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A Knights son in the west, who was indeed his Fathers only child, and so gave him a little more liberty than ordinary, and he was rather a lover of the State of Venus—than Genoa, and did often haunt the young girles thereabouts; but especially one above the rest, which was a very pretty maid, and about eighteen years of age, and a Farmers Daughter, who was his fathers Tennant; which gave him the more liberty to have free egress and regress thither; and haveing importun'd the Maid
very much, yet she would never grant: at last he promis'd her marriage, upon which he had his de∣sire, and the maid was with-child: but his father and mother fearing he might make up a match there, by his going so often thither, sent to another Knight that liv'd four miles off, to treat between their daughter and his son, which was a pretty woman al∣so; which they suddenly consented to, and the mar∣riage day appointed; and on the marriage day, when he was rideing with his man thither, the farmer and his daughter way-laid him under an hedg, and ask'd him what recompence he should have for the wrong he had don his daughter? Well, says he, there's fifty pound for you in gold, and I now will give you a bond for fifty pound more to be paid in six months, so you will be contented. So under the hedg the bond was makeing, and the people at the Bride-house wondring at his so long stay, sent a man to inquire after him, and when he came, he found him a uniting under the hedg with the farmer and his daughter; and when he had don, he went his way to the Bride-house as fast as he could gallop: and the farmer and his daughter seeing they could not help themselves, put up their pipes and went home; at last they were married, had din'd and supt, and when they were in bed together; he began to kiss her: Pray, says she, let me ask you a question, first, what made you under the hedg with the farmer and his daughter so long? Why, says he, it does not con∣cern you at all. Well, says she, I will know, or els you and I shall be at a distance. Why, says he, if you won't be angry I'll tell you: Well I will not, says she, let it be what it will: Why then, says he, I got the farmers daughter with-child, and she was such a fool to tell her father of it: By my troth, says she, she was a fool indeed; for my fathers man got me
with-child above a twelve month ago, and you are the first that ever I told of it; Tarbox for that beloved.