faire wordis and speche besought hym to yielde hym his money.
Whiche that the disceivour herying blamed hym and saide that if
he any more cam or spak therof he shuld suflfre grevous peyne as
he was worthy. He heryng the threatis and manacis of hym that
disceived hym went his wey and bigan to sorowe; and in his goyng
ageyne met with anold womman clad in heremytal clothyng,—this
freal and fieble old wif supportyng hirsilf with hir staf, remoevyng
the stones out of their place, [and] praisyng god that no
passyngby hurt nat their feete at hem. The whiche seeyng the man
wepyng, knewe hym for a straunger [and] moeved with pitee cald
hym in to help [hym] and what was hym bifalle asked hym. And
he bi order told. Forsoth the womman heryng the wordis of the
man saide: 'Friend, if the wordis bien triewe that thow hast saide,
I shal do the help.' And he: 'In what maner, goode womman and
and goddis seruaunt?' Quod she than and saide: 'Bryng me a man
of thi lond and cuntrey to whom thow maist trust in word and
deede.' Than said he: 'I shal bryng [hym].' And sofurth to the
felaw of hym that was disceived comaunded x cofres preciously to
be peynted with dyvers colours withoutfurth, wele locked and
bounden with irn and silver, and filled ful of smale stones, and
bryng hem[1] vnto the house of his host. And he so dide. The
womman whan she sawe al thing arraied and redy as she bad, 'Now,'
quod she, 'seeke x men the whiche shuln go with me to the house
of hym that hath deceived the, and with thi felaw beryng the cofres
oon after another afer comyng. And as soone as the first is comen
in to the house[2] and hath rested, com thow and aske thi money,
and somoche I trust in god that thi money shalbe to the Restored.'
And he, as the old womman bad hym, he dide; whiche nat foryeteful
[when] taken to the house of the disceivour, with the felaw of the
disceived cam and saide:[3] 'Suche a man of Spayne [whiche] was
hosted with me and wold go to Mehe asked and sought bifore the
money whiche he hath in x cofres, to what goode man he myght
saufly comm'ende it to kepe til he come ageyne. Also I beseche the
as of my cause in thi warde thow kepe, and forwhi I have herd
and also knowe the a goode man to be feithful and triewe, I wil
nonother but only the this money to be commendid vnto.' And
while they spaken thus cam he beryng the first cofre[4] so as he was
- ↑ Ms. 'the' or 'ye.'
- ↑ Lat. (I. 21, l. 18) illius hominis qui te decepit.
- ↑ The Latin (I, 21, l. 22) has, Quae non oblita incepti quod praedixerat iter incepit. Et venit cum socio decepti ad domum deceptoris et inquit.
- ↑ The Lat. (I, 22, l. 1) is different here, venit primus deferens cofrum, aliis a longe iam apparentibus.
