One Hundred Merrie and Delightsome Stories | Page 3

return she made the acquaintance of another, and pretended her child was by him. When the gentleman returned from the war he claimed the child, but she begged him to leave it with her second lover, promising that the next she had she would give to him, as is hereafter recorded.
STORY THE TWENTY-THIRD -- THE LAWYER'S WIFE WHO PASSED THE LINE.
Of a clerk of whom his mistress was enamoured, and what he promised to do and did to her if she crossed a line which the said clerk had made. Seeing which, her little son told his father when he returned that he must not cross the line; or said he, "the clerk will serve you as he did mother."
STORY THE TWENTY-FOURTH -- HALF-BOOTED.
Of a Count who would ravish by force a fair, young girl who was one of his subjects, and how she escaped from him by means of his leggings, and how he overlooked her conduct and helped her to a husband, as is hereafter related.
STORY THE TWENTY-FIFTH -- FORCED WILLINGLY.
Of a girl who complained of being forced by a young man, whereas she herself had helped him to find that which he sought;--and of the judgment which was given thereon.
STORY THE TWENTY-SIXTH --THE DAMSEL KNIGHT.
Of the loves of a young gentleman and a damsel, who tested the loyalty of the gentleman in a marvellous and courteous manner, and slept three nights with him without his knowing that it was not a man,--as you will more fully hear hereafter.
STORY THE TWENTY-SEVENTH -- THE HUSBAND IN THE CLOTHES-CHEST.
Of a great lord of this kingdom and a married lady, who in order that she might be with her lover caused her husband to be shut in a clothes-chest by her waiting women, and kept him there all the night, whilst she passed the time with her lover; and of the wagers made between her and the said husband, as you will find afterwards recorded.
STORY THE TWENTY-EIGHTH --THE INCAPABLE LOVER.
Of the meeting assigned to a great Prince of this kingdom by a damsel who was chamber-woman to the Queen; of the little feats of arms of the said Prince and of the neat replies made by the said damsel to the Queen concerning her greyhound which had been purposely shut out of the room of the said Queen, as you shall shortly hear.
STORY THE TWENTY-NINTH -- THE COW AND THE CALF.
Of a gentleman to whom--the first night that he was married, and after he had but tried one stroke--his wife brought forth a child, and of the manner in which he took it,--and of the speech that he made to his companions when they brought him the caudle, as you shall shortly hear.
STORY THE THIRTIETH -- THE THREE CORDELIERS.
Of three merchants of Savoy who went on a pilgrimage to St. Anthony in Vienne, and who were deceived and cuckolded by three Cordeliers who slept with their wives. And how the women thought they had been with their husbands, and how their husbands came to know of it, and of the steps they took, as you shall shortly hear.
STORY THE THIRTY-FIRST -- TWO LOVERS FOR ONE LADY.
Of a squire who found the mule of his companion, and mounted thereon and it took him to the house of his master's mistress; and the squire slept there, where his friend found him; also of the words which passed between them--as is more clearly set out below.
STORY THE THIRTY-SECOND -- THE WOMEN WHO PAID TITHE.
Of the Cordeliers of Ostelleria in Catalonia, who took tithe from the women of the town, and how it was known, and the punishment the lord of that place and his subjects inflicted on the monks, as you shall learn hereafter.
STORY THE THIRTY-THIRD -- THE LADY WHO LOST HER HAIR.
Of a noble lord who was in love with a damsel who cared for another great lord, but tried to keep it secret; and of the agreement made between the two lovers concerning her, as you shall hereafter hear.
STORY THE THIRTY-FOURTH -- THE MAN ABOVE AND THE MAN BELOW.
Of a married woman who gave rendezvous to two lovers, who came and visited her, and her husband came soon after, and of the words which passed between them, as you shall presently hear.
STORY THE THIRTY-FIFTH -- THE EXCHANGE.
Of a knight whose mistress married whilst he was on his travels, and on his return, by chance he came to her house, and she, in order that she might sleep with him, caused a young damsel, her chamber-maid, to go to bed with her husband; and of the words that passed between the husband and the knight his guest, as are more fully recorded hereafter.
STORY THE THIRTY-SIXTH -- AT WORK.
Of a squire who saw his mistress, whom he greatly loved, between two other gentlemern, and