The Kitchen of Mirth presents
A Pigge

A Collier, neere Croyden, having loaden his Cart with Coales for London, a woman that dwelt neare him that was Nurse to a Marchants child of the City, desired the Collier to remember her humble service to her Maister and Mistresse, and to tell them (God be thanked) their Childe was well; and withall she intreated the Collier to carry them a live Pigge, (which she had put in a bag before the Colliers face:) the Collier tooke the bagge and made it fast upon the top of his Cart, and away came he. When hee came into London where hee should deliver his Coales, hee tooke the bagge with the Pigge, and tyed it under the Cart to one of the spoakes of the Wheele, and when hee had almost unloaden, a couple of Porters stood and perceived something moove in the bagge, did suppose it was a Pigge or a Goose, or some such creature, which they had borrowed upon some Common or high way, as they came by night: And whilst the Colliers were busied, & absent in carriage, and empting their Sackes, the Porters stole the Pigge out of the bagge, and put in a little cur dogge of their owne, making it fast as they found it, and away go they: The dogge impatient of his bondage, began to frig and fling, as he had bin mad, that the Colliers said, the Divell was newly entred into the Pigge; or else the Pig did presage that hee was neare his owne death. Wel, the Cart being empty, the Collier takes the dog-pigge, and carried it to the Marchant, delivering his Message (which was welcome) saying that he must carry the bag backe agen; so hee went to a side Table, and opened it, and putting in his hand for a Pigge, the dogge bit him by the fingers, a pox on yee dee bite, quoth he: what doth he bite: quoth the Marchant, it can not be, I will take him out my selfe, then the Marchant put his hand in the bag, and the dogge snapt him so currishly that hee fetcht blood of his fingers, at which hee was angry, and bid the Divell take the Collier and the Pigge both. At which the Marchants wife laughed, and cald them both fooles, and with that she tooke the bagge by the bottome, and shooke out the dogge: the dogge being amazed, (not knowing where hee was) turn'd round twice or thrice, and leapt over a Hatch, and away ran he home to pick the bones of the Pigge: the Collier hang'd down his Head all ashamed to looke upon the Marchant. The Marchant (standing with his fingers bleeding) very angrily asked the Collier that if hee had no body but hee to abuse, and play the knave withall, to bring him a dog instead of a Pigge: to whom the Collier replyd, and also affirm'd with an oath, that his intent was free from abusing him or any man else, and that it was a Pig in the morning. The Marchant swore it was a dogge, the Collier swore it was a Pig; and so much good may it doe you with your Pig.


  • A Pigge. Source: Taylor, John. Taylor's Feast. London: Printed by J. Okes dwelling in little St. Bartholmews, 1638

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