burnished armor; in place of his helmet-plume he wore a fox-brush
ornamented with jewels, which unusual ornament afforded great matter of
remark among the busy bodies of both armies.

THE END OF THE TENTH NOVEL

The Epilogue

"_Et je fais scavoir a tous lecteurs de ce Livret que les
chases que je dis avoir vues et sues sont enregistres icy, afin
que vous pouviez les regarder selon vostre ban sens, s'il vous
plaist._"

HERE IS APPENDED THE EPILOGUE THAT MESSIRE NICOLAS
DE CAEN MADE FOR THE BOOK WHICH CONTAINED THE
SOUL OF HIM; AND WHICH (IN CONSEQUENCE) HE MIGHT NOT
VIEW AS HE DID ANYTHING THAT CONVEYED ABOUT THIS
WORLD MERE FLESH AND BLOOD AND THE SOUL OF ANOTHER
PERSON.

The Epilogue

_A son Livret_

Intrepidly depart, my little book, into the presence of that most
illustrious lady who bade me compile you. Bow down before her judgment
patiently. And if her sentence be that of death I counsel you to
grieve not at what cannot be avoided.

But, if by any miracle that glorious, strong fortress of the weak
consider it advisable, pass thence to every man who may desire to
purchase you, and live out your little hour among these very credulous
persons; and at your appointed season die and be forgotten. For thus
only may you share your betters' fate, and be at one with those famed
comedies of Greek Menander and all the poignant songs of Sappho. _Et
quid Pandoniae_--thus, little book, I charge you poultice your
more-merited oblivion--_quid Pandoniae restat nisi nomen Athenae_?

Yet even in your brief existence you may chance to meet with those who
will affirm that the stories you narrate are not verily true and
erroneously protest too many assertions which are only fables. To
these you will reply that I, your maker, was in my youth the quite
unworthy servant of the most high and noble lady, Dame Jehane, and in
this period, at and about her house of Havering-Bower, conversed in my
own person with Dame Katharine, then happily remarried to a private
gentleman of Wales; and so obtained the matter of the ninth story and
of the tenth authentically. You will say also that Messire de
Montbrison afforded me the main matter of the sixth and seventh
stories; and that, moreover, I once journeyed to Caer Idion and talked
for some two hours with Richard Holland (whom I found a very old and
garrulous and cheery person), and got of him the matter of the eighth
tale in this dizain, togeth