the
whyche house there were podynges to sell, and dyuers folkes there
brekynge theyr faste, and eatynge podynges. But the frere brake his
faste in a secrete place in the same house. This frere sone after came
to the church, and by lycence of the curate entered into the pulpet to
make a colacyon or sermon. And in his sermon there he rebuked sore the
maner of them that met to breke theyr faste on the Sonday before hye
masse, and said it was called the deuyls blacke brekefast. And with that
worde spekynge, as he dyd caste his armes out to make his countenaunce,
there fell a podyng out of his sleue, whiche he hym selfe had stolen a
lytell before in the same alehouse; and whan the people saw that, and
specially they that brake theyr faste there the same mornynge, and
knewe well that the wyfe had complayned howe she had one of her podynges
stolen, they laughed so moche at the frere, that he incontynente wente
downe out of the pulpet for shame.

By this tale a man may se that, whan a precher dothe rebuke any synne or
vyce wherin he is knowen openly to be gyltie him selfe, suche prechynge
shall lytell edefye to the people.

FOOTNOTES:

[114] This story, as already mentioned in the Introduction, is taken
from the tale of the "Vickar of Bergamo" in _Tarlton's Newes out of
Purgatorie_ (1590). See Halliwell's ed. of _Tarlton's Jests, &c._ p. 82.
(Shakesp. Sec.).

[115] Early.

[116] Homily.

+ _Of the frankelyns sonne that cam to take ordres._ lxix.

+ A certayne scoler there was, intendynge to be made a preest, whyche
hadde nother great wytte nor lernynge, came to the bysshoppe to take
orders, whose folysshenes the bysshoppe perceyuynge, because he was a
ryche mannes sonne wolde nat very strongly oppose him, but asked him
thys _questyon: Noye had thre sonnes, Sem, Came, and Japhete; nowe tell
me, who was Japhetes father? But the scoler was all abashed, and knew
nat what to answere: wherefore the bysshoppe sayde: get the home and
consider awhile_, and come agayne and soyle[117] me this questyon, and
thou shalt haue orders. This scoler so departed and came home to his
father, and shewed hym the cause of the hynderaunce of his orders. Hys
father, beyng angry at his folisshenes, thought to teche hym the
solucyon of this questyon by a familier example, and called his spanyels
before hym, and sayd thus: Thou knowest well, Colle my dogge hathe these
iii. whelpes, Ryg, Trygge and Tryboll. Muste nat all my dogges nedes be