but the Abbot was pressing the work with
all speed, for it was no pleasure to him to live in the company of so
many honourable persons, among whom he could not bring his wonted female
pilgrims.

Having rested for a time after dinner, they returned to their accustomed
diversion. When all were seated in the meadow, they asked Parlamente to
whom she gave her vote.

"I think," she replied, "that Saffredent might well begin this day, for
his face does not look as though he wished us to weep."

"Then, ladies, you will needs be very hard-hearted," said Saffredent,
"if you take no pity on the Grey Friar whose story I am going to relate
to you. You may perhaps think, from the tales that some among us have
already told of the monks, that misadventures have befallen hapless
damsels simply because ease of execution induced the attempt to be
fearlessly begun, but, so that you may know that it is the blindness of
wanton lust which deprives the friars of all fear and prudence, I will
tell you of what happened to one of them in Flanders."

[Illustration: 115a.jpg The Beating of the Wicked Grey Friar]

[The Beating of the Wicked Grey Friar]

[Illustration: 115.jpg Page Image]

_TALE XLI_.

_A Grey Friar to whom a maiden had presented herself on
Christmas night that he might confess her, laid upon her so
strange a penance that she would not submit to it, but rose
from before him without having received absolution; but her
mistress, hearing of the matter, caused the Grey Friar to be
flogged in her kitchen, and then sent him back, bound and
gagged, to his Warden_.

In the year when my Lady Margaret of Austria came to Cambray on behalf
of her nephew the Emperor, to treat of peace between him and the Most
Christian King, who on his part was represented by his mother, my
Lady Louise of Savoy, (1) the said Lady Margaret had in her train the
Countess of Aiguemont, (2) who won, among this company, the renown of
being the most beautiful of all the Flemish ladies.

1 It was in June 1529 that Margaret of Austria came to
Cambrai to treat for peace, on behalf of Charles V. Louise
of Savoy, who represented Francis I., was accompanied on
this occasion by her daughter, Queen Margaret, who appears
to have taken part in the conferences. The result of these
was that the Emperor renounced his claims on Burgundy, but
upheld all the other stipulations of the treaty of