Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand and One Nights — Volume 2 (of 6)
General
Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand and One Nights — Volume 2 (of 6)
Fairy tales; Tales -- Arab countries
At last it chaunced that a young gentleman of the citie, comming by her
house, and seeing her looke out at her window, noting her rare and
excellent proportion, fell in love with her, and that so extreamelye, as
his passions had no meanes till her favour might mittigate his heart
sicke discontent. The yong man that was ignorant in amorous matters, and
had never beene used to courte anye gentlewoman, thought to reveale his
passions to some one freend that might give him counsaile for the
winning of her love, and thinking experience was the surest maister, on
a daye seeing the olde doctor walkinge in the churche that was
Margaret’s husband, little knowing who he was, he thought this the
fittest man to whom he might discover his passions, for that hee was
olde and knew much, and was a phisition that with his drugges might
helpe him forward in his purposes; so that seeing the olde man walke
solitary, he joinde unto him, and after a curteous salute, tolde him
that he was to impart a matter of great import to him, wherein, if hee
would not onely be secrete, but indevour to pleasure him, his pains
should bee every way to the full considered. You must imagine,
gentleman, quoth Mutio, for so was the doctor’s name, that men of our
profession are no blabs, but hold their secrets in their hearts bottome,
and therefore reveale what you please, it shall not onely be concealed,
but cured, if either my art or counsaile may doo it. Upon this, Lyonell,
so was the young gentleman called, told and discourst unto him from
point to point, how he was falne in love with a gentlewoman that was
married to one of his profession, discovered her dwelling and the house,
and for that he was unacquainted with the woman, and a man little
experienced in love matters, he required his favour to further him with
his advice. Mutio at this motion was stung to the hart, knowing it was
his wife hee was fallen in love withall, yet to conceale the matter, and
to experience his wive’s chastity, and that if she plaide false, he
might be revenged on them both, he dissembled the matter, and answered
that he knewe the woman very well, and commended her highly: but said
she had a churle to her husband, and therefore he thought shee would bee
the more tractable: Trye her, man, quoth hee, fainte harte never wonne
faire lady, and if shee will not be brought to the bent of your bowe, I
will provide such a potion as shall dispatch all to your owne content:
and to give you further instructions for oportunitie, knowe that her
husband is foorth every afternoone from three till sixe. Thus farre I
have advised you, because I pitty your passions, as my selfe being once
a lover, but now I charge thee reveale it to none whomsoever, least it
doo disparage my credit to meddle in amorous matters.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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