Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 1.djvu/107

Rh and entertaining story of two friars, John and Richard, who are said to hare resided at Norwich, in the reign of Henry the Fifth. This is related in Heywood's History of women, under the title of The faire ladie of Norwich, and has crept into Blomefield's History of Norfolk in a very extraordinary manner, unaccompanied with any comment, but with the addition of the murderer's name who is unaccountably stated to be Sir Thomas Erpingham, a well known character. In the Bodleian library there is an old English poem entitled, A merry jest of Dane Hew, munck of Leicestre, and how he was foure times slain, and once hanged. Printed at London, by J. Alde, in 4to. without date. This is probably the same story, which has certainly been borrowed from one of those related by the Norman minstrels."