e to lay there cottons and wolles, as he thought
he had broken his necke and his legges, notwithstanding as
fortune would he had no hurt. This poore scholler being in that
darke place, began to seke for some dore or ladder to go out,
and finding nothing for his purpose he cursed the houre and time
that euer he knew Panthemia. When the dauning of the day began
to appeare, the simple sot discried in one place of the
storehouse certain ventes in the wall, which gaue some light,
because they wer old and couered ouer with mosse, in such wise,
as he began with maruelous force, to pluck out the stones in the
moste decaied place of the wall, and made so great a hole, as he
went out. And being in a lane hard by the great streate,
barefoote and bare legged, and in his shirt, he went home to his
lodging vnknowen of any. A litle whyle after Simphorosia
vnderstanding of the deceits whiche the other twoo had done to
Philenio, attempted to geue hym the thirde, whiche was not
inferior to the other twayne. And for that purpose, she began a
farre of to caste her amorous lokes vpon him, letting hym to
knowe that shee was in great distresse for his Loue. This poore
soule hauing already forgotten his fortune paste, began to walke
vp and downe before her house, like a man altogether tormented
and pained with Loue. Then Simphorosia, seing him to be farre in
loue with her, sent hym a letter by an old woman, whereby she
aduertised hym, that his beautie and good behauior, so
puissantly did gouerne her affections as she could take no rest
night nor day, for the earnest loue that she bare him: wherefore
she praied him if it were his pleasure to come and speake with
her. Philenio receiuing that letter, and perusing the contentes,
not considering the deceite prepared for him, ne yet any longer
remembring the iniuries past, was more ioyfull and glad then
euer he was before: who taking pen and paper, aunswered her
againe, that he for his parte suffered no lesse tormentes for
her sake, yea and in respect of vnfayned Loue, that he loued her
farre better than she did hym, and at al tymes when shee
pleased, hee woulde be at her commaundement to doe her seruice:
the aunswere read, and oportunitie found, Simphorosia caused him
to come home to her house, and after many false sighes, she
saide vnto him: "My deare frend Philenio, I knowe none other in
all the world, that hath brought me into this state and plighte
wherein presently I am, but you, because you