end it tourne to good, for it hath
afrighted mee aboue measure. As they were readie to enter into a
colourable common place of the deceitful friuolousnes of dreames, my
trustie seruant _Brunquell_ stoode quiuering and quaking euerie ioynt
of him, and (as it was before compacted between vs) let his pistoll drop
from him on the sodain, wherwith I started out of my bed, and drew my
rapier and cride murther, murther, which made good wife _Tabitha_ readie
to bepisse her.

My seruant, or my master, which you will, I tooke roughly by the coller,
and threatned to run him thorough incontinent if he confest not the
truth. He as it were striken with remorse of conscience (God be with
him, for he could counterfeit most daintily) downe on his knees, askt
me forgiuenes, and impeached _Tabitha_ and _Petro de catnpo Frego_ as
guiltie of subornation. I verie mildly and grauely gaue him audience,
raile on them I did not after his tale was ended, but sayd I would trie
what the lawe coulde doe. Conspiracie by the custome of their countrie
was a capitall offence, and what custome or iustice might affoord
they should be all sure to feele. I could (quoth I) acquite my selfe
otherwise, but it is not for a straunger to bee his owne caruer in
reuenge. Not a worde more with _Tabitha_ but die she would before God
or the deuill would haue her, she sounded and reuiued, and then sounded
againe, and after shee reuiued again sighed heauily, spoke faintly
and pittifully, yea and so pittifully, as if a man had not knowen the
prankes of harlots before, he would haue melted in comiseration. Tears,
sighs, and dolefull tuned wordes could not make anie forcible claime
to my stonie eares, it was the glistering crownes that I hungered and
thirsted after, and with them for all her mock holyday iestures she
was faine to come off, before I woulde condiscend to anie bargaine of
silence. So it fortuned (fie vpon that vnfortunate word of Fortune) yt
this whore, this quean, this curtizan, this common of ten thousand, so
bribing me not to bewray her, had giuen me a great deale of counterfeit
gold, which she had receiued of a coiner to make awaie a little before.
Amongst the grosse summe of my briberie, I silly milkesop mistrusting no
deceit, vnder an angell of light tooke what she gaue me, nere turnd it
ouer, for which (O falsehood in faire shew) my master and I had like
to haue bin turned ouer. Hee that is a knight arrant, exercised in the
affaires of Ladies and Gentl