bout to die, and people say that there is nothing
women loathe more than to touch dead bodies." (4)

4 Most of this sentence, deficient in our MS., is taken
from MS. No. 1520.--L.

"If you had spent as much time in hospitals as in taverns," said
Ennasuite, "you would not speak in that way, for you would have seen
women shrouding dead bodies, which men, bold as they are, often fear to
touch."

"It is true," said Saffredent, "that there is none upon whom penance has
been laid but does the opposite of that wherein he formerly had delight,
like a lady I once saw in a notable house, who, to atone for her delight
in kissing one she loved, was found at four o'clock in the morning
kissing the corpse of a gentleman who had been killed the day before,
and whom she had never liked more than any other. Then every one knew
that this was a penance for past delights. But as all the good deeds
done by women are judged ill by men, I am of opinion that, dead or
alive, there should be no kissing except after the fashion that God
commands."

"For my part," said Hircan, "I care so little about kissing women,
except my own wife, that I will assent to any law you please, yet I
pity the young folk whom you deprive of this trifling happiness, thus
annulling the command of St. Paul, who bids us kiss _in osculo sancto._"
(5)

5 _Romans_ xvi. 16; 1 _Corinthians_ xvi. 20; 2
_Corinthians_ xiii. 12; I _Thessalonians_ v. 26. Also 1
_Peter_ v. 14.--M.

"If St. Paul had been such a man as you are," said Nomerfide, "we should
indeed have required proof of the Spirit of God that spoke in him."

"In the end," said Geburon, "you will doubt Holy Scripture rather than
give up one of your petty affectations."

"God forbid," said Oisille, "that we should doubt Holy Scripture, but
we put small faith in your lies. There is no woman but knows what her
belief should be, namely, never to doubt the Word of God or believe the
word of man."

"Yet," said Simontauit, "I believe that there are more men deceived by
women than [women] by men. The slenderness of women's love towards us
keeps them from believing our truths, whilst our exceeding love towards
them makes us trust so completely in their falsehoods, that we are
deceived before we suspect such a thing to be possible."

"Methinks," said Parlamente, "you have been hearing some fool complain
of being duped by a wanton woman, for your words carry but little
weight, and need the