of an edition of the work subsequent to 1582, it is possible that about that time the title had grown too stale to please the less educated reader, and the work had fallen into disrepute in higher quarters. The stories themselves, in some shape or other, however, have been reproduced in every jest-book from the reign of Elizabeth to the Restoration, while many of them multiply themselves even to the present day in the form of chap books. _A C. Mery Talys_ was one of the popular tracts described by the pedantic Laneham, in his _Letter from Kenilworth_, 1575, as being in the Library of Captain Cox, of Coventry.[6] FOOTNOTES: [1] Walley obtained his licence or the _C. Mery Talys_ in 1557-8, during the reign of Mary, perhaps in anticipation of a change in the government, and in order to forestall other stationers. If Walley printed the Tales, it is most likely that he waited, till Elizabeth came to the throne. [2] Collier's Extracts from the Reg. Stat. Co. ii. 25. [3] An abridgment of this ballad was published in Ritson's _Ancient Songs and Ballads_, 1829, ii. 31. But see the _Townley Catalogue_, No. 358. [4] The elder Disraeli has a chapter on this subject in his _Amenities of Literature_. [5] For some of these notices I am indebted to Mr. Singer; others I have added myself from the various sources. [6] In Act v. Sc. iii of Fletcher's _Nice Valour_ (Dyce's B. & F. x. 361) there is mention of the _Hundred Novels_, alluding, not to the _C. Mery Talys_, but to the _Decameron_ of Boccaccio, of which an English translation appeared in 1620-5. A C. MERY TALYS. + _Of hym that said there were but two commandementes._ i. + A certayne Curate in the contrey there was that _preched_ in the pulpet of the ten comaundementys, sayeng _that_ there were ten commaundementes that euery man _should_ kepe, and he that brake any of them commytted syn, howbeit he sayd, that somtyme it was _dedely and_ somtyme venyal. But when it was dedely syn and whan venyall there were many doutes therin. + And a mylner, a yong man, a mad felow that cam seldom to chyrch and had ben at very few sermons or none in all his lyfe, answered hym than shortely this wyse: I meruayl, master person, that ye say there be so many commaundementes and so many doutes: for I neuer hard tell but of two commaundementes, that is to saye, commaunde me to you and commaunde me fro you. Nor I neuer harde tell of more doutes but twayn, that ys to say, dout the candell and dout the fyre.[7] At which answere all the people fell a laughynge. By this tale a man may well perceyue that they, that be brought vp withoute lernynge or good maner, shall neuer be but rude and bestely, all thoughe they haue good naturall wyttes. + _Of the wyfe who lay with her prentys and caused him to beate her husbande disguised in her rayment._ ii.