vouchsafed to do me so great honour, as to repayre vnto
this my simple feast, which benefite I wyl recompence after the
Persian manner, by shewing vnto you the thinge which I loue
moste deerely aboue any in this worlde, or hereafter shal be
able to loue so long as my life endureth: but before I doe the
same, I pray you to tell mee your opynyon in a doubte whych I
shall propose. There was a certayne person whych in hys house
had a good and Faythfull Seruaunte who became extremely sick:
that Person without attendyng the end of his diseased seruaunt,
caused him to be caried into the midst of the streate wythout
any further care for him. In the meane tyme there came a
straunger by, who moued by compassion of the sicke seruaunt,
bare him home to his owne house, where wyth great care and
diligence, sparing no cost or charge, made him to recouer his
former healthe: I would now fayne know of you, whither for
retaining and vsing the seruice of that seruaunt, his first
maister by good right myghte complayne vpon the seconde, if he
should demaund hym agayne, or by demaunding of him agayne, the
second not disposed to restore him, might susteyne any damage."
The gentlemen after many opinions and arguments debated too and
fro amonges them, and at length all concluding in one mind, gaue
charge to Nicholas Chasennemie, (bicause he was an eloquent
talker) to make the answer: who first praising the Persians
custome, said that he was, (with the rest) of this opinion, that
the first maister had no further title in his seruaunt, hauing
in sutch necessity not onely forsaken him, but throwen him into
the streate, and that for the good turnes whych the second
maister had don him, he ought by good right to be hys: wherefore
by kepyng him, he did no wrong, force, or iniury to the first.
Al the rest at the Table (which were very discret and honest
persons) sayd altogyther that they were of hys opinion. The
knight content with that answer, and specially bycause Nicholas
Chasennemie had pronounced it, affyrmed that hee was likewyse of
that minde, and afterwards he sayd: "Time it is then that I
render vnto you the honor which you haue done me, in manner
accordyngly as I haue promysed.{"} Then he called vnto him two
of hys Seruaunts, and sent them to the Gentlewoman, whom hee had
caused to be apparelled and decked very gorgeously, praying hir
by hir presence to content and satisfie al the company. And she
taking in hir armes hir little faire sonne