seen by those who are with me. I say this for your own
welfare, and because I feel myself beholden to you."

2 The Grey Friars belonging to a mendicant order were
prohibited from demanding or accepting money; it was only
allowable for them to receive gifts in kind, mainly edible
produce. It was for this reason that the lady gave the friar
the two crowns wrapped in paper, knowing that he ought not
to touch the coins.--M. See also vol. i. p. 98, note 3.

The friar, well pleased with the two crowns, set off across the fields
at full gallop; and when he was some distance away the lady said aloud
to her attendants--

"You may well deem yourselves good servants and diligent guards. He as
to whom you were to be so careful has been speaking to me the whole day,
and you have suffered him to do so. Your good master, who puts so much
trust in you, should give you the stick rather than give you wages."

When the gentleman who had charge of her heard these words he was so
angry that he could not reply, but calling two others to him, set spurs
to his horse, and rode so hard that he at last reached the friar, who on
perceiving his pursuers had fled as fast as he could. However, the poor
fellow was caught, being less well mounted than they were. He was quite
ignorant of what it all meant, and cried them mercy, taking off his hood
in order that he might entreat them with bareheaded humility. Thereupon
they realised that he was not the man whom they sought, and that their
mistress had been mocking them. And this she did with even better effect
upon their return to her.

"You are fitting fellows," said she, "to receive ladies in your charge.
You suffer them to talk to any stranger, and then, believing whatever
they may say, you go and insult the ministers of God."

After all these jests they arrived at the place that her husband had
commanded, and here her two sisters-in-law, with the husband of one of
them, kept her in great subjection.

In the meanwhile her husband had heard how his ring had been pledged
for fifteen hundred crowns, whereat he was exceedingly wrathful, and in
order to save his wife's honour and to get back the ring, he bade his
sisters tell her to redeem it, he himself paying the fifteen hundred
crowns.

She cared nought for the ring since her lover had the money, but she
wrote to him saying that she was compelled by her husband to redeem it,
and in order that he might not suppose