[299] So far extends Berthelet's edition, of which the colophon is:
Imprinted at London in Flete Strete in the house of Thomas Berthelet
nere to the Cundite, at the sygne of Lucrece. + Cum priuilegio. The
remaining 26 tales are from the Ed. of 1567.
+ _Of the Nunne forced that durst not crie._ cxv.
+ A certayne Nunne with swellyng of hir bealie was bewrayed to haue
companied with a man. And beyng called before the couente, was right
sharpely rebuked by the Abbesse, for puttinge of their house to so great
a shame. She, to excuse hir-selfe, sayde, she was forced by a yonge man,
that came into hir bedde chaumbre, agaynst whom (beynge stronger than
she) it was in vain for hir to striue, and force coulde not be imputed
to hir for a cryme. Then sayde the Abbesse: thou mought est haue bene
helde excused, if thou haddest cryed. The Nunne sayed: so woulde I haue
doone, had it not beene in our Dortour[300] where to crye is contrary to
our Religion.
+ _Of him that sayde he was the Diuelles man._ cxvi.
+ In the ciuile seditious time of Edwarde the fourth and Henry the
syxte,[301] one chaunced to mete with a company, that quickly asked him:
whose man art thou? Kinge Edwardes, quoth he. Art thou so (quoth they)?
and all [set] to beate him: For they were of Henrie's syde. Wherefore to
the nexte company that mette him and demaunded whose man he was, he
answered: kyng Henries. Art thou so (quoth they), and likewyse all [set]
to bete him. For they were on Edwardes parte. The Felow, thus sore
beaten, went foorth, and met with another route, who asked him: whose
man art thou? He, beynge at his wittes ende what to saye, aunswered: the
Dyuelles man. Than the dyuell goe[302] with thee (saide they). Amen
(quoth he): For it is the best maister that I [have] serued this daie.
By this tale ye maye perceiue, how greuouse and perillous all ciuyle
sedicions be, so doubtfull may it stand, that a man can not tel on which
side to holde. For he that now is stronger, another tyme is weaker, as
Fortune list to turne hir wheele.