commaunde, the care of her honour fhould bee deerer t him then his life, and hee would bee ready to prife her dif content with his bloud at all times.

"The gentlewoman was a little coye, but before they part they concluded that the next day at foure of the clock hee should come thither and eate a pound of cherries, which was refolued on with a fuccado des labres; and fo with a loath to departe they tooke their leaues. Lionello, as ioyfull a man as might be, hyed him to the church to meete his olde doctor, where hee found him in his olde walke. What newes, fyr, quoth Mutio? How haue you fped? Euen as I can wifhe, quoth Lionello; for I haue been with my mistreffe, and haue found her fo tractable, that I hope to make the olde peafant her husband looke broad-headded by a paire of brow-antlers. How deepe this ftrooke into Mutios hart, let them imagine that can coniecture what ieloufie is; infomuch that the olde doctor afkte, when fhould be the time: marry, quoth Lionello, to morrow at foure of the clocke in the afternoone; and then maister doctor, quoth hee, will I dub the olde fquire knight of the forked order.

"Thus they paft on in that, till it grew late; and ther Lyonello went home to his lodging, and Mutio to his house, couering all his forrowes with a merrye countenaunce, with full refolution to reuenge them both the next day with extremetie. He paft the night as patiently as he could, and the next day after dinner awaye hee went, watching when it fhould bee foure of the clocke. At the houre iuftly came Lyonello, and was intertained with all curtefie: but scarfe had they kift, ere the maide cried out to her mistresse that her maister was at the doore; for he hafted, knowing that a horne was but a little while in grafting. Margaret at this alarum was amazed, and yet for a fhifte chopt Lionello into a great driefatte full of feathers, and fat her downe close to her woorke by that came Mutio in blowing; and as though hee came to looke fomewhat in hafte, called for the keyes of his chambers, and looked in euerye place, fearching fo narrowlye in euerye corner of the houfe, that he left not the very priuie vnfearcht. Seeing he could not finde him, hee faide nothing, but fayning himfelfe not well at eafe, ftaide at home, fo that poore Lionello was faine to staye in the drifatte till the olde churle was in bed with his wife: and then the maide let him out at a backe doore, who went home with a flea in his care to his lodging,

"Well,

Well, the next daye he went againe to meete his doc tor, whome hee found in his woonted walke. What news, quoth Mutio? How haue you fped? A poxe of the olde flaue, quoth Lionello, I was no fooner in, and had giuen my miftreffe one kiffe, but the iealous affe was at the doore; the maide fpied him, and cryed her maißer: fo that the poore gentlewoman for werye fhifte, was faine to put me in a driefatte of feathers that stoode in an olde chamber, and there I was faine to tarrie while he was in bed and afleepe, and then the maide let me out, and I departed.

"But it is no matter; twas but a chaunce; and I hope to crye quittance with him ere it be long. As how, quoth Mutio? Marry thus, quoth Lionello: the fent me woord by her maide this daye, that upon Thursday next the old churle fuppeth with a patient of his a mile out of Pisa, and then I feare not but to quitte him for all. It is well, quoth Mutio; fortune bee your freende. I thank you, quoth Lionello; and fo after a little more prattle they departed.

"To bee fhorte, Thursdaye came; and about fixe of the clocke foorth goes Mutio, no further than a freendes house of his, from whence hee might defcrye who went into his house. Straight hee fawe Lionello enter in; and after goes hee, infomuche that hee was scarfelye fitten downe, before the mayde cryed out againe, my maifter comes. The good wife that before had provided for afterclaps, had found out a priuie place between two feelings of a plauncher, and there fhe thruft Lionello; and her husband came fweting. What news, quoth fhee, driues you home againe so foone hufband? Marrye fweete wife (quoth he) a fearefull dreame that I had this night which came to my remembrance, & that was this: Methought there was a villeine that came fecretly into my house with a naked poinard in his hand, and hid himfelfe; but I could not finde the place: with that mine nofe bled, and I came backe; and by the grace of God I will feeke euery corner in the houfe for the quiet of my minde. Marry I pray you doo, husband, quoth the. With that he lockt in all the doors, and began to fearch euery chamber, euery hole, euery cheft, euery tub, the very well; he ftabd euery fetherbed through, and made hauocke, like a mad man, which made him thinke all was in vaine, and hee began to blame his eies that thought they saw that which they did not. Upon this be refte halfe lunaticke, and all night he was very wakefull; that towards the morning he Yy3 fell

fell into a dead fleepe, and then was Lionello conueighed

away.

"In the morning when Mutio wakened, hee thought how by no meanes hee fhould be able to take Lyonello tardy: yet he laid in his head a most dangerous plot, and that was this. Wife, quoth he, I muft the next Monday ride to Vycenfa to vifit an olde patient of mine; till my returne, which will be fome ten dayes, I will haue thee ftay at our little graunge house in the countrey. Marry very well content, hufband, quoth fhe: with that he kift her, and was verye plea fant, as though he had fufpected nothing, and away hee flinges to the church, where hee meetes Lionello. What fir, quoth he, what newes? Is your miftreffe yours in poffeffion? No, a plague of the old flaue, quoth he: I think he is either a witch, or els woorkes by magick: for I can no fooner enter in the doors, but he is at my backe, and fo he was againe yefternight; for I was not warme in my feate before the maide cried, my maifter comes; and then was the poore foule faine to conueigh me betweene two feelings of a chamber in a fit place for the purpose: wher I laught hartely to myself, to fee how he fought euery corner, ranfackt cuery tub, and ftabd euery featherbed, but in vaine; I was fafe enough till the morning, and then when he was fast asleepe, I lept out. Fortune frowns on you, quoth Mutio: Ay, but I hope, quoth Lionello, this is the laft time, and now thee wil begin to fmile; for on Monday next he rides to Vicensa, and his wife lyes at a grange house a little of the towne, and there in his abfence I will reuenge all forepaffed mifsfortunes. God fend it be fo, quoth Mutio; and took his leaue. Thefe two louers longed for Monday, and at laft it came. Early in the morning Mutio horft himfelfe, and his wife, his maide, and a man, and no more, and away he rides to his grange houfe; where after he had brok his faft he took his leaue, and away towards Vicenfa. He rode not far ere by a falfe way he returned into a thicket, and there with a company of cuntry peasants lay in an ambuscade to take the young gentleman. In the afternoon comes Lionello gallopping; and affoon as he came within fight of the houfe, he fent back his horfe by his boy, & went eafily afoot, & there at the very entry was entertained by Margaret, who led him vp ye staires, and conuaid him into her bedchamber, faying he was welcome into so mean a cottage: but quoth the, now I hope fortune fhal not enuy the purity of our loues. Alas, alas, miftris,

(cried the maid,) heer is my maifter, and 100 men with him, with bils and ftaues. We are betraid, quoth Lionel, and I am but a dead man. Feare not, quoth the, but follow me; and ftraight the carried him downe into a lowe parlor, where stoode an old rotten cheft full of writinges. She put him into that, and couered him with olde papers and euidences, and went to the gate to meet her husband. Why fignior Mutio, what means this hurly burly, quoth fhe? Vile & fhameleffe ftrumpet as thou art, thou fhalt know by and by, quoth he. Where is thy loue? All we haue watcht him, & feen him enter in now quoth he, fhal neither thy tub of feathers nor thy feeling ferue; for perifh he fhall with fire, or els fall into my hands. Doo thy worst, iealous foole, quoth fhe; I ask thee no fauour. With that in a rage he befet the house round, and then fet fire on it. Oh in what a perplexitie was poore Lionello that was shut in a cheft, and the fire about his cares? And how was Margaret paffionat, that knew her louer in fuch danger? Yet the made light of the matter, and as one in a rage called her maid to her and faid: Come on wench; feing thy maifter mad with ieloufie bath fet the house and al my liuing on fire, I will be reuengd vpon him; help me heer to lift this old cheft where all his writings and deeds are, let that burne first, and affoon as I fee that on fire I will walk towards my freends: for the old foole wil be beggard, and I will refufe him. Mutio that knew al his obligations and ftatutes lay there, puld her back, and bad two of his men carry the cheft into the feeld, and fee it were fafe; himself ftanding by and feeing his houfe burnd downe, fticke and ftone Then quieted in his minde he went home with his wife, and began to flatter her, thinking affuredly yt he had burnd her paramour; caufing his cheft to be carried in a cart to his houfe at Pifa. Margaret impatient went to her mothers, and complained to her and to her brethren of the iealoufie of her bufband; who maintained her it be true, and defired but a daies refpite to prooue it. Wel, hee was bidden to fupper the next night at her mothers, the thinking to make her daughter and him freends againe. In the meane time he to his woonted waik in the church, & there præter expectationem he found Lionello walking. Wondring at this, he ftraight enquires, what news? What newes, maifter docter, quoth he, and he fell in a great laughing: in faith yesterday I fcapt a fcowring; for, fyrrah, I went to the grange house, where I was appointed to come, and I was no fooner gotten vp the chamber, but the magicall villeine her husband befet

Y y 4

the

the houfe with bils & ftaues, and that he might be fure no feeling nor corner fhould fhrowde me, he fet the houfe on fire, and fo burnt it down to the ground. Why quoth Mutio, and how did you efcape? Alas, quoth he, wel fare a womans wit She conueighed me into an old cheft ful of writings, which he knew her husband durft not burne; and fo was I faued and brought to Pifa, and yesternight by her maide let home to my lodging. This, quoth he, is the pleasanteft ieft that euer I heard; and vpon this I haue a fute to you. I am this night bidden foorth to fupper; you fhall be my gueft; onelye I will craue fo much fauour, as after fupper for a pleafant fporte to make relation what fucceffe you haue had in your loues. For that I will not sticke, quoth he; and fo he caried Lionello to his mother-in-lawes house with him, and discouered to his wiues brethren who he was, and how at fupper he would disclose the whole matter: for quoth he, he knowes not that I am Margarets husband. At this all the brethren bad him welcome, & fo did the mother too; and Margaret fhe was kept out of fight. Supper time being come, they fell to their victals, & Lionello was carrowt vnto by Muto, who was very pleasant to draw him to a merry humor that he might to the ful difcourfe the effect & fortunes of his loue. Supper being ended, Mutio requested him to tel to the gentlemen what had hapned between him & his miftreffe. Lionello with a fmiling countenance began to defcribe his miftreffe, the house and street where the dwelt, how he fell in loue with her, and how he vsed the counfell of this doctor, who in al his affaires was his fecretarye. Margaret heard all this with a great feare; & when he came at the last point fhe caufed a cup of wine to be given him by one of her fifters wherein was a ring that he had giuen Margaret. As he had told how he efcapt burning. and was ready to confirme all for a troth, the gentlewoman drunke to him; who taking the cup, and feing the ring, hauing a quick wit and a reaching head, fpide the fetch, and perceiued that all this while this was his louers husband, to whome hee had reuealed thefe efcapes. At this drinking ye wine, and fwallowing the ring into his mouth, he went forward: Gentlemen, quoth he, how like you of my loues and my fortunes? Wel, quoth the gentlemen; I pray you is it true? As true quoth he, as if I would be fo fimple as to reueal what I did to Margarets hufband: for know you, gentlemen, that I knew this Mutio to be her husband whom I notified to be my louer; and for yt he was generally known through