gallowes. Wherfore, I returned to my chamber,
and there devised with my selfe in what sorte I
should finishe my life. But when I sawe that fortune
woulde minister unto me no other instrument, then
that whiche my bedde proffred me, I said: 0 bedde,
0 bedde, moste deere unto me at this present, whiche
hast abode and suffred with me so many miseries,
judge and arbiter of such thinges as were done here
this night, whome onely I may call to witnesse for
mine innocencie, render (I say) unto me some hol-
some weapon to ende my life that am most willinge
to die. And therewithall I pulled out a piece of the
rope wherwith the bedde was corded, and tied one
ende thereof about a rafter by the window, and with
the other ende I made a slidinge knotte, and stoode
upon my bedde, and so put my necke into hit. And
when I leped from the bedde, thinkinge verely to
strangle my selfe and so die, beholde the rope beinge
olde and rotten brast in the middle, and I fell
downe tomblinge upon Socrates that lay under.
And even at that same very time, the Osteler came
in criyng with a lowde voice, and said where are you
that made such hast at midnight, and now lies wal-
lowinge a bedde, whereupon (I know not whether it
was by my fall or by the great crie of the Osteler)
Socrates (as waking out of a sleape) did rise up first
and said: It is not without cause that strangers doo
speake evill of all suche Ostelers, for this caytife in
his comminge in, and with his criyng out, I thinke
under a colour to steale away something, hath waked
me out of a sound sleape. Then I rose up joyfull,
with amery countenaunce, saiynge: Beholde good
Osteler, my friende, my compaignion and my brother
whome thou diddest falsely affirme to be murdred by
me this night. And therewithall I embrased my
friende Socrates and kissed him: but he smellyng