+ _Of him that vsed to cal his servant the kinge of foles._ ix.
+ There was a man that had a dulle lumpisshe felow to his seruant,
wherfore he vsed commonly to call him the kinge of fooles. The felow at
laste waxed angry in his minde to be alway so called and sayde to his
mayster: I wolde that I were the kinge of foles: for then no man coulde
compare with me in largenes of kingedome, and also you shulde be my
subiect. By this one may perceiue, that to moch of one thing is not
good: many one calleth an other fole, and is more fole him selfe.
FOOTNOTES:
[152] Giddy.
[153] No matter.
+ _Of the yonge woman that sorowed so greatly her husbondes deth._ x.
+ There was a yonge woman, the whiche for her husbande, that laye a
dyenge, sorowed oute of all measure, wherfore her father came often to
her and sayde: daughter, leaue your mourninge: for I haue prouyded for
you a nother husbande, a farre more goodly man. But she did nat onely
continue in her sorowe, but also was greatly displeased, that her father
made any motion to her of an other husbande. As sone as she had buryed
her husbande, and the soule masse was songe, and that they were at
dyner, betwene sobbynge and wepynge she rowned[154] her father in the
eare, and sayde: father, where is the same yonge man, that ye said shuld
be min husbande? Lo, thus may ye se, that women sorowe ryght longe,
after theyr husbondes be departed to God.
+ _Of him that kissed the mayd with the longe nose._ xi.
+ A bablynge gentylman, the whiche on a tyme wolde haue bassed[155] a
fayre mayde, that had nat the leest nose, sayde: how shulde I kysse you:
youre nose wyll not suffre our lyppes to mete? The mayden, waxinge
shamfast and angrye in her mynde (for with his scoffe he a lyttell
touched her) answered on this wyse: syr, if ye can not kysse my mouth
for my nose, ye may kysse me there as I haue nere a nose.
Ye may by this tale lerne, that it is folye so to scoffe, that youre
selfe therby shulde be laughed to scorne agayne. One that is
ouer-couetous ought nat to attwite[156] an other of prodigalite. Thou
arte her brother (sayd Alcmeon to Adrastus) that slewe her husbande. But
he blamed nat Alcmeon for an others faute, but obiected against him his
owne. Thou hast with thy hande (sayd he) slayne thin owne mother. It is
nat ynough to haue rebukes redie, and to speke vyle wordes agaynst
other: for he, that so shuld do, ought to be without any vyce. For of
all men, sayth Plutarchus, he ought to be innocent and haue the lyfe
vnculpable, that wolde reprehende the fautes of other. The lyttell
morall boke[157] sayth:
It is a foule thynge worthye rebuke and blame
A vyce to reprehende and do the same.
FOOTNOTES:
[154] Whispered--_Singer_.
[155] Kissed, from the French word.
[156] _i.e._ twit or taunt.
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