3 ‘O I would grant you your desire, If ’t werena for fear o hell’s burning fire.’ 4 ‘O hell’s burning fire ye need have no doubt; Altho you were in, I could whistle you out.’ 5 ‘O if I grant to you this thing, Some money you unto me must bring.’ 6 He brought her the money, and did it down tell; She had a white cloth spread over the well. 7 Then the fair maid cried out that her master was come; ‘O,’ said the friar, ‘then where shall I run?’ 8 ‘O ye will go in behind yon screen, And then by my master ye winna be seen.’ 9 Then in behind the screen she him sent, But he fell into the well by accident. 10 Then the friar cried out with a piteous moan, O help! O help me! or else I am gone. 11 ‘Ye said ye wad whistle me out o hell; Now whistle your ain sel out o the well.’ 12 She helped him out and bade him be gone; The friar he asked his money again. 13 ‘As for your money, there is no much matter To make you pay more for jumbling our water.’ 14 Then all who hear it commend this fair maid For the nimble trick to the friar she played. 15 The friar he walked on the street, And shaking his lugs like a well-washen sheep. * * * * * =A.= =a=, =b=. The Fryer well fitted, or, A pretty jest that once befell, How a Maid put a Fryer to cool in the well. To a merry tune. =a.= London. Printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, and J. Wright. =b.= Printed for W. Thackeray and T. Passinger. =a.= 3^{1,3}, 7^3, 8^2, 3, 9^{1,3}, 10^4, 12^4, qd. _for_ quoth. 7^3. qd. he. 8^2. too’t. 8^3. Oh. 10^1. did crept. 16^2. Drooping. =b.= 5^4. my grey. 7^3. quoth she. 10^1. fryer crept. 10^2. on a. 11^3. sung on. 12^2. never was. 14^2. she would. 15^2. Which from me thou. 16^2. Dropping. =c.= _The variations are insignificant until we come to 8^3; from that point this copy (which is abridged) runs as follows_: 8^3. ‘Nay, stay a while, some respite make; If my master should come he would us take. 9 ‘Alas,’ quoth the maid, ‘my master doth come!’ ‘Alas!’ quoth the fryer, ‘where shall I run?’ ‘Behind yon cloth run thou,’ quoth she, ‘For there my master cannot see.’ 10. Behind the cloth the fryer went, And was in the well incontinent. ‘Alas,’ quoth he, ‘I’m in the well!’ ‘No matter,’ quoth she, ‘if thou wert in hell. 11^{1,2}. ‘Thou saidst thou could sing me out of hell, I prithee sing thy self out of the well. Sing out,’ quoth she, ‘with all thy might, Or else thou’rt like to sing there all night.’ 11^{3,4}. The fryer sang out with a pitiful sound, Oh help me out, or I shall be drownd! 14^{3,4}. She heard him make such pitiful moan She hope [=holp] him out and bid him go home.