Hillarius. I do greatly fear least it happen unto them as to the labourer of whom Aesop speaketh off. He rehearseth a fable of a woman who had newly buried her 1husband, who did go every day to his grave to weep and lament. Now there was a labourer which ploughed in a field which was not far from the Churchyard. Wherefore he seeing that woman, and was in love with her, insomuch that he left his Oxen, and went also unto the grave, and being there set down, did also weep with the woman. When the woman asked him wherefore he so lamented, he answered her: because saith he, that I have buried a fair and an honest woman, for whom I am much sorrowful and sad. But after that I have well wept and lamented, I am eased of my sorrow. And the woman said unto him: Even so is it chanced to me of my husband. Whereupon the labourer answered unto her. For as much then as both of us are fallen into one misfortune, wherefore may we not marry together? For I will love thee, as I loved ⟨image 310⟩my first wife, and thou shalt leve me in like manner as thou diddest love thy first husband. By those words •ee he did put that into the woman's head, in so much that they accorded together. But whilst that he used that deceit and plaid the Fox with the poor woman, there came a thief more wily than he, which stole away his Oxen and carried them away. When he was returned and that he found not his Oxen, he did begin to weep and lament, and to strike his breast very bitterly. The woman also came: and when she had found him weeping and lamenting, she said unto him Doest thou weep yet. And he answered unto her: now I weep earnestly. Before his tears were feigned and did but weep• outwardly, and laughed in his heart as our Priests do at the Funerals and Obsequies of the dead. But I am altogether certain, that there shall be no jesting nor Crocodiles tears, in the burying of their Purgatory. For as soon as he shall be dead, the Mass shall not live long after. And so they shall have two bodies which will bring unto them great sorrow and heaviness. But I believe that they will not bestow so much money about them, for to make their good deeds, as they have gotten and heaped together by their means. But let us suffer them to weep their fill, as well as they have made others weep, & let us singe when they weep.
Hillarius. I do greatly feare least it happen vnto them as to the labourer of whome Esope speaketh off. He rehearseth a fable of a woeman who had newly buryed hir 1husbande, who did goe euery daye to his graue to wéepe and lament. Nowe there was a labourer which ploughed in a fielde which was not farre from the Churchyarde. Wherefore hée seeing that woeman, and was in loue with hir, insomuch that hée lefte his Oxen, and went also vnto the graue, and beeing there sette downe, dyd also wéepe with the woeman. When the woeman asked him wherefore hée so lamented, hée aunswered hir: bicause saith hée, that I haue buryed a faire and an honest woman, for whome I am much sorrowfull and sad. But after that I haue well wept and lamented, I am eased of my sorrow. And the woman sayd vnto him: Euen so is it chaunced to me of my husband. Wherevpon the labourer aunswered vnto hir. For as much then as both of vs are fallen into one misfortune, wherefore maye we not marye together? For I will loue thée, as I loued ⟨image 310⟩my first wife, and thou shalt leue mée in like manner as thou diddest loue thy first husbande. By those woordes •ee he did put that into the woemans head, in so much that they accorded together. But whilest that hee vsed that deceite and plaide the Foxe with the poore woman, ther came a théefe more wily thē he, which stole away his Oxen and caryed them away. When hée was retourned and that he founde not his Oxen, hée did begin to wéepe and lament, and to strike his brest very bitterly. The woeman also came: and when shée had founde him weeping and lamenting, shée sayd vnto him Doest thou wéepe yet. And hée aunswered vnto hir: nowe I wéepe earnestly. Before his teares were fained and did but wéep• outwardly, and laughed in his heart as our Priestes do at the Funeralls and Obsequies of the dead. But I am altogether certeine, that there shall bée no iestinge nor Crocodiles teares, in the burying of their Purgatorye. For as soone as he shall be dead, the Masse shall not liue longe after. And so they shall haue two bodyes whiche will bringe vnto them great sorrowe and heauinesse. But I beléeue that they will not bestowe so much money about them, for to make their good déedes, as they haue gotten and heaped together by their meanes. But let vs suffer them to wéepe their fill, as well as they haue made others wéepe, & let vs singe when they wéepe.
- 1The fable of the feigned mourning of a labourer.The fable of ye fayned mourning of a laborer.
