w his
sword in order to separate them; but it chanced that his friend slew the
other, and thus, although he himself had not dealt a blow, yet inasmuch
as he had been present at a murder and had drawn his sword, he became
a fugitive from his native town. By the advice of his kinsfolk he came
hither in the garb of a scholar, and he dwells here unknown until his
kinsfolk shall have ended the matter; and this he hopes will shortly
be done. For this reason, then, it would be needful that the marriage
should be performed in secret, and that you should suffer him to go in
the daytime to the public lectures and return home every evening to sup
and sleep."

"Sir," replied the worthy woman, "I look upon what you tell me as of
great advantage to myself, for I shall at least have by me what I most
desire in the world."

Thereupon the Grey Friar brought his comrade, bravely attired with a
crimson satin doublet, and the lady was well pleased with him. And as
soon as he was come the betrothal took place, and, immediately after
midnight, a mass was said and they were married. Then they went to
bed together until daybreak, when the bridegroom told his wife that to
escape discovery he must needs return to the college.

After putting on his crimson satin doublet and his long robe, without
forgetting his coif of black silk, he bade his wife, who was still in
bed, good-bye, promising that he would come every evening to sup with
her, but that at dinner they must not wait for him. So he went away and
left his wife, who esteemed herself the happiest woman alive to have
found so excellent a match. And the young wedded Friar returned to the
old father and brought him the five hundred ducats, as had been agreed
between them when arranging the marriage.

In the evening he failed not to return and sup with her, who believed
him to be her husband, and so well did he make himself liked by her and
by his mother-in-law, that they would not have exchanged him for the
greatest Prince alive.

This manner of life continued for some time, but God in His kindness
takes pity upon those that are deceived without fault of their own, and
so in His mercy and goodness it came to pass that one morning the lady
and her daughter felt a great desire to go and hear mass at St. Francis,
(1) and visit their good father confessor through whose means they
deemed themselves so well provided, the one with a son-in-law and the
other with a husband.

1 The church