and
when shee was shrouded ready to the buriall, as her neighbours
were attending to followe her to the Church, her poore husbande
came home, and the first sight he sawe, was the body of his dead
wife before his doore, wherof before that instant hee had no
newes. And when he vnderstode the order of her death, he then
doubled his sorrowe, in such wyse that he was also like to die.
In this sort was this marter of chastitie buried in the church
of S. Florentine, where all the honest dames and wiues of the
citie endeuoured themselues to accompany her, and to honour her
with suche reuerence as they were able to do: accomptinge
themselues most happie to dwell in that towne, where a woman of
such vertuous behauiour did dwell. The foolish and wanton seing
the honour done to that deade bodye, determined from that time
forth to renue their former life, and to chaunge the same into a
better.

THE FIFTY-FIRST NOUELL.

_A king of Naples, abusing a Gentleman's wife, in the end did weare
the hornes himselfe._

In the citie of Naples when king Alphonsus raigned, in whose
time wantonnesse bare chiefest sway, there was a Gentleman so
honest, beautifull and comely, as for his good conditions and
wel knowen behauiour an old Gentleman gaue to him his daughter
in mariage, which in beautie and good grace was passingly well
beloued and comfortable to her husband. The Loue was great
betwene them, till it chaunced vpon shrouetide that the king
went a masking into the citie, where euery man endeuoured to
intertaine him the best he could. And when he came to this
Gentleman's house, he was best receyued of any place in all the
towne, aswell for banqueting, as for musicall songes, and the
Gentlewoman, the fayrest that the king sawe in all the citie to
his contentacion. And vpon the end of the banket, she sang a
song with her husbande, with a grace so good as it greatly
augmented her beautie. The king seeing so many perfections in
one body, conceyued not so great pleasure in the sweete accords
of her husband and her, as he did howe to deuise to interrupt
and breake them: and the difficultie for bringinge that to
passe, was the great amitie that hee sawe betweene them,
wherefore he bare in his hart that passion so couert, as he
possibly could. But partly for his owne solace and comforte, and
partly for good will of all, hee feasted all the Lords and
Ladyes of Naples, where the Gentleman and his wife were not
forgotten. And because