page 18

1

IX. OF HIM THAT SAYD THAT A WOMA~S TONG WAS
2LIGHTIST MET OF DEGESTIO~.

3
4    A certayn artificer in londo~ there
5was which was sore syk that coud not
6well dygest hys mete/ to who~ a physyco~
7cam to gyue hym councell & seyd y^t he
8must vse to ete metis y^t be light of dygestyon as

page 19

9small byrdys/ as sparous or swallous & especyall
10y^t byrd y^t ys callyd a wagtale whose fleshe
11ys meruelouse lyght of dygestyo~ because that
12byrd ys euer mouyng & styryng. The sik man
13heryng the phesicion seyd so answeryd hym &
14seyd/ Syr yf that be the cause y^t those birdys be
15lyght of dygestyon/ Than I know a mete mych
16lyghter of dygestion tha~ other sparow swallow or
17wagtayle/ & that ys my wyuys to~g for it is neuer
18in rest but euer mouying & styrryng.
19    By thys tale ye may lerne a good generall
20rule of phesyk.
21
22
23

X. OF THE WOMAN THAT FOLOWYD HER FOURTH HUSBANDYS
24HERCE & WEPT.

25
26    A woman ther was whych had had
27 .iiii. husba~des. It fortunyd also that
28this fourth husband died & was
29brought to chirch vppon y^e bere/ who~ this woma~
30folowyd & made gret mone & wext very sory. In
31so mych that her neybours thought she wold
32sowne & dy for sorow/ wherfor one of her gossyps
33cam to her & spake to her in her ere &

page 20

34bad her for goddes sake to comfort her self &
35refrayne that lamentaco~n or ellys it wold hurt
36her gretly & p~auenture put her in ieoperdy of
37her lyfe. To who~ this woma~ a~sweryd & sayd/
38I wys good gosyp I haue gret cause to morne if
39ye knew all/ for I haue byryed .iii. husbandys besyde
40thys man/ but I was neuer i~ the case y^t I am
41now/ for there was not one of the~ but whe~ that
42I folowid the corse to chyrch yet I was sure
43alway of an other husba~d before that y^e corse
44cam out of my house/ & now I am sure of no
45nother husband & therfore ye may be sure I haue
46gret cause to be sad and heuy.
47    By thys tale ye may se that the olde p~uerbe
48ys trew that yt is as gret pyte to se a woman wepe
49as a gose to go barefote.
50
51
52

IX. OF THE WOMAN THAT SAYD HER WOOER CAME
53TO LATE.

54

page 21

55    A nother woman there was that
56knelyd at y^e mas of requie~ whyle
57the corse of her husbande lay on the
58bere in the chyrch. To whom a yonge man
59came to speke wyth her in her ere as thoughe
60hyt had bene for som matre concernyng the
61funerallys/ howe be yt he spake of no such matter
62but only wowyd her that he myghte be her husbande/
63to whome she answeryde & sayde thus/
64Syr by my trouthe I am sory that ye come so late/
65for I am sped all redy/ For I was made sure yester
66day to a nother man.
67    By thys tale ye may perceyue that women
68ofte tymes be wyfewyse and lothe to lose any tyme.

page 22

69

XIII. OF THE HORSMAN OF YRELOND THAT PRAYD
70OCONER TO HANG VP THE FRERE.

71

page 23

72    One callyd Oconer an yrish lorde toke
73an horseman prysoner that was one of
74hys gret enmys/ whiche for any request
75or yntrety y^t y^e horsman made gaue iugement
76that he shulde inco~tyne~t be ha~gyd/ &
77made a frere to shryue hym and bad hym make
78hym redy to dye. Thys frere y^t shroue hym
79examyned hym of dyuers synes & askyd hym
80amo~g othere whyche were the grettyste synnys
81that euer he dyde/ thys horseman answeryd &
82sayde one of the grettyst actys that euer I dyde
83whyche I now most repent is that when I toke
84Oconer the laste weke in a churche and ther
85I myght haue brennyd hym church and all & because
86I had conscyence & pyte of brennyng of the
87church I taryed y^e tyme so long y^t oconer escaped/
88& that same deferring of brennyng of the church
89& so long taryeng of that tyme is one of the worst
90actys y^t euer I dyd wherof I moste repente/ Thys
91frere perceyuyng hym in that mynd sayd pece
92man in the name of god & change y^t mynde

page 24

93& dye in charite or els thou shalt neuer come in
94heuen/ nay quod the hors man I wyll neuer
95change y^t mynde what so euer shall come to my
96soule/ thys frere p~ceyuyng hym thys styll to contynew
97hys mi~de ca~ to oconer & seyd syr in y^e
98name of god haue some pyte vppo~ thys mannys
99sowle & let hym not dye now tyll he be in a
100better mynde/ For yf he dye now he ys so far
101out of charyte y^t vtterly hys soule shalle be
102dampnyd/ and shewyd hym what mynde he was
103in & all the hole matter as ys before shewyd.
104Thys horsman heryng y^e frere thys intrete for
105hym sayd to oconer thys/ Oconer thou seeyst
106well by thys mannys reporte y^t yf I dye now
107I am out of charyte & not redy to go to heuen
108& so it ys y^t I am now out of charyte in dede/
109but thou seest well y^t this frere ys a good
110man he is now well dysposyd & in charyte/
111and he is redy to go to heuen & so am not I/
112therfore I pray the hang vp thys frere whyle that
113he hys redy to go to heuyn and lette me tary tyl
114a nother tyme y^t I may be i~ charyte and redy &
115mete to go to heuyn. This Oconer heryng this
116mad answere of hym sparyd the man & forgaue
117hym hys lyfe at that season.
118    By thys ye may se that he that is in daunger
119of his enmye y^t hath no pyte/ he can do no better

page 25

120than shew to hym the vttermoste of hys malycyous
121mynde whych that he beryth toward
122hym.
123
124

XIV. OF THE PREST THAT SAYD NOTHER CORPUS MEUS
125NOR CORPUM MEUM .

126
127    The archdekyn of Essex y^t had bene long
128in auctoryte in a tyme of vysytacion
129when all the preestys apperyd before
130hym callyd asyde .iii. of y^e yo~g prestys whych
131were accusyd y^t they coud not well say theyr
132deuyne seruyce/ & askyd of the~ whe~ they sayd
133mas whether they sayd corpus meus or corpu~
134meu~ . The furst preest sayd y^t he sayd corpus
135meus . The seco~d sayd y^t he sayd corpu~ meu~ .
136And the~ he askyd of the thyrd how he sayd/
137whych answeryd & sayd thus / syr because it is so
138gret a dout & dyuers men be in dyuers opynyons/
139therfore because I wold be sure I wold not offend
140whe~ I come to y^e place I leue it clene out & say nothyng
141therfore/ wherfore he then openly rebukyd
142them all thre. But dyuers that were present
143thought more defaut in hym because he hym

page 26

144selfe before tyme had admyttyd them to be preestys.
145    By thys tale ye may se that one ought to
146take hede how he rebukyth an other lest it torne
147most to hys owne rebuke.
148
149

XV. OF THE .II. FRERYS WHEROF THE ONE LOUYD NOT
150THE ELE HED NOR THE OTHER THE TAYLE.

151
152    Two frerys sat at a gentylmans tabyll
153whych had before hym o~ a fastyng day
154an ele & cut the hed of the ele & layd
155it vppo~ one of y^e Freres tre~chars/ but the Frere because
156he wold haue had of y^e myddyll part of the
157ele sayd to the gentylman he louyd no ele heddes/
158this gentylman also cut the tayle of y^e ele & leyd
159it on the other Freres tre~char/ he lykywyse because
160he wold haue had of the myddyll p~te of y^e
161ele sayd he louyd no ele taylys. Thys gentylma~
162perceyuyng that: gaue the tayle to the Frere
163y^t sayd he louyd not the hed/ & gaue the hed
164to hym that sayd he louyd not y^e tayle. And as
165for the myddell part of the ele he ete part him
166self & part he gaue to other folke at y^e table/
167wherfore these freres for anger wold ete neuer a

page 27

168mossell/ & so they for all theyr craft & subtylte
169were not onely deceyued of y^e best mossel of y^e
170ele/ but therof had no part at al.
171    By this ye se that they that couet the best
172part somtyme therfore lose the meane part and
173all.
174
175
176

XVI. OF THE WELCHMA~ THAT SHROUE HYM FOR BREKYNG
177HIS FAST ON THE FRYDAY.

178

page 28

179    A welchman dwellynge in a wylde
180place of walys came to hys curate in
181the tyme of lent & was co~fessyd. &
182when his confessyon was in maner at the end the
183curate asked him whether he had any other
184thyng to say y^t greuyd his co~scye~ce/ whych fore
185abasshyd answeryd no word a gret whyle/ at last
186by exortacion of hys goostly fader he sayd y^t there
187was one thyng in his mynd that gretly greuyd
188hys co~scie~ce which he was ashamed to vtter/ for
189it was so greuous y^t he trowid god wold neuer
190forgyue hym/ to whom the curate a~sweryd &
191sayd y^t goddys mercy was aboue all/ & bad hym
192not dyspayre in the mercy of god/ For what
193so euer it was yf he were repentau~te y^t god
194wold forgyue him/ And so by long exortacion
195at the last he shewyd it & seyd thus/ Syr it
196happenyd onis that as my wyfe was making
197a chese vppon a fryday I wold haue sayed
198whether it had ben salt or fresh and toke a
199lytyll of the whey in my hand & put it in my
200mouth & or I was ware part of it went downe
201my throte agaynst my wyll & so I brake my fast/
202to whom the curate sayd & if ther be no nother

page 29

203thyng I warant god shall forgiue the. So wha~
204he had well comfortyd hym w^t y^e mercy of god
205the curate prayd hym to answer a question & to
206tell hym treuth/ & when the welchman had promysyd
207to tell the treuth the curate sayd that
208there were robberys and murders done nye the
209place where he dwelt & dyuers men fou~d slayne
210& askyd hym whether he were co~sentyng to any
211of them/ to who~ he answerid & sayd yes & sayd
212he was p~tee to many of them & dyd helpe to
213robbe and to sle dyuers of them. Then the
214curate askyd hym why he dyd not co~fesse him
215therof/ the welch man a~sweryd & sayd he toke
216y^t for no synne for it was a custome amonge them
217y^t whan any boty came of any rych merchaunt
218rydyng y^t it was but a good neybours dede one
219to help a nother when one callyd a nother/ & so
220they toke that but for good felyshyp &
221neybourhod.
222    Here ye may se y^t some haue remorse of
223conscyence of small venyall sinys & fere not to
224do gret offencys w^tout shame of y^e world or
225drede of god: & as y^e co~en puerb is they stu~ble
226at a straw & lepe ouer a blok.
227

page 30

228

XVII. OF THE MERCHAU~T OF LO~DO~ THAT PUT NOBLES I~ HIS
229MOUTH I~ HIS DETH BED.

230
231    A rych couetous marcha~te ther was
232y^t dwellyd in Lo~don whych euer gaderyd
233money & coud neuer fynd in
234hys hert to spend noght vppon hym self nor
235vppon no ma~ els/ whych fell sore syk/ & as he
236lay on hys deth bed had hys purs lyeng at his
237beddys hed/ & had suche a loue to hys money
238that he put his hand in his purs & toke out thereof
239 .x. or .xii. li i~ nobles & put them in his mouth/
240And because his wyfe and other p~ceyuyd him
241very syk and lyke to dye they exortyd hym to be
242confessyd and brought y^e curate vnto him/ whych
243when they had causyd hym to sey Benedicite y^e
244curat bad hym cry god mercy & shew his synnys.
245Than this syk man began to sey I cry god mercy
246I haue offendyd in y^e .vij. dedly synnys & broken
247the .x. comaundementys/ & because of the gold
248in hys mouth he mufflede so in hys speche that
249the curate cowde not well vnderstande hym/
250wherefore the curate asked hym what he hadde
251in hys mouthe that letted hys speche/ I wys
252mastere persone quod the syk man muffelynge

page 31

253I haue nothyng in my mouth but a lyttyll money
254because I wot not whether I shall go I thoughte
255I wolde take some spendyng money wyth me for
256I wot not what nede I shall haue therof/ And
257incontynent after that seyynge dyed before he
258was confessed of repentant that ony man could
259perceue/ and so by lykelyhode went to the
260deuyll.
261    By thys tale ye may se that they that all
262theyre lyuys wylle neuer do charyte to theyr
263neyghbours/ that god in tyme of theyr dethe
264wyll not suffer them to haue grace of
265repentaunce.
266
267

XVIII. OF THE MYLNER THAT STALE THE NUTTYS & OF
268THE TAYLER THAT STALE A SHEPE.

269

page 32

270    There was a certayn ryche husbandman
271in a vyllage whych loued nottes
272meruelously well & set trees of silberdys
273& other nut trees in his orchard/ & norishid
274them well all hys lyfe/ & when he dyed he made
275hys executours to make promise to bery w^t hym
276yn hys graue a bage of nottis or els they sholde
277not be hys executours/ which executours for
278fere of losyng theyre romys fulfyllyd hys wyll
279& dyd so. It happenyd y^t the same nyght after
280that he was beryed there was a mylnere in a

page 33

281whyte cote came to this ma~ys garden to the~te~t
282to stele a bag of nottis/ & in y^e way he met
283w^t a tayler in a blak cote an vnthrift of hys
284accoyntau~ce & shewyd hym hys intent/ This
285tayler lykewyse shewyd hym y^t he inte~dyd y^e
286same tyme to stele a shepe/ & so they both there
287agreyd to go forthward euery man seuerally
288w^t hys purpose & after y^t they apoynted to make
289good chere ech w^t other & to mete agayne in y^e
290chyrch porch/ & he that came furst to tary for
291the other.
292    This mylner when he had spede of hys nottis
293came furst to the chyrch porche & there taryed
294for hys felowe and the mene whyle satte styll
295there & knakked nottys.
296    It fortuned than the sexten of the church because
297yt was abowt .ix. of the clok cam to ryng
298curfu. & when he lokyd in y^e porch & saw one
299all in whyte knakkyng nottes/ he had went it
300had bene y^e dede man rysen owt of hys graue
301knakkynge y^e nottes y^t werewer byryed w^t hym &
302ran home agayn in all hast and tolde to a krepyll
303y^t was in hys howse what he had sene. This
304crepyll thus heryng rebukyd y^e sexten & seyd y^t

page 34

305yf he were able to go he wold go thyder & co~iure
306y^e sprite/ by my trouth quod y^e sexten & yf thou
307darst do y^t I wyl bere the on my nek & so they
308both agreed. The sexten toke y^e crepul on hys
309nek & cam in to y^e chyrchyard agayn/ & y^e
310mylner in y^e porch saw one comyng bering a
311thing on his bak had went it had ben y^e taylour
312co~myng w^t the shepe & rose vp to mete the~/ &
313as he cam towarde the~ he askeyd & seyd/ Is he
314fat/ is he fat/ y^e sexten heryng hym sey so/ for
315fere cast the crepull down & seyd fat or lene take
316hym ther for me/ and ran away/ & the creple by
317myracle was made hole & ra~ away as fast as he
318or faster/ This mylner perceyuing y^t they were
319 .ii. & y^t one ran after a nother supposyng y^t one
320had spyed y^e tayler stelyng y^e shepe & y^t he had
321ron after hym to haue taken hym/ and fered y^t
322som body also had spyed hym stelyng nottes he
323for fere left hys nottes behynd hym and as secretly
324as he cowde ran home to hys myll/ And anon
325after y^t he was gon y^e tayler cam w^t the stolyn
326shepe vppon hys nek to the chyrch porch to

page 35

327seke the mylner & when he fownd ther the not
328shalys he supposyd y^t hys felow had be ther and
329gone home as he was in dede/ wherefore he toke
330vp y^e shepe agayne on hys nek and went to
331ward the myl/ But yet duryng this whyle the
332sexte~ which ran away went not to hys owne
333house but we~t to the p~ysh prystis cha~ber/ &
334shewd hym how the spryte of y^e man was ryse~
335out of hys graue knakki~g nottes as ye haue
336hard before/ wherfor y^e prest sayd that he wold
337go co~iure hym yf the sexten wold go w^t hym/
338& so they both agreed/ y^e prest dyd on hys surples
339& a stole about hys nek & toke holy water w^t
340hym and cam w^t the sexte~ toward y^e church/ &
341as sone as he enteryd in to y^e church yarde, The
342tayler w^t the whyte shepe on hys nek intendyng
343as I before haue shewid yow to go down to y^e
344myll met w^t them & had went y^t y^e prest in hys
345surples had ben y^e mylner in hys whyte cote/ &
346seyd to hym by god I haue hym I haue hym
347meanyng by the shepe y^t he had stolyn/ the prest
348perceyuynge the tayler all in blak & a whyte thyng
349on his nek had went it had ben y^e deuyll beryng
350away the spryte of y^e dede man y^t was beryed
351& ran away as faste as he coud takyng y^e way
352downe toward the myll/ & y^e sexten ronnyng

page 36

353after hi~. This tayler seyng one folowyng hi~ had
354went y^t one had folowed the mylner to haue don
355hym some hurt & thought he wold folow if nede
356were to help y^e mylner. & went forth tyl he cam
357to the myll & knokked at y^e myldore/ y^e mylner
358beyng w^tyn asked who was ther y^e tayler a~swerd
359& said by god I haue caught one of them & made
360hi~ sure & tyed hym fast by y^e leggys menynge by
361the shepe y^t he had stolen & had the~ on hys nek
362tyed fast by the leggys. But the mylner heryng
363hym sey y^t he had hym tyed fast by the leggys
364had wente it had be~ the constable y^t had take~
365the tayler for stelyng of the shepe & had tyed
366him by the leggys/ & ferid y^t he had comen to
367haue taken hym also for stelyng of the nottys/
368wherfore the mylner openyd a bak dore & ran
369away as fast as he coud. The taylour heryng
370the bak dore openyng we~t on y^e other syde of y^e
371myll/ & there saw the mylner ronnyng away/ &
372stode there a littyl whyle musyng w^t y^e shepe on
373his nek. Then was the parysh preest & the
374sexte~ standyng there vnder the mylhouse hydyng
375them for fere & saw the taylour agayn w^t y^e
376shepe on his nek had wend styll it had bene the
377dyuyll w^t the spryt of the dede man on hys nek
378& for fere ran away/ but because they knew not

page 37

379the ground well/ the preest lepte into a dyche
380almost ouer the hed lyke to be drounyd that he
381cryed wyth a loud voyce help help. Then the
382taylour lokyd about & saw the mylner ron~e away
383& the sexten a nother way & hard the preest cry
384help: had wend it had bene the co~stable w^t a
385gret co~pany cryeng for help to take hym & to
386bryng hym to pryson for stelyng of y^e shepe
387wherfore he threw downe the shepe & ran away
388a nother way as faste as he coud/ & so euery
389man was afferd of other wythout cause.
390    By thys ye may se well it is foly for any
391man to fere a thyng to mych tyll that he se some
392proue or cause.

page 39

393

XX. OF THE WOMAN THAT POWRYD THE POTAGE
394IN THE TUGGYS MALE.

395
396    There was a iustyce but late in y^e
397realme of englond called master Uauyfour
398a very homly man & rude of
399condycions & louyd neuer to spe~d mych money/
400This master Uauyfour rode on a tyme in hys
401cyrcute in a place of the north co~trey where he
402had agreed w^t the shyryf for a certayn some of
403money for hys chargys thorowe the shyre so
404that at euery Inne & lodgyng thys master vauefour
405payd for hys own costys. It fortunyd so
406y^t when he cam to a certayn lodgyng he co~maunded
407one Torpyn hys serua~t to se y^t he vsed
408good husbondry & to haue suche thynges as were
409lastlaft & to cary it w^t hym to serue hym at the next
410baytyng. Thys Torpyn doyng hys masters co~mau~deme~t
411toke y^e brokyn brede brokyn mete &
412all sych thi~g y^t was lastlaft & put it in hys male/
413The wyfe of y^e house p~ceyuyng y^t he toke all
414suche fragmentys & vytayle w^t hym y^t was lastlaft

page 40

415& put it in hys male/ she brought vp y^t podege
416y^t was lastlaft i~ the pot & when torpyn had torned
417hys bak a lytyll syde she pouryd y^e podege in to
418y^e male whych ran vpon hys robe of skarlet &
419other hys garme~tys & rayed them very euyll
420that they were mych hurt therw^t. Thys Torpyn
421sodeynly tornyd him & saw it/ reuylyd the
422wyfe therfor & ran to hys master & told hym
423what she had don/ wherfor master Uauefour
424inco~tine~t callyd y^e wyfe & seyd to her thus.
425Thou drab quod he what hast thou do~ why hast
426thou pouryd y^e podege in my male & marryd my
427rayme~t & gere/ O syr quod y^e wyfe I know well
428ye ar a iudge of y^e realme/ & I perceyue by you:
429your mi~d is to do ryght & to haue that that is your
430owne/ & your mynd is to haue all thyng w^t you
431y^t ye haue payd for/ both brokyn brede mete &
432other thynges y^t is left: & so it is reason that ye
433haue/ & therfore because your seruant hath taken
434the brede & the mete & put it i~ your male I
435haue therfore put in your male the podege y^t be
436lastlaft because ye haue well & truly payd for them

page 41

437for yf I shuld kepe ony thyng from you y^t ye
438haue payd for: peraduenture ye wold troble me
439in the law an other tyme.
440    Here ye may se y^t he y^t playth the nygarde
441to mych sometyme yt torneth hym to hys owne
442losse.

page 114

443

LXVI. OF THE MAN THAT WOLD HAUE THE POT STAND
444THERE AS HE WOLD.

445
446    A yonge man late maryed to a wyfe
447thowght it was good polycy to get the
448maystry of her in the begynnynge.
449Cam to her the pot sethynge ouer y^e fyre all
450though the mete therin were not inough sodenly
451co~maundyd her to take the pot from the fyre.
452whyche answeryd & sayde that y^e mete was not
453redy to ete. And he sayd agayne I wyll haue
454it taken of for my pleasure. This good woman
455loth yet to offend hym set y^e pot besyde the fyre
456as he bad. And anone after he co~mau~ded her
457to set the pot behynde the dore/ & she sayd therto
458agayne ye be not wyse therin. But he precisely
459sayd it sholde be so as he bad. And she gentylly

page 115

460agayne did his co~mau~dment. This man yet
461not satysfyed co~maunded her to set the pot a
462hygh vpon the hen rost/ what quod y^e wyf
463agayne I trow ye be mad. And he fyersly
464than co~maunded her to set it there or els he
465sayd she sholde repe~t She somewhat aferde to
466moue his pacience toke a ladder and set it to
467the roost/ and we~t herself vp the ladder and toke
468the pot in her hande prayeng her husbande than
469to holde the ladder fast for slydynge/ whiche so
470dyd.
471    And whenne the husbande lokyd vp and sawe
472the Potte stande there on hyght he sayde thus.
473Lo now standyth the pot there as I wolde haue
474it This wyfe herynge that sodenly pouryd the
475hote potage on his hed & sayd thus. And now
476bene the potage there as I wolde haue them.
477    By this tale men may se it is no wysedome
478for a man to attempte a meke woma~s pacye~ce
479to far lest it torne to his owne hurte & damage.

page 118

480

LXIX. OF THE SKOLER OF OXFORD THAT PROUYD BY
481SOUPHESTRY .II. CHEKYNS .III.

482

page 119

483    A rych frankelyn in y^e contrey hauynge
484by his wyfe but one chyld and no mo
485for the grete affeccyon that he had to
486his sayde chylde founde hym at Oxford to scole
487by the space of .ii. or .iii. yere. This yonge
488scoller in a vocacyon tyme for his dysport came
489home to his fader.
490    It fortuned afterwarde in a nyght the fader
491y^e moder & the sayde yonge scoller syttynge at
492supper hauynge befor them no more mete but
493onely a cople of chykyns the fader sayd this wyse.
494Sone so it is that I haue spent moch money vpon
495the to synde y^e to scole/ wherfore I haue grete
496desyre to know what hast lernyd. To whom y^e
497sone answerde & sayde. Fader I haue studyed
498souestrye & by that scyence I can proue y^t these

page 120

499 .ii. chykyns in y^e dysh be thre chykyns. Mary
500sayd y^e fader that wolde I fayne se. The scoller
501toke one of y^e chykyns in his hand & sayd. Lo
502here is one chykyn/ and inco~tynent he toke both
503y^e chykyns in his hand ioyntly & sayd here is .ii.
504chykyns and one & .ii. maketh .iii. Ergo here
505is .iii. chykyns. Then the fader toke one of the
506chykyns to hymselfe and gaue another to his
507wyfe & sayd thus. Lo I wyll haue one of y^e
508chykyns to my parte/ & thy moder shall haue
509another & bycause of thy good argument thou
510shalt haue y^e thyrde to thy supper/ for thou
511getteyst no more mete here at this tyme/ whiche
512promyse the fader kept & so the scoller went
513without his supper.
514    By this tale men may se that it is grete foly
515to put one to scole to lerne any subtyll scyence
516whiche hath no naturall wytte.

page 126

517

LXXIV. OF THE COURTEAR THAT DYD CAST THE FRERE
518OUER THE BOTE.

519
520    A courtyer & a frere happenyd to
521mete togyder in a fery bote & in
522co~munycacyon betwene them fell at
523wordys angry & dyspleasyd eche with other/ &
524fought & strogled togyder/ so that at the last y^e
525courtyer cast the frere ouer the bote/ so was
526y^e frere drowned. The feryma~ whiche had ben
527a man of warre the most parte of his lyfe before
528and seynge the frere was so drowned & gon sayd
529thus to the courtyer/ I beshrewe thy hart thou
530sholdest haue taryed & foughte with hym a lande
531for nowe thou hast caused me to lese an halfpeny
532for my fare.

page 127

533    By this tale a man may se that he y^t is ac-costumed
534in vycyous & cruel company shall lose
535that noble vertew to haue pyte & compassyon
536vpon his neyghboure.

page 132

537

LXXIX. OF HYM THAT ADUENTURYD BODY & SOWLE
538FOR HYS PRYNCE.

539
540    Two knyghtes there were whiche went
541to a stondyng felde w^t theyr prynce.
542But one of them was co~fessyd before
543he went/ but the other we~t into the felde w^tout
544shryft or repe~tau~ce/ afterward this pri~ce wa~ y^e
545feld & had y^e vyctorye y^t day/ wherfore he y^t was
546co~fessyd came to y^e pri~ce & askyd an offyce &
547sayd he had deseruyd it for he had don good
548seruyce & adue~tured that day as far as ony man
549in y^e felde/ to who~ the other y^t was vnco~fessyd
550answeryd and sayd nay by the mas I am more
551worthy to haue a rewarde than he/ for he ad-uenturyd
552but his body for your sake for he durst
553not go to y^e felde tyl he was co~fessyd/ but as for

page 133

554me I dyd iup~d both body lyfe & soule for your
555sake/ for I went to the felde without co~fessyon
556or repentan~ce.     

page 134

557By this ye may se that some curatys that
558loke full holyly be but desemblers & ypocrytis.

page 134

559

LXXXII. OF THE FRERE THAT SAYD DYRIGE FOR THE
560HOGGYS SOWLE.

561

page 135

562    Upon a tyme certayn women in the
563countrey were appoynted to deryde
564and mokke a frere a lymytour that
565vsyd moche to vysyth them. wherupon one of
566them a lytyll before that the frere came kylled
567an hog & for dysport leyd it vnder the borde
568after the maner of a corse and tolde the frere it
569was her good ma~ and desyred hym to say dirige
570for his soule wherfore the frere and his felaw
571began Placebo and Dirige and so forth sayd the
572seruyse full deuowtly which the wyues so heryng/
573coude not refrayne them selfe from lawghynge
574and wente in to a lytyll parler to lawgh more
575at theyr plesure. These frerys somwhat suspected
576the cause and quykly or that y^e women were
577ware lokyd vnder the borde and spyed that it
578was an hog/ sodenly toke it bytwene them and
579bare it homeward as fast they myght. The
580women seyng that ran after the frere and cryed
581come agayn mayster frere come agayne and let
582it allone/ nay by my fayth quod y^e frere he is a
583broder of oures and therfore he must nedys be
584buryed in our cloyster/ and so the frerys gate
585the hog.

page 136

586    By thys ye may se that they that vse to
587deryde and mok other somtyme it tornyth to
588theyr one losse and damage.

page 143

589

LXXXIX. OF MASTER WHYTTYNTONS DREME.

590
591    Sone after one mayster Whyttinto~ had
592bylded a colege on a nyght as he slept
593he dremyd that he sad in his church
594& many folkys ther also/ & further he dremyd
595y^t he sawe our lady in the same chyrch w^t a glas
596of goodly oyntement in her hand goynge to one
597askyng hym what he had done for her sake/
598whiche sayd that he had sayd our ladys sauter
599euery day wherfore she gaue hym a lytyll of the
600oyle. And anon she went to another askyng
601hym what he had done for her sake which sayd
602that he had sayd .ii. ladys sauters euery day/
603wherfore our lady gaue hym more of y^e oy~tement
604than she gaue y^e other. This mayster whyttento~

page 144

605then thought that when our lady sholde come to
606hym she wolde gyue hym all the hole glas bycause
607y^t he had bylded such a gret colege & was very
608glad in his mynd. But whe~ our lady cam to
609hym she asked hym what he had suffred for her
610sake/ which wordys made hym gretly abashyd
611bycause he had nothyng to say for hym selfe/ &
612so he dremyd that for all the gret dede of
613byldyng of y^e sayd Colege he had no parte of y^t
614goodly oyntement.
615    By this ye may se that to suffer for goddys
616sake is more merytoryous than to gyue gret
617goodys.

618

page 145

619

XCI. OF THE MALTMAN OF COLBROKE.

620
621    A certayne maltman of colbroke
622whiche was a very couetous wreche
623and had no pleasure but onely to get
624money came to london to sell his malt and
625broughte with hym .iiii. capons & there re-seyuyd
626 .iiii. or .v. li. for malte and put it in a
627lytell purs tyed to his cote and after wente aboute
628the strettys to sell his capons whom a pollyng

page 146

629felowe that was a dycer and an vnthryft had
630espyed and Imagyned how he myght begyle the
631man other of his capons or of his money and
632came to this maltman in the street berynge these
633capons in his hande and askyd hym how he wolde
634sell his capons and when he had shewyd hym the
635pryse of them he bad hym go with hym to his
636mayster and he wolde shew them to his mayster
637and he wolde cause hym to haue money for them
638wherto he agreed. This Poller wente to the
639cardynalls hat in lomberdys strete & when he
640came to the dore he toke the capons from the
641maltman and bad hym tary at the dore tyll he
642had shewed his mayster and he wolde come agayn
643to hym and brynge hym his money for them.
644This poller when he had goten the capons wente
645in to the house and wente thorowe the other bak
646entre in to Cornhyll and soo toke the capons with
647hym/ and when this maltman had stond there a
648good season he askid one of the tauerners where
649the man was that had the Capons to shewe to
650his mayster/ mary quod the tauerner I can not
651tell the here is nother mayster nor man in this
652house for this entre here is a comen hye way and
653gooth in to cornhyl/ I am sure he is gone a weye
654with thy capo~s. This maltman herynge that ran
655throwe the entre in to cornhyll and askyd for a
656felowe in a tawny cote that had capons in his

page 147

657hand. But no man coude tell hym whiche waye
658he was gone and soo the maltman loste his capons
659and after wente in to his Inne all heuy and sade
660and toke his horse to thentent to ryde home.
661This poller by that tyme had chaungyd hys ray-mentrayment
662and borowyd a furryd gowne and came to
663the maltman syttynge on horsbak and sayd thus/
664good man me thought I harde the inquire euyn
665now for one in a tawny cote that had stolyn from
666the .iiii. capo~s yf thou wylt gyue me a quart of
667wyne go with me and I shall brynge y^e to a place
668where he syttyth drynkyng with other felowes
669& had y^e capons in his hande. This maltman
670beynge glad therof grau~tyd hym to gyue hym
671the wyne bycause he semyd to be an honest man/
672and went w^t hym vnto the dagger in chepe.
673This poller then sayd to hym go thy way streyght
674to thend of y^t long entre & there thou shalt se
675whether it be he or no & I wyl holde thy horse
676here tyll thou come agayn. This maltman
677thynkyng to fynde the felow with his capo~s
678we~t in & left his horse with the other at the
679dore. And as soone as he was gon in to the
680house this poller lad the horse awaye in to his
681owne lodgynge. This maltman inqueryd in the
682house for his felowe with the capons but no man
683coude tell hym no tydyngs of suche man/ wher-fore
684he came agayne to y^e dore all sad & lokyd

page 148

685for hym y^t had his hors to kepe/ & bycause he
686sawe hym not he askyd dyuers there for hym/ &
687some sayd they saw hym & some sayde they saw
688hym not/ but no man coude tell whiche waye
689he was gone wherfore he wente home to his
690Inne more sad tha~ he was before/ wherfore his
691host gaue hym cou~cell to get hym home & be-warebeware
692how he trustyd any men in londo~. This
693maltman seynge none other co~fort went hys hy
694way homewarde.
695    This poller which lyngeryd alway there aboute
696the Inne hard tell that the maltman was goyng
697homewarde a fote apparelyd hym lyke a mannys
698prentyse & gat a lytell boget stuffyd full of stones
699on his bake & wente before hym to charynge
700crosse & taryed tyll y^e maltman came/ & askyd
701hym whether he wente whiche sayd to Colbroke.
702Mary quod y^e other I am glad therof for I must goo
703to braynforde to my mayster to bere hym money
704which I haue in my boget & I wolde be glad of
705co~pany. This maltman bycause of his owne money
706was glad of his co~pany/ & so they agreed & wente
707togyder a whyle. At the last this poller went
708somwhat before to knyghtbryge & sat vpon y^e
709brydge & restyd hym with his boget on his bak/
710& when he saw y^e maltma~ almost at hym he let
711his boget fall ouer y^e brydge in to y^e water. &
712incontynent start vp & sayd to y^e maltman alas

page 149

713I haue let my boget fal in to y^e water & there is
714 .xl. li. of money therin/ yf thou wylt wade in to
715y^e water & go seke it & get it me agayne I shall
716gyue y^e .xii. pence for thy labour/ this maltman
717hauynge pyte of his losse & also glad to get the
718 .xii. pence plukyd of his hose cote & shyrt &
719wadyd into y^e water to seke for the boget. And
720in y^e mene whyle this poller gote his clothis &
721cote wher to the purs of money was tyde & lepte
722ouer the hedge & wente to westmynster.
723    This maltman within a whyle after with grete
724payne & depe wadynge founde y^e boget & came
725out of the water & sawe not his felowe there &
726sawe that his clothys & money were not there as
727he left them suspectyd y^e mater and openyd the
728boget and than founde nothynge therin but stonys
729cryed out lyke a mad man and ran all nakyd
730to london agayne and sayde alas alas helpe or
731I shall be stolen. For my capons be stolen.
732My hors is stolen. My money and clothys
733be stolen and I shall be stolen myself. And so
734ran aboute the stretys in london nakyd & mad
735cryenge alway I shall be stole. I shall be stolen.
736And so contynuyd mad durynge his lyfe & so
737dyed lyke a wretche to the vtter destruccyon of
738hym self & shame to all his kyn.
739    By this tale ye may se that many a couet-ouse
740wrech y^t louyd his good better than god and

page 150

741settyth his mynde inordynatly theron by the ryghte
742iugment of god oftymes comyth to a myserable
743and shamfull ende.