Afterwards he ordered the table to be removed, and when grace was said, he called his stepson and whispered to him;
"John, my friend, although the others accuse me, I know that you believe me. See how much is owing to that poor girl, and pay her so liberally that she will have no cause to complain, and send her away; for I know well that your mother will never permit her to stay in the house."
The stepson went and did as he was ordered, then he returned to the friends whom he had brought, whom he found talking to his mother, then they thanked her for their entertainment, and took leave and went.
The husband and wife remained at home, and it is to be supposed that he did not hear the last of it for some time. For the poor husband did not drain his cup of bitterness at the dinner-table, but found that the proverb about dogs, hawks, war, and love, which says, "Every pleasure has a thousand sorrows," is true. But none should run the risk if they are not prepared to pay the penalty. Thus did it happen that the adventure of this worthy fellow ended in the manner related.
[Ill.u.s.tration: 60.jpg Three very minor Brothers.]
STORY THE SIXTIETH -- THREE VERY MINOR BROTHERS. [60]
By Poncelet.
_Of three women of Malines, who were acquainted with three cordeliers, and had their heads shaved, and donned the gown that they might not be recognised, and how it was made known._
Formerly there were in the town of Malines three damsels, the wives of three burghers of the town,--rich, powerful, and of good position, who were in love with three Minor Friars; and to more secretly and covertly manage their amours under the cloak of religion, they rose every day an hour or two before dawn, and when it appeared a fit time to go and see their lovers, they told their husbands they were going to matins to the first Ma.s.s.
Owing to the great pleasure that they took in these exercises and the monks also, it often happened that it was broad daylight, and they could not leave the convent without being perceived by the other monks.
Therefore, fearing the great perils and inconveniences which might arise, they arranged between them that each should wear a monk"s gown, and have a tonsure made on her head, as though they belonged to the convent. So finally one day that they were in the convent, and whilst their husbands suspected nothing of it, a barber,--that is to say a monk belonging to the convent--was sent for secretly to the cells of the three brothers, and he cut a tonsure on the head of each.
And when the time came to leave, they put on the friars" gowns with which they were provided, and in that state returned to their respective homes, and undressed, and left their disguise with certain discreet matrons, and then returned to their husbands; and this continued for a long while, without any person being aware of it.
But since it would have been a great pity that such excessive devotion should not be known, fortune so willed that as on a certain day one of these ladies was on her road to the accustomed haunt, her trick was discovered, and she was caught in her disguise by her husband, who had followed her, and who said:
"Good brother, I am glad to have met you! I would beg of you to return to my house, for I have many things to say to you," and with that he took her back, at which she hardly felt joyful.
When they were in the house, the husband said, in a joking manner;
"My dear helpmate, can you swear on your honour that it is true piety, which in the middle of winter, causes you to don the habit of St.
Francis, and have your head shaved like the good monks? Tell me the name of your confessor, or by St. Francis you shall suffer for it,"--and he pretended to draw his dagger.
The poor woman threw herself on her knees, and cried;
"Have mercy upon me, husband! for I have been led astray by bad companions! I know that you could kill me if you liked, and that I have not behaved as I should, but I am not the only one the monks have led astray, and, if you promise that you will do nothing to me, I will tell you all."
To this her husband agreed; and then she told him how she often went to the monastery with two of her cronies who were in love with two of the monks, and they often breakfasted together in the monks" cells. "A third monk was in love with me," she continued, "and made such humble and impa.s.sioned requests to me that I could not excuse myself, and by the instigation and example of my companions, I did as they did, they all saying that we should have a good time together, and no one would know about it."
Then the husband demanded the names of her female friends, and she told him. He was acquainted with their husbands, and they had often eaten and drunk together. Finally, he asked who was the barber, and the names of the three monks.
The good husband, after considering all things, and moved by the piteous groans and sad regrets of his wife, said;
"Take care that you tell no one that you have spoken to me on this matter, and I promise you that I will do you no harm."
She promised that she would do whatever he wished. With that he went away at once, and invited to dinner the two husbands and their wives, the three Cordeliers, and the barber, and they all promised to come.
The next day they all came, and sat at table, and enjoyed themselves without expecting any bad news. After the table was removed, they had many joyous jests and devices to discover who should pay scot for all, and as they could not agree, the host said;
"Since we cannot agree as to who is to pay the reckoning, I will tell you what we will do. The one who has the baldest crown to his head shall pay--of course excluding these good monks, who pay nothing--at present."
To which they all agreed, and were content that it should be thus, and that the barber should be the judge. And when all the men had shown their heads, the host said that they ought to look at their wives"
heads.
It need not be asked if there were not some there present who felt their hearts sink within them. Without an instant"s delay, the host uncovered his wife"s head, and when he saw the tonsure he pretended to admire it greatly, pretending that he knew nothing about it, and said,
"We must see if the others are the same."
Then their husbands made them remove their head-dresses, and they were found to be tonsured like the first one, at which the men were not best pleased, notwithstanding that they laughed loudly, and declared that the question had been settled, and that it was for their wives to pay the reckoning.
But they wished to know how these tonsures came there, and the host, rejoicing to be able to divulge such a secret, related the whole affair, on condition that they would pardon their wives this time, after they had been witnesses of the penance the good monks were to undergo in their presence,--and to this both husbands agreed.
Then the host caused four or five st.u.r.dy varlets to come out of a chamber near by, and they, knowing what they had to do, seized the worthy monks and gave them as many blows as they could find room for on their shoulders, and then turned them out of the house. The others remained for a certain s.p.a.ce, and it is to be supposed that a good deal of conversation pa.s.sed between them, but as it would take too long to recount, I pa.s.s it over here, for the sake of brevity.
[Ill.u.s.tration: 61.jpg Cuckolded--and Duped.]
STORY THE SIXTY-FIRST -- CUCKOLDED--AND DUPED. [61]
By Poncelet.
_Of a merchant who locked up in a bin his wife"s lover, and she secretly put an a.s.s there which caused her husband to be covered with confusion._
It happened once that in a large town of Hainault there lived a good merchant married to a worthy woman. He travelled much, to buy and sell his merchandise, and this caused his wife to have a lover in his absence, and this continued for a long time.
Nevertheless, the secret was at last discovered by a neighbour, who was a relative of the husband, and lived opposite the merchant"s house, and who often saw a gallant enter the merchant"s house at night and leave in the morning. Which matter was brought to the knowledge of the person to whose prejudice it was, by this neighbour.
The merchant was much vexed, nevertheless he thanked his relative and neighbour, and said that he would shortly see into the matter, and for that purpose would shut himself up one night in his neighbour"s house, that he might see if anyone visited his wife.
Lastly, he pretended to start on a journey, and told his wife and his servants that he did not know when he should return. He started in the early morning, but returned the same evening, and having left his horse at some house, came secretly to his cousin, and peeped through a little lattice, expecting to see that which would hardly have pleased him.
He waited till about nine o"clock, when the gallant, whom the damsel had informed that her husband was away, pa.s.sed once or twice before his lady-love"s house, and looked at the door to see if he might enter, but found it closed. He guessed that it was not yet time, and whilst he strolled about waiting, the good merchant, who thought that this was the man he wanted, came down, and went to his door, and said,
"Friend, the lady heard you, and as she is afraid that the master may come back, she sent me down to let you in, if you please."