r beautie, good
grace and pleasaunt talke, haue so sette my harte on fyre as I
feele it to kindle and burne like drye woode." Which talke
Maister scholler hearing, thought assuredly that she consumed
for loue of him: this poore Nodgecock, contriuing the time in
sweete and pleasaunt woordes, with his dareling Simphorosia, the
time approched that he should go to bed with his faire lady, who
said vnto him: "My swete frend Philenio, abide a whyle, and let
vs make some banket and collation:" who taking him by the hande,
caried him into her closet adioyning, wher was a table ready
furnished with exquisit conficts and wynes of the best. This
gentlewoman had made a composition in the wyne, to cause this
yong gallant to sleepe for a certain time. Philenio thinking no
hurte, toke the cup and filled it with the wyne, and dranke it
vp at one draught. His spirits reuiued with this refreshing,
after he had bene very well perfumed and washed in swete waters,
he went to bedde and within a while after this drinke began to
woorke, and hee slepte so soundly, as canon shot, or the
greatest gonnes of the worlde were not able to wake hym: then
Simphorosia perceiuing the drinke beginne to woorke, called one
of her sturdy maides that wel was instructed in the game of this
pageant: both whiche carying this poore sleepy scholler by the
feete and armes, and opening the dore very softlye, they fayre
and well bestowed hym in the middeste of the streete, a good
stone's caste of from the house, where he lay all the nighte.
But when the dawning of the daye dyd appeare, or an houre
before, the drynke lost his vertue, and the poore soule began to
awake, and thinking that he had bene a bedde with the
gentlewoman he perceiued hymself brechelesse and in his shirt
more dead then aliue, through the colde that he had endured, by
lying starke naked vppon the earth. The poore wretche was not
able to help himselfe so much as with his armes and legges,
ne yet to stande vppon his feete without great paine:
notwithstanding, through creping and sprawling, hee got home to
his house, vnseene of anye, and prouided so well as hee could
for recouery of his health: and had it not been for his youth,
which did helpe him at that instant, his sinewes had been
benommed for euer. In the ende, hauing atteined his former state
of health he still remembred the iniuries past, and without
shewing any signe of anger or displeasure, made as though he
loued them all three better th