Note 227 — The French Dancing-Master AND THE ENGLISH SOLDIER. Or, the Difference betwixt Fidling and Fighting Displayed in a Dialogue betwixt an Englishman and a Frenchman.

[105.] There was an olde woman that had but one tooth in her head, & that did ake very sore, she went to Master Scogin for remedy. Come with me, mother, said Scogin, & you shall be healed by & by. He then got a packthreed, and went to the Smiths forge with the woman, and he said to the Smith, I pray you, heate me a Coulter in your Forge. I will, said the Smith. Then he went to the old woman, and said, Mother, let me see your tooth, and she did so: he took his packthreed and bound it fast about the tooth, & tyed the other end of the thred at the ring of the forge doore, whereat the Smith used to tie his horses & mares, and when the Coulter was glowing hot, Scogin tooke the Coulter and ran with it against the old woman, saying; Why dost thou stand here like an old mare? I will run thee through with this hot Coulter. The woman being afraid, gave a braid227 with her head, and ran her way, & left her tooth behind her. Scogin ran after the woman, and she cryed out for helpe (for she was afraid that Scogin would have burnt her.) The Smith ran after Scogin for his Coulter, for he was afraid that Scogin would run away with it.