Page:The fables of Aesop, as first printed by William Caxton in 1484, with those of Avian, Alfonso and Poggio. Vol 2.djvu/268

 

lettres / whiche they ſente and wrote frendly one to the other / hit befelle thenne that the merchaunt of Baldak came in to egypte for to chepe & bye ſomme ware or marchaundyſe / wherof his frend was moche gladde / and wente to mete hym and brought him benyngly in to his hows / And after that he had chered and feſtyed hym by the ſpace of xiiij dayes / the ſame marchaunt of baldak wexed and became ſeke / wherof his frend was sorowfull and ful heuy / and Incontynent ſente for phiſycyens or leches thurugh alle egypte for to recouere his helthe / And whan the medecyns had ſene and vyſyted hym / and his vryne alſo / they ſayd that he had no bodyly ſekeness / but that he was rauyſſhed by loue / And whan his Frend herd theſe wordes / he came to hym / and ſayd / My frende I pray the / that thou wilt ſhewe and telle to me thy sekenes / And his frend ſaid to hym I praye the / that thow wylt make to come hyder alle the wymmen and maydens whiche ben in thy hows / for to ſee / yf ſhe whiche my herte deſyreth is emonge them / And anone his Frend made to come before hym bothe his owne doughters & ſeruants Emonge the whiche was a yonge mayde / whiche he had nouryſſhed for his playſyre / And whan the pacyent or ſeke man ſawe her / he ſayd to his frend / the ſame is ſhe whiche maye be cauſe