iii

very soon after he got the boy asleep at the fire-side, and he strangled him, cut him up, and put him into the pot on the fire. In Swedeland Puck assumes the name of Nissegoddreng, or Nisse the good knave, and consorts with the Tomtegubbe, or the old man of the house toft, who is of the same genus. From "Gubbe" the old man employed as the name of a demon, the Normans seem to have formed Goblin or Gobelin (quasi Gubbelein,) and the Spanish Duende, a demon particularly noted for his powers of transformation, appears to correspond in every respect to the Tomte Gubbe; and the name according to Cobaruvias, is contracted from Dueno de Casa, the master of the house.

Returning however to the consideration of the form under which "The Merry Wanderer" now presents himself to our notice. We may reasonably conclude from the testimony of Bruno Seidelius

Quis non legit, quid Frater Rauschius egit?*

that it is one in which he enjoyed an extensive popularity. There is an Ancient Danish Poem which treats of Brother Rus how he did service as Cook and Monk in the Monastry of Esserom," which there is reason to suppose is derived from one common

* Paræmiæ Ethica, Francof. 1589.

origin with the English Story-book, and it is worthy of remark that in the Poem Rus is made to travel through the air to England where he possesses the king's daughter. The Kinder und Haus Marchen of Messrs. Grimm likewise contains two tales,* Des Teufels russiger Bruder, and Der Teufel Grunrock, which probably take their origin from the same

source.

* Vol. 2, pp. 84 and 89.

1

OF

FRIER RUSH:

HOW HE CAME TO

A HOUSE OF RELIGION TO SEEKE SERVICE, AND BEING ENTERTAINED BY THE PRIOUR, WAS FIRST MADE UNDER COOKE.

BEING FULL OF

PLEASANT MIRTH AND DELIGHT

FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

IMPRINTED AT LONDON BY EDW. ALL-DE, DWELLING

NEERE CHRIST-CHURCH.

1620.

A PLEASANT HISTORY, HOW A DEVILL (NAMED RUSH) CAME TO A RELIGIOUS HOUSE, TO SEEKE A SERVICE.

THERE was sometime beyond the sea edified and founded a certaine house and cloister of religious men, which house was founded at a great forrests side, for to maintaine the service of almighty God, and daily to pray for their benefactors and founders, and for the salvation of their owne soules: which place by reason of their founders and well disposed people (which gave unto it largely of their goods and possessions) increased in riches, and every man had gold and silver at their will, and also of meate and drinke they had great plenty: in so much that they were so well at ease and had so much, that they wist not what to doe they were so full of wantonnesse, whereby the service of Almighty God was not well maintained among them: for oftentimes they said neither Mattins nor Evensong: and through their great negligence they forgat cleane the charge that they were bound to when they entred into their religion, and they lived more like beasts without reason, then like men of good and holy conversation: for they haunted harlots and lived viciously, and the goods that was given them by