o do this enterprise: we warrant you that your parents,
although they bee covetous, will be contented to give us a great
quantity of mony to redeeme and ransome you from our hands.

With such and like flattering words they endeavoured to appease the
gentlewoman, howbeit shee would in no case be comforted, but put her
head betwixt her knees, and cried pittiously. Then they called the old
woman, and commaunded her to sit by the maiden, and pacify her dolor
as much as shee might. And they departed away to rob, as they were
accustomed to doe, but the virgin would not asswage her griefes, nor
mitigate her sorrow by any entreaty of the old woman, but howled and
sobbed in such sort, that she made me poore Asse likewise to weepe, and
thus she said, Alas can I poore wench live any longer, that am come of
so good a house, forsaken of my parents, friends, and family, made a
rapine and prey, closed servilely in this stony prison, deprived of all
pleasure, wherein I have been brought up, thrown in danger, ready to be
rent in pieces among so many sturdy theeves and dreadful robbers, can
I (I say) cease from weeping, and live any longer? Thus she cried and
lamented, and after she had wearied herself with sorrow and blubbered
her face with teares, she closed the windowes of her hollow eyes, and
laid her downe to sleepe. And after that she had slept, she rose again
like a furious and mad woman, and beat her breast and comely face more
that she did before.

Then the old woman enquired the causes of her new and sudden
lamentation. To whom sighing in pittifull sort she answered, Alas now I
am utterly undone, now am I out of all hope, O give me a knife to kill
me, or a halter to hang me. Whereat the old [woman] was more angry,
and severely commanded her to tell her the cause of her sorrow, and
why after her sleep, she should renew her dolour and miserable weeping.
What, thinke you (quoth she) to deprive our young men of the price of
your ransome? No, no therefore cease your crying, for the Theeves doe
little esteeme your howling, and if you do not, I will surely burn you
alive. Hereat the maiden was greatly feared, and kissed her hand and
said, O mother take pitty upon me and my wretched fortune, and give me
license a while to speake, for I think I shall not long live, let there
be mercy ripe and franke in thy venerable hoare head, and hear the sum
of my calamity.

There was a comely young man, who for his bounty and grace was beloved
en