the door by force unless the wife opened it, they trembled mightily and some present contrivance is considered of. Nor was there any other than what the thing itself offered. He stript off his waistcoat, and threw himself through a narrow window, nor without danger, nor without a wound, and fled. You know that such stories are spread presently; therefore it came also to Balbinus, and the artist had guessed that would be. A. Here therefore he is held by the middle. ened that he would break the occasion, who seemed otherwise to have intended silence, and he was one who was moved easily. It is not obscure, quoth he, what hinders; sins hinder it from succeeding, which it is fit should be handled purely by the pure. At this saying, the artist fell upon his knees, and now and then smiting his breast with a lamentable countenance and voice, says, you have said very true, Balbinus, sins, I say hinder, but my sins, not yours; for I shall not be ashamed to confess my filthiness to you, as to a most holy priest. The weakness of the flesh had conquered me. Satan had drawn me into his snares, and woe's me! of a priest I am become a cuckold-maker. Yet this present which we sent to the virgin mother was not lost altogether. I had perished by certain destruction, unless she had succoured me. Now the husband was breaking the door; the window was straiter than that I could get out. In so imminent a danger, I bethought me of the holy virgin; fell upon my knees, I besought her, if the present was acceptable, that she would help me. Without delay, I go again to the window, (for so necessity obliged me) and I found it B. Nay, he slipped hence more luckily than out of the bedchamber. Hear the trick of the fellow. Balbinus did not expostulate at all, but by his cloudy countenance showed that he was not ignorant of what was reported commonly. He knew Balbinus was pious man, I may almost say superstitious in some things; and they who are such, easily forgive one that begs pardon in a fault never great. Wherefore he makes mention of the success of the business on purpose; complaining that it did not succeed as it used, or he wished: he added that he very much wondered what was the reason. There Balbinus being moved upon SO large enough for an es cape. A. What did Balbinus here? to wit, he took care A. Did Balbinus believe the fellow was thrown into those things? the gaol. B. Believe! nay, he forgave him too, and advised him religiously, that he should not show himself ungrateful to to the most blessed virgin. Again money was paid him giving his promise that he would manage this holy affair purely for the future. A. What was the upshot at last? B. The story is very long; but I shall finish it in a few words. After he had played upon the man a long time with such inventions, and had got no small quantity of money from him, at length there came one who had known the knave from a child. He easily guessing that he was doing the same thing with Balbinus, which he had been doing every where else, goes to him privately, tells him what an artist he maintained in his house; he advises him to dismiss the man as soon as may be, unless he had rather have him run away some time after he had robbed his chests. B. Into the gaol! Nay, he paid him money for his journey, beseeching him by all that was sacred, that he would not blab what had happened; and he was wise in my opinion truly, who chose this rather than be the story of feasts, and the market, and then come in danger of confiscation. For there was no danger of the cheat, he understood much of the art as any ass, and cheating in this kind is favoured. But if he had laid against him the crime of felony, his unction_rendered him secure from hanging; nor would any one maintain willingly such a fellow in the gaol for nothing. as A. I should pity Balbinus, unless he loved to be deluded. B. Now I must hasten to court; some other time I will tell you much more foolish things even than these. A. When you shall be at leisure, I both shall hear you gladly, and requite story with story. HORSE-JOCKEY. God! A. IMMORTAL B. Why do you ask that, A. Because you seem to me to have become a Cato. of a Phædrus; there is so much severity in your coun tenance. B. No wonder, friend, I have confessed just now my sins. A. Puh! now I give over wondering, but come tell me in good faith, have you confessed all? B. All indeed which came into my mind, one only excepted. A. Why did you conceal this one? B Because it could not yet displease me. sin. A. I will hear it indeed willingly. B. You know what abundance of cheating there is with our countrymen amongst those who sell or let out horses. A. I know more than I would, having been cheated not once only by them. B. A journey lately happened to me, both long enough, and also to be hastened. I go to one of them, whom you would have said to be the least bad of that sort, and something of friendship too there was betwixt me and the man. I tell him I have some weighty business, had need of a very stout horse; if ever he had shewn himself a good man to me that now he would do it. He promises me that he would deal with me so, as he would deal with A. It must be a sweet his most dear brother. B. I know not whether it be a sin, but if you are at leisure, you shall hear. A. Perhaps he would have imposed likewise upon his brother. B. He leads me into the stable, bids me chuse cut of all the horses which soever I would. At length one pleased me more than the rest. He approves of my judgment, swearing that that horse had been desired frequently by many; that he chose rather to keep him for a particular friend, than part with him to strangers. We agree about the price, the money is paid down presently. I mount. The horse pranced with wonderful alacrity in setting out; you would have said that he was mettlesome, for he was pretty fat and handsome. When I had rid now an hour and a half, I perceived him quite tired, and that he could not be got on truly with the spurs. I had heard that such were kept by them for cheating, which you would judge fine ones by their appearance, but very unable to bear labour. I said presently with myself, I am catched; well I will return like for like, when I return home. A. What course did you take here, a horseman without a horse? B. That which the thing offered. I turned off into the next town: there I set up my horse with one that was known to me, and hired another; I went whither I had designed, returned, restore my hired horse; i find my cheat, as he was, fat and finely rested. Riding upon him, I return to the rogue: I beg of him that he would keep him some days in his stable, until I come for him again. He asks me how well he carried me. I swear by all that's sacred, that I never got upon the back of a better horse in my life; that he flew rather than paced, and was not sensible of weariness in so long a journey, nor made a hair the leaner for his la bour. When I had persuaded him that these things were true, he thought silently with himself, that the horse was another sort of one than hitherto he had suspected him. Therefore before I went away, he asked me if my horse was to be sold: At first, I said no, because if a journey should fall out again, it would not be easy to get the like; but that nothing was so dear to me, which was not to be sold for a large price; although any one should desire to buy myself, say I. A. Truly you acted the Cretian finely with the Cretian. B. What needs many words? He does not dismiss me, till I set my price. I set him at not a little more than I had bought him for. Being gone from the man, by and by I suborn one, who should act a part of this play for me, well instructed, and taught. He entering the house, calls upon the jockey, he says that he had need of a very good horse, and excellently capable of enduring labour. The other shows him many, and commends every worst horse most. He does not commend him alone which he had sold to me, because he thought him truly such, as I had commended him for. But the other presently asks whether he too was to be sold. The jockey at first was silent and commended others mightily. When he, the rest being approved of in some measure, always treated about that alone, at last the jockey says to himself my judgment of that horse plainly deceived me: since this stranger immediately knew him amongst them all. When he urged him, at last says he, he is to be sold, but perhaps you will be frightened with the price. The price, says he, is not great, if the worth of the thing answer. Set your price. He set him at something more than I had set him at to him, catching also at this gain. At length they agreed they agreed about the price: a good large earnest penny is given, to wit, a royal crown, lest any suspicion of a counterfeit purchase should happen. The buyer orders hay to be given to the horse. He says that he will return presently and take him away. He gives also a sixpence to the hostler. I, as soon as I knew the bargain was firm, that it could not be broken, returned again to the jockey, dressed in my boots and spurs. I call out of breath, he comes, asks me what I would have. Let my horse be got ready pre- · sently, say I, for I must go immediately upon a serious affair. But just now, quoth he, you ordered that I should keep your horse some days: true, say I, but business is fallen in my way besides my expectation and that the king's, which admits no delay. Here, he said, you may choose out of all, which you will; you cannot have your own. ask, what for! Because, says he, he is sold. There pretending a great disturbance, I say, God forbid what you say. This journey being fallen out, I would not sell that horse, although any one would pay me four times the worth. I begin a scolding, I cry out that I am undone. At length he too, grew hot. What need, quoth he, of all this bawling? You set a price on I |