors of arts are very coxcombs.