his father's name, that
he knewe of. It is of trouthe, quod the scriuener: for here is the
oblygacyon therof, whiche I made my selfe. He prouoked the yonge manne
so moche, that he gaue hym money for the oblygation, and before the
mayre he required the duetie. His sonne, that was named to be dettour,
sayde playnely, that his father neuer borowed money: for if he had, it
wolde appere by his bokes, after the marchantes' maner. And forth with
he went to the scriuener and sayde to him, that he was a false man to
write a thing that neuer was done. Sonne, sayde the scriuener, thou
wotteste nat what was done that tyme: whan thy father borowed that somme
of money, thou were nat borne: but he payde it agayne within thre
monthes after, I made the quittance therof my selfe: wherby thy father
is discharged. So the yonge man was faine to gyue hym money for the
quittaunce. And whan he had shewed the quittaunce he was discharged of
that greuance. Thus by his faire fraude he scraped money from them
bothe.

By this tale ye may se, that the children in this our tyme be very
prudent to get money.

FOOTNOTES:

[204] Inn.

[205] See _Introduction_ vi.

[206] Debt.

+ _Of hym that saide he beleued his wyfe better than other, that she was
chaste._ xliiii.

+ A Certayne man, whose wyfe (as the voyce wente) was nat very chaste of
her bodye, was warned of his frendes to loke better to the matter. The
man wente home and sharpely rebuked his wyfe, and told her betwene them
bothe, what his frendes had sayde. She, knowynge that periurye was no
greatter offence than aduoutry,[207] with wepynge and swerynge defended
her honestie: and bare her husbande on hande, that they feyned those
tales for enuye that they hadde to se them lyue so quietly. With those
wordes her husbande was content and pleased. So yet an other tyme
agayne, his frendes warned him of his wyfe, and badde hym rebuke and
chastice her. To whome he sayd: I pray you trouble me no more with suche
wordes. Telle me, whether knoweth better my wiue's fautes, you or she?
They sayde: She. And she (quod he), whom I beleue better than you all,
sayth playnly, that ye lye. This was well and wysely done: For one
ought nat to gyue light credence to those thinges, wherin resteth
perpetuall grefe of mynde.

FOOTNOTES:

[207] Adultery. The word occurs in Bacon's Essays. In his _Essay of
Empire_, the writer says:--"This kind of danger is then to be feared
chiefly when the wives have pl