Page:The fables of Aesop, as first printed by William Caxton in 1484, with those of Avian, Alfonso and Poggio. Vol 2.djvu/295



Omtyme was a merchaunt whiche maryed hym to a yonge woman / the whiche had yet her moder on lyue / It happed that this Marchaunt wold ones haue gone omwhere in to ferre country for to by ome ware or marchaundye / And as he was goynge / he betoke his wyf to her moder for to kepe and rewle her honetly tyll he come ageyne /   ¶ His wyf thenne by the owne conentynge and wylle of her moder / enamoured her elf of a ryght gentyl / fayre and yong man whiche fournyhed to thappoyntement / And ones as they thre made good chere the hubond came ageyne fro the feyre and knocked at the dore of the hows / wherfore they were wel abahed / Thenne ayd the old moder thus to them / haue no fere / but doo as I halle telle to yow / and care yow not / And thenne he ayd to the yonge man / hold this werd / and goo thow to the yate / and beware thy elf that thow aye no word to hym / but lete me doo / And as the hubond wold haue