( 7 )
In love release me from this horrid smoke,
And I will never more my wife provoke;
She strait did yield to let him down from thence
And said be careful of the next offence.
CHAP. III.
Simon loses a sack of corn, that he was carry-
ing to the mill to have ground.
NOT long after she sent him to the mill with a sack of corn, and bade him ⟨remember⟩ what she said to him, or he should ⟨not⟩ go unpunished. Well, said Simon, I ⟨hope⟩ I shall never offend thee more. For ⟨this⟩ promise she gave him a mess of milk, ⟨and⟩ when he had eaten all up, he took the ⟨sack⟩ of corn on his back, and went towards ⟨the⟩ mill, which stood about two miles from the house. When Simon was got about half ⟨way⟩ he began to be weary, which was the ⟨forerunner⟩ of a greater misfortune; for a man ⟨being⟩ by leading an empty horse towards the mill, perceiving Simon weary of his load, (illegible text) him he might lay it upon his spare horse. ⟨To⟩ which Simon willingly consented. The ⟨man⟩ riding on, Simon could not pace with ⟨him⟩, so he desired him to leave it for him at
