enities
of Literature_.

[5] For some of these notices I am indebted to Mr. Singer; others I have
added myself from the various sources.

[6] In Act v. Sc. iii of Fletcher's _Nice Valour_ (Dyce's B. & F. x.
361) there is mention of the _Hundred Novels_, alluding, not to the _C.
Mery Talys_, but to the _Decameron_ of Boccaccio, of which an English
translation appeared in 1620-5.

A C.

MERY TALYS.

+ _Of hym that said there were but two commandementes._ i.

+ A certayne Curate in the contrey there was that _preched_ in the
pulpet of the ten comaundementys, sayeng _that_ there were ten
commaundementes that euery man _should_ kepe, and he that brake any of
them commytted syn, howbeit he sayd, that somtyme it was _dedely and_
somtyme venyal. But when it was dedely syn and whan venyall there were
many doutes therin. + And a mylner, a yong man, a mad felow that cam
seldom to chyrch and had ben at very few sermons or none in all his
lyfe, answered hym than shortely this wyse: I meruayl, master person,
that ye say there be so many commaundementes and so many doutes: for I
neuer hard tell but of two commaundementes, that is to saye, commaunde
me to you and commaunde me fro you. Nor I neuer harde tell of more
doutes but twayn, that ys to say, dout the candell and dout the fyre.[7]
At which answere all the people fell a laughynge.

By this tale a man may well perceyue that they, that be brought vp
withoute lernynge or good maner, shall neuer be but rude and bestely,
all thoughe they haue good naturall wyttes.

+ _Of the wyfe who lay with her prentys and caused him to beate her
husbande disguised in her rayment._ ii.

+ A wyfe there was, which had apoynted her prentys to com to her bed in
the nyght, which seruaunt had long woed her to haue his plesure; which
acordyng to the apoyntement cam to her bed syde in the night, her
husbande lyenge by her. And whan she perceyuyd him there, she caught hym
by the hande and helde hym fast, and incontynent wakened her husbande,
and sayde: 'syr, it is so ye haue a fals and an vntrue seruant, which is
Wylliam your prentys, and hath longe woyd me to haue his pleasure; and
because I coulde not auoyde his importunate request, I haue apoynted
hym this nyght to mete me in the gardeyne in the herber; and yf ye wyll
aray your selfe in myn aray and go theder, ye shall see the profe
therof; and than ye may rebuke hym as ye thynk best by your dyscrecyon.
This husbande, thus