medicine whome when he sawe he drew forth his Sword and without any further debating of the matter he fought with him and so at the length killed him Omen His wiues wise talk was manifested by this he had bene better to haue performed his promise that hée made to hir What a mischief therby wroght he to himself and what sorow brought he to his wise and louing wife It was maruell that it killed hir not as soone as she heard it Siuqila Truly when she heard that hir husbande was in prison and what was the cause she swouned presentely and they that were about hir had much a do to get any life in hir Was not here a goodlie gaine that he got by his fighting As she said neither pacience nor reason was with him when he gaue the other his Deathes wounde Here we may sée that all wisedom lies not in men and al folly and mischief is not in women But after like a wise woman she brydled hir sorrowe as wel as she could and went about to mend the mischief aswel as she might according to the lesson she gaue hir husbande before whiche is this Wisedome willeth vs to heare things aduisedly to take them paciently to mende mischiefs politikely A saying to be noted or if they be past helpe to aâ—oide the like wisely And so with as much conuenient spéed as she might she got hir to the saide yong Iudge before mentioned in whome for his wisedome godlinesse and pietie she had suche a good opinion that she thought through hir humble sute and pittiful mone he would finde some one meane or other to saue hir husbandes life And when she came before him she knéeled vnto him and with wéeping teares saide O worthie Iudge as you are counted a moste wise and mercifull Iudge now shew that in effect which is bruted of you in talke and saue an Innocents life that lieth in your hands to destroy To whom the Iudge said stand vp GentlewomaÌ„ it wil gréeue me to sée you stand much more to knéele therfore without any more bidding sit downe by me and I will not onely heare you but also helpe you if I be able so that equitie do allowe and iustice do bid hoping that your matter is such that both these wil agrée vnto it for that mée thought your request was to haue me to saue an Innocents life and to saue an Innocents life a smal sute shal serue And therewith he toke hir gently by the hande and caused hir to sit downe by him who said to the Iudge then In déed sir I saide so for I am that Innocent touching any law of Death that lieth in your handes to saue or to kill not that any matter is laid against me worthie of Death but my life being an Innocent in this case hangeth on another mannes life that is not innocent whose life to saue lieth only in your hands I pray you sayde the Iudge tell me your matter and cause as briefly and plainely as you can and what I may do lawfully I will perfourme it willingly The truth is so saide the Gentlewoman I am the wife of suche a Gentleman that killed a man of late whose cause I come not to defend but for whom I come to craue mercy I nowe knowe your matter sayd the Iudge I lament his missehap and I pittie your case You know Gentlewoman it hardly lies in me to saue whom the law doth condemne especially him whose facte is so manifest and which by no meanes can be denied O sir saide she it were very straite that you being a Iudge so well thought of and of such great authoritie that you can not shewe iustice with mercie and lawe with fauour You knowe sayde hée againe I am sworne to doe equitie and iustice according And you are not ignorante that both Gods law and our law willeth without any redemtion to kill him that killeth and to shead his bloude that shead it And should I doe iustice if I should saue your husband who willingly killed a Gentleman of late that was not determined to fight with him who vnwares set vpon him and so hée was slaine whom the law would haue fauoured in defending himselfe Therefore Gentlewoman cease your sute for it lieth not in my handes to helpe you but if I coulde I would not For if I shoulde saue your husbande in this case I shoulde gette more shame and slaunder by this one thing than I haue gotten good reporte by all the iustice and equitie that I haue done since I came in Office I blame not you for suing for your husbande in so euill a cause whiche you doe for loue but euery one would blame mée for graunting your request in so euill a cause A lamentable suter which they would say I did for monie O sir said the Gentlewoman and began againe to knéele but he woulde not suffer hir the Gentleman is deade and the death of my husbande will not make him liue againe which if it might doe so I woulde not be so importunate herein therefore I beseech you as euer you came of a woman or as you will haue Christ to be mercifull to you that was borne of a woman kill not two moe for one that is deade alreadie For I assure you I loue my husband so déerly that if he die I am most sure that I shall not long liue Oh I woulde to God that one frende might die for another as one man doth pay monie or is imprisoned for another then I that am most woefull would quickly be ioyfull For then he should not die but I would die for him But seing that can not bée O most worthy Iudge stretch out your power and finde out some way or meane to saue my husbands life What so euer you ask me you shall haue and what so euer you will haue mée to doe I will doe it Let my vehement wordes penetrate your mercifull hearte if there bée any sparke of pittie or any droppe of mercie in you shewe it nowe vpon mée your most humble seruaunte which am readie if herein you pleasure mée to runne at your horsse héeles or to doe the vilest drudgerie that you can set me too Surely Gentlewoman saide hée you are the most importunate suter that euer I knewe I perceiue where you may haue yea you will haue no nay If your husbande should escape hée is bounde to make muche of you I thinke if you were in his case hée neither woulde nor coulde sue so earnestly for you O yes saide the Gentlewoman it is his great loue hée doth beare mée that causeth me to sue for him so vehementlye You knowe sir what I haue saide from which I will not swarue therefore I beséeche you sende me not away without some comforte for if you doe I am most assured that vnlesse you make good haste I shal be deade before my husbande Then the Iudge took the Gentlewoman by the hand and said I will aduise my selfe this
side and 〈◊〉 with the wrong And to make him more 〈…〉 pleasure me and my friende I will present him 〈◊〉 with such 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 after he maye be the 〈◊〉 willing to take my parte Wel 〈◊〉 the Gentleman if you can bring al this to passe as you say I wil here graunt you my Farme and wil make a lease thereof and to enter on it immediatly after my Tenants lease is expyred and therevpon I take this for a fine so that it be al gold Yes sir said the Farmer it is all golde and that good golde I warrant you And then the said gréedie Gentleman tolde the golde and so tooke it and carryed it away with him Siuqila What followed then Omen Forsooth al this was wroughte as politikely as mighte bée but you shall heare howe the matter fell out within two or thrée moneths before the saide Gentlemans Tenantes lease was expyred according to the custome of our countrey the saide Tenant went to the saide Gentleman his Landlord with a couple of Capons for a good-wil present not a customed gift and saide Sir of good will I haue brought you a couple of Capons to whom the Gentleman saide I thinke you are come rather of necessitie thaÌ„ for good wil or frendship but go to say on what is your wil with me Sir said the Farmer it is not vnknown to you that my lease of my farme is almost out wherfore I come to you according vnto the custome to desire you to make me a newe lease and loe here is besides the Capons that of good wil I giue you one whole yeres rent of my farme as a fine for the same A good custoâ—â— for Farmers Indéede said the Gentleman by the custome of our countrey I ought to make you a newe lease of your Farme paying to me one yeres rent for a fine therfore but you know euery Landlord may let his Farme or ground to whom he list so that the Farmer that dwelleth in it doth agrée thereto that is true saide the Farmer but what meane you by that you knowe wel ynough said the Gentleman what I meane thereby for I am sure you are not ignorant that I haue made a lease of the Farme you now dwel in to an other man and that with your consent sir saide the Farmer I thinke you do but ieste to proue my patience withall I had néede to knowe of it before I consent to it and it were more méete I should know the party to whome I should consent than to consent before I know the partie You knowe him I am sure saide the Gentleman you néede not make the matter so strange he dwelleth not farre from you he is a neyghboure of yours If anye suche saide the Farmer hathe hyred my house ouer my heade wythoute my consent hée maye bée my neighboure but he is no godlye neighboure The trueth is so sir if anye hathe hyred my Farme of you as yet I neyther knowe who it is neither haue I consented to anie suche thing Then saide the Farmers Landlorde I am sure that I haue lette youre Farme and I am certaine that you haue coÌ„sented to the letting of your Farme whether you were druncke or no when you consented to it I knowe not but he was sober inoughe to whome you consented I am sure Wel saide the Farmer all this youre talke is Hebrewe to me for I knowe not what it meaneth Yea but said the Gentleman you shal finde it your owne Countrey spéeche when you féele what it is goe your way you get no Lease of me when your Lease is expyred then you shall knowe who it is that hired it you knowe full well who hathe hired it but that you liste to dallie and worke wiles with me I praye God saide the Farmer that you worke not wiles with me for I vse nothing but plainenesse with you Marke well Oh sir said he wil you degenerate from youre good auncestors will you goe aboute to break the laudable customes of this oure famous Countrie that oure godly fore elders by great wisedome established of their successors continued and now throughout our whole Countrey practized When I came nowe to you I made a full accompte that you woulde not deny me for who is it through al this our countrie of Mauqsun that lâ—ueth our King obeyeth our lawes estéemeth our orders fauoureth our fame regardeth their owne credite and wisheth a generall commoditie to oure Countrie that once will presume to violate or breake our commendable customes and wil you being a worthie Gentleman and of an auncient house of this our countrie contrarie to our good orders and custome putte out me your louing and obedient Tenant without any iuste cause who with my fore-elders haue thus manie thousand yeares dwelled quietlie in the same Let neither glistering gold entice you neither anie Fines allure you nor yet racked Rents procure you to do that in an houre that shall bring your infamie all your life You sée that all your elders that neuer put oute their pore Tenaunts didde liue with worshippe and die with fame and will you by putting out your pore Tenaunte liue with disworship and die with shame You knowe sir that no countrie in all the world hathe wiser Rulers iuster Iudges better lawes nor yet better executed than we haue you heare of sewe that offend the lawe but none vnpunished that offende the lawe therefore foresée the daunger leaste when you woulde you cannot auoide the danger They that procure you to fall I feare can not helpe you vppe Then the Gentleman said shewing himselfe to be angrie away thou prating knaue dost thou tell me my dutie Diuines are daintie Note this when peasaunts do preache Sir said the Tenaunt though I am too simple to preach yet I may be able to giue good counsel Euery welthie head hath not wisdom at wil nor euerie poore fellowe is not fraught with follie wisedome is not alwayes tied to wealth nor foolishenesse is not alwaies knit to pouerty therefore the wiseman wil consider the talke not the talker but fooles regard the talker not the talke wherfore sir the wiser you are the willinglier you wil weigh my wordes Good counsell may do good if it be taken in time but if it come too late it profiteth not And nowe for that perhaps you haue denied mée my Lease only to proue me I wil not shew my selfe obstinate nor be stubborne to you at whose handes I haue my chiefe liuing Therefore as your moste louing and obedient Tenaunt I humbly beséeche you to lette mée haue a newe lease from you of my Farme and here againe I offer vnto you for a fine one whole yeares rent of my Farme To whome the Gentleman saide get thée hence thou shalte haue none other lease of me than thou haste neither will I take thy fine nor accepte thée long for my Tenante and therewith the sorrowfull tenaunte went away Siuqila But I pray you sir did the tenant
whiche was priuily vttered by the Commissioner who was appointed not onely to sée the marriage celebrated betwéene them accordingly but also the other secreate thing performed in all pointes as the Counsel hadde decréede Whiche Iudgement was carried downe thither where the Gentlewoman dwelled by the saide Commissioner And when the day of the mariage approched the Cōmissioner came into the prison to the same wicked Iudge said that the Ruler and the Counsel had giuen iudgement forasmuch as he had taken a Gentlewomans good name from hir by lying with hir Better than he looked for that he should prepare himselfe in the beste manner he coulde to marrye hir thereby to make hir amendes whiche when the treacherous Iudge heard he was the gladdest mā in the world for that was the onelye thing he desired and the cause why hée executed hir husbande And so he prepared himselfe againste the day appointed to marry hir And then the sayd Commissioner went to the saide Gentlewoman whome when she sawe she was maruelous gladde saying sir you are moste hartily welcome I praye you what iudgement haue my Lords of the Counsel giuen on my behalf against the wicked Iudge mine enimie Forsooth saide he as they thinke a verye good and necessarie iudgement thoughe it be not altogither as you desire but in my opinion it is as wise and righteous a iudgement as can be Well sir said shée though it be not according to my contentation yet I must be obedient knowing being wel assured that they are so wise righteous and godly that they will giue none other iudgement but according to equitie iustice and reason and therefore as I haue promised their Honors whatsoeuer iudgement they haue giuen I muste be content and will It is very well saide of you saide he there is no resisting of them and therefore the more willinglier you take it the better they will like of you I praye you sir saide she what is it thoughe I am loath saide he to vtter it vnto you bicause it will not well like you yet I am enforced to tell you of it bycause the Counsell haue commaunded me Spare not I beséeche you saide she to declare it vnto me for if it be any thing that may moue my mind I am determined to arme my selfe with patience I pray you do so saide he for you shall sée that God at the length will turne all things to the best now thus it is the chiefe Ruler and the reste of the Honorable Lordes of the Counsell haue giuen their iudgement and fully decréed that against suche a day you shall prepare your selfe in most sober and comely wise to be married vnto him for they thinke that the infamie you haue receiued by hym Worse than she looked for can be salued by no meanes so wel as by being his wife and to be married vnto him therfore prepare you for it accordingly for there is no remedy but you muste performe this their decrée and iudgement whiche when she hadde hearde she waxed as pale as was possible whereby it appeared that inwardly she was not a little vexed and troubled And wythin a while after she saide shall I nowe marry hym that hathe cruelly killed my louing husbande whom he promised mée to saue and spoiled me of my faith and honestie whiche I can neuer recouer againe to haue the life of my husbande made me to goe to his bed loathfully and can the death of my husbande make me to lye with him willingly Oh I woulde to God that the Counsell hadde not respected so muche mine honestie as to make me doe that I deteste more than death I had rather a thousande times liue in shame than to marry him that is cause of my shame Then said he to hir againe Did not you tell me that you would arme your selfe with patience thoughe I shoulde tell you that did trouble your minde I saide so indéede but when I saide so thoughe all things were not so wel as I would yet I did not thinke that it was so euill as it is to marry him is the thing he moste desireth but to be marryed to him is the thing that I moste abhorre whereby he shall haue a ioyful life that hathe deserued a cruell death but thereby I shall haue a sorrowfull death that oughte rather haue a ioyfull lyfe I hoped that the daye appoynted for his marying with me shoulde rather haue béene the daye of hys death for so shamefully abusing me Well I will obey theyr commaundementes trusting thereby that my sorrowe shall ende and whereas that nighte he thinketh that I shall bée bedded wyth hym I hope that then I shall be buried by my selfe There was neuer a sorrowfuller Bride than I shall be but looke what you haue willed me I will doe it and what the Counsel haue iudged I wyll performe it And then he toke his leaue of hir and departed Omen This was not suche a iudgement as shée looked for nor yet as the wicked Iudge didde hope to haue But didde she come at the daye appoynted to be marryed vnto him Siuqila Yea that she did thoughe it was full sore against hir will for in the same morning he was ready at the churche a good while before she came for if he had béene so vnwilling as she he woulde not haue come so soone as he did And at the laste she came in hir mourning apparell thinking the would weare the same at hir owne dolefull marriage that she did weare at hir husbandes death And so to conclude they were both married togither wherof he was as glad as she was sorrowfull And when they were marryed and as he was aboute to go home with his newe wofull wife the saide Commissioner saide sir you muste stay a little this Gentlewoman youre wife hathe performed all the iudgements that on hir parte are to be done but thoughe you haue done some yet you haue not done al there is one péece yet behinde for you to performe What is that said the Iudge for I wil do it willingly then said the Commissioner not so willingly I beléeue as you were marryed vnlesse you are willing to goe to youre death whereat the Iudge was astonied and then the Commissioner saide to him A wise and worthy iudgement nay there is no remedy the Counsels iudgemente is that immediately after you are married you muste bée executed therefore prepare youre selfe for I muste sée it done presently And as for you Gentlewoman saide he you were beste goe to dinner and not tarry for youre husbande for he hath an other parte to play O saide the Gentlewoman blessed be God that hathe giuen vs suche wise and godlye Counsellours that haue gyuen suche a worthy iudgement the death of my firste husband did not make mée so wofull a Widowe but the death of my seconde husbande dothe make me as ioyful a Widow Here was a sodaine change for whereas before the Bridegroome was mery and the Bride sad
when his lease was expyred go willingly oute of his Farme or didde hys Landlord thruste him out by force Omen Forsooth neither for he tarryed in it stil would not go out but kept possession thereof so that he that hyred the saide Farme ouer his heade complained of him to the Iudge who was his owne sonne thinking that he woulde weigh with him altogither being his father Siuqila It was very like so therefore it was maruaile that he durste stande so againste his Landlord and against him that had hyred his Farme considering the Iudge was his sonne Omen Yea you and they of your Countrey may maruaile at it wel ynoughe for perhappes some Iudges with you woulde haue fauoured their fathers cause thoughe it had not bene altogither right Siuqila That is verye like for there haue bene Iudges with vs ere nowe that haue wincked at the right and haue fauored such as had neither right nor good title in the thing they sued for and yet was neither theyr father mother sister nor brother nor any kinne at all to them Omen Then perhappes they greased them in the hands with the golden ointment whiche hathe as greate vertue to allure wicked Iudges as consanguinitie or kinred But this Farmer whose house was hyred from him did assure himselfe that the Iudges of Mauqsun are so righteous godly and fear God so much that neither loue of theyr kinred fauor of theyr friendes nor yet bribes of strangers coulde make them once tread awry besides that he knew ful wel that if the Iudge shoulde weigh with the wrong and doe contrary to equitie and iustice that then we haue suche a louing affable diligent and righteous King that if anye pore man complaine to him of wrong done to him by any whatsoeuer he were he woulde heare the matter himselfe and whether he were Lorde Ruler or Iudge that did the party wrong he should be sure to pay ful dearly for it according to the law without any hope of remission or pardon And therfore this Farmer did not feare his righteous matter at al though the Iudge was son to his enimy so that wheÌ„ the Iudges father had coÌ„playned to his son as is before said making to his son a very plain smooth matter of it as hée told the tale the Iudge then said father I much muse that the said Farmer would first consent be willing The wise saying of the Iudge that you should haue his Farme after his yeres were expyred nowe after his lease is ended to withstaÌ„d you not suffer you to enter into the same so much that rather for that he knoweth you are my deare father that I loue estéem you aboue all erthly creatures who may very well think that if I will aide help the widow fatherlesse straÌ„gers that I know not to their right that then I wil not suffer you to take any wrong Therfore it séemeth that either he is a noughtie obstinate or foolish fellow or that he was druÌ„ke when he conseÌ„ted agréed to your taking of his Farme or else it séemeth that you go about to do him wrong presuming that rather to prosecute your preteÌ„ded matter against him in hope to obtaine your desire for that I am your son that muste be Iudge of the cause but father I haue such a good opinion in you that you wil neither go about to do any man wrong neither bring any false matter before me And therfore I am perswaded that the foolish Farmer of some set purpose doth withstand resist you to whom his father then said do you think son that I would séeke mine owne shame your reproch be bolde I wil not that you may credite my matter the better loe here are thrée witnesses that were by when he conseÌ„ted agréed that I should take a lease of his Farme here is the Gentleman his landlord that will affirm the same And then the Gentleman said to the Iudge my Lord you know we haue a law that they that haue any laÌ„ds houses or grouÌ„d here in the country of Mauqsun may neither put out their tenants but for certain great vrgeÌ„t causes which I am not able to lay proue agaiÌ„st my late farmer neither may take anie fines other than the accustomed fine which is one yeres rent nor yet may enhance their rents Therfore séeing I cannot take anie in-come of anie A sâ—ttle saying neither raise or enhaÌ„ce my rents to what end should I put out my Tenant that hath paid my rent truly vsed himself honestly vnlesse he were willing consenting thereto you say very true said the Iudge that matter séemeth to be very apparaÌ„t but I maruell that he shoulde be so willing before so vnwilling now Belike said the GeÌ„tleman he was either not wel aduised wheÌ„ he did consent to it or else it may he that he thoght himself sure of some other house or Farm to be in at the time of his coÌ„sent and now caÌ„not haue the same wherby he repeÌ„ts that he so fondly agreed so thinketh by force to kéep it and to desude your good nature by one meane or other Then the Iudge said it wer a follie for him so to think for he may be sure that I am not such a foole but that I can finde out the truth that I wil not take his part in wrong to be against my father in right If he hadde bin disappointed of an other house contrarie to his expectation it had bin his best way to come to me to desire me to intreate my father to be good vnto him to suffer him to enioy his Farme still which I assure you I would haue done I thinke my father would haue done so much at my request Yea son said he I would haue done more for you than that Then saide the Iudge I wil send for the Farmer hither and sée what he can saie for himself It shal not néed said his father here is euidence inough therfore I pray you procéed according to the law â—ay father said the Iudge you shal hold me excused therin that better euidence witnes you haue the lesse hath he our lawe wil not suffer that any maÌ„ be prosecuted or condeÌ„ned but that he must haue knowlege therof to speake for himself or some other for him You shal be sure that he caÌ„ do you no wrong as long as I am Iudge And therfore I wil send for him your thrée witnesses here besides your own credite this gentlemans wil soone make an end of this matter And also I wil persuade him to yéeld possession to you by gentle meanes otherwise I wil tel him that law wil enforce him thereto with further losse whether he wil or no. Then he said to his son I pray you doe let it be as quickly dispatched as maye be And then the Iudge immediately sent an officer for him at whose coÌ„mandemeÌ„t he came by
few or none for feare durst haue vsed their fathers in such order and I do not think but that he had some condigne punishment for the same Siuqila He was neither toucht nor trubled therfore nor had any punishment for it vnlesse you cal that punishmeÌ„t to enioy quietly the lands that he so falsely bought with his fathers mony Omen Was that al the harme he had now surely it was great shame that he was suffred either you haue no law for correcting such a fault else the same is not wel executed Siuqila Truly many with vs are so slenderly harde wheÌ„ they coÌ„plaine of such like iniuries and such treacherous parts are so boulstred or borne withal that they thinke it is better to reste quietly with the harme or losse than with further trouble to speÌ„d consume their mony be neuer the nearer yea and perhaps his father would not complaine of his sonne Omen Such notorious enormities shold be redressed such wicked dealers should worthily be punished though the party so misused did neuer coÌ„plain if they were coÌ„mitted in our couÌ„try Siuqila How can that be for if one complaine not howe can he haue remedie Omen Yes welynough for our King hath his most trustie priuie Espials that trauel purposely through his whole Dominions only secretely to learne and search out such notorious misdemeanors who in their own persons reueale secretely to the King all such notable mischiefes as they haue truely learned and surely searched out by their trauel and they do not only giue to the king in writing the names and places where they dwel that so offend but also their names and dwelling places that are so molested misused to which priuy Spials the King giues great liuings and also bountiful rewards Siuqila If such Spials were with vs out of doubt one or other would kill them quickly Omen Yea but how can they kil them before they do know them These Spials are charged on paine of death not to vtter or reueale the cause of their trauell for none but the King him selfe doth knowe them that are appointed for this purpose So that it can not bée knowne vnlesse they reueale it them selues And moreouer these Espials dare not certifie the King of any vntruthe for if they doe they shall die for it therfore it standeth them vppon to learne and search out the matter aduisedly and diligently and to bée of a good and sure ground before they certifie the King thereof And to make the sayde Espials to bée the more diligent in their trauell triall out of such notorious misdemeanours and wicked practises the moe matters that they haue to certifie the King the moe gifts and rewardes they shal haue of the King for the King giueth euery one of them a liberall rewarde for euery such notorious fault practise or misdemeanour that they so declare vnto him And the King him self in his owne person hath the hearing determining and iudging of euery such notorious fact or matter that is informed him by his saide Espials And by these meanes wicked deceiuers and diuelish practisers are iustly punished by the King the opressed and defrauded are reuenged restored and helped thoughe they themselues do not complaine Siuqila What a worthie order and notable policie is this wherby the wicked is punished the innocent helped and truth and equitie defended Surely your Prince is much to be commended that bestoweth himself such liberall giftes to such finders out of faultes wherby all this is accomplished I woulde to God we had such Spials with vs to trauell abroad to learne and search out such Omen By these Espials our King of Mauqsun did so spéedilie and earnestlie helpe a poore wronged Widow to hir right that therfore his fame will neuer be quenched Siuqila I beséech you to tell it for I thinke the time long till I heare it Omen As one of the Kings priuie Espials was trauelling An excellent example of the restoring of a widowe vnto hir right myssused by hir sonne in lawe he spied a poore woman sitting in hir doore spinning who asked hir the way to a towne hée was trauelling vnto and shée tolde him the right way thither which poore woman perceiuâ—ng the man by his spetting to bée drie desired him to drinke a cuppe of hir small drinke whiche he did not refuse but thanked hir for hir gentlenesse And then shée brought him into hir poore house and did sette before him bread and chéese and brought him such drinke as she hadde whereof he did both eate and drinke well And whyles hée was sitting there hée demaunded of the sayde Woman what Countrie woman she was Who tolde him that shée was not borne far from thence And then he asked hir if the got all hir liuing with spinning Yea saide she I thanke God for it for though it bée a poore trade yet it is a true trade But sir said shée though I bee now in such a poore case I haue bene in a great deale better Howe then came you thus empouerished saide he Truly I will tell you sayde shée the whole matter if it were not for troubling of you Nay said he againe it will bée no trouble to mée nor harme to you therefore tell the truth in all pointes as nigh as you can for if I can doe you no good assure your selfe I will doe you no harme Sir I doe not tell it vnto you saide she to the intent to haue any redresse thereby but only to shewe the simple state I am nowe in and the case I was in before concerning prosperitie or worldlie felicitie It was my chaunce when I was not past nine or tenne yeares of age to be caried by a frende of my father and mother a hundreth miles hence at the leaste to be brought vppe with a Gentlewoman who loued me very well bicause I was something obedient and diligente vnto hir whose seruice I chaunged not for any but tarried still with my saide Mystresse vntil shée died I being then about thrée or foure and twentie yeares of age my Maister was made a Knighte whereby his Wyfe was a Ladie at hir death Who a little before hir death sente for hir husbande to come and speake with hir and hée as shée desired came presently vnto hir at whiche time shée toke him fast by the hande and sayde Sir I féele my selfe now so sick that I knowe I shall not long bée your Wyfe and I trust that you can not say but that euer since our mariage I haue bene a true louing and obediente Wyfe vnto you And as I neuer requested any thing of you of any greate importaunce so nowe at my death I praye you graunte mée a boone which you may easilye perfourme And I assure you sir sayde shée it wyll be no euill but good and not to your hindraunce but greately for your profite ioye and quietnesse What is it wyfe sayde he and then I will tell you whether I will or not Nay said
knowe it saide he by a very good token for within a quarter of an houre after my maister was gone a friend of my maisters came purposely to speake with him whom I aunswered that my master was newly gone forth requiring him then to stay a little for that I thought he woulde not long be absente who tarried there a long houre at the least and then he went away without speaking with him howe long was thy maister forth saide the Iudge Truly my Lord saide he two houres at the leaste then saide the Iudge is here all thou canst say yea my Lord sayde he what sayst thou saide the Iudge to his other seruaunt which was a woman was thy maister at home such a day all the whole day or not truely saide she I am certayne he was not at home al the whole day How knowst thou that said the Iudge forsooth my Lorde said she he came into the Kitchin that euening something late and brought some drie stickes in his hande bad me rost meate therwith to whoÌ„ I said here is good dry wood where got you it marry said he I had it froÌ„ one that gathered it in my groue but she had bin as good to haue gotten wood a mile off and here is all that I can tell your Lordeship of my maisters being from home that daye therefore it is a false lye my Lorde that my maister did beate any at his dore for asking of almes especially at that time for I am most sure that he was theÌ„ froÌ„ home And as it appeareth by his own saying he was theÌ„ or about that time in a groue of wood of his own wel said the Iudge you haue done like true and good seruants your witnessing of that truth wil make your maister anoyde much troble but wil you take your othes saide the Iudge that thys is true yea saide they with all our heartes And then the Iudge deposed them and caused theyr examinations to bée written Siuqila Then the Iudge verye politickely vsed the matter to make them willing and to drawe them on to tell the truth Omen He did so And then the two seruants and witnesses were commaunded aside and not to come vntil they were sent for At which time the Iudge commaunded the Rich man to be brought before him and then caused him to stand among other people that were there and not in the open face of the Courte and then he sent for the Wench that the Rich man had so wickedly handled to whom he said maide where were you such a day and at such an houre forsooth my Lorde said she I was in such a grone gathering of stickes for to make a fire for my mother and me Art thou sure thou wast there theÌ„ said the Iudge yea my Lord saide she I haue both a token to knowe it and 〈◊〉 cause to remember it yea and that suche a one as I shall neuer forget as long as I liue belike saide the Iudge the token was either very good or very ill Wel séeing thou art sure that then thou wast there I am satisfied thinking verily that thou telst me no lye Then the Iudge called for the man that loosed the Wench froÌ„ the trée led hir home to hir mother saying I pray you my friend where were you suche a morning about such an houre my Lord said he about that time as me as I can gesse I was going towards such a place and as I was going I heard one groning making pittiful mone whervnto I gaue such eare that by the sound at the last I came to the place where a yong mayde ws hard and fast tyed to a trée which doleful sight did so much gréeue me that it was not loÌ„g before I vnbound hir who was so frozen with the cold that then she could neither go nor stand and then as charitie did wil me I helped hir home to hir poore mothers house as wel as I could and so through Gods good prouidence I was made an instrumeÌ„t to saue the Girles life TheÌ„ said the Iudge this is a very good token that then you were there a certain signe that she was not farre thence you did not so good a déede in loosing hir from the trée but he did as wicked a déede that tyed hir to the trée Siuqila The rich man that bound hir to the Trée hadde an euill quakyng heart of hys owne all this while when he heard the good man tell this tale but what sayde the Iudge then further Omen Mary he asked the maÌ„ that vnbouÌ„d hir whether he knew the same maide if he saw hir or not yes my lord said he that I do for this same is she that staÌ„deth here I beléeue said he she hath not forgotteÌ„ me no sir said the maide I haue a good cause to remeÌ„ber you you are the man throughe Gods goodnesse that saued my life Then saide the Iudge to the maide I perceiue thou knowest him that vnloosed thée froÌ„ the trée but I thinke that knowst not him that bound thée to the trée yes sir said the maide that I do if I might sée him I know him wel ynough TheÌ„ said the Iudge to hir loke among all that throng if thou can espy him bring him to me then the Wâ—Ì„ch looked among the people espyed hym on whoÌ„ she toke hold saying my Lord I haue him here this is he whoÌ„ the Officers brought then before the Iudge how say you sirra said the Iudge were you at home all the daye as you tolde me or were you at youre Groue this yong Mayden me thinks tels a perfect token that you were from home but he saide nothing why dost thou not speake said the Iudge if thou art not able to speake for thy selfe it wil be harde to finde â—â—ye other that can do it your silence showeth you are not altogither faultlesse this maide hath complayned to me that suche a daye about such an houre one did binde hir fast belike for falling to a trée in such a groue which groue I thinke you wil not denie to be yours and for the better tryall that the Girle doth say true here is an honest maÌ„ hath witnessed that such a morning it was his chaunce to heare hir and find hir wherby he vnbouÌ„d hir and so carried hir home to hir mother for she was not able to go of hir selfe and to say truth both by hir own sayings and by this honest mans reporte she was therby more like to dye than to liue And for that she flatlye affirmeth that you are the man that bound hir to the trée I can not choose but beléeue it the rather for that the groue is yours Then said the rich man my Lord thoughe the groue be mine that proueth not that I bounde hir to the trée neither hir binding doeth argue that I did it that is true saide the Iudge but hir knowing and accusing of you is rather a proofe than a
husbandes fathers comming thoughe he were poore and beggarlye so she was moste ioyfull when she saw that hir husbande had giuen his father that that he did Siuqila Manye Gentlewomen with vs would haue frouned on their husbandes halfe a yeare after perhaps as long as they Marke this hadde liued if they shoulde haue entertayned their poore father in this order and giuen theyr father in lawe such a liberal gifte I will not say but that there be manye with vs that vse theyr fathers reuerentlye and doe relieue them well in theyr necessitie but I neuer heard of any and I feare I neuer shal but of this one that dwelt in your Countrey of Mauqsun that thus vsed their father either in pouertie or prosperitie I perceiue the children with you doe maruellouslye obey loue and helpe their parents Do the seruauntes also reuerently behaue themselues to their maisters that brought them vp and succor them if they come to pouertie Omen You may be most sure they do Few seruants do so If a man shoulde fall in decay with vs that hath brought vp Prentises or Seruants if anye of those seruants be then wealthy or able to helpe them as soone as they heare that their saide maister is decayed well is he that firste may helpe and relieue him yea they are so earnest in helping their decayed maisters that one hathe bene at great contention with another therfore and haue gone to the lawe about it Siuqila I haue liued a good while yet I neuer hearde that anye with vs went to the law about any such matter Can you shew me any example therof Omen Yea that I can a hundreth but one shall sufâ—â—â—e whyche I meane to tell you There was a very rich occupâ—er or rather a Merchant with vs that hadde brought vp diuerse Prentises whereof especially two of them were not only diligent and obedient whilest they dwelt with him but waxed very riche after they began to trade for themselues It chaunced after that their saide maister through great losses on the Sea and through euill creditors was maruellously decayed and brought to greate pouertie who escaping the Sea very hardly came home and thinking then to giue ouer and to meddle no more with suche Worldlye affaires not shewing outwardly the bare case he was in sodainely solde all that he had and paide all his debts therewith which being paide there was nothing remayned for him to liue on he solde his house also to pay his debts withal wherin he had not past a moneths respite to dwel whose bare case these two seruaunts that were so riche vnderstoode wel ynough whereof one of them went in a morning vnto him and saide thus sir I vnderstande that you are in more want than you make shew of I haue learned that you haue like a good man paide al your debtes notwithstanding the great losses you haue had of late whereby you haue left youre selfe little or nothing to liue on Besides that you haue solde your house you dwell in And séeing it is so I am readie to bestowe halfe the goods I haue on you which I hope is so much as will make you occupie freshly againe You were my good maister and brought me vp in this rich trade that I nowe doe vse wheras if you hadde not shewed me learned me and otherwayes helped me I coulde not haue gayned this I haue gotteÌ„ Besids that you of your goodnesse gaue me an hundreth pouÌ„ds to beginne withall whiche in the meane season to helpe you in your néede loe I haue brought you To whom his mayster saide I thanke you for your good will but I will neyther take halfe your goods whiche moste curteously you haue offered me neither the hundreth pounde that you now proffer me For the truth is so I am fully bente and determined from whiche I will not be perswaded to giue my selfe to prayer and a quiet liuing so that I wil not from henceforthe trouble my self with anye Worldly trade Then sir saide he bycause you are thus bent I wil perswade you no more to the contrarie but séeing you haue refused my firste offer I moste hartilye desire you to take my seconde proffer whiche is as long as you liue to take your bourding lodging finding in my house and of this one thing I assure you you shall fare no worse than my selfe nor lye no worse than my selfe Then saide the decayed Merchauntman God wil blesse and prosper such as you that haue such care of your maisters that brought you vp I thanke you for your gentle offer it may be that I wil take it but as yet I wil not certenly promise you Seing you wil not sayd his seruant at this time graunt mée I beséeche you yet promise mée nowe that before I speake with you againe none other herein preuent mée That I will sayde the decayed Merchant And so they departed Siuqila It will be a good while ere a decayed Mayster wyth vs haue suche an offer at anye of hys seruaunts handes It was maruell if his other enriched seruaunt did not come to him and offer him the like Omen In déede the next day after his other seruaunte came to him as you iudged and offered to him as muche or more whome he thanked heartilye for hys gentlenesse but at that time he would not promise him to take his finding and lodging of him sir sayde he if it please you to promise me now to take your borde your lodging and apparell of me during your life I will giue you besides euery wéeke halfe a Crowne in youre purse to spende or doe therewith what you liste whiche you shall haue also as long as you liue I am muche beholden to you sayde the decayed Merchaunte man for this youre greate curtesie I haue not a little cause to reioyce that I haue brought vppe suche a seruaunt but I pray you to pardon me for as yet I cannot promise you séeing you wil not doe that saide he I pray you theÌ„ grant me that none other shall allure you froÌ„ me before you tell me of it whereat the decayed marchaunt stayed a litle remembring his promise to the other you néede not stay at this sayd the seruaunt therefore I beséech you let me craue so much at your handes I am contente sayth he I will not promise to be with any before I haue tolde you therof And when he had that aunsweare of him he toke then his leaue of him Siuqila A man would haue thought if he had not known the matter that they had sued for some great commoditie to themselues they were so importunate but I wold faine know who got him at the last Omen If you wil giue eare a little you shal know Within two or thrée days after he that was first with him came to him again was very earnest in hand with him to graunt him hys request To whoÌ„ the decayed MerchaÌ„t man said I would fain promise you but I am bounde that