+ _In a certayne_ towne there was a wife somewhat aged, that had beryed _her husbande_, whose name was John, whome she so tend_erlye loued in his_ lyfe, that after hys dethe she caused an ymage of tymber _to be made in forme_ and persone as lyke to hym as coulde be; whiche ymage _she kept carefully_ under her bedde; and euery nyghte she caused her mayde to _wrap the ymage in a shete_ and lay it in her bedde; and called it olde John. Thys _widowe had_ a prentyse whose name was John; whiche John wolde fayne _haue married hys_ maystres, nat for no great pleasure, but onely for her good _substance: for she_ was ryche. Wherefore he ymagened howe he myght obtayne hys _desire and so dyd_ speke to the mayde of the house, and desyred her to lay hym in hys maystres bedde for one nyghte in stede of the pycture,[141] and promysed her a good rewarde for her laboure; whyche mayde ouer nyghte wrapped the sayde younge man in a shete, and layde hym in his maysters bedde, as she was wonte to laye the pycture. Thys wydowe was wonte euery nyght, before she slepte and dyuers tymes whan she waked, to kysse the sayde pycture of olde John: wherefore the sayde nyghte she kyssed the sayde yonge man, beleuynge that she hadde kyste the picture. And he sodenly sterte,[142] and toke her in his armes, and so well pleased her than, that olde John from thens forth was clene out of her mynde, and [she] was contente that this yonge John shulde lye with her styll all that nyghte, and that the pycture of olde John shulde lye styll under the bedde for a thynge of noughte. After thys in the mornynge, thys wydowe, intendynge to please this yonge John whyche had made her so good pastyme all the nyght, bad her mayde go dresse some good mete for their brekefast to feaste therwith her yonge John. This mayde, whan she had longe sought for wode to dresse the sayde mete, told her maystres that she coude fynde no wode that was drye, except onelye the pycture of olde John that lyeth under the bed. * * * * * * * * _Some lines wanting._ and dressyd the brekfast; and so olde John _was brenyd; and_ from thens forth yong John occupyed _his place_. FOOTNOTES: [141] Not here put as a painting, but in a general sense, as a representation. [142] The old perfect of _start_. The orig. reads _starte_. + _Of the courtear that ete the hot custarde._ xcvii.