Cap. VI.
Æſop's Invention to bring his Miſtreſs back again to her Husband, after ſhe had Left him.
THE Wife of Xanthus was well-born and wealthy, but ſo Proud and Domineering withall, as if her Fortune and her Extraction had Entituled her to the Breeches. She was Horribly Bold, Medling, and Expenſive; (as that ſort of Women commonly are) Eaſily put off the Hooks, and Monſtrous hard to be pleaſed again: Perpetually chattering at her Husband, and upon All occaſions of controverſy, Threatning him to be gone. It came to this at Laſt, That Xanthus's ſtock of Patience being quite ſpent, he took up a Reſolution of going another way to Work with her, and of trying a Courſe of Severity, ſince there was nothing to be done with her by Kindneſs. But this Experiment, inſtead of mending The matter, made it worſe; for upon harder Uſage, The Woman grew Deſperate, and went away from him in Earneſt. She was as Bad 'tis true as Bad might well be, and yet Xanthus had a kind of Hankering for her ſtill: Beſide that there Was matter of Intereſt in the Caſe: and a Peſtilent Tongue ſhe had, that the Poor Husband Dreaded above all things Under the Sun: but the man was willing however to make the Beſt of a Bad Game, and ſo his Wits and his Friends were ſet at Work, in the faireſt Manner that Might be, to get her home again. But there was No good to be done in't it ſeems; and Xanthus was ſo viſibly out of Hu-mour upon't, that Æſop in Pure Pity bethought himſelf Immediately how to Comfort him. Come Maſter (ſays he) Pluck up a good heart; for I have a Project in my Noddle that ſhall bring my Miſtreſs to you back again, with as good a Will as ever me went from you. What does me Æſop, but away Immediately to the Market among the Butchers, Poulterers, Fiſhmongers, Confectioners, &c. for the Beſt of Every thing that was in Seaſon. Nay he takes private People in his way too, and Chopps into the very houſe of his Miſtreſſes Relations,as by Miſtake. This Way of Proceeding ſet the whole Towne a Gog to know the Meaning of all this Buſtle, and Æſop innocently told every body That his Maſters Wife was run away from him, and he had Marry'd another: His Friends up and down were all Invited to come and make Merry with him, and This was to be the Wedding Feaſt. The News flew like Lightning, and happy were they could carry the Firſt Tydings of
