no answere at all. And the daunce ended, she
retourned to her place. Nowe it chaunced, as these three ladies
did sit together iocundly disposed to debate of sundrie mery
talke, behold Emerentiana, the wife of Seignior Lamberto, not
for any euill, but in sporting wise said vnto her companions:
"Gentlewomen, I haue to tell you a pleasaunt matter which
happened to this day." "What is that?" said her companions.
"I haue gotten this night, (said she) in dauncing, a curteous
louer, a very faire Gentleman, and of so good behauiour as any
in the worlde: who said that he was so inflamed with my beauty
that he tooke no rest day nor night:" and from point to point,
rehearsed vnto them, all that he had said. Which Panthemia and
Simphorosia vnderstanding, answered that the like had chaunced
vnto them, and they departed not from the feaste before eche of
theim knewe him that was their louer: whereby they perceiued
that his woordes proceded not of faithfull Loue, but rather of
follie and dissimulation, in suche wise as they gaue so lyghte
credite thereunto, as of custome is geuen to the woordes of
those that bee sicke. And they departed not from thence vntill
all three with one accorde, had conspired euery one to giue him
mocke. Philenio continuing thus in Loue, sometime with one,
sometime with another, and perceiuing that euery of them seemed
to Loue him, hee determined with himselfe, if it were possible
to gather of them the last frute of his Loue. But he was greatly
deceyued in his desire, for that all his enterprise was broken:
and that done, Emerentiana whiche could not any longer dissemble
the loue of the foolishe scholer called one of her maydes, which
was of a fayre complexion and a ioly wenche, charging her that
she should deuise meanes to speake with Philenio, to geue him to
vnderstande the loue which her maistresse bare vnto him: and
when it were his pleasure she willingly would one night haue him
at home at her house. Which newes when Philenio heard, he
greatly reioyced, and said to the maid: "Returne to your
Maistresse, faire maide, and commend me vnto her, telling her in
my behalf, that I doe praye her to loke for me this euening, if
her husband be not at home." During which time, Emerentiana
caused a certaine number of fagots of sharpe thornes to be made,
and to be layd vnder her bedde still wayting for her minion.
When night was come, Philenio toke his sworde, and went to the
house of his enemy, and calling at the do