Put thieving Millers and Bakers in the Pillory.
[Harl. MS. 2255, leaf 137 and last.]
[Harleian Catalog ii. 594, on MS. 2255, art. 45. The conclu|sion of some Ditty (not now easily to be found out) in three Stanzas . . . These Stanzas plainly set forth the Punishment inflicted upon thievish Millers and Bakers, by putting them not only into the Tumbrell, as of old, but into Wooden Bastile, as Hudibras says, by which, in this place is not to be under|stood the Stocks, but a Superior and more Conspicuous Machine, called the Pillory.]
(1)
¶ Put out his hed / lyst nat for to dare,
Line 1
But lyke a man / vpon that tour to a-byde,
For Cast of eggys / wil not Oonys spare,
Tyl he be quaylled / body, bak, and syde;
Line 4
His heed endooryd / and, of verray pryde,
Put out his Armys / shewith abrood his face,
The fenestrallys / be made for hym so wyde,
Cleymyth to been / a capteyn of that place.
Line 8
(2)
¶ The bastyle longith / of verray dewë ryght,
Line 9
To fals bakerys / it is trewe herytage,
Severall to them / this knoweth euery wyght,
Be kynde assyngned / for their sittyng stage,
Line 12
Wheer they may freely / shewe out ther visage
Whan they take oonys / there possessïoun,
Owthir in youthë / or in myddyl age:
Men doon hem wrong / yif they take hym doun.
(3)
¶ Let mellerys and bakerys / gadre hem a gilde,
Line 17
And alle of Assent / make a fraternite;
Vndir the pillory / a litil Chapell bylde,
The place amorteyse / and purchase liberte
Line 20
For allë thoo / that of ther noumbre be,
What-evir it coost / afftir that they wende,
They may cleyme / be Iust auctorite,
Vpon that bastile / to make an ende.
Line 24
Explicit, quod Lydgate /
