en euer he did before, and
sometime seemed to be in loue with the one, and sometime with an
other: they againe for their part nothing mistrusting the malice
of Philenio, set a good face on the matter, vsinge amorous
cheere and countenance towards him, but when his backe was
tourned, with mockes and floutes they toke their pleasure. He
bearing in his brest secrete despite, was still desirous with
his hand to marke them in the face, but like a wise man, waying
the natures of women, he thought it woulde redounde to his
greate shame and reproche, if hee did them any hurt: and
therefore restrayning the heate of his choler vsed pacience. And
yet by deuising and practising, how he might be euen with them
and reuenged, hee was in great perplexitie. Very shortly after
it chaunced that the scholler had inuented a meane, easely to
satisfie his desire, and so sone as hee had fully resolued what
to do, fortune therunto was fauorable: who hyred in the citie of
Bologna a very faire house which had a large hall, and comodious
chambers: and purposed to make a greate and sumptuous feast, and
to inuite many Ladies and Gentlewomen to the same: amongs whom
these three were the first that should be bidden: which
accordingly was done: and when the feast day was come the three
gentlewomen that were not very wise at that instante, repaired
thither nothing suspecting the scholler's malice. In the end a
litle to recreate the Gentlewomen and to get them a stomacke,
attendinge for supper time, the Scholler toke these his three
louers by the hand, and led them friendly into a chamber,
somewhat to refresh them. When these three innocent women were
come into the Scholler's Chamber, hee shut fast the doore, and
going towards them, he sayde: "Beholde faire ladies, now the
time is come for me to be reuenged vpon you and to make you
suffer the penaunce of the torment wherwith ye punished me for
my great Loue." The Gentlewomen hearing those cruell woordes,
rather dead then aliue, began to repent that euer they had
offended him, and besides that, they cursed themselues, for
giuinge credit vnto him whom they ought to haue abhorred. The
Scholler with fierce and angry countenaunce commaunded them vpon
paine of their liues to strippe themselues naked: which sentence
when these three goddesses heard, they began to loke one vppon
another, weeping and praying him, that although he woulde not
for their sakes, yet in respect of his owne curtesie and
naturrall hum