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
may do you some vnlooked for pleasure And the Kings Espiall went on his iorny sheâ—to hir spinning Siuqila She little knew good womaÌ„ that he she so curteouslie vsed and to whome shée tolde hir troublesome tale was the Kings appointed Spiall for the learning searching and trying of suche kinde of matters and that God woulde prepare a remedie for hir so soone as he did It was onelie the Lordes working that putte it into his hearte to aske hir the way and that putte it into hir minde to offer him drink God workes al things by maruellous meanes if we would consider it for the helping of the innocent and godly Nowe tell on your tale I pray you Omen This man to whom this pore Lady declared the cause of this hir pouertie made his iorny through that couÌ„trie where she told that hir wicked son in law did dwel And when he came nigh to that place he did not onlie vnderstand learn of diuers perfectly that the same Gentleman was then liuing inhabiting there but also that such a womaÌ„ was his fathers wife married hir being his maid at his wiues earnest desire on hir death bed and al things besides as she had before tolde but whether she went or what became of hir after the Knight hir husbaÌ„ds death they knewe not thinking verily that 〈◊〉 was dead for saide they if she were aliue eyther she woulde haue come or sente ere this for a greate liuing shoulde belong to hir if she were aliue Which being bolted out by them a far off without any suspition he made hast to the Court being very glad that he had such a matter wherof to certifie the King And as soone as he came to the Court watching his time when he might most conueniently talke with the King he went vnto him as he and the rest of his fellows might do most boldely and then with diuers enormities and wicked practises he reuealed the whole storie howe this pore Lady was missused by hir wicked son in lawe and to what pouerty hée brought hir And then presently the kyng sent for this poore Lady whoÌ„ the King vsed curteously after she had tolde him al hir matter and appointed hir to be kepte secretly in the court and gaue hir meate drinke and lodging and bade hir in anye wise that she shoulde tell no bodye wherefore she was there nor declare hir case to any nor yet to vtter what she was And also the King sent for that said GentlemaÌ„ by a Purseuant and for al the Iustices of Peace that dwelled neare him and also for the Iudge that was appointed for that soile Siuqila I am sure the saide Gentleman did not maruell a little what should be the cause that the King did so hastily send for him and also the Iustices of Peace and the Iudge coulde not tel the cause why the King sent for them Omen No they knewe no more thereof than the newe borne babe doth know of his mothers labour When euery one of these were come to the court when the king was certified therof he sent not for theÌ„ all at once but for one of theÌ„ after an other And first the King sent for the said GentlemaÌ„ that had so vsed his mother in law to come before him whoÌ„ the king asked what was his name what was the place where he dwelled TheÌ„ he told both his name also where he dwelled And theÌ„ the king asked him whether his father died before his mother or not he told the king that his mother died before his father did your father marry again said the king after the death of your mother Yea if it like your Grace said he What mind of woman was she said the king a maide or a widowe a Gentlewoman or a base borne forsooth saide the Gentleman she was as I iudge of no highe degrée for she was but my fathers seruaunt and as for hir kinred wée knewe not it séemed by hir attyre at hir firste comming that hir parents were but pore Howe chaunced it that youre father said the King being a Knight and a man of so greate a liuing and good worship would marry his seruant or one of so base a calling Truely saide the Gentleman my mother on hir death bed for the great loue affectioÌ„ she bare to hir desired my father to grant hirone request before she died who thinking she woulde desire no such thing graunted hir that he woulde do whatsoeuer she desired if it lay in his power to performe and then when he had graunted hir she required him to marry hir maide after hir death and so he did performe the promise he made to my mother Then saide the King your father was very good to hir for in one houre he made hir of a pore seruaÌ„t a worshipfull Lady and of a pore maide a rich Mistresse He did so saide the Gentleman Then saide the King Is she dead or aliue I thinke she be dead saide the Gentleman Doe you not knowe perfectly saide the King no I knowe not perfectly but that I surmize for if shée were aliue she woulde come or sende to receiue hir Rentes for hir liuing shoulde be great if she were aliue for my father loued hir so wel that he made hir a Ioynter of more than halfe his liuing besides that he left hir worth in goodes aboue two or thrée thousande pounds but she neuer had nor enioyde any of it for soone after my fathers death she went away but howe I knowe not and I neuer hearde of hir since I like you well saide the King that you tell me the truth it séemeth that she had better lucke during your fathers life than she had after his death How long was she married to your father saide the King forsooth saide hée aboue twentie yeares Did your mother leaue anye moe children than you yea saide he she lefte two that were but yong And was she a good mother to you said the King and vsed you and them well Yea very well said he our own mother coulde not haue loued nor vsed vs better It is very strange saide the King that no body could tel neither of hir death nor yet howe she shoulde be conueyed awaye truely saide the Gentlemanne I made as greate search and enquirie for hir as I coulde possibly but I coulde neuer learne what became of hir The most wisest men haue surmised that some did by some wile steale and conuey hir away against hir wil for hir great wealth and liuing and for that she woulde not consent haue killed hir fearing leaste she shoulde bewraye them if they shoulde haue let hir go away from them It may be so saide the King it is verye likely Wel saide the King this is the cause I haue sent for you by my Purseuaunt The King speaketh politikly it was credibly told belike by some that beare you no good will and perhappes doe it rather of malice than of anye good
Imprinted at London by Abel Ieffs dwelling in the forestrete without Crepelgate at the signe of the Bell. Anno. 1587. The Second part and Knitting vp of the Boke entituled Too good to be true Wherin is continued the discourse of the wonderfull Lawes commendable customes strange manners of the people of Mauqsun Newely penned and published by THOMAS LVPTON AT LONDON Printed by Henry Binneman ANNO DOMINI 1581. Cum Priuilegio Septembris 6. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE SIR VVILLIAM CICILL OF THE NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER KNIGHT BARON OF Burghley Lord high Treasurer of Englande and one of hir Maiesties most honorable priuie Counsell AS THE first Styrpe whereof we did spring Right Honorable was bewitched by that wily wicked serpent Euen so the same wicked serpent hath neuer since ceased to enchaunt and bewitch hir posteritie knowing them to be hir deare darlings and sweete mouthed like their mother For who is it that feedeth not where fancie doth fauour And what fauoureth fancie but sweete pleasaunt poyson That flattering feend was the first founder of our fond affection and entised EVE did spinne the threede of our thraldom but ADAM alas did weaue vp this wofull web And hath not his pieuish posteritie delited euer since to prowle for their pleasure though it worke their owne woe yea beside wicked praise and priuate profit to the hurt of other And to make it more manifest what thing hath bene done from the beginning or is now dailie practised except of a few but only for selfe pleasure wicked praise or priuat profit Examples hereof are as rare to be founde as to espie one winke that sleepeth nothing almost hath else bene esteemed what else at this time of vs is embraced But if we will not wilfullie winke but willinglie see the publike paine such pleasures haue preferred the perilous practises such praise hath permitted the pitifull penurie such profit hath procured that it will make vs loath that so many hath loued cause vs detest that so many haue desired feare vs to fauor that thousands haue followed LVCIFER the ringleader of this daunce practising for his pleasure to be higher than God did appoint him brought him selfe and many thousands of Angells to endles sorrowes EVES pleasure in the forbodden apple wrought the greatest displeasure to man that could be DAVIDS pleasure in the beautie of a woman cost VRIAS his life the pleasure of HOLOFERNES in IVDITH was the losse of his head and the spoile of his armie many a giltlesse child was murthered for the pleasure of HEROD the pleasure that ACHAE had in a litle vineyard caused NABOTH be killed NEROES vile pleasure made his mother be murthered his sister deslowred and Rome to be burned Wicked praise likewise hath bin preferred to the great grief of both godly other for did not PILATE to be praised of the people saue a murtherer and condemne innocēt Christ did not HEROD to be praised for the keeping of his wicked promise cause IOHN BAPTISTS head to be cut of Did not CAMEISES to be praised in his drunkennes shoote his good Counsellors child through the hart with an arrow Besides a great number of mischiefs wrought only for wicked praise And hath not priuat profit also to the hurt of many bin esteemed and that of such that ought chiefly to haue abhorred it Yes I trow for BAALAM the Prophet of God through greedy gaine did curse the people of God IVDAS one of CHRISTS Apostles for priuat profit did betray CHRIST his maister what made ALEXANDER go about to conquer the whole earth but a priuat cōmoditie and a regall rule to himself What cities haue bin betraied what coūtries cōsumed what people spoyled and murthered what pouerty vnhoused what right peruerted what townes decaied how many periured what widowes wronged what fatherlesse defrauded and what poore oppressed and al for priuat profit These are the blossoms that such braūches do beare these are the floods that flowe frō such fountaines and these are the grapes that grow on such grafts But if this selfe pleasure which hurteth many doth good to none were chaūged into godly pleasure which helpeth other though it hinder it selfe and if wicked praise which maketh truth be oft troubled and much wrōg to be winked at were altered into honest and godly report which iudgeth vprightly and fauoreth no falshood and if priuat profit which vndoeth many to make a few riche were turned into common commoditie that enricheth many and impouerisheth none then many displeasured should liue in quiet many that want should then haue enough and thousandes that are wronged should then haue their right Which godly chaunge most meete for Christians is smally preferred not much procured and a great deale lesse practised Yet the Ethnikes not knowing the gaine of godly life as we do so much did preferre the pleasures of other before their owne honest praise aboue other riches and publike welth before their owne profit that it is wonderfull to heare straunge to be tolde and hard to be credited CVRTIVS to pleasure the Romaines in ceasing the infectious fume left all his owne pleasures lept into a stinking pit and so died him selfe MVTIVS SCEVOLA to profit his owne Citie did burne his arme stoutly with a couragious hart ZOPIRVS to come in credit with the Babylonians his enemies did cut off his owne nose eares and lippes whereby being made Captaine of Babylon did after deliuer the same to DARIVS his Lord maister PHILIP king of Macedon father to ALEXANDER the great esteeming equity honest praise before his owne priuate profit gaue to a certaine man so much money out of his coffers as by wrong vndaduised iudgement he gaue from the same AGESILAVS preferring the profit of his subiects the Lacedemonians before his owne gaine did giue all king AGIS treasure among the poorest of them Now seing these Ethnickes and many mo with the losse of their liues the dismembring of themselues and with their liberall gifts haue shewed themselues by their deedes rather Christians than Ethnickes making pleasure praise and profite three vertues then these Christians that hurt and displease other to pleasure and profite themselues do shewe by their deedes that they are rather Ethnickes than Christians turning pleasure praise and profite into three vices whereof there are no small number But that pleasure prayse and profite were vsed as they ought not as they are I haue with some paines and studie facioned and framed not onely of late a worke for that purpose called To good to be true but also now newly compiled and finished a Seconde parte thereof Wherby it may appeare if my will were to my wishe the same three frequented vices should be changed into three vnaccustomed vertues But seing I can not performe it I would faine procure it and therefore for that I can not profite my countrie with my purse as I wishe yet I meane to pleasure the same with my penne as I may Which Booke as it
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
Surely it is pittie it should be so suffred there riseth a great inconuenience therby They that should help to ease the poore are an occasion of empouerishing the poore and they that haue their Farmes cheapest do sel their commodities dearest Siuqila It is so they that kéep their corne butter and chéese vnto the laste ende doe saye that were it not for the kéeping of their corne in store with their other profits the markets would be vnserued so that it is for a Common wealth and that therfore they are to be commended Omen Their wordes shewe fairer than their déedes do declare I would say that they meant wel and that they did it for a Common wealth if they did sell then their corne and coÌ„modities by the same price or cheaper as the other sold theirs that first serued the markets or that were driuen to sel soon to serue their necessitie But bicause they sel them dearer it is manifest that they kéep their corne and coÌ„modities so long vnsold rather for their own gaine than for the commoditie of their Countrie Such an enormitie would not be suffred with vs. Siuqila That and many moe are daily permitted with vs. Well thoughe your Countrie excéeds all the Countries in the Worlde for good Landlordes yet we haue diuers as I said before that are so godlie and zealous that they will neyther raise their Rentes neither put out any of their Tenantes vnlesse it be for some great and woorthie cause And amongest all others I will tell you of one whose example I would to God that manie would followe Omen You haue told me of diuers abuses in your Countrie tell me nowe of one good example Siuqila With all my heart I heard it credibly tolde that a noble man with vs of great fame of good report and generally welbeloued had a certaine Tenant who though he hadde his Farme without Fine and by the olde Rent yet prospered but meanely therâ—â— nigh whom or not very farre off diwelled one more gréedie than godlie An excellent example of a good Landlord and more couetous than charitable that went to the owner of thesame Farme who when he came to him saide It may please your Honour to vnderstande that you haue a Farme in such a place and such a man dwelleth in it if you will be so good as to let mée be your Tenante I will giue you thus much for a Fine I can not lette it vnto you sayd the owner of the Farm for there is a Tenant in it alredy whoÌ„ I would be loth to put out Sir said the fellow he is a very yll husband and he doth not thriue on it surely I thinke he either doth not pay you his Rente or else shortly I feare he wil not be able to pay it Trowest thou so said the Lord of the Farme belike he is an il husband for he hath his Farme cheape ynough Wel said the Nobleman come to me such a day and I wil theÌ„ talk further with thée And so the same Caterpiller that desired his neighbours Farme departed After which the said Nobleman sent for his Tenant to whome he said when he was come to him sirra I vnderstand that you are a very ill husbande and can not thryue on the Farme that you haue of me And moreouer that you do not pay me my Rent and that within a while you will not be able to pay it you runne so farre behinde hand I beséech your Honour said the Tenant to credit no further of me than I deserue the truth is I must confesse that I haue not much prospered on it but the same is neither through negligence nor ill husbandry for my stock is much decresed through the death of my Cattell besides many other great losses hindrances that I haue had but as for your Rent what shift so euer I made I thank God I haue alwayes paide it from time to time and neuer haue bene behinde withal nor I trust neuer to be which if you wil not credit your Bailie I am sure will not deny but that he hath at euery Rent day receiued it Then saide the Nobleman if it be so as you say I am the more glad I am sure you payde no Fine for it neither haue I raised your Rente therefore it would gréeue me if you should not thriue on it especially through euil husbandrie As for losses otherways as the death of your Cattel and other casualties you must be coÌ„tent and giue God thanks therfore God can will prosper you better when it pleaseth him wherefore take paciently thankfully what he doth send for pouertie and riches come both from him And if you decay or be empouerished so it be not by your own follie you shal not want aide of mée therfore play the good husband The Lord saue your life said his Tenant Then sayd the Nobleman thou maist sée I haue dealt well with thée for I haue bin offred roundly to displace thée which some would not haue refused And bicause thou shalt be sure this is true come such a day to me and thou shalt heare more but be of good chéer for neither monie nor frendship shall allure me sée thou faile not to be with me as I haue apointed thée Wherwith his pore Tenant was faine and went merily away Omen What followed then procéed on in your tale Siuqila At the day apointed they both came as he willed theÌ„ but before the gréedie Fine-offrer came the poore Tenant was placed priuily behinde a cloth where he might heare what was said And then the Nobleman said welcom my frend hast thou brought me the monie that thou offredst me for a Fine for my Farme to whome he gladly answered Yea sir that I haue to whom the Nobleman saide I perceyue thou knewest I lacked monie so I do in déed it could not come in a better time than now But I pray thée tel me one thing is my Tenante an vnthrist or an yll husband that now hath it Yea truly sir said he he is a very pore man and far behind hand and it is thought he wil not in a whyle be able to pay the Rente I tell you for good wil as you shall finde it If it be so said he I am beholding to thée wel it is méet to haue witnesses at our bergaine and therwith his pore Tenant came from behinde the cloth who heard all that was spoken whom when the other saw he was something amased thinking then that al was not well And then the Nobleman sayde to his Tenante you may sée sirra that I may haue a good fine for my Farme of this man wheras I had none of thée who though he giue me a Fine for it yet hopeth to prosper on it though thou without a Fine canst not prosper theron Besides that this man telleth me that thou arte not able to pay me my Rent nay it should séem that it is vnpayde already Sir saide
neighbour to buye or conclude for the same Farme for you forsooth saide he my Lorde I am sure it was about the same time Then said the Iudge I haue another witnesse here that wil I trow agree with you both and then he looked on the quittance A good witnes and he founde that it was dated and sealed the same daye that the man saide he receiued his money loe said the Iudge how iumpe and iustly is truth tryed by tryall if falshod be not suborned with friendship money or giftes she could neuer preuaile as in many places she doeth These craftie and wicked wretches do tie one mischiefe to another linke diuelish practises togither for when this craftie fellowe had defrauded hys neighbour that putte him in truste of the Farme he lefte not there but practised to deceiue this other man of the one halfe of hys money and whereas he solde him hys Farme whyche woulde bring hym to wealth he practised to beguile hym of his money to bring him to pouertie therefore stande neare sayde the Iudge thou false and craftie fellowe I muste néeds procéede againe againste thée in iudgement and the seconde iudgemente will be worse than the first And now for that thou didst make a lye to thy neighbour whiche put thée in truste telling hym that this manne woulde not sell the Lease of his Farme whereby thou deceiuedst him and boughte it from him which lye was to his great hindrance and the cause he had it not my iudgement is that for the space of two monthes more for thys only without any paying any thing to him for that as the matter falleth out he shal be otherwaies recōpēst thou shalt not speak to any body vnlesse before a Iudge or Ruler as is before said And shal also al the while weare on thy sléeue and an H. an L for a Hurtful Lyer bicause thou hast deceiued thy neighbor of the Farme which he put thée in trust to buy for him therefore my iudgemēt is that he shal haue the Lease of the same enioy it as wel as though he had bought it paying to thée againe the xx l. which thou hast must pay for it bycause thou didst giue lesse than thy neighbour did offer for it by .x. l. therefore he shal occupie enioy thy Farme which thou sold vnto thy neighbour for the space of ten yeres And sée that thou performe this iudgement as thou wilt auoyde a greter danger And as thou likest this saide the Iudge deceiue thy neighbour againe that doeth put thée in trust Siuqila Out of al doubt he was rightly serued your law in this case is a very good law if we had such a law with vs so wel executed so many would not be defrauded by them they trust Omen Are not they thus handled with you that beguile thē that put them in trust Siuqila No no we haue no such law for thē I feare if there were their doings wold not be so narrowly sifted nor their offēces so duely corrected Nay rather with vs one that is put in trust may buy enioy any thing frō his neighbor with his own mony the thing wil be rather laughed at than lamēted he that is defrauded shal be rather mocked than moned I can tell you as pretie a tricke as this that was done with vs but the defrauder was not therfore so handled as with you Omen I pray you tel it and I wil giue you the hearing Si. I wil not stick for yt. There was a Gētlemā vnderstood that certain lād other cōmodities wold be sold that very resonably which lay so necessary for his purpose that he could not haue wisht it better And for that he was aged not wel able to ride trauel also hauing a son both of good wit dexteritie knowledge being very wel acquainted able to make good friends called his son vnto him said son I vnderstand that such a house Land with other cōmodities will be solde and for that the same lyeth so necessarie for me as is possible I woulde haue thee to trauel therin for me whiche thou mayest easlier doe and bring to passe than I for that thou art better able to trauell hast more knowledge therein father saide his sonne I am at your commaundement and wil trauel therein as much as I am able I doubting neuer a whit to bring this your desire to passe Then saide his father if thou dost wel for me thou canst not do ill for thy selfe wherefore I would haue thée to goe about it with all spéede and thou shalt carrie so much money with thée as wyll purchase the same and in any wise purchase it in my name to me my heires for euer Thē said his sō father in whose name else should I purchace it the mony is yours that shall buy it then must the lands be yours that owes the mony therfore doubt not I wil do al things herein for you in such order that you shal haue a good cause to think better of me if it be possible you may Wel said his father I do not doubt but thou wilt And then his son toke his leaue of his father carried the mony with him for the purchasing of the same who within a while after what throgh his trauel what through friendship what through rewards he purchased the same and had it vnder seale and so made him readie to go homeward to his father Omen But I praye you tel me did he purchase it in his fathers name or not Siuqila Belike he had forgottē his fathers name therfore he put in his owne name which he remembred better Omen A good son if he had bin hanged a while a sunning to drye it must néedes grieue his father when he hearde of it Siuqila That is not to be doubted Wel to procéed with this fraudulent sonne to his faithful father he made as much spéede homewarde as he coulde rather glad of his Lands that he had got falsely than ashamed of the defrauding of his father And assoone as he came home his father reioysing at his comming said sonne thou arte welcome home howe haste thou spedde forsooth father saide he I haue spedde verye wel I thanke God I haue gone through with the purchase then sayde his father then I may take possession of it when I will No father sayde he you muste not take possession it is I that muste take possession for to put you out of doubt I pray you be not angrye I haue purchased it in mine owne name notwithstanding it shal be at your commaundement which when his father heard he toke it so grieuously especially for that his owne sonne serued him so that he liued not long after but dyed euen for very sorow Omen Such a son is better to hang than to holde oh that hée had dwelled in our country he should haue ben so handled and hāpred that
whitte Tel me sayd the Iudge what occasion had you to come to mée whome she answered saying It may please your Lordship to vnderstand that yesternight as I was walking in the streate a good man mette with mée who did not only giue me mony to relieue me and my daughter but also told me that he would speake to you concerning my cause and sute Then he sayd In déed one spake to mée and sayde that such a Rich man hath missused thy daughter and to complaine on him therfore was the onely cause of your comming hither at this time In déede sayde shée that is true therefore if it will please you to heare all the whole matter and howe he hath abused my daughter I will declare it as briefly as I can Tell it saide the Iudge and I will heare thée willingly for I am appointed to sit heare euerye bodies complaint that commeth hither Therefore be bolde to declar◠thy whole cause and I will both heare thée willingly and take thy parte in right most spéedily Then shée sayde The Lorde saue your life O worthie Iudge but sayde the Iudge doth not thy complainte tende altogither to the myssusing of thy daughter Yes my Lorde sayde shée Then it were more requisite saide the Iudge that thy daughter shoulde tell hir owne tale for none knoweth it better than shée That is true sayde the pore Woman And then the Iudge commaunded hir daughter to speake and to reueale all the truthe of the matter vnto him And then hir daughter sayde to the Iudge as followeth My Lorde this noughtie Riche and vnmerciful man which is my moothers neighboure walked of late through a Groue of his in whiche through my mothers commaundement I was gathering a fewe olde and rotten sticks to make my moother and me a fire at home for it was verye colde weather who when hée sawe mée hée was in suche a rage and furie with mée that my humble knéeling on my knées coulde not once moue him to forgiue me nor haue compassion on me So that he tooke and tyed mée faste vnto a trée in the same Woodde and suffered mée to bée there faste and woulde not vnbynde mée but lefte me there crying wayling and lamenting most pittifully and there did I so remaine all the whole night A tyrannous parte faste bound vnto the foresayd trée where I thinke I shoulde haue dyed through colde and for wante of foode if throughe the goodnesse of almightie GOD one had not come the nexte morning and loosed mée that hearde my pitifull lamentation mourning and crying At which time when I was vnbounde I was neither able to goe nor stande and then the man that vnloosed mée séeing mée in that pittyfull case being bothe a godlie and a mercyfull manne hée didde leade me home to my mothers house A godly man by little and little as wel as he could And for that hée perceyued my moother to be a very poore Woman he did then giue my moother mony to relieue hir self and mée withall Doest thou knowe the man saide the Iudge that thus did loose thée and leade thée home vnto thy mother Yea that I doe sayde shée and also where he doth dwell Then the Iudge saide vnto the poore woman I will fence for the man that thus hath myssused thy daughter and also for him that did vnbinde thy daughter and brought hir home whereby they shal apere before me at my next sitting in the open Court and in the meane space both you shall haue meate drinke and lodging in my house And then the pore woman and hir daughter humbly gaue him thankes Siuqila This was a godly Iudge in déede he respected and regarded that there was and is a generall Iudge in Heauen that will bée mercifull to all godlie and righteous Iudges on Earth and that wil so iudge the cruel vnrighteous affectionate and corrupte Iudges that they shall goe to the euerlasting prison of Hell where they shall remaine in endelesse tormentes without any fauour or mercie vnlesse they repent in time but what followed I pray you did the Iudge sende for them Omen You néede not doubte that whiche men when they came before the Iudge neither of them knewe wherefore hée sente for them at whiche time the sayde poore woman and hir daughter were priuily placed not farre off And then the Iudge sayde to the Riche man that had myssused the poore womans daughter I pray you tell mée where you were such a day and about such an houre of the same day Whereat the Riche man being something amased saide nothing You do well sayde the Iudge to take good aduisement for you know it is better especially in this place to speake the truth leysurely than to tel a lie rashly why doe you not speake sayde the Iudge Forsooth my Lorde sayde the Rich man I can not well tell I haue almost forgotten Then sayde the Iudge if I had asked you where you were a tweluemoneth or halfe a yeare since then you might rather forgette than remember it but séeing this is so lately not past thrée or foure dayes since it séemeth that eyther your memorie is verie euill or else that the matter which you then did goe about was not very good nor in any respecte commendable But I am of this opinion that if you had bin robbed of youre goods or your body wel beaten a quarter or half a yeare since you woulde haue remembred the day and the verye time of the day of the doing therof therfore plucke vp your wittes and remember your selfe well but take héede you lye not my Lorde said he I wil not lye as nie as I can And after that he had aduised himselfe a little he said my Lord I do not remember but that I was at home all that day then the Iudge saide I muste haue a flat aunswere whether it be so or no therfore if you saye it certainely I am aunswered And when the Riche man perceiued that there was no remedie but that he must certify the Iudge where he was at that time he said thinking that none could or would witnesse the contrary my Lord I am sure that I was at home al that day and neither road nor went frō home Wel said the Iudge I am aunswered and then he was carried out of the Courte vntil the Iudge called for him Then the Iudge commaunded one to go for the rich mans seruants whiche were but two in all and to bring them before him whyche was quickly done And thē the Iudge asked one of them whether his maister was at home all that day or not for it is tolde me that thy maister did beate a poore man at his doore suche a day and suche an houre for asking almes forsooth my Lorde saide his seruant he was at home all that day vntil a little before night but at that time he was not at home therefore they that say so do belie my maister how knowest thou that said the Iudge I
pâ—â—sumption Oh my Lord saide he giue not too much credite to the Gyrle for she of purpose no doubte â—ameth this matter againste me then saide the Iudge it may be that she may faine of you but I dare boldlye say she fableth not of hir selfe for here is one that witnesseth that she was abused My Lord saide the Riche man pleaseth it you to vnderstande that some noughtie disposed felow méeting hir there perhappes woulde haue misused hir who not able to get hir good wil and fearing least she should discrie him thoughte neither to kill hir wherby he was sure to be without daunger of the lawe neither to set hir at libertie wherby she should exclaime or complain of him presently And for that as it doth appeare it was something late he might be the more bold to doe it bycause afterwards if she did escape she should not very wel know him yâ—a thoughe she met him in the face to whomâ— the Iudge aunswered though the darke might make hir to forget him yet the light hath made hir to remember you but I praye you said the Iudge let me go thus far with you what decâ—sion hath the Wench to turne the greate 〈◊〉 of hir fâ—e into a smal faulte of hir selfe Do you think that if one had tied hir to a trée bicause shée would not suffer him to abuse hir woulde shée excuse him and saye shée was bounde to the trée for gathering of stickes Who wil think or once beléeue that a stranger or one that had nothing to doe therein would therefore so handle hir So that reason doth fully resolue mée that none woulde so extremely vse hir but onely the owner of the Wood. And nowe for that you are the owner of the Wood it is impossible that any other should so cruelly handle hir for gathering of wood but onely you that are the owner thereof O my Lorde sayde the Rich man she doth this I thinke of spight Canst thou make mée beléeue saide the Iudge that she caused hir selfe to bée tyed to a trée all a colde frostie night which was ynough to kill hir onely to spight thée withall or to bring thee to trouble Shée might haue found means to haue troubled thée with more ease to hir selfe But for as much as she complaineth that she was tyed to a trée and this man confesseth that he founde hir tyed to a trée and that she plainely affirmeth that you tyed hir to a trée and that you are owner of the Groue where she was so bounde to a trée therfore it can not choose but that you are the same man that tied hir to the trée And for the better manifesting of the matter you are taken in a trippe with your owne tale for you affirmed to me and that aduisedly that all that day you kepte your owne house and wente not abrode which I am able to say is a manifest lie for which you are like to pay full dearely for thy man hath confessed and sworne to the contrary O my Lord saide he my man mystaketh the day then saide the Iudge if he purposely haue tolde a lie then purposely he shall be punished for telling a lie but there is no reason why herein he should tel a lie for in this case he could gain nothing to tel a lie but auoid great danger by speaking of truth But you perhaps seing your selfe in a snare by telling a lie might shunne a mischief and by vttering a truth might be driuen to some danger And now bicause thou doest stande so stiffely in such a shamefull cause I haue another of thine owne seruants suche a witnesse againste thée that thou wast not onely from home at that time but also that then thou broughtest drye stickes from thy saide Groue to whome thou confessedst that thou tookest the same then from a wench saying she had béene better to haue gotten stickes or wood a myle off wherein thou toldest trueth for hir gathering of stickes there had like to haue coste hir hir life And when the wicked rich man hearde the Iudge speake these words as one confounded he fel on his knées and desired the Iudge to be good vnto him Siuqila And was the Iudge fauourable to him after he submitted himselfe Omen You shall heare howe fauourable he was vnto him Ah saide the Iudge thou crouchest when thou arte constrained and yéeldest againste thy wyl what Diuell didde be witch thée what spirite did incâ—â—se thée or what féende did enforce thée so cruelly to vse this pore gyrle for succouring hir selfe by not hurting thée thou couldest haue béene contente to haue giuen two or three loades of wood to some one that perhaps was warme ynoughe or that stoode not in néede of it and couldest not thou finde in thy heart to suffer this pore wench to gather a fewe stickes to warme hir selfe withall wherof she stode in great néede who makes thy wood grew but onely God and who giueth thée thy wealth but onely he And canst not thou spare out of thy great abundaunce of wood whiche thou canst neuer spende all thy life a handfull of stickes that other waies would rotte and do no good to saue the pore member of Christ from staruing If thou were a pore traueller by the way and very drye not able to buy thée anye drinke and shouldest take an Apple that were fallen from the trée whereon there were two or thrée thousande Apples to quenche thy thyrste withall wouldst thou be content that the owner of the Appels should tye thée to the same trée therefore all night yea thoughe it were in Sommer when the nightes are moste shorte and also little colde or none I am righte sure thou wouldest not nay thou wouldest thinke as thou mightest wel ynoughe that hée that should so vse thée were a cruel cut-throat Then what a wicked wretch an vnmerciful miser art thou that hast tyed this pore girle to a trée leuing hir there so bouÌ„d a whole Winters night yea and in most extreme colde for gathering a few sticks amoÌ„g suche a great number of thy trées to warme hir selfe withall how canst thou looke for mercy at Gods hande seing this poore girle hath fouÌ„d such vnmercifulnesse at thy hand Wel bicause thou such as thou can not finde in your hearts here to giue the poore wood to warme them here withal I am sure vnlesse they repent be more merciful the Diuell wil not be so niggardely to you but wil giue you fire ynough for nothing in hel to warm you withal Doest thou not remember that Christ spake a little short Sentence wherin consisteth the Law and the Prophets which is Whatsoeuer ye would that other should do to you do eueÌ„ the same to them And now bicause thou takest thy self to be a christiaÌ„ I hope thou hast done to this pore girle as thou wouldest she should do to thée Therfore accordingly I wil procéed in iudgement with thée But first A righteous iudgement bicause thou hast
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
as yet I cannot howe are you bound said he I may not promise you said his master before I haue told another therof I beséech you tel me who is the said his seruant séeing you wil néeds know said his maister it is suche a one your neighbor that was once my seruant as you were TheÌ„ I perceiue said he that he would haue you with him yea in déede would he said his maister Wel sir said he I trust you will not be with him refuse me though perhaps he be somthing more able than I yet I trust he shal not finde nor vse you better thaÌ„ I. Wel said the decayed Merchant man I knowe not what I may do I meane to take one of your offers bycause you were my faithful seruants but hastily to do it I am much in doubte for that therby I should displease the one of you then said his seruant for as much as you can not promise me at this time I beséech you yet to do thus much for me as to promise none other these ten dayes following This I am content to graÌ„t you said his maister whereof assure your selfe And then for that time they both departed The next day folowing this same man that had his grant for ten days got out a processe and cause it to be serued on the other that was his felow and seruant to the saide decayed Merchant whereby he was to appeare before the Iudge the next day folowing who maruelled what matter he could haue against him whervpoÌ„ he appeared before the Iudge at whiche time the Plaintiffe was there also And theÌ„ the Plaintiffe said my Lord such a maÌ„ was my maister whoÌ„ I found very good vnto me whoÌ„ I am bound to loue and obey as long as I liue who though he was once very rich welthy is now by mishap fallâ— in decay which assoone as I vnderstood I weÌ„t vnto him proffered him of my goods to help him wtal as I thoght good but he refused it in no wise wold haue it saying that he wold giue ouer toyling in the world giue himself to quietnesse prayer TheÌ„ I offred him meat drink cloth lodging al other necessaries during his life which he thanked me for but he wold not theÌ„ promise to take my offer since I vnderstand that he would haue taken my offer but this man whom I haue caused to appeare before you hath since gone about to preuent me would allure him out of my hands to be with him This my Lord is the very matter that I haue against him This is a very straÌ„ge and a rare sute said the Iudge how say you said the Iudge to the other haue you practised to get this his decayed maister from him and to be with you at your finding no my Lord said he I neuer went about to allure him froÌ„ him for I protest before your honor that I neuer knew that this man was desirous or went about to haue him before he himselfe now told it Therfore therin he burtheneth me wrong marrie I must néeds confesse that I haue offered him both my goods which he hath refused his meate drinke clothing and lodging and al other necessaries belonging to him during his life as this maÌ„ hath done which to do I haue as gret cause as he hath for I was his seruant as wel as he therfore I hope I haue not deserued to be euill spoken off for relieuing my good master in his necessitie for al that I haue I haue got through his bringing of me vp by the trade that he taught me therfore next vnder God I am most bouÌ„d to him Wherfore my lord al this being truth that I haue tolde I trust I haue neither offeÌ„ded this man nor any other I must néeds say this saide the Iudge that he was both a verye good maister to you and you shewe your selues as moste true and faythfull Seruauntes to hym no doubt GOD hathe doeth and will prosper your dealings for your carefulnes and loue that you haue to your maister I â—al him your maister bycause he was youre mayster Yea my Lorde saide they bothe and we will take him for oure master as long as we liue and vse hym as our father whiles the breath is in our bodies wel said the Iudge I perceiue you both woulde faine haue him yet one of you is like to go without him But though you séeme to contende to haue him doe you thinke he will be contente to be with one of you yea my Lorde sayde the Plantiffe he tolde me so himselfe but he is loth to promise eyther of vs bicause he thinketh thereby to displease one of vs. Then saide the Iudge it were best that he wer here himselfe and so he did sende one for him who by and by came vnto the Iudge howe saye you saide the Iudge here are two whiche were once your seruauntes that are very desirous to giue you your kéeping and other necessaries as long as you liue whereof I thinke you are not ignoraunte No my Lorde saide the decayed Merchant they both I thanke them haue bin very importunate to haue me with theÌ„ I woulde very faine be with one of theÌ„ but they loue me both so wel I fauour them both so muche that I cannot tel which of them I may choose to be withall no said the Iudge that is maruel but wil you be coÌ„tente saide he A straunge kind of pleading that I shal rule the matter yea my Lorde sayde he with al my hearte Then saide the Iudge I hope to make a quicke dispatche of this matter But my Lord said the Plaintiffe I beséech you heare me first what I can saye for my selfe say on saide the Iudge I muste confesse saide he that we were both his seruaunts but I was the first that offered him this offer whiche my maister can not denye I muste néedes confesse that said his maister then saide the Iudge how long was it after that you hearde of his decaye that you offred him this forsooth my Lorde saide he the nexte day after Then saide the Iudge to the Defendant howe long was it after ere you offered him this gentlenesse within two houres after at the furthest said he Then saide the Iudge to the Plantiffe though he came after you yet he made more spéede than you then saide the Defendante my Lorde I beséeche you consyder that I was my Maysters seruaunte before he was yea my Lorde saide the Plaintiffe but I was his seruaunte longer than he was also I think my maister did more for me thaÌ„ for him for he gaue me a C. l. at my first setting vp for my self therfore I am more bouÌ„d to do for him thaÌ„ he Yea but said the DefendaÌ„t my good Maister was bouÌ„d for me for 500. l. in wares which I borrowd at my beginning gaue me also 100. Marks in money which was my chief making therfore he did
before yours Yea said the other I wil haue a remedy for that he séeing an Officer there at the prison dore said I pray thée arrest this man at my sute for such matter as I haue againste him and that he maye appeare this day in the afternoone before the Iudge And when he had giuen him his fée he departed thence and then the Officer arreasted hym by and by and tolde him it was at the sute of such a one Wel saide he that was arrested I wil putte in sureties for my appearance and so he did Siuqila I thinke fewe Sergeantes with vs can saye that euer they arrested any in suche a case But did he appeare before the Iudge at afternoone Omen Yea I warrant you At whiche time the Plaintifâ— met him who saide then vnto the Iudge my Lorde it was my chaunce this day to goe to a prison where I found but only one prisoner who lyeth there for twentie pounds debt whiche prisoner I woulde haue released and paide his saide debte to hys creditor but this man whome I haue caused to appéere before you woulde not suffer me for when I was going vnto him that imprisoned the pore manne he saide he woulde goe to him and discharge the prisoner wherein me thought he offered me great wrong to take that charitable worke out of my hand that I was determined to do Siuqila But sauing your tale me thinke that he hadde no lawfull cause to arreast him in this case Omen You thinke so but it is as lawefull with vs to sue a man for preuenting him of a charitable déede as it is lawful for a man to arrest one with you for preuenting him of any worldly commodity And when he had told his tale before the Iudge then the Iudge asked the Defendant whether he came oute of his house purposely to release a prisoner or not and he sayde yea Did you so too saide the Iudge to the Plaintife Yea my Lorde saide he that was the onelye cause why I wente from home Then the Iudge said to the Defendant was this Plaintiffe within the prison gates before you My Lorde saide he I muste néedes confesse that but I followed hym immediately Then the Iudge called them to him one after an other and examined theÌ„ priuely at what time they were first minded to go visit the prison thereby to release a prisoner he that was first in the prison said that the night before he was fully determined to do so the next morning as soone as he was risen the other being defendant said that when he was readie deuising what he were best to do he thought he could not go about a better worke than to visite the prisoners and to helpe to release such as were there that were not able to release themselues Then said the Iudge you are both charitable godly men you striue to do well where as many striue to do euil But for asmuch as you are both willing to shew a great déede of charitie of the poore prisoner and that one of you wil néedes paie his said debte of twentie pound Note this Iudgement my Iudgement is that you that are the plainetife partly for that you were first within the prison doore but chiefly for that you were first determined to visite the prison to do suche a charitable worke that you shall paie the said tweÌ„tie pounds to his creditour thereby to release him out of pryson And further bycause you that are Defendant were so desirous to paie the same for him and to release him therefore I decrée that you shall giue the said poore man when he is released out of pryson tweÌ„tie pounds also to helpe to maintaine succour him withall for that I vnderstand he hath nothing to liue on for it is as charitable a déede to relieue poore men that can not tell how to liue when they be out of prison as to helpe to release them out of prison For many are driuen to liue more hardly out of prison than in prison With which iudgement these two charitable men did greatly reioice and were meruelously well contented and therewith the Iudge arose and departed Siuqila If you had not tolde me this tale I would haue sid it is Too good to be true Truly your customes are so coÌ„mendable your lawes so profitable your Iudges so iuste your stories so straunge that I can not almost be wearie to heare them Their are many olde men in our Countrie but I beléeue the oldest of them all did neuer heare of any suche fute before a Iudge and that more I thinke they neuer shall But whereas they striue thus with you who shall soonest release poore menne out of prison there are many with vs that contend who shal kéepe them longest in prison At the last day when Christ the generall releaser of all prysoners shall sende the mercifull to heauen and the vnmercifull and the harde harted cut throtes to â—uerlasting fire from whiche none shal be able to release them then they will be sory that they kepte their poore brethren in prison For if Christe will sende the vnrepentant to Hell that doe not visite the poore prisoners that are imprysoned by other it is not like he will sende them to Heauen that throwe their poore brethren in prison and moste cruelly kéepe them there suffering them to hunger starue and dye Omen I trust there is none suche in suche a Christian countrie as your is Siuqila As you trust there is none suche so I woulde to God there were none such But whosoeuer are such I am sure once they will repent that they haue bene suche I pray you sir are the Gentlewomen with you very charitable to the poore Omen For charitable almes and for succoring of the poore they excéede generally all the Gentlewomen in the worlde Siuqila Surely we haue many godly and vertuous Gentlewomen with vs but many are a greate deale more giuen to prampe vp themselues than to shewe mercie and pittie on the poore Omen I will tell you such a thing of thrée Gentlewomen of our countrie that I thinke you neuer heard the lyke done since you were borne by thrée of yours So that you will heare it Siuqila Be bolde I will heare it if it were an houre long Omen It chaunced that thrée Gentlewomen in the coole of the euenyng did walke abroade in the fieldes for their recreation A stranger example of three Gentlewomen and within a quarter of an houre after they espied a young chylde sitting by it selfe wéepyng but they salue no bodie with it and immediatly they all thrée ranne towardes it as faste as they were able for their liues that no Gentlewoman with you woulde haue runne any faster if it had bene to saue all the liuing they had But one of them that was at the first behind came first to it and catcht holde of it saying for asmuche as this poore childe hath neyther mother nor other kéeper here that I