assurance that he need not to feare when as he might
privily be let in and out in the night, without knowledge
of any person. When he thought, with these and
other gentle words to allure and prick forward the
obstinate mind of Myrmex he shewed him glittering
gold in his hand, saying that he would give his mistresse
twenty crowns and him ten, but Myrmex hearing these
words, was greatly troubled, abhorring in his mind
to commit such a mischiefe: wherfore he stopped
his eares, and turning his head departed away:
howbeit the glittering view of these crownes could
never be out of his mind, but being at home he seemed
to see the money before his eyes, which was so worthy
a prey, wherefore poore Myrmex being in divers opinions
could not tell what to doe, for on the one side lie
considered the promise which he made to his master,
and the punishment that should ensue if he did contrary.
On the other side he thought of the gaine, and the
passing pleasure of the crownes of gold; in the end
the desire of the money did more prevaile then the
feare of death, for the beauty of the flowrishing
crownes did so sticke in his mind, that where the
menaces of his master compelled him to tarry at home,
the pestilent avarice of gold egged him out a doores,
wherefore putting all shame aside, without further
delay, he declared all the whole matter to his Mistresse,
who according to the nature of a woman, when she heard
him speake of so great a summe she bound chastity
in a string, and gave authority to Myrmex to rule
her in that case. Myrmex seeing the intent of
his Mistresse, was very glad, and for great desire
of the gold, he ran hastily to Philesiterus, declaring
that his Mistresse was consented to his mind, wherefore
he demanded the gold which he promised. Then
incontinently Philesiterus delivered him tenne Crownes,
and when night came, Myrmex brought him disguised
into his mistresses Chamber. About Midnight when
he and she were naked together, making sacrifice unto
the Goddesse Venus, behold her husband (contrary to
their expectation) came and knocked at the doore,
calling with a loud voice to his Servant Myrmex:
whose long tarrying increased the suspition of his
Master, in such sort that he threatned to beat Myrmex
cruelly: but he being troubled with feare, and
driven to his latter shifts, excused the matter saying:
that he could not find the key: by reason it was
so darke. In the meane season Philesiterus hearing
the noise at the doore, slipt on his coat and privily
ran out of the Chamber. When Myrmex had opened
the doore to his Master that threatned terribly, and
had let him in, he went into the Chamber to his wife:
In the mean while Myrmex let out Philesiterus, and
barred the doores fast, and went againe to bed.
The next morning when Barbarus awaked, he perceived
two unknown slippers lying under his bed, which Philesiterus
had forgotten when he went away. Then he conceived
a great suspition and jealousie in mind, howbeit he
would not discover it to his wife, neither to any other