hen the daunce was ended, the President
faining as though he would haue commaunded him to doe some thing
in his house, bad him in his eare to get him away and neuer to
retourne. Now was the Clark very sorowfull to leaue his Ladye,
but yet no lesse ioyfull he was that his life was saued.
Afterwardes when the President had made all his frendes and
kinsfolkes, and all the countrey, beleue what great loue he bare
to his wife, vppon a faire day in the moneth of May, he went to
gather a sallade in his garden, the herbes whereof after she had
eaten, she liued not aboue XXIIII. houres after, whereof he
counterfaited suche sorrowe, as no man could suspect the
occasion of her death. And by that meanes he was reuenged of his
enemy, and saued the honour of his house.

"Par. I will not by this Nouell (said Emarsuitte) prayse the
conscience of the President, but herein I haue declared the
light behauiour of a woman, and the great pacience and prudence
of a man: Praying you good Ladies all, not to be offended at the
truthe." "If all women (quo Parlamente) that loue their Clarkes
or seruauntes, were forced to eate such sallades, I beleue they
would not loue their gardens so well as they doe, but woulde
teare and plucke vp all the herbes bothe roote and rinde, to
auoyde those thinges that by death might aduaunce the honor of
their stock and ligneage." "If sallades be so costly (quod
Hircan) and so daungerous in May, I will prouoke appetite with
other sawces, or els hunger shall be my chiefest."

THE FIFTY-NINTH NOUELL.

_A gentleman of Perche suspecting iniurie done vnto him by his
friend, prouoked him to execute and put in proufe the cause of his
suspicion._

Besides the countrie of Perche, there were two Gentlemen, which
from the tyme of theyr youthe lyued in sutche great and perfect
amitie, as there was betwene them but one harte, one bed, one
house, one table, and one purse. Long time continued this
perfect frendship: betwene whom there was but one will and one
woorde, no difference in either of them: in so muche as they not
onely semed to be two brethren, but also they appeared in al
semblances to be but one man. One of them chaunced to mary:
notwithstanding they gaue not ouer their frendship, but
perseuered in their vsual amitie as they were wont to doe: and
whan they happened to be strained to straight lodging, the
maried gentleman would not stick to suffer his friend to lie
with him and his wife. But yet yo