The Devil in Britain and America - Ashton John

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in he came amongst them all.

      By your leave, good people, then he said,

      May a stranger with you have some talk?

      A dead woman I am come to see;

      Into the room, I pray, Sir, walk.

      His eyes like to the Stars did shine,

      He was clothed in a bright grass green,

      His cheeks were of a crimson red,

      For such a man was seldome seen.

      Unto the people then he spoke,

      Mark well these words which I shall say,

      For no Coroner shall you send,

      I’m Judge and Jury here this day.

      Bring hither the Man that did the deed,

      And firmly hath denied the same.

      They brought him into the room with speed,

      To answer to this deed with shame.

      Now come, O wretched Man, quoth he,

      With shame before thy neighbours all,

      Thy body thou hast brought to Misery,

      Thy soul into a deeper thrall.

      Thy Chiefest delight was drunkeness,

      And lewd women, O, cursed sin,

      Blasphemous Oaths and Curses Vile

      A long time thou hast wallowed in.

      The Neighbours thou wouldst set at strife,

      And alwaies griping of the poor,

      Besides, thou hast murdered thy wife,

      A fearful death thou dy’st therefore.

      Fear nothing, good people, then he said,

      A sight will presently appear,

      Let all your trust be in the Lord,

      No harm shall be while I am here.

      Then in the Room the Devil appear’d,

      Like a brave Gentleman did stand,

      Satan (quoth he that was the Judge)

      Do no more than thou hast command.

      The Devil then he straight laid hold

      On him that had murdered his wife,

      His neck in Sunder then he broke,

      And thus did end his wretched life.

      The Devil then he vanished

      Quite from the People in the Hall,

      Which made the people much afraid,

      Yet no one had no hurt at all.

      Then straight a pleasant Melody

      Of Musick straight was heard to sound,

      It ravisht the hearts of those stood by,

      So sweet the Musick did abound.

      Now, (quoth this gallant Man in green)

      With you I can no longer stay,

      My love I leave, my leave I take,

      The time is come, I must away.

      Be sure to love each other well,

      Keep in your breast what I do say.

      It is the way to go to Heaven,

      When you shall rise at Judgment day.

      The people to their homes did go,

      Which had this mighty wonder seen,

      And said, it was an Angel sure

      That thus was clothed all in green.

      And thus the News from Westmoreland

      I have related to you o’er,

      I think it is as strange a thing,

      As ever man did hear before.

      In the old days the Devil was used as a butt at which people shot their little arrows of wit. In the miracle plays, when introduced, he filled the part of the pantaloon in our pantomimes, and was accompanied by a ‘Vice,’ who played practical jokes with him, slapping him with his wooden sword, jumping on his back, etc.; and in the carvings of our abbeys and cathedrals, especially in the Miserere seats in the choir, he was frequently depicted in comic situations, as also in the illuminations of manuscripts. He was often written about as being sadly deficient in brains, and many are the instances recorded of him being outwitted by a shrewd human being, as we may see by the following ballad.

THE POLITIC WIFE; or, The Devil outwitted by a Woman

      Of all the plagues upon the earth,

      That e’er poor man befal,

      It’s hunger and a scolding wife,

      These are the worst of all:

      There was a poor man in our country

      Of a poor and low degree,

      And with both these plagues he was troubled,

      And the worst of luck had he.

      He had seven children by one wife,

      And the times were poor and hard,

      And his poor toil was grown so bad,

      He scarce could get him bread:

      Being discontented in his mind,

      One day his house he left,

      And wandered down by a forest side,

      Of his senses quite bereft.

      As he was wandering up and down,

      Betwixt hope and despair,

      The Devil started out of a bush,

      And appeared unto him there:

      O what is the matter, the Devil he said,

      You look so discontent?

      Sure you want some money to buy some bread,

      Or to pay your landlord’s rent.

      Indeed, kind sir, you read me right,

      And the grounds of my disease,

      Then what is your name, said the poor man,

      Pray, tell me, if you please?

      My name is Dumkin the Devil, quoth he,

      And the truth to you I do tell,

      Altho’ you see me wandering here,

      Yet my dwelling it is in hell.

      Then what will you give me, said the Devil,

      To ease you of your want,

      And you shall have corn and cattle enough,

      And never partake of scant?

      I have nothing to give you, said the poor man,

      Nor nothing here in hand,

      But all the service that I can do,

      Shall be at your command.

      Then, upon the condition of seven long years,

      A bargain with you I will frame,

      You shall bring me a beast unto this place,

      That I cannot tell his name:

      But, if I tell its name full right,

      Then mark what to you I tell,

      Then you must go along with me

      Directly unto Hell.

      This poor man went home joyfully,

      And thrifty he grew therefore,

      For

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