she said, that hee entertained her very kindly, and giving him his fee,
which before her face he put up into his purse, and thrust under his
girdle againe: she proceeded to a very sound discourse, whereto he
listened with no little attention. The time serving fit for the
fellows purpose, he came behind the Gentleman, and as many times one
friend wil familiarly with another, clap his hands over his eyes to
make him guesse who he is, so did this companion, holding his hands
fast over the Gentlemans eyes, sayde: who am I: twise or thrise, in
which time the drab had gotten the purse and put it up. The Gentleman
thinking it had been some merrie friend of his, reckoned the names of
three or foure, when letting him go, the crafty knave dissembling a
bashful shame of what he had done, said: By my troth sir I crie ye
mercy, as I came in at the Church doore, I took ye for such a one
(naming a man) a verie friend of mine, whome you very much resemble: I
beseech ye be not angrie, it was verie boldlye done of me, but in
penance of my fault, so please yee to accept it, I will bestow a
gallon or two of Wine on yee, and so laboured him earnestly to go with
him to the taverne, stil alledging his sorow for mistaking him. The
Gentleman little suspecting how who am I had handled him, seeing how
sorie he was, and seeming to be a man of no such base condition: tooke
all in good part, saying: No harme sir, to take one for another, a
fault wherein any man may easily erre, and so excusing the acceptation
of his wine, because he was busie there with a gentlewoman his friend:
the trecher with courtesie departed, & the drab (having what shee
would) shortning her tale, hee desiring her to come to his Chamber the
next morning, went to the place where her copes-mate and she met, and
not long after, divers other of the crue, who bearing in what manner
this act was performed, smiled a good therat, that she had both got
the Gentlemans purse, her owne money againe, and his advise for iust
nothing. He that had done this tall exploit, in a place so open in