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All the way he rode, his thoughts were ſtrangely confuſed, ſo that he la- boured to compoſe them, but in vain.
He found now, though he had former ly made a jeſt of love, and laughed a his companions for declaring their paſ- ſions; that he was taken in who had fe⟨lt⟩ often perſwaded others of their folly: bu⟨t⟩ now he found that the more he ſtruggled the more he wes entangled. The buſi- neſs he went on was not minded, yet he cunningly concealed the cauſe from them, but finding the contrigion had ſized hi⟨m⟩ mind mmore than his body, they conclu- ded it was from the decay of his fortune and that he might not be dejected, they profeſſed their aſſiſtance in any thing he would command them. While theſe things paſſeed he was urgent to return home, and did ſo enquiring by the way who this fair maid ⟨was⟩, and the condi- tion of her parents; he found that ſhe was the daughter of a covetuous rich old miſer, who had refuſed ſeveral very con ſiderable matches, in hopes of advance- ing her by her beauty and ſo having his numbrleſs bags of treaſure.
