Whene'er he took a sword in hand,
he made his foes to bleed,
As you shall come to understand,
when you this story read.

II.

Jack frights a tailor for cabbaging cloath out of his coat.

JACK being twenty years of age,

liv'd with a worthy knight.

In manner of a pretty page,

to yield him much delight:

The knight right generous and free,
did for a taylor send,

For to make Jack a livery,

so much he was his friend,

Of half a yard of good broad cloth
the coat was to be made,
But yet the taylor he was loth
to quit his thievish trade.

The knavish taylor was to blame,

(a crafty cunning wag,)

Be pinch'd as much out of the same

as made a marble bag.

His coat was spoil'd then being made,

it came not to his knee:

Jack in a raging passion said,
I'll be revenged on thee.

The knight he having kill'd a goat,

whose skin was full as black

I do declare as any soot;

this project pleased Jack.

He wrapt it round him like a gown at twelve o'clock at night,

And then he rambled thro' the town, this taylor to affright.

He through a window did advance,

near to the taylor's bed;

And round the room did skip and dance with horns upon his head.

He growl'd and grumbled like a bear, and did such anticks play;

As made the taylor then to stare, and tremble where he lay.

Seeing the horns hang o'er his head, his body short and thick,

The taylor said, speak who art thou? quoth Jack, thy friend old Nick:

Thou hast obey'd my order well
I find in each degree:
And therefore in my gloomy cell,

I have a place for thee.

For you have been a friend indeed,
I such a taylor lack:
Therefore come away with speed,
I'll bear thee on my back:

Sweet Mr. Devil then he cry'd,
O pardon me I pray ;

I can't, I won't, he then reply'd,
make haste and come away.

The taylor naked to the skin, his bed he did refrain,

And down the town thro' thick and thin, he ran with might and main.

III.

How he served the cook-maid, who broke his head with a ladle, for making a sop in the dripping-pan.

ANOTHER pleasant prank he play'd,
upon a holiday,

Unto his master's servant maid,
which was a bloody fray.

Now she was lusty Jane by name,
and was their constant cook :
And when he to the kitchen came,
she would him overlook.

Upon a certain day young Jack,
a slice of bread did take,
And threw it in the dripping-pan,
that he a sop might make.

So soon as she the same did see,
it put her in a rage,

And with the basting ladle she
Jack Horner did engage.

She gave him cracks upon the crown,
so hard and struck so fast,

That he at length did tumble down,

and gasping at the last.

But though he did at first retreat,
he soon returned again;
For standing fast upon his feet,

he fought with might and main.

He was but thirteen inches high,
and she full six times more,

Yet, by his ingenuity,

he brought her to the floor.

So cruel hard he made her roar,

she cry'd, Let me alone,

And I will ne'er offend thee more,

Jack, while my name is Joan.

Why, then, said Jack, if it be so,
that you'll not me offend,
I will this minute let you go,

and so the fray did end.

IV.

An old hermit gives Jack an invisible coat and a pair of enchanted pipes, with which he plays many tricks.

UPON a pleasant holiday,

Jack, going to a fair,

And as he pass'd along the way,

he saw a wonder there;

An aged man sat in a cave,
that could not stand nor go,
His head wore blossoms of the grave,
And look'd as white as snow;

He call'd to Jack, aud this did say,
come hither lad to me,

And if thou dost my will obey,
rewarded thou shalt be;

Bring me a fairing from the town,
at thy own proper cost,
A jug of nappy liquor brown,

thy labour shan't be lost.

Jack made the hermit this reply,
who then sat in the cell,
What's your request I'll not deny,
and so old dad farewell.

At night he being stout and strong
this lad he did not fail,

But at his back lugged along
a swinging jug of ale:

Which when the hermit he beheld,

it pleas'd him to the heart, Out of the same a cup he fill'd,

and said before we part,

I have a pipe which I'll bestow
upon you,-never doubt,
Whoever hears the same you blow,
shall dance and skip about;

I have a coat for thee likewise,
invisible I mean;

And it shall so bedim their eyes,
that thou shalt not be seen :

If thou should with an hundred meet
when thus you pass along,
Although upon the open street,
not one of all the throng

Shall ever see you in the least,
but hear the music sound;

And wonder that both man and beast

is forc'd to dance around.

Jack took the coat and bag-pipes too,

and thankfully did say,

Old Father I will call on you,

whene'er I come this way.

V.

Of his making six fiddlers dance over hedge and ditch, till they broke all their glasses and crowds.

THIS coat and pipe he having got,

he homewards trudg'd with speed;

At length it was his happy lot
to cross a pleasant mead;

Where he six fidlers soon espy'd

returning from the fair;

Under their coats crowds by their sides,

with many others there.