no less than five or six at this time; and, Mother, I would fain know which of them comes for love of me, and which of them for money.—Daughter, quoth Mother Bunch, here is an experiment, if you will but try, it will make a clear discovery of the reality of their love.—Let a report be spread, that thou hast lately been robbed of all that thou hast, both money and apparel: Now, if after this, there is one of them that continues his love as before, you may be very certain that he is faithful; but, be sure that you keep this counsel to yourself, that the secret be not discovered. I will take care of that, dear Mother, quoth Margery, and I heartily thank you for this kind and seasonable advice.
Good-morrow, Daughter, she reply'd,
Young men are false and must be try'd.
She was no sooner gone, but in comes Mrs Susan, a young sempstress from Salisbury, with sorrowful lamentation, weeping, and wringing her hands How now! quoth good Mother Bunch, what is the matter with you, Daughter, that you go on at this rate? Alas! Mother Bunch, quoth Susan, mymymymymymy! What my? said Mother Bunch. Quoth sobbing Susan; my sorrows are more than I am able to bear; for, Mother, dear Frank the fidler, my old love, and I, are fallen out, and he swears he will not have me: Come, Daughter, quoth Mother Bunch, be of good comfort, for I will put thee in an effectual way to find, whither Frank the fidler be really angry with thee or not; and if he be, I will teach thee infallibly how to obtain his favour again. "She that is afraid of every grass, must not think to piss in a meadow." Let your angry love but alone for a season, and he will soon come to himself again; for I know that love is a puny darling, and wants very frequently to be humoured. Therefore let him alone, in time he will forget his
