wrongfully rest Both house and lande and nothyng to her left And what so he were that of good Affection wolde her helpe the whole disposition Of her onely Doughter he should haue which is a great Heyre God her saue This Gentilman went her right To Syr Thomas Dennis a worshipfull Knight Informyng hym how that it stood With this wydow of gentle blood And how that she had a Doughter and Heire Tender of Age goodly and fayre Which should inherite successiuely Both house and lande and that good plentie And who that would helpe her to her ryght Should haue her Doughter day and nyght In honestie to vse and her selfe both whiche thyng she bound with a great Othe ¶ The Knight hearyng this euery dell Bad the gentylman no longer to dwell But walke with her and fet her Doughter And we shall commyn more hereafter Then they departed and wandred right foorth Tyl they with good speed cam both to Wainsworth And there the gentylman full well did espie How the câ—ggyng queane most falsly dyd lye Then would he no lenger geue heede to her talke But bad her be packyng with a vengeance walke And neuer to come in his sight any more Syr no more I wyl not quoth she god before The second mery Iest how this liynge Wydowe Edyth made a poore man to vnthatch his House and bore him in hand she would bestow the coueryng of it with Lead and how she deceiued a Barbour makyng hym beleue she was a Wydowe and had great abundance of Richesse FRom Wainsworth than she tooke her way To liew where theÌ„ the Lord Chamberlayn lay And not far from his place a good long space In a poore mans house lodged she was And was in good credence with him in deede She seing the house couered with reede Sayd to her Hoste vpon a day Mine Host quod she next to the hye way Take ye the thak of your house a downe It is a foule sight buttyng on the towne Haue it away fast leaue the Rafters bare And for a new couering take ye no care It shal be hilled agayne ere it be long But loke ye wel that the Rafters be strong For I tell you they shall beare a great weight Hoste quod she I sweare by this light I wyll haue that end couered with Lead Came neuer such a couering ouer thy head Nor none of thy kin I may say to thee It lyeth in my Store house so mote I thee In fayre playne rolles new melt with glede My Plommer bestowed it I pray God hym spede An honest man is he and expert in that Art The selfe sâ—me day that he did depart A way from my house I cannot tell where Many a fayre Noble with him he did bere Her Hoste when be had hard this tale With his hands his cap he gan avale And with his knees flexed sayd vnto her there I cry you mercy Mistris what do you here In this poore cotage which is not meete for you Holde thy peace quod she for I wil not be kno What I am as yet â–ª and for consideration Go thou thy way and worke after the facion As I haue sayd looke thou speke no worde But is none of my Lords seruants at bord With you quod she nor hawnte they not heare It is lyke that they should for you haue good beere Yes quod her hoste now and then among My Lords Barbour is here with many a good song A liuely yong man I tell you full of corage Somtyme we haue here our whte Wine with borag And waters pyping hot out of the glede We chat and laugh it out so God me spede Mistresse folke must nede be mery somtyme Hoste ye say true by holy Saint Sym Quod the wydow but let vs go to dinner It is xii of the cloke and somwhat ouer Into the house they go and take refection And after they fell in further communication This yong maÌ„ that barbour as he was accustomed Came in sodenly and biddeth them God spede Welcome my guest quod the good man of that house How haue you done since we eate the sowse The last night ye remember to bedward Tut and it were a stone neuer so hard Quoth this barbour it should disgest with me For somtime when it wyll not forge I drinke a little lamp Oyle cast vp my gorge And then forth with I am as hole as a trowt But Hoste quod he what woman went out At the Dore now doe you know her well By gods body Thomas barbour I shal thee tel She is a widow of late come to towne But at al aduentures I had leuer thaÌ„ my gowne Thou were sure to her for she to me sayd She is worth a. M. li. and euery man payd Besyde land I cannot tell how mych The barbour gan to claw there it did not ych Holde your peace quod he she coÌ„meth in againe Mistresse sayd Thomas wil it plese you to drink And be ye mery and vse not to think Me semeth it becoÌ„meth a wel fauoured wight And namely a woman to be glad and light Yong man quod she I thank God of his lone I haue no great cause to make any mone I knowledge this that God hath indewed me An hundred folde better than I am worthye And I pray to hym that I neuer do the thing Which is contrary vnto his hye pleasyng Gods blessig haue you sayd Thomas barbour Forsooth ye speake lyke a good Cristian creature But let vs leaue al this make some good cheare Ostes fyll vs another pot with beere Quod that Barbour bid this gentilwomaÌ„ welcoÌ„e Mistrisse sayd that good wife this is all some Ye be hartely welcome euen at one worde And therwith she droue the Cat of the borde And made rome for a dish or two more This wydow had vnder her chin a sore That Surgeons cal Noli me tangere Which when the barbour did espye He sayd Misterisse may I be so bolde Nay yet I will not touch it for my hand is colde I pray you what is this God saue the mark A thing quod she that I wyll take no great cark For Surgery therto for I was borne so I thank God whether I ryde or go It doth not greue me otherwise than you see And it is no great blemysh so mote I thee Quod the Barbour but a lytell eye sore Now Mistrisse do ye gladly I can no more I trust we shall make better chere then this And then he began for to coll her and kysse So long they were dalliyng both day and night Tyll eche had others their trouth yplyght whiche was the same day as I hard say That the thatch of the house was pulled away And asked they were in holy churche where Christs workemen do wurche But when he by long communication Knew her falshod and dissimulation And after he perceiued he was begyled In all the haste his wife he exyled Ratyng her with termes somthyng rude And here
XII mery Iests of the wyddow Edyth THis lying widow false and craftie Late iÌ„ EnglaÌ„d hath deceiued many Both men and women of euery degree As wel of the Spiritual as temporaltie Lordes Knights and Gentlemen also Yemen Groomes that not long ago For in the time of King Henry the eight She hath vsed many a suttle sleight What with lieng weepyng laughyng Dissemblyng boastyng and flatteryng As by this Booke hereafter doth appere Who so list the matter now for to here No fayned Stories but matters in deed Of. xii of her Iestes here may ye reede Now newly printed this present yeare For such as delite mery Iests for to here 1573. ⧠The Contentes of of these xii mery Iestes folowyng THe first mery Iest declareth how this faire and merye Mayden Edyth was maryed to one Thomas Ellys how she ran away with another by whom she had a bastard Doughter and how she deceiued a Gentleman bearynge him in hand how her Doughter was Heire to faire Landes and great Richesse ¶ The second merye Iest how this lying Edyth made a poore man to vnthatch his House bearyng him in hand that she wold couer it with Lead how she deceiued a Barbour makyng him beleue she was a widow and had great aboundance of Gooddes ¶ The thyrd mery Iest how this wydow Edyth deceiued her Hoste at Hormynger her Hoste at Brandonfery and borowed money of them both and also one mayster Guy of whome she borowed iiii Marks ¶ The fourth mery Iest how this wydow Edith deceiued a Doctor of diuinitie at S. Thomas of Akers in London of v. Nobles he layd one for her and how she gaue hym the slyp ¶ The fifth merye Iest how this wydow Edyth deceiued a man and his wife that were ryding on Pylgremage of iiii Nobles that they laid out for her how she deceiued a Scriuener in LoÌ„don whose name was M. Rowse ¶ The sixt merye Iest how this wydowe Edyth deceiued a Draper in LoÌ„don of a new Gowne and a new Kyrtell and how she sent hym for a Nest of Gobblets other Plate to that Scriuener whome she had deceiued afore ¶ The vii mery Iest how she deceiued a SeruaÌ„t of Sir Thomas Neuells who in hope to haue her in Mariage with al her great Richesse kepte her company tyl al his money was spent and then she tooke her flight and forsooke him ☞ The eight mery Iest how this wydow Edyth deceyued a Seruant of the Byshop of Rochesters with her coggynge and boastynge of her great Richesse who like wise thought to haue had her in Maryage ¶ The ix mery Iest how she deceiued a Lord soÌ„tyme Earle of AruÌ„dell how he sent v. of his men seruantes a handmaid to bere hâ—r company fetch her Doughter who as she boasted was an Heire of great Landes ¶ The tenth merye Iest how she deceiued three yong men of Chelsey that were seruantes to Syr Thomas More and were all three suters vnto her for Maryage and what mischaunce happened vnto her ¶ The xi mery Iest how she deceiued three yong men of the Lord Legates Seruants with her great liyng crakyng boastyng of her great Treasure and Iueiles ¶ The. xii merye Iest how this wydow Edyth deceyued the good man of the three Cuppes in Holburne and one Iohn Cotes and how they both ryd with her to S Albons to ouersee her houses landes and how thei were rewarded ¶ FINIS ¶ The Preface IN the Cittie of Exceter by West a way The tyme not passed hence many a day There dwelled a Yoman discrete and wise At the Signe of the Flowerdelyse Which had to name Iohn Haukyn Discended he was of an honest line A Man but of a meane stature Full well compact in euery feature Broad he was from pine to pine And red in the face when he dranke wine Blacke was his Haire and hooked his nose And now and then had the cough and the pose A sycknesse rayned vpon him aye Which troubled him sore night and daye Beside the Cough a bloudy flyx And euer among a deadly yex Which brought him to his finall day But ere that tyme I wyll you say He dyd espouse within that Countrie In processe of yeares Wiues three Each after other in mirth and game Women of great substaunce and fame And namely the last wedded wyfe With whom he liued withouten stryfe Tâ—e space of full fyfteenâ— yeare By than he was layd on a Beare A Daughter he had within band of maryage By his last Wife a worthy caryage Which named was Edyth at the Fontstone Of. ii women and a man of blood and bone And when that her Father was layd in graue From fyre and water her to saue Her Mother aye dyd her busy cure As Mothers done by course of nature And vertuously as I haue hard say She brought vp her daughter night and day Charging her vpon her blessyng That she ne should medle with any thing That sowned vnto good huswyfry But aye study to forge and lye And countenaunce it right well therto In euery place where she dyd go This Childe obeyng her Mother deare Answered to her as you shall heare Mother she sayde I am your Daughter I wyll endeuour my selfe there after While that I liue I shall resigne All such as pertayne to verteous dicyplyne My study shal be how I may conclude In things the people to delude ¶ Thus is the Mother and Daughter agréed Now go sayd the Mother God thée speed Thomas Ellys loueth thée well perfay And woeth thée fast day by day His desyre is to haue thée to wyfe And to liue together all your lyfe Wed him hardely spare not a dele And take another when he hath not his hele Daughter meke mery whiles thou may For this world wyll not last alway She promised her Mother to doo full well Euery thing after her counsell ¶ FINIS The fyrste merye Iest declareth how this faire wel nurtured Damsel Edyth was maryed to one Thomas Ellys and how she ran away with another by whome she had a bastard Doughter and how she deceyued a Gentleman who for her worthinesse preferred her to Sir Thomas DeÌ„nys before whom she auouched her Doughter to be Heire of faire landes THomas Ellys she maryed for a yeare or two And then left hym and away dyd go With a seruant of the Erle of Wyltshyre The which payd her well her hyre By hym in aduoutry a childe she had Which dyed when it was but a Lad Than her Lemman cast her vp Go where she wold gup queane gup She toke her way from thence ouer To a Towne called Andouer And there she made a Gentylman Beleue that she was from hym gone To seeke her a friend which in her right Would defend her with mayne and might For great wrong she said she had And by mighty hand was sore bestad And by mighty hand
A little Casket that standeth al behinde My ship Coffer downe 〈◊〉 by the wall Beare with you the Casket prety and small But I charge you take none other thing For and you doe at my returning I shall know all therfore now take heede Mary sayd the yong man God forbede Seing that ye do trust me so wel Go your wayes thē quod she here I wyl dwell Tyl ye come agayne but looke ye make haste I wyll ride quod he euen all as fast As my Geldyng can beare me away Forth he galopeth to saint Mary Skray And there he inquered as she hym bad And anon perfect tidings he had That he was begiled for there was no man Could tell any tidings of such a woman Then a way rideth he as fast as he may And came to Senock at the next day But he could not come to 〈…〉 her to soone But ere euer that he came the wydow was gone No body could tell wether she 〈◊〉 yede Master Neuels seruant 〈…〉 good speede Being in his minde ▪ not well content For some money he had her sent And payd for her cost I cannot tell what Yea with a mischife I could not beware that Quod he than but yet no force let go I wylbe aduised agayne or I doe so The eyght mery Iest how this wydow Edyth deceiued a seruant of the Byshop of Rochesters with cogging and boastyng of her great Richesse who likewise thought to haue had her in mariage THe Wydow northward tooke her way And came to Rochester the next day And there within a little space To a yongman that seruant was Unto the Byshop in the Towne She promised him dale and downe On that condition he wolde her wed And keepe her company at boord in bed This yongman was glad and light Now thought he I shal be made a knight By the meanes of this gentlewomans store Gramercy Fortune I can no more He permytted in hast to be assembled With her at the church and there resembled Or ioyned in one flesh that is dying ▪ And two soules euermore liuyng Good cheare he made her in her Inne And eke be would not neuer blinne Tyl be he had brought her to his Lorde Before whom they were at accorde Upon a condition maryed to be Which condition was if that she Could performe all that she had sayd He wolde then marry her it should not be delayd Here vpon they departed and forth went. On the morow my Lorde for her sent To dyne with him and to commen further Then was she gone but when and whether No wyght any worde of her could tell But yet she walked to my Lorde of Arundell The nynth mery Iest how this wydow Edyth deceyued a Lorde somtime Earle of Arundell and how he sent fiue of his men seruantes and a handmayden to beare her company and fetch her daughter who as she boasted was Heyre of great Landes ANd there anon she tould the Earle That she had a daughter a little gerle Which was borne to be Heyre To great inheritaunce lands good and fayre And mouable substance not a lyte If it please God her to respyte And graunt her lyfe tyll she succeede Her elders aliue of whose lede She is issued by lyne all dissent And eke she sayd or that she went That her daughter should holde land Heareafter when it commeth to her hand Of that Earle and pay hym rent Wherfore she sayd that she was contet His Lordship should haue her to dispose And mary her as him best suppose Unto gentylman Yeman or Grome She wold haue her daughter come If it pleased his Lordship it should so he She wood fetch her into that contrie The Earle was contented it should be so And bad his seruants for to go That is to say to the number of fiue And redy make them bliue To wayt on this gentil woā bring her thither She her-selfe could not tell whether Notwithstanding she did say That her housshold was at Foot 's Scray Where she retayned great famely As they shall well find sykerly At their repayre and God before And foorth they ride without more She was accompayned as I haue sayd With fiue yemen and a Mayde And all they woed as they rode Each to him selfe at large abrode One sheweth his lustynes mastery An other taketh vp his horse on hye The thyrd sayd that he had treasure in store The fourth sayd that he had mychle more The fyft was a man of few words At the last he sayd a straw for your boords Paraduentre he is here that saith not all That somwhat could say if nede should fall Be mery Wydow then quod he And cast a Sheps ep 〈…〉 on me For though that I ride pensiue and styll Perhaps yet I could satisefy ▪ your wyll As well as some other though I cry not out But all this while she cast about How she might conueniently steale them fro But at a woods side it happened so A fayre house there was whrch she sayd Her husband bought it and for it payd Two yeares before he let his lyfe And she was now in mikell stryfe For the sayd house and lands withall And sued she was in Westmynster hall Great thought she toke for a freend That in her right wold her defend One of the company that hard this Fayned him to light downe to pis Purposedly for to go to enquyre Of this matter to know yf that it were As she had sayd or els that she lyed To the house be goeth and there he tryed That she was falce and a noughty queane In all England not worth a beane When he hard this he galoped fast His company he ouer toke at the last And declared vnto them from poy it to poynt Then all their loue was sodenly quoynt They light doune all by one accorde Xv. myle when the bad rode And stripped her out of her array Walke hore they all gan say Home agayne they toke the way And yet she repayred to Foot 's Scray There she abude a certayne season The next house vnto one master Heron. A Gowne and a Kyrtle there she dyd hyre Of a poore woman to were to a fayre Kept there besides vpon an holy day Fayne she wolde haue made her selfe gay At the foresayd fayre to haue be solde If any man wold be so bolde Without examynation for to alight And when that she was out of light She got her away a great pace Then came she to Croyden there as she was Continewing for the space of a wook Duryng the which time a poore Cook. There dwellyng she dyd begile And borowed of him in that while Fiue shillings in Groats and pence And then priuely she stale away from thence Then she came to Eltham the right way Where she rested her three weekes a day And dyd nothyng but ay enquere Of Gentlemen dwelling here and there And when she saw her time on an holy day She walked to a Thorp called Batersay And