awaked and taketh his whip that stood by him and yerked the Gentleman to and fro about the house crying ha rée brown bayard dun go what brown hob hob why hay ho ree he so yerked the poore Gentleman ye neede not to aske howe who waked with the yerkes of the whip and instéede of cryinge after his Hawkes he changed his tune and cried out for help saying I am slain but the Carter fetched him to and fro stil about the house vntill at the last the poore Gentleman was faine to get him vnder the table and there couch speake not a worde tarring there vntill the Carter had passed his rage ouer who when he perceiued y t the Gentleman had hidden himselfe set down his whip went to bed and begā to snort like one that had béene in his dead sléep The goodman of the house rose lighted a candell found the Gentleman hidden vnderneath the boordē in such a litle corner as wold scant serue a cat to go in and all his bodye and legs were so painted with lashes as if it had béene the picture of Christ the which surely was a great miracle for neuer after that did he once ryse vp to cry after his Hawkes as before he was wont to doe in his sléepe whereat his Fréends and kindred did much merueile that knew his quallitie but he tould thē what had happened Neuer one man was more bound for another then was the Gentleman to the Carter who had healed him of such an infirmitie as that was ¶ Of the good widowe woman that had a supplication to presente and she gaue it to the Counsellor Fowle THere was a certaine Wydowe Woman that had a matter in law at Paris and thither she went to sée how it went forward wherein she made great labor and diligēce although she did not well know how to do her businesse but she put her trust y t the Lords of y e Parliament would haue respect to her age wydowhod and the right of of her cause Vppon a morning very early sooner then she was wont she did not enter into her garden to gether violets but she tooke her supplication in her hand the which declared of certain iniuries and wrongs that were doone to her late Husbande she goeth withal to y e pallaice against the Coūsellors should come in and went to the first that came in to whome she presented her supplication and he tooke it and in taking of it the good Wife made to him her complaints because he should vnderstand the matter better When y e Counsellour who was for spirituall matters saw and vnderstood by the Wife that they were temporall crimes and faults he sayd to the Wydow good Woman it is not to me that you shuld giue your supplicatiō it must be vnto Maister Counsellour Fowle The good Wyfe not knowing what he meant by Consellour Fowle thought that it should be deliuered to the fowlest and blackest Counsellor because peraduenture she sawe that the first Counsellor was a faire mā and wel made She began to looke vpō the Counsellors one after another to sée which was faire who was foule wherein she was very busie at y e last comes one that was none of the fairest men in the world at the least in the wydows sight because he had a long beard was shauen The good wife thought she had found her man to whome she gaue her supplication and said Sir it was told me y t it must be a fowle Counsellor that must deale with my supplication I haue viewed al those y t are gone in but me think there is none so fowle as you therefore I pray you declare it The Counsellor that vnderstood very well wat she meant thought no ill of the womans simplicitie but tooke her supplicatiō and in declaring it to y e chamber failed not but got the Wydows matter dispatcht ended according to her request ¶ Of the Bastard Son of a noble mā that would haue suffered him self to haue beene hanged in hope to be reuenged and how hee was angry with him that saued his life THere was vpon a time a noble mans bastard whose wisdome was but after a manner for hee thought that euery body should haue done him honour as to a Prince because he ws Bastard to such a noble house And besides this he thought that all the world did know his quallity his birth his name for oftētimes he went straying about the Countreye with a Companie of no great valewe and he would be in all Companies good and bad al was one to him he played away his Horses at all times when he had new giuen him and his apparell by y t way where he went and many times for want of a Horse he was faine to go on foot Vpon a time being left but in all ill plight he passed by the Country of Rouergie cōming toward Fraunce to get him a new Horse and he passed by wood where certaine Théeues had newly slain a man The Prouost Martial that followed vpon the théeues met by chaūce this Bastard clad like a Soldiour of whom he asked from whence he came The Bastarde aunswered him nothing but stubbornly asked what he had to do from whence he came yes said y e Prouost I haue to do and to know art not thou one of those that hath killed yonder man what mā said the bastard thou néedest not aske what man said the Prouost I will make thée tel me others newes or euer thou goest Why what wilt thou do said y e bastard The Prouost made no more to doe but caused him to be apprehended and that was woorse led him away by force going by the way the Bastard saide is it to me that thou hast a quarrell I haue suffered thée all this while the Prouost thinking that he did threaten him with his fellows kept his men about him and led him straight to the next Towne and there condemned him to bee hanged But in asking him what he was and what was his name he aunswered no other thing but I will teach you to know what I am what is my name thou art a hanger of men art thou no force Vpon these threatening wordes the Prouost condemned him carried him out to be hanged made him go vp the Ladder which prouoked the Bastard to great anger saying his death should be the dearest to him of al that euer he hanged in his life When he was a high vppon the ladder there was by fortune amongst the rest to sée the Execution a man of that Countrey which before time had béene at the Court that knew this bastard and because he would be sure he came néerer to the Ladder so that he knewe verily that it was he This man called to M. Prouost saying what will ye doe M. Prouost stay your handes it is such a noble mans son take héed what you do as you meane to aunswere it The Bastard hearing this man
which the wisest men neuer knewe their doings is like smoke in the Sun so y t their Southsaying may rather be termed false saying and we cānot compare it better then to a good wife y t somtime caried a pale of milke to the market thinking to sell it as pleased her making her reckoning thus First she would sell her milk for ij d with this ij d buy xij egs which she wold set to brood vnder a hen she would haue 12. Chickons these chykons being growne vp she would kerue them and by that meanes they should be capons these capons would be worth being yong fiue pence a piece that is iust a crowne with the which she would buye two pigs a Sow a Boare and they growing great would bring forth twelue others the which she would sell after she had kéept them a while for fiue grotes a piece that is iust twentie shillings Thē she would buie a Mare that would bring foorth a faire Foale the which would grow vp be so gentill and faire y t he would playe skip leape and fling and crie we he he he after euery beast that should passe by and for the ioye she conceyued of her suppossed coult in her iollitie counterfeiting to show his lustynesse her pale of milcke fell downe of her head and was all spilt there laie her egs her chikons her capons her pigs her mare her coulte and al vppon the ground Euen so these Southsaiers after y t they haue furnished burnished blotted and spotted loutted and floutted putrefied and corrupted promised and not performed their best boxe being broken they maie goe counte with this good Wife ¶ Of King Salomon that made the Philosophicall stone the cause why these Southsayers cannot preuaile in their doinges THE cause why South-sayers Witches Wissardes cannot bring all there matters to passe as they would all the world doth not know but Marie the Prophetisse showeth the cause why in a Booke that she hath made of the greate excellencie and knowledge of the art exhorting the Philosophers and giuing them courage not to dispaire and she saith that the Philosophers stone is so worthie and so precious that amongst other her wonderfull vertues and excellences she hath power to commaūd Sprites and whosoeuer hath it he may binde loose warrant torment martyr helpe out of prison goe through boltes and lockes to be shorte he may iuggle playe with both handes and doe what he list if he know how to vse his fortune It is so saith she that Salomon had the perfection of this stone and knew by diuine inspiration the great and woonderful propertie of the same which was to constraine the Deuils as we haue saide And therefore so soone as he had made it he concluded to make all the spirites come and appeare before him but first he caused to bee made a Caldron of Brasse of a woonderfull and huge greatnes for it was nothing lesse then all the whole circuite of the Forrest of Sherborn but that it wanted halfe a foote or there about it is all a matter we wil not striue for a litle mary ye must note that it must be somewhat rounder and it was néedful to be so great for to serue that turne that he minded And after the same maner he caused to be made a couer so closse and iuste as was possible And also in like manner he caused a hole to be made and cast in the ground large and déepe inough for to burie his Caldron When hee had prepared all these thinges hee made to come before him by vertue of the stone all the Spirites that were dispersed in this world litle and great beginning with the Emperoures of the foure corners of the earth then he made the Kinges to come Dukes Earls Barrons Lordes Knights Esquires Captaines heads of Bandes pettie Captaines Soldiours a foote and on horseback to great numbers When they were all come Salomon commaunded them by the vertue aforesaid y t they should all goe into that said pan that was buried in the ground The Spirites could not gainesay but were faine to goe in but ye may wel thinke that it was with great griefe So soone as they were all in Salomon caused the couer to be set on and glued fast with the glue of Sapience and therein leauing the Deuills caused it also to bee couered with earth vntill the hole was filled vp with whom his minde and purpose was that the world should be no more infected that men might afterward liue in peace and tranquillitie and that all vertue and godlinesse might raigne vppon the earth And it came to passe presently after that that men began to bee merrie and glad content liuelie gallant frollirke gentle amiable and pleasant O how all thinges went forward The earth brought foorth all manner of fruite without mans labour the Wolues did not deuoure the Cattell the Lyons Tigers and wilde Boares were as tame as other Beastes to bee shorte all the earth séemed a Paradise whilest these Runnigate Deuills were inclosed in this déepe Dongeon But what happened after a long time as Kingdomes chaunce to chaunge the Townes Citties decay and new are builded so there was a Kinge who had a great desire to builde a Cittie and Fortune wold that it came into his head to raise it in the proper place whereas these Deuils were inclosed This Kynge set people on woorke for to make this Cittie the whiche he would haue mightie strong and inuincible and therfore it required a terrible and déepe foundations to make the walles herevpon the Pyonners digged so lowe that one amongst the reste discouered the Caldron wherein these spirites were who after y t he had stricken vpon it and that his companions did perceiue it thought they should haue bene made riche for euer y t there was hidden some inestimable Riches But it was not in their power to breake it open of a sodaine for besides y e greatnes it was out of measure thicke and therefore it was necessary that the King should know therof Who when he had séene it thought euen as the Pyoners did for who would euer haue thought that deuils were therin when it was thought that there was none in the world for in long time before there was no talk of them This King did well remember that the Kings his predecessors had infinite riches so as he could not iudge but that they had buried and hid therein some greate treasure and that it was appointed him of destenie to finde it out and to enioy that wealth that he might be the richest King in the worlde To conclude he set as many men of woorke as there was about the Caldrō at the first and whilest they were battering and beating vppon it to get it open the Deuils were at their watch listening and geuing care what it should be so y t they could not tell what to thinke whether they should be had out to hanging or that their
amongst other Companie that did frequent haunt this maried mans house whome I meane not to name was a yong Aduocate who was called the Lord of Beaufort being of the cuntry of Berry who came many times to the Bar to plead the law to which Gentleman this maried maÌ„ bare great fauour loue made good chéer because they had béene familliar at y e. Vniuersities and Companions together in many places This Beaufort had not his name in vaine for he was faire of a good behauiour and therfore the yong maried Gentlewoman gaue him a louing looke he likewise to her in so much that in short time by their ofteÌ„ regards they gaue a token of their secret loue good wills Now the Husband knowing fashioÌ„s showed himself very willing to please his wife specially when things were new not greatly mistrusting his wiues youth neither doubting his fréends honesly contenting himself with the diligent care attendance of Dame Parnet Beaufort in like manner for his part could tell how to behaue himself perceiuing the great familiarity that his freend her Husbande shewed him the gentle gratious intertainement that y e yong wife made him with an outward affectioÌ„ which hée thought was more manifest to him then to another as indéed it was true and therfore he found easily an occasion in talking with her to declare the sorrow he conceiued through her loue and because she was brought vp nourished in a house of fame she could y t better vse her self and answere vnto all questions and demaunds To whome Beaufort being pricked forward with a goodwil said in this maner Gentelwoman it is easie enough to a Gentlewoman of a good minde to know the goodwill of a seruant for they alwaies bring in subiectioÌ„ and thraldome the harts of men whither they will or no therfore it shall not néede further to expresse declare vnto you y e great affectioÌ„ honor that I beare to an infinit nomber of your vertues which are indeed with such gentlenâ—â— of the minde that the man can not otherwyse iudge 〈◊〉 think but that he was borne happy fortunate to haâ—â— his heart fixed in so good a place for those things that are most precious are not desired but of gentle and noble minds which therfore to me is a great occasioÌ„ to praise fortune that hath béene so fauorable as to present and offer me so vertuoâ—s and worthie a subiect that thereby I might haue the meane to put in euideÌ„ce the desire I haue to things precious and of a great valew And although I bée one of the leaste of those whose seruice you meryt deserue yet neuertheles I am thus perswaded that the great perfections that are in you wherat I do wonder will giue occasioÌ„ to increase in me those things y t are required to true seruice For as touching my hart it is so faithfully affectioned towards you that it is vnpossible any thing caÌ„ be more which I hope trust so to giue you to vnderstand that you shal neuer be displeased in that you haue giuen me occasion to remaine for euer your faithfull trusty seruant The yong gentle womaÌ„ y t was well taught and sober hearing his preteÌ„ce would as gladly haue fulfilled his request as it was required who with a feminine voyce being somwhat bould according to her age to the which commonly Women haue respect being coupled with an honest modest shamfastnesse answered him in this maner GentlemaÌ„ although I should haue a will and a desire to loue yet will I not so ouershoot my self as to make another Louer theÌ„ he to whome I am coupled ioyned in mariadge wedlocke who loueth me so wel and doth so gently entertaine me that he kéepeth me froÌ„ thinking on any other theÌ„ on him Furthermore if it should fortune vnto me to set my hart in two places I estéeme iudge your vertue good heart to be such y t you wold not wish me to do any thing y t shal redound to my dishonor As touching the vertues graces that on attribute vnto me I will let theÌ„ passe â—nowing no such thing in my self and therfore I restore â—â—m to the place froÌ„ where they came which is to you â—or now to defend my selfe otherwise would you presume to do that iniurie and wrong to him that putteth so much confidence and trust in you it séemeth to me that such a noble minde as yours is would by no means geue place to such a fact as this And then you sée besides the inconueniences so greatly to let such an enterprise that if you should obtaine your request there is not oportunitie to fulfill the same For I haue alwaies in my CoÌ„panie a Kéeper so that if you would consent to do euill she hath alwayes her eye vpon me that I cannot steale from her by no means Beaufort was very glad when he vnderstood this answere and specially when he felt that the Gentlewoman stayed her self vpon reasone whereof the first were some what to hard but afore the last y e yong wife did mellify their herselfe to the which M. Beaufort made answere in this order The thrée poincts that you doe alledge Gentlewoman I haue wel wayed and considered but you know y â— two of them depend and consist of your goodwill and the third lyesh in diligence good aduise For as touching the first séeing that loue is a vertue that searcheth out and séeketh the hearts and minds after a gentle nature you must well think that one day you shall lyue first or last the which thing before it be it were better you should receiue the seruice of him who loueth you as his proper life in due houre then to staye any longer to yeeld obey to y e Lord that hath power to make you pay y e interest of the time y t by you hath beene let slyp and to put you into y e hands of some dissembling man y t wold not take such regard of your honor as it deserueth As touching y â— second it is a case that hath béene long voide to theÌ„ that find me what loue is for you shall vnderstand for the affection that I beare vnto you so far am I from doing iniurie to your Husbande that rather I do him honor what I loue with a good heart that which he loueth there is no greater shew y e two hearts are at accorde but when they both loue one thinge You know well if he and I were ennemies or if we had not acquaintance one with an other I should not haue oportunitie to sée you neither to speake to you so often as I doe So then the good will that I beare towardes him béeing the cause of the great loue that I beare towardes you ought not to be the cause that you should let me die for louing you Now then as concerning the thirde you knowe faire Lady that to a willing and noble heart
Well Maister Prouost said the Byshop howe doe you My Lord saide he I haue kept my bed this Moneth and more Your eyes are neuer well saide the Byshop but how doo you féele them nowe My Lord said Cocklyer I hope in God they shall doe well for the Phisition hath tolde me that I can sée Thinke you that hee was not a wise man to know of the Phisition whether he did sée or no. But hee would not trust a Prisoner in his saying as he put confidence in the Phisition for his owne ¶ Of the feates and memoriall actes of a Foxe that belonged to the Baily of Mayne la Inhes and how he was taken and put to death IN the Towne of Mayne la Inhes in the low countrey of Mayne which is scituate in the borders of the barren Countrey there was sometimes a Baily that was a good companiō according to the order of the Countrey who delighted in manye thinges had in his house many tame beasts among the which he had a Fox that he brought vp and kept of a yong one whose tayle was cut off and therefore was called the Curtall Foxe This Foxe was craftie of nature but yet he degenerated from his kinde in béeing conuersant with men and had so good a wit for a Fox that if he could haue spoken he wold haue shewed to manie men that they were but Beastes He knew when the Bayly of the house did make a feast séeing the folks in the house busie especially the Cooke Hee would go to the Pouiters and bringe home Conies Capons Pidgeons Chykons and wylde Foule according to the season and would steale them so cunningly that he was neuer taken dooing the déede and thus he furnished his maisters kitchin meruelously wel Neuerthelesse he went to and fro so often that he began to be suspected of the poulters and others for he always found new crafts stealing still more and more At y e last they conspired to kill him which they durst not do openly for feare of his maister y t was chief Lord of the town but eche one determined to trap him in the night Nowe this Foxe when he went about to séeke his pray would come in at the Seller window or by a low light or else watch whilest they had come to the doore without a candle and then did he steale in like a Ratte And as he had inuentions and waies to come in so had he in like manner pollicies to get out with his praye Manie times the Poulterers determined his death with a Crosbow bent watching for him but the Foxe would preuent them for all their pollicie did neuer come there so longe as they watched But a man could not haue his eyes any sooner closed but the Fox would be presently prouided If ther were anie snares or gyns laide for him he knew aswell how to escape the daunger as if he himselfe had laid thē so that they could neuer be so circumspect as to take him although hee neuer came away emptie yet béeing manie times preuented of his purpose hee was sore displeased because he could not doo suche seruice to the Cooke as hée was vsed to doe And therefore béeing of good yeares hée began to take héede and also he thought that they made no account of him as they did asore time because he did them small seruice in his age and chiefly for this hee began to be mischieuous craftie and to eate and kill vp his Maisters Foule So that euerie bodie béeing in bedde he wold step to the pearch and now take a Capon another time a Hen and they did not mistrust him thinking that it had béene the Wéesell or the Polcat But in the ende as all mischiefes come to light he went and came so often that a litle wench lying in the stable for Gods sake perceiued him and bewrayed all and from thence foorth the great blame was laide on the Foxe for it was reported to Maister Bayly that Curtall his Foxe did eat vp and deuoure his Foules This Foxe would be in euerie corner to listen and heare what was spokē against him and he vsed commonly to bee vnder the Table when his Mayster was at dinner supper But after his M. hard of his fashions he so hated him that vppon a time béeing at Dinner and the Fox being behind the folkes Maister Bayly began to say what say you to my Fox that eateth vp all my Hens and Capons I will be reuenged of him within these thrée daies The Foxe vnderstanding this knew it was no more good tarrying in the Towne and he tarried not vntill the thrée daies were past but he banished himselfe and fled into the fieldes amongst y e wild Foxes you may bee sure his farewell was not without making spoile of somewhat but béeing now amongst his kind he had some thinge ado to acquainte himselfe with them for during the time that he remained in the town he had learned to speake good yealpishe of the Dogs and their manner also and went with them on hunting and vnder the colour of freendship would deceiue the wilde Foxes and put them into the handes of the Dogs this the foxes remembring refused both the receiuing of him into their companie and to put their confidence in him any more But he vsed Rhetoricke and made partly his excuse and partly asked forgiuenesse And then hee made them beléeue that he knew the meanes to make thē liue at ease like Kinges because he knewe all the poultry in the Countrey and the houres and times fit to séeke their pray and thus in the ende they beléeued him through his faire woords and made him their Captaine Wherwithall they founde them selues contente for a time for their Captaine Curtall brought them to suche places as they had ynough But the mischiefe was that they would vse themselues too much to the ciuil life not fit for them For the people of the Countrey séeing them thus in bandes and companies set Dogs after them and made alwaies some of them to come short home But in the mean time Captaine Curtall that craftie Fox saued himselfe at al times for he kept the backward to that ende that when the Dogs were busie and occupyed with the first Band he might haue leysure to saue himselfe and escape from the view of them And also he would neuer go into the hoale but amongest the Companie of other Foxes and when the houndes were readie to thrust in he would so bite and fight with his fellowes that he should cōstraine them to goe foorth to the end that whilest the dogs were occupyed in running after them he might saue him selfe But the poore Curtall Foxe could not so well shift for him selfe but in the ende he was caught Forasmuch as the Clounes of the Countreye knewe well ynough that he was the cause of all mischiefe and shreud turnes that were done there about so that they sware his death and dispatched eche of them a Messenger to all