who follows, is worse,
being one of those hardened, ready-witted, quick-tempered rogues whom
providence saves from drowning for another fate. He is sore, this second
fellow, with sitting in the stocks; yet quite unrepentant, boasting,
rather, of his skill in avoiding heavier penalties. That others come to
the gallows is owing to their bad management. As he says,

For, and they could have carried by craft as I can,
In process of years each of them should be a gentleman.
Yet as for me I was never thief;
[i.e. _was never proved one._]
If my hands were smitten off, I can steal with my teeth;
For ye know well, there is craft in daubing[42]:
I can look in a man's face and pick his purse,
And tell new tidings that was never true, i-wis,
For my hood is all lined with lesing[43].

Nevertheless once he was very nearly caught. And he narrates the
incident with so much circumstantial detail that it would be a pity not
to have his own words.

_Imagination._ Yes, once I stall a horse in the field,
And leapt on him for to have ridden my way.
At the last a baily me met and beheld,
And bad me stand: then was I in a fray[44].
He asked whither with that horse I would gone;
And then I told him it was mine own.
He said I had stolen him; and I said nay.
This is, said he, my brother's hackney.
For, and I had not excused me, without fail,
By our lady, he would have lad me straight to jail.
And then I told him the horse was like mine,
A brown bay, a long mane, and did halt behine;
Thus I told him, that such another horse I did lack;
And yet I never saw him, nor came on his back.
So I delivered him the horse again.
And when he was gone, then was I fain[45]:
For and I had not excused me the better,
I know well I should have danced in a fetter.

_Freewill._ And said he no more to thee but so?

_Imagination._ Yea, he pretended me much harm to do;
But I told him that morning was a great mist,
That what horse it was I ne wist:
Also I said, that in my head I had the megrin,
That made me dazzle so in mine eyen,
That I might not well see.
And thus he departed shortly from me.

By this time a third party has approached; for an impatient inquiry for
Hick Scorner immediately brings that redoubt