ch in use.

[79] Orig. reads _and that commanded_.

+ _Of the seruaunt that rymyd with hys mayster._ xlv.

+ A gentleman there was dwellynge nygh Kyngston upon Tamys, and rydynge
in the contrey with his seruaunt which was _not the_ quyckest felowe,
but rode alway sadly[80] by _his maysters side and uttered_ uery fewe
wordys. Hys mayster sayd to him: _wherefore rydyst_ thou so saddly? I
wolde have the tell me some tale to beguyle the tyme with. By my
trouthe, mayster, quod he, I can tell no tale. Then sayd his mayster:
canst thou not synge? No by my trouthe, quod he, I coulde neuer synge in
all my lyfe. Quod the mayster: canst thou ryme? No, by my trouthe, quod
he, I can not; but yf ye wyll begyn to ryme, I wyll folow as well as I
can. By my trouth, quod the mayster, that is well; therfore I wyll begyn
to make a ryme. Let me se how well thou canst folowe thy mayster
meanwhyle; and then [he] began to ryme thus:--

"Many mennys swannys swymme in Temmys,
And so do myne."

Then quod the seruant:--

"And many a man lyeth by other mennys wyues,
And so do I by thyne."[81]

What dost thou, horeson, quod the mayster? By my trouthe, mayster, no
thynge, quod he, but make vp the ryme. But quod the mayster: I charge
the tell me why thou sayest so? Forsothe Mayster, quod he, for nothynge
in the worlde but to make vp your ryme. Than quod the mayster: yf thou
doist for nothynge ellys, I am content. So the mayster forgaue hym hys
saynge, all thoughe he sayd trouthe peraduenture.

FOOTNOTES:

[80] Quietly.

+ _Of the Welcheman that delyuered the letter to the ape._ xlvi.

_5 first lines wanting._

fauoure to his seruant and commaunded his seruant shortely to br_ynge
hym an_ answere. This Welcheman came to the chefe Iustyce' place, and
at _the gate saw_ an ape syttynge there in a cote made for hym, as they
use to _apparell apes_ for disporte. This Welchman dyd of hys cappe, and
made curtsye _to the ape and_ sayd: my mayster recommendeth hym to my
lorde youre father, and sendeth hym here a letter. This ape toke this
letter and opened it, and _lokyd theron_, and after lokyd vpon the man,
makynge many mockes and moyes, _as the proper_tyes of apes is to do.
This Welcheman, because he vnde_rstood hym_ nat, came agayne to his
mayster accordynge to his commaundes, _and tolde hym he_ delyuered the
letter vnto my lorde chefe Iustyce' sonne, _who was at the gate_ in a
furred cote. Anone his mayst