"There was a poor young Woman who had brought herself even to Death's Door with grief for her sick Husband, but the good Man her Father did all he could to comfort her. _Come, Child_, said he, _we are all mortal. Pluck up a good heart, my Child: for let the worst come to the worst, I have a better Husband in store for thee. Alas, Sir_, says she, _what d'ye talk of another Husband for? Why, you had as good have stuck a Dagger to my Heart. No, no; if ever I think of another Husband, may--!_ Without any more ado, the Man dies, and the Woman, immediately breaks into such Transports of tearing her Hair, and beating her Breast, that everybody thought she'd have run stark-mad upon it. But, upon second Thoughts, she wipes her Eyes, lifts them up, and cries, _Heaven's will be done!_ and turning to her Father, _Pray Sir_, says she, _about t' other Husband you were speaking of, is he here in the House_?"--_Complete London Jester_, 1771, p. 49. This story was appropriated by the editor of _Pasquil's Jests, mixed with Mother Bunch's Merriments_, of which there were several editions, the first appearing in 1604. In Pasquil's Jests, the tale is told of a "young woman of Barnet." _She rowned her father in the eare._ Gower (_Confessio Amantis_, ed. Pauli, Vol. 1. p. 161) has a precisely similar expression:-- "But whan they rounenin her ere, Than groweth all my moste fere." P. 21. _Of him that kissed the mayde with the longe nose._ "'Good Sir William, let it rest' quoth shee, 'I know you will not beleeue it when I haue reuealed it, neither is it a thing that you can helpe: and yet such is my foolishnesse, had it not beene for that, I thinke, verily I had granted your suite ere now. But seeing you vrge me so much to know what it is, I will tell you: it is, sir, your ill-fauoured great nose, that hangs sagging so lothsomely to your lips, _that I cannot finde in my heart so much as to kisse you_.'"--_Pleasant History of Thomas of Reading_, by T. D. circa 1597, p. 73 (ed. Thoms). P. 26. _Of the Marchaunt that lost his bodgetie betwene Ware and Lon[don]._ In _Pasquil's Jests_, 1604 occurs an account substantially similar to the present, of "how a merchant lost his purse between _Waltam_ and London." P. 28. _Of the fatte woman that solde frute._ "Being thus dispatcht he layes downe Jacke A peny for the shot: 'Sir, what shall this doe?' said the boy. 'Why, rogue, discharge my pot! So much I cald for, but the rest By me shall nere be paid: For victualls thou didst offer me; _Doe and thou woot_, I said.'" _The Knave of Clubbs_, by S. Rowlands, 1600 (Percy Soc. ed. p. 20). P. 31.--Wilson introduces the "notable historie" of Papirius Pretextatus into his _Rule of Reason_, 1551, 80, and it had previously been related in Caxton's _Game and Playe of the Chesse_, 1474. P. 33. _Of the corrupte man of law._