circumstance to the old woman, who immediately answered, "Beautiful lady, do not disregard the anguish of this young man : look upon my unhappy daughter, and be warned in time. As she is, you may be." "Oh!" returned the credulous lady," my good mo→ ther, counsel me; what would you have me do? Not for worlds would I become as she is." "Why then," answered the treacherous old woman," send directly for the youth, and give him the love he covets—thus, you will prevent his death, and your own irremediable calamity." The lady blushed, and said, "May I entreat your holiness to fetch him: there might be some scandal circulated if another went." 66 My dear daughter," said she, "I suffer with you, and will presently bring him hither."-She did so; but in the night the husband returned, and put the whole party to a shameful death. Thus, did the wicked project of an old woman involve many in ruin. (26)

APPLICATION.

My beloved, the soldier is Christ; the wife is the soul-to which God gave free will. It is invited to the feast of carnal pleasures, where a youth-that is, the vanity of the world, becomes enamoured of it. The old woman is the devil; the dog, the hope of a long life, and the presumptuous belief of God's clemency, which lead us to deceive and soothe the soul. But Christ will come during the night, and condemn the sinner to death.

TALE XXIX.

OF CORRUPT JUDGMENT.

AN emperor established a law that every judge convicted of a partial administration

of justice, should undergo the severest penalties. It happened that a certain judge, bribed by a large sum, gave a notoriously corrupt decision. This circumstance reaching the ears of the emperor, he commanded him to be flayed. The sentence was immediately executed, and the skin of the culprit nailed upon the seat of judgment, as an awful warning to others to avoid a similar offence. The emperor afterwards bestowed the same dignity upon the son of the deceased judge, and on presenting the appointment, said,— "Thou wilt sit to administer justice upon the skin of thy delinquent sire: should any one incite thee to do evil, remember his fate; look down upon the coverture of the judgment-seat; there thou wilt find matter to uphold thy falling virtue, and prevent the commission of an unjust act."

APPLICATION.

My beloved, the emperor is Christ; the unjust judge is any evil man, who ought to

be excoriated that is, stripped of all bad dispositions and humours. The skin nailed to the seat of judgment, is Christ's passion, which is a memorial to us of what our conduct should be.

TALE XXX.

OF OFFENCE AND JUDGMENT.

A CERTAIN king determined on the occasion of some victory to appoint three especial honours, and an equal number of disagreeable accompaniments. The first of the honors was, that the people should meet the conqueror with acclamations and every other testimony of pleasure. The second, that all the captives, bound hand and foot, should attend the victor's chariot. The third honour was, that, enwrapped in the mantle of Jupiter,

he should sit upon a triumphal car, drawn by four white horses, and be thus brought to the capitol. But lest these exalted rewards should swell the heart, and make the favourite of fortune forget his birth and mortal character, three grievances were attached to them. First, a slave sat on his right hand in the chariot-which served to hint, that poverty and unmerited degradation were no bars to the subsequent attainment of the highest dignities. The second grievance was, that the slave should inflict upon him several severe blows, to abate the haughtiness which the applause of his countrymen might tend to excite at the same time saying to him in Greek, “ Tvшbɛ σECUTOV,” that is, know thyself, and permit not thy exaltation to render thee proud. Look behind thee, and remember that thou art mortal. The third grievance was this, that free licence was given, upon that day of triumph, to utter the most galling reproaches, and the most cutting sarcasms.

(27)