An Anthology of English Prose 1332 to 1740

nd so departed. And whan he was comen home from the senatoire and fro the counceyll with his fader, his moder demanded of hym what was the counceyll, and whereof they spack, and had taryed so longe there. And the childe answerd to her and sayd he durst not telle ner saye hit, for so moche as hit was defended upon payn of deth. Than was the moder more desirous to knowe that she was to fore. And began to flatere hym one tyme, and afterward to menace hym that he shold saye and telle to her what hit was. And whan the childe sawe that he might have no reste of his moder in no wise, he made her first promise that she shold kepe hit secrete, and to telle hit to none of the world. And that doon, he fayned a lesing or a lye, and sayd to her, that the senatours had in counceyll a grete question and difference, which was this; whether hit were better and more for the comyn wele of Rome, that a man should have two wyvys or a wyf to have two husbondes. And whan she had under- stonde this, he defended her that she shold telle hit to none other body. And after this she wente to her gossyb and told to her this counceyll secretly. And she told to another; and thus every wyf tolde hit to other in secrete. And thus hit happend anone after that alle the wyves of Rome cam to the senatorye where the senatours were assemblid, and cryed wyth an hye voys that they had lever, and also hit were better for the comyn wele that a wyf shold have two husbondes than a man two wyves. The senato... --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.