m his
hut door, and gave me his customary courteous welcome.

"There's a woman a-coming!" quoth he. "Get away wi' ye! I hate women."

"Nay, _Jack_," said I; "thou alway savest me, as thou wist. Here be
eggs for thee--ducks', every one: and a spice-cake, which I know thou
lovest."

"I love nought so much as I hate women," saith he. But he took the cake
and the eggs off me, notwithstanding. "They're fleshly folk, is women,"
quoth old _Jack_.

"Nay, what signifiest?" said I. "Women have no more flesh than men, I
reckon."

"Mistress _Milisent_, does thou wit what _Paul_ says to th' _Romans_,
touching th' flesh and th' spirit?"

"Oh ay, _Jack_, I have read it afore now."

"Well, and does thou mind how he threaps again' th' flesh?"

"To be sure," said I.

"Now look ye here," saith he. "Here's my hand,"--and he reacheth forth
a great brown paw. "Does thou see it?"

"Ay, I am thankful I have eyes good enough for that, _Jack_!"

"Well--this hand's made o' flesh, does thou wit?"

"I reckon so much, _Jack_."

"Good. Well, _Paul_ he says we're none to mind th' things o' th' flesh,
but only th' things o' th' spirit. Your spirit's your thoughts and
meditations like. And that's why women's such ill uns--because they are
alway minding th' things o' th' flesh: scrubbing, and washing, and
baking, and sewing, and such like. And it stands to reason, Mistress
_Milisent_, that what ye do wi' th' flesh mun be th' things o' th'
flesh. Does thou see?"

"Well, _Jack_, I am afeared I do not entirely."

"Get thee gone!" saith he. "Women never can see nought. They're ill
uns, I tell ye--they're ill uns!"

"But, _Jack_, the sins of the flesh have nought to do with cooking and
washing."

"Does thou think I dunna know better nor a woman? Thee be off, or I'll
let fly th' broom at thee."

"_Jack_, thou art a very uncivil companion," said I; but I gathered up
my gown for to go.

"I never were civil to a woman yet," saith he, "and I hope I never shall
be. That's a sin I'll none have to answer for."

"In very deed it is, _Jack_," said I, "and I will bear witness for thee
to that end if need be. Farewell."

So away turned I from the grim old man, but had not run many steps down
ere I was aware of an hand, very different from _Jack's_, held forth to
me, and a voice saluting me in exceeding diverse language.

"Fairest Mistress _Milisent_, well met this cloudy morrow! I see the
flowers be out, though the sun shi