THE CHRONICLE OF CLEMENDY
body of the Lady Isabella aforesaid. But what came of this adventure I will not tell you, for it were a sorrowful and piteous story; but this was the second mischief done of Sir Jenkin; and this could not be concealed but the rumour of it was rather blazed all over the town and Lordship.
And the third appearance of this villainous and malicious Knight was in the town of Abergavenny, and came about as follows. There lived hard by the Parish Church a fellow called Hen[1] Phil yr[2] Salutation; being a taverner and host of the Salutation Inn, the which was much resorted to by the townsfolk of the baser sort, who met there to exercise their wit on matters beyond them and to drink small ale and sour cider. This Philip was known to be a fellow of craft and marvellous skill in money-grubbing, being moreover suspected by many of unduly and unlawfully concocting his ale with water and strong drugs, so that his customers were sooner fuddled and made utterly foolish than at any tavern in the town. And how Sir Jenkin dealt with him was not clearly understood, but most said that while Phil was in his cellar, foully practising alchemy on his ale, he heard a clanging step come down the stairs, the door (which he had barred and bolted) was smitten open with a single blow, and by the light of his lanthorn he saw Sir Jenkin making toward him as if to cleave him asunder. Whereupon he fainted away, and fell with his head against the edge of a cask,
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