[105] orig. reads: _ex duobus malis minus malis_.
[106] By God's body.
[107] If meant as quiet irony, this moral is admirable.
+ _Of the esquyer that sholde have ben made knyght._ lxiii.
_4 lines of the original are wanting._
and the trumpettes began to blowe, a yonge squyer of Englande rydynge on
a lusty courser of whych horse the noyse of the trumpettes so prycked
the corage, that the squyer could nat him retayne; so that agaynste his
wyll he ranne vpon hys enemyes. Whyche squyer, seynge none other remedy,
sette his spere in the rest and rode throughe the thyckest of hys
enemyes, and in conclusyon had good fortune, and saued hym selfe alyue
without hurte: and the Englysshe hooste folowed and had the victorye.
And after, whan the felde was wonne, this kynge Edwarde called the
squyre and badde hym knele down, _and he_ wolde make hym knyght, because
he valyauntely was the man that day, which with the moost couragyous
stomake aduentured fyrste vpon theyr enemyes. To whome the squyer thus
answered: if it lyke your grace to make any one knyghte therfore, I
beseche you to make my horse knyght, and nat _me: for certes_ it was his
dede, and nat myne, and full sore agaynst my wyll. Whiche answere the
kynge herynge refrayned to promote hym to the order of knyghthode,
reputynge hym in maner but for a cowarde; and euer after fauored hym the
lesse therfore.
By this tale a man may lerne, howe it is wysedome _when he is_ in good
credence to kepe hym[self] therein, and in no wyse to dysable[108] hym
selfe to moche.
+ _Of him that wolde gette the maystrye of his wyfe._ lxiv.
+ A yonge man, late maryed to a wyfe, thought it was good polecye to
gette the maystrye of her in the begynnynge, came to her, the potte
sethynge ouer the fyre, all thoughe the meate therein were nat ynoughe
soden [and] commaunded[109] her to take the potte fro the fyre; whiche
answered and said that the meate was nat redy to eate. And he said
agayne: I wyll haue it taken of for my pleasure. This good woman, lothe
yet to offende hym, sette the potte besyde the fyre, as he badde. And
anone after he commaunded her to sette the potte behynde the dore, and
she said agayne: ye be nat wyse therin. But he precysely said, it shuld
be so, as he bad. And she gentylly againe dyd his commaundement. This
man, yet nat satisfied, comaunded her to set the pot a-hygh vpon the
henne roste. What! quod the wyfe, I trowe ye be madde. And he fyerslye
than comaunded her to sette it there, or els he sayd she shulde repente
it. She, somwhat afrayde to moue his pacyence, toke a ladder, and sette
it to the rost[110] and wente her selfe vp the ladder, and toke the
potte in her hande, prayeng her husbande than to holde the ladder faste
for [fear of] slydynge; whiche so dyd. And whan the husbande loked up,
and sawe the potte stande there on hyght, he sayd thus: Lo! nowe
standeth the potte there, as I wolde haue it. This wyfe hearynge
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