Page:Mad pranks of Tom Tram, son in law to Mother Winter.pdf/9

 horſes. The man ſeeing himſelf cozoned again by Tom, paid the ten ſhillings, and wiſhed all ſuch cheating knaves were hanged, ſo away he went fretting and foaming to ſee himſelf abuſed.

T happened that a company of gentlemen being diſpoſed to create mirth, rode ſome miles from home to be merry, one of them would need have Tom to wait upon him, and Tom was as willing as he to be in that company, but as they were coming home, one of them cuts the reins of Tom's bridle; ſo that when Tom mounted upon his horſe, the reins broke, and the horſe run away with him in the midſt of a great heath whereon ſtood a large gallows againſt which the horſe ſtood, and rubbed his neck, ſo that the gentleman hoop'd and hallow'd, and ſaid, Farewel Tom, farewel; but Tom alighted from his horſe, and made faſt his reins, and with his ſword cut three or four chips from off the gallows; and at the next tavern Tom met with them, where they jeer'd him not a little; but Tom very earneſtly entreated them to forbear; yet the more he entreated them, the more they