[140] Orig. reads _thou sluggynge in thy bedde dost thou no good_, which
repetition of _thou_ seems unnecessary.
+ _Of the answere of the mastres to the mayde._ xciv.
+ A certayne wyfe there was, whiche was somwhat fayre, and, as all women
be that be fayre, was somwhat proude of her beautye; and as she and her
mayde satte together, she, as one that was desyrous to be praysed, sayd
to her thus: I, faythe, Jone, howe thynkest thou? am I nat a fayre wyfe?
Yes, by my trouth, maistres, quod she, ye be the fayrest that euer was
excepte * * *
_The end is wanting._
+ _Of the northern man that was all harte._ xcv.
_Of this tale but a small fragment remains._
+ _Of the burnynge of olde John._ xcvi.
+ _In a certayne_ towne there was a wife somewhat aged, that had beryed
_her husbande_, whose name was John, whome she so tend_erlye loued in
his_ lyfe, that after hys dethe she caused an ymage of tymber _to be
made in forme_ and persone as lyke to hym as coulde be; whiche ymage
_she kept carefully_ under her bedde; and euery nyghte she caused her
mayde to _wrap the ymage in a shete_ and lay it in her bedde; and called
it olde John. Thys _widowe had_ a prentyse whose name was John; whiche
John wolde fayne _haue married hys_ maystres, nat for no great pleasure,
but onely for her good _substance: for she_ was ryche. Wherefore he
ymagened howe he myght obtayne hys _desire and so dyd_ speke to the
mayde of the house, and desyred her to lay hym in hys maystres bedde for
one nyghte in stede of the pycture,[141] and promysed her a good rewarde
for her laboure; whyche mayde ouer nyghte wrapped the sayde younge man
in a shete, and layde hym in his maysters bedde, as she was wonte to
laye the pycture. Thys wydowe was wonte euery nyght, before she slepte
and dyuers tymes whan she waked, to kysse the sayde pycture of olde
John: wherefore the sayde nyghte she kyssed the sayde yonge man,
beleuynge that she hadde kyste the picture. And he sodenly sterte,[142]
and toke her in his armes, and so well pleased her than, that olde John
from thens forth was clene out of her mynde, and [she] was contente
that this yonge John shulde lye with her styll all that nyghte, and that
the pycture of olde John shulde lye styll under the bedde for a thynge
of noughte. After thys in the mornynge, thys wydowe, intendynge to
please this yonge John whyche had made her so good pastyme all the
nyght, bad her mayde go dresse some good mete for their brekefast to
feaste therwith her yonge John. This mayde, whan she had longe sought
for wode to dresse the sayde mete, told her maystres that she coude
fynde no wode that was drye, except onelye the pycture of olde John that
lyeth under the bed. * * * * * * * *
_Some lines wanting._
and dressyd the brekfast; and so olde John _was brenyd; and_ from thens
forth yong John occupyed _his place_.