tyll they were mynded to cutte it of
with hatchettys. Thus was the wenche well iaped,[58] and for fere she
ranne from her fader; her faders arme was hurte; the colyar lost his
coles; the sexton was almost out of hys wyt; and the gentylman had
almost broke his necke.

FOOTNOTES:

[50] Perhaps this story, of which we have here a fragment only, was
similar to the one narrated a little farther on. See Tale 57.

[51] Thavies Inn, near St. Andrew's Church, in Holborn.

[52] wooed.

[53] Orig. reads _that the colyar_.

[54] before.

[55] the seat of the commode.

[56] weened.

+ _Of the merchantes wyfe that sayd she wolde take a nap at sermon._
xxv.

+ A marchantys wyfe there was in Bowe parysh in London, somewhat slepte
in age, to whom her mayde cam on a Sonday in Lente after dyner and
sayde: maystres, quod she, they rynge at Saynte Thomas of Acres, for
there shall be a sermon prechyd anon; to whome the mastres answered and
sayde: mary! Goddys blessynge haue thy harte for warnynge me thereof;
and because I slepte not well all this nyght, I pray the brynge my stole
to me: for I wyll go thyder to loke, whether I can take a nappe there,
whyle the preest is prechynge.

By this ye may se, that many one goth to chyrch as moch for other
thynges as for deuocyon.

FOOTNOTES:

[57] Orig. reads _gentylman_.

[58] mocked, made a jest of. See Nares (edit. 1859) _in voce_.

+ _Of the woman that said and she lyued another yere she wolde haue a
cockoldes hatte of her owne._ xxvi.

_Of the above tale but a few words remain in the fragment._

+ _Of the gentylman that wysshed his tothe in the gentylwomans tayle._
xxvii.

+ A gentylman and gentylwoman satte to gyder talkyng, _which gentylman_
had great pain in one of his tethe, and hapnyd to say _to the
gentylwo_man thus: I wys, maystres, I haue a tothe in my hede which
_greuyth me u_ery sore: wherfore I wold it were in your tayl. She,
heryng him _say this, answe_ryed thus: in good fayth, syr, yf your tothe
were in my tayle it coulde _do it but lytle_ good; but yf there be any
thynge in my tayle that can do your tothe good, I wolde it were in your
tothe.

By this ye may se that a womans answere is seldome to seke.[59]

+ _Of the Welcheman that confessyd hym howe he had slayne a frere._
xxviii.

+ In the tyme of Lente, a Welcheman cam to be confessyd of his curate;
whych in his confessyon sayde that he had kylled a frere; to whome the