season, how to change her hatred into kind love, which at the length she
fully obtained, and then purposed to procure in this manner: Secretly
she sent a faithful chambermaid of her own to greet Anastasio on her
behalf, humbly entreating him to come see her, because now she was
absolutely determined to give him satisfaction in all which, with
honour, he could request of her. Whereto Anastasio answered that he
accepted her message thankfully, and desired no other favour at her hand
but that which stood with her own offer, namely, to be his wife in
honourable marriage. The maid knowing sufficiently that he could not be
more desirous of the match than her mistress showed herself to be, made
answer in her name that this motion would be most welcome to her.

Hereupon the gentlewoman herself became the solicitor to her father and
mother, telling them plainly that she was willing to be the wife of
Anastasio; which news did so highly content them, that upon the Sunday
next following the marriage was very worthily solemnised, and they lived
and loved together very kindly. Thus the Divine bounty, out of the
malignant enemy's secret machinations, can cause good effects to arise
and succeed. For from this conceit of fearful imagination in her, not
only happened this long-desired conversion of a maid so obstinately
scornful and proud, but likewise all the women of Ravenna, being
admonished by her example, grew afterward more tractable to men's honest
motions than ever they showed themselves before. And let me make some
use hereof, fair ladies, to you not to stand over-nicely conceited of
your beauty and good parts when men solicit you with their best
services. Remember then this disdainful gentlewoman, but more
especially her, who being the death of so kind a lover was therefore
condemned to perpetual punishment, and he made the minister thereof whom
she had cast off with coy disdain, from which I wish your minds to be
free, as mine is ready to do you any acceptable service.

V

TEIG O'KANE AND THE CORPSE

[_Translated from the Irish_]

By Dr DOUGLAS HYDE

There was once a grown-up lad in the County Leitrim, and he was strong
and lively, and the son of a rich farmer. His father had plenty of
money, and he did not spare it on the son. Accordingly, when the boy
grew up he liked sport better than work, and, as his father had no other
children, he loved this one so much that he allowed him to do in
everything just as it