The fables of Aesop by William Caxton (Jacobs)/Vol. II/Poge/Fable 1
¶ The fyrst fable is of the subtylyte of the woman for to deceyue her husbond
He cautele or falshede of the woman
is wonder merueyllous / as it appiereth by this fable / Of a marchaūt
whiche was wedded of newe
vnto a fayre and yong woman /
the whiche marchaunt wente ouer the see for to
bye & selle / and for to gete somwhat for to lyue
honestly / And by cause that he dwellyd to longe /
his wyf supposed that he was dede / And therfore
she enamoured her self with another man /
whiche dyd to her mykle good / as for to haue
doo make and bylde vp his hows of newe the
whiche had grete nede of reparacion / and also he
gaf to her all new utensyles to kepe houshold /
And within a long tyme after the departyng of
the marchaunt he came ageyne in to his hows
whiche he sawe newe bylded / & sawe dysshes
pottes / pannes / and suche other houshold / wherfore
he demaunded of his wyf how and in what
maner she had soūde the facion and the mean
for to haue repayred so honestly his hows / And
she ansuerd that it was by the grace of god / And he ansuerd / Blessyd be god of hit / And when he
was within the chambre / he sawe the bedde
rychely couerd / & the walles wel hanged / and
demaunded of his wyf he had done before / And
she thenne ansuerd to hym in lyke maner as she
dyd before / And therfore he thanked god as he
had done to fore / And as he wold sette hym at
his dyner / there was brought before hym vnto
his wyf a child of thre yere of age / or there
aboute / wherfore he demaunded of his wyf /
My frend to whome belongeth this fayre child /
And she ansuerd / My Frend the holy ghoost of
his grace hath sente hit to me / Thene ansuerd
the merchaunt to his wyf in this manere / I
rendre not graces ne thankes not to the holy
ghoost of this / For he hath taken to moche
payne and labour for to haue it made up myn
owne werke / And I wyll that in no maner wyse
he medle no more therwith / For suche thynge
belongeth to me for to doo hit / and not to the
holy ghoost.