now all is forgotten. And in saying this, she went in, and soone after she was so sicke, that needes she must goe to bed: and when she was laid, she draue out that night with many grieuous groanes, sighing and sobbing, and no rest she could take God wot. And in the morning when shee should rise, the good soule fell downe in a swowne, which put her maidens in a great flight, who running downe to their master, cryed out; Alas, alas, our Dame is dead, our Dame is dead. The good-man hearing this, ran vp in all hast and there fell to rubbing and chafing of her temples, sending for aqua vitæ, and saying, Ah my sweet-heart, speake to me, good-wife, alacke, alacke; call in the neighbours, you queanes, quoth he. With that she left vp her head, fetching a great groane, and presently swouned againe, and much a doe ywis, he had to keepe life in her but when she was come to her selfe, How dost thou wife, qd. he? What wilt thou haue? for Gods sake tell me if thou hast a mind to any thing, thou shalt haue it. Away dissembler (qd. she) how can I beleeve thee? thou hast said to me as much a hundred times, and deceiued me, it is thy churlishnesse that hath killed my heart, neuer was woman matcht to so vnkind a man.

Nay, good-wife, blame me not without cause; God knoweth how heartily I loue thee. thou didst neuer carry my loue but

Loue me? no, no, on the tip of thy

tongue, quoth she, I dare sweare thou desirest nothing so much as my death, and for my part, I would to God thou hadst thy desire; but be content, I shall not trouble

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thee long; and with that fetching a sigh, shee swouned and gaue a great groane. The man seeing her in this case, was woundrous woe: but so soone as they had recouered her, he said, O my deare wife, if any bad conceit hath ingendered this sickenesse, let me know it; or if thou knowst any thing that may procure thy health, let me vnderstand thereof, and I protest thou shalt haue it, if it cost me all that euer I haue.

O husband, quoth she, how may I credit your words, when for a paltry sute of apparell you denyed me? Well, wife, quoth he, thou shalt haue apparell or any thing else thou wilt request, if God send thee once health. O husband, if I may find you so kind, I shall thinke my selfe the happiest woman in the world, thy' words haue greatly comforted my heart, mee thinketh if I had it, I could drinke a good draught of Renish wine. Well, wine was sent for: O Lord, said she, that I had a piece of a chicken, I feele my stomache desirous of some meate : Glad am I of that, said her husband, and so the woman within a few dayes after was very well.

But you shall vnderstand, that her husband was faine to dresse her London-like, ere he could get her quiet, neither would it please her except the stuffe was bought in Cheapside: for out of Cheapside nothing would content her, were it neuer so good: insomuch, that if she thought a Taylor of Cheapside made not her gowne, she would sweare it were quite spoiled.

And hauing thus wonne her husband to her will,

when the rest of the Clothiers wiues heard thereof, they would be suted in the like sort too: so that euer since, the wiues of South-hampton, Salisbury, of Glocester, Worcester, and Reading, went all as gallant and as braue as any Londoners wiues.

How the Clothiers sent the King aide into France, and how he ouercame his brother Robert, and brought him into England, and how the Clothiers feasted his Maiesty and his sonne at Reading. Chap. 7. THE Kings Maiestie being at the warres in France, against Lewis the French King, and Duke Robert of Normandy, sending for diuers supplies of Souldiers out of England, the Clothiers at their owne proper cost set out a great number, and sent them ouer to the King.

Which Roger Bishop of Salisbury, who gouerned the Realme in the Kings absence, did certifie the King thereof, with his letters written in their commendations.

And afterwards it came to passe, that God sent his Highnes victory ouer his enemies, and hauing taken his brother prisoner, brought him most ioyfully with him into England, and appointed him to be kept in Cardife Castle prisoner, yet with this fauour, that he might hunt and hawke where he would, vp and downe the Country, and in this sorte hee liued a good while, of whom we will speake more at large hereafter.

The King being thus come home, after his Winters rest, he made his Summers progresse into the Westcountrey, to take a view of all the chiefe Townes:

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whereof the Clothiers being aduertised, they made great preparation against his comming, because he had promised to visit them all.

And when his Grace came to Reading, he was entertained and receiued with great ioy and triumph: Thomas Cole being the chiefe man of regard in all the Towne, the King honored his house with his Princely presence, where during the Kings abode, he, and his sonne, and Nobles were highly feasted.

There the King beheld the great number of people, that was by that one man maintained in worke, whose hearty affection' and loue toward his Maiestie did well appeare, as well by their outward countenances, as their gifts presented vnto him. But of Cole himselfe the King was so well perswaded, that he committed such trust in him, and put him in great authority in the Towne. Furthermore the King said, That for the loue which those people bore him liuing, that hee would lay his bones among them when he was dead. For I know not, said he, where they may be better bestowed, till the blessed day of resurrection, then among these my friends which are like to be happy partakers of the same.

Whereupon his Maiesty caused there to be builded a most goodly and famous Abbey: in which he might shew his deuotion to God, by increasing his seruice, and leaue example to other his successors to doe the like. Likewise within the towne he after builded a faire and goodly Castle, in the which he often kept his Court,

which was a place of his chiefe residence during his life, saying to the Clothiers, that seeing he found them such faithfull subiects, he would be their neighbour, and dwell among them.

After his Maiesties Royall feasting at Reading, he proceeded in progresse, till he had visited the whole West-countries, being wondrously delighted, to see those people so diligent to apply their businesse: and comming to Salisbury, the Bishop receiued his Maiesty with great ioy, and with triumph attended on his Grace to his Palace, where his Highnesse lodged.

There Sutton the Clothier presented his Highnesse with a broad cloth, of so fine a thread, and exceeding good workmanship, and therewithall of so faire a colour, as his Grace gaue commendation thereof, and as it is said, he held it in such high estimation, that thereof he made his Parliament robes, and the first Parliament that was euer in England, was graced with the Kings person in those robes, in requitall whereof his Highness afterward yeelded Sutton many princely fauours.

And it is to be remembred, that Simon of Southhampton (seeing the King had ouerpast the place where he dwelt) came with his wife and seruants to Salisbury, and against the K. going forth of that City, hee caused a most pleasant arbour to be made vpon the toppe of the hill leading to Salisburie, beset all with red and white roses, in such sort, that not any part of the timber could be seene, within the which sat a maiden attired like a Queen, attended on by a faire traine of