Cock's-comb a-flaunt and silver bells a-ring, He laughing stood and gaily plucked lute-string, And cut an antic with such merry grace That angry shouts to laughter loud gave place. Thereafter he sang as followeth: “Bold bawcocks, brave, bibulous, babbling boys, Tall tosspots, come, temper this tumult and noise; So shall I sing sweetly such songs as shall sure Constrain carking care and contumacy cure. Thus, therefore—”
But here the surly landlord raised much clamour and outcry, whiles he touched and caressed his great ears with rare gentleness.
“Oho, my yeres!” roared he. “My yeres do be in woeful estate. Oho, what o' yon fierce-fingered rogue, good fellows, what o' yon knave—'a did twist my yeres plaguily and wring 'em roguishly, 'a did! Shall 'a not be beaten and drubbed out into the kennel, ha? What o' poor Nykins' yeres, says I—my yeres, oho!”
“Thine ears, unsavoury scullion,” laughed Jocelyn; “thine ears, forsooth? Hark ye, of thy so great, so fair, so fine ears I'll incontinent make a song. List ye, one and all, so shall all here now hear my song of ears!” Forthwith Duke Jocelyn struck his lute and sang:
“Thine ears, in sooth, are long ears, Stout ears, in truth, and strong ears, Full ears, I trow, and fair ears, Round ears also and rare ears. So here's an ear that all eyes here Shall see no beauty in, 'tis clear. For these o' thine be such ears, Large, loose, and over-much ears, Ears that do make fingers itch, Ears to twist and ears to twitch.
If thine ears had gone unseen, Pulled forsooth they had not been; Yet, since pulled indeed they were, Thine ears plain the blame must bear. So of thine ears no more complain, Lest that thine ears be pulled again. So hide thine ears as best ye may, Of which same ears, to end, I say Thine ears indeed be like my song, Of none account, yet over long!”
Now hereupon was huge laughter and merriment, insomuch that the thick-jowled landlord betook himself otherwhere, and all men thronged upon our jester, vociferous for more.
“Aye, but, bold tosspots,” laughed Jocelyn, “how now, sit ye without wine in very truth?”
“Not so, good Fool,” they cried. “Here be wine a-plenty for us and for thee!”
“Go
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