._

--_By this tale_ men may well perceyue that yonge people that * * * * *
* * theyr frendes counsell in youthe in tymes * * * * * full ende.

+ _Of the cockolde who gained a ring by his iudgment._ v.

+ _Two gentylmen_ of acquoyntaunce were apoynted to lye with a
gentylwoman both in one nyght, the one nat knowynge of the other, at
_dyuers houres_. + Thys fyrste at hys houre apoynted came, and in the
_bedde chanced_ to lese a rynge. The seconde gentylman, whanne he _came
to bedde_, fortuned to fynde the same rynge, and whan he hadde _stayde
som tyme_ departed. And two or thre dayes after, the fyrste gentylmanne
_saw hys_ rynge on the others fynger, and chalenged it of hym and he
_refused it_, and badde hym tell where he had loste it: and he sayd: in
suche a _gentylwo_mans bedde. Than quod the other: and there founde I
it. And the _one gentylman_ wolde haue it and the other said he shulde
nat. Than they agreed _to be decyded_ by the nexte man that they dyd
mete. And it fortuned them to _mete_ the husbande of the said gentyll
woman and desyred hym of his _iudg_ment, shewynge hym all the hole
mater. Than quod he: by my iud_gmente, he t_hat ought[14] the shetes
shulde haue the rynge. Than quod they: and _for your_ good iudgement you
shall haue the rynge.

+ _Of the scoler that gave his shoes to cloute._ vi.

+ In the Uniuersyte of Oxeforde there was a scoler that delyted moche to
speke eloquente englyssshe and curious termes, and came to the cobler
with his shoes whyche were pyked before (as they used that tyme), to
have them clouted, and sayde this wyse: Cobler, I praye the sette _two
try_angyls and two semycercles vpon my subpedytales, and I shall
_paye_ the for thy laboure. The cobeler, because he vnderstoode hym nat
halfe, answered shortely and sayde: syr, your eloquence passeth myne
intelly_gence_. But I promyse you, yf he meddyll with me the clowtynge
of youre _shoon_ shall cost you thre pens.

By this tale men may lerne, that it is foly to study to speke eloquently
before them, that be rude and vnlerned.

+ _Of hym that said that a womans tongue was lightest of digestion._
vii.

+ A certayn artificer in London there was, whyche was sore _seke and_
coulde not well dysgest his meat. To whom a physicyon ca_m to give_ hym
councell, and sayd that he must vse to ete metis that be light _of
dig_estyon and small byrdys, as sparowes, swalowes, and specyally that
byrd _which is_ called a wagta