+ _Of the one broder that founde a purs._ xciii.

+ There was a certayne man that had two sonnes unl_yke eche other_. For
the eldyst was lustye and quycke, and vsed moch_e betimes to_ walke into
the fyldes. Than was the yonger slowe, and vsed _moche_ to lye in his
bed as long as he myght. So on a day the elder, as _he was vsed_, rose
erly and walked into the fyldes; and there by fortune he founde a purse
of money, and brought it home to his father. His father, whan he had it,
wente strayght to hys other sonne yet lyenge than in his bed and sayd to
him: o thou slogarde, quod he, seyst thou nat thyne eldest brother, howe
he by hys erly rysyng had founde a purse with money whereby we shall be
greatly holpen all our lyfe, whyle thou sluggynge in thy bedde dost
no[140] good but slepe? He than wyst nat what to say, but answered
shortly and said: father, quod he, if he that hathe loste the purse and
money had lyne in hys bedde that same tyme that he loste it, as I do
nowe, my brother had founde no purse nor money to day.

By this ye may se, that they that be accustomed in vyce and synne will
alwaye fynde one excuse or other to cloke therewyth theyr vyce and
vnthryftynes.

FOOTNOTES:

[140] Orig. reads _thou sluggynge in thy bedde dost thou no good_, which
repetition of _thou_ seems unnecessary.

+ _Of the answere of the mastres to the mayde._ xciv.

+ A certayne wyfe there was, whiche was somwhat fayre, and, as all women
be that be fayre, was somwhat proude of her beautye; and as she and her
mayde satte together, she, as one that was desyrous to be praysed, sayd
to her thus: I, faythe, Jone, howe thynkest thou? am I nat a fayre wyfe?
Yes, by my trouth, maistres, quod she, ye be the fayrest that euer was
excepte * * *

_The end is wanting._

+ _Of the northern man that was all harte._ xcv.

_Of this tale but a small fragment remains._

+ _Of the burnynge of olde John._ xcvi.

+ _In a certayne_ towne there was a wife somewhat aged, that had beryed
_her husbande_, whose name was John, whome she so tend_erlye loued in
his_ lyfe, that after hys dethe she caused an ymage of tymber _to be
made in forme_ and persone as lyke to hym as coulde be; whiche ymage
_she kept carefully_ under her bedde; and euery nyghte she caused her
mayde to _wrap the ymage in a shete_ and lay it in her bedde; and called
it olde John. Thys _widowe had_ a prentyse whose name was John; whiche
John wolde fayne _haue ma