defyled. For pledge whereof I haue none other thyng to gyue but my true and symple fayth, whych if you dare trust it shal hereafter appeare so firme and inuiolable as no sparke of suspition shal enter your careful minde, which I may wel terme to be carefull, bicause some care before hand doth rise of my behauior in your absence. The tryall wherefore shall yelde sure euidence and testimony, by passing my careful life which I may with better cause so terme in your absence, that God knoweth wil be right pensife and carefull vnto mee, who ioyeth in nothinge else but in your welfare. Neuerthelesse all meanes and wayes shall bee agreeable vnto my minde for your assurance, and shall breede in me a wonderful contentation, which lusteth after nothing but your satisfaction. And if you list to close me vp in one of the Castell towers til your return, right glad I am there to continue an Ankresse life: so that the same may ease your desired mind.” The knight with great delyght gaue ear to the aunswere of his Wife, and when she had ended hir talke, he began to reply vnto hir: “My welbeloued, I doe lyke wel and greatly commended the stoutnesse of your heart, it pleaseth me greatly to see the same agreeable vnto mine. You haue lightned the same from inestimable woe by vnderstanding your conceiued purpose and determination to gard and preserue your honor, praying you therein to perseuere, still remembring that when a Woman hath lost hir honor, shee hath forgone the chiefest Iewel she hath in this Life, and deserueth no longer to be called woman. And touching my talke proposed vnto you although it be of great importaunce, yet I meane not to depart so soone. But if it do come to effect I assure thee Wife, I will leaue thee Lady and mistresse of all that I haue. In the meane time I will consider better of my businesse, and consult with my fryendes and kinsmen, and then determine what is best to be done. Til when let vs lyue and spend our tyme so merely as we can.” To bee shorte there was nothing that so mutch molested the knight, as the doubt he had of his wife, for that she was a very fine and faire yong Gentlewoman: And therefore he stil deuised and imagined what assurance he myght finde of hir behauior in his absence. And resting in this imagination, not long after it cam to passe that the knight being in company of diuers Gentleman, and talking of sundry matters, a tale was tolde what chaunced to a gentleman of the Countrey whych had obtained the fauoure and good wyll of a Woman, by meanes of an olde man called Pollacco, which had the name to be a famous enchaunter and Physitian, dwelling at Cutiano a Citie of Boeme, where plenty of siluer mines and other metals is. The knight whose Castle was not far from Cutiano, had occasion to repaire vnto that Citye, and according to his desire found out this Pollacco, which was a very old man, and talking with him of diuers things, perceiued him to be of great skil. In end he entreated him, that for so