There was a Laundres of the Towne, whose daughter used often to the Court, to bring home shirts and bandes, which Jemy had long time loved and solicited, but to no ende, shee would not yeelde him an inch of her maydenhead: now Jemy vowed he would have it all. Well, she consented at last, and to be short, soone at night, at nine a clocke being in the winter, when she knew her mother to bee gon to watch with a sicke body, hee should come and all that night lye with her: Jemy though witlesse, wanted no knavish meaning in this, thought long till it was a night. But in the afternoone, the mayde goes up to the Castle, and gathers a great basket of Nettles, and comming home strawes them under the bed. Night comes, nine a clocke strickes, Jemy on his horse comes riding forward, sets him up and knockes at the doore, she lets him in, and bids him welcome bonny man: to bed hee goes, and Jemy was used to lye naked, for it is the use of a number, amongst which number she knew Jemy was one, who no sooner was in bed, but she her selfe knockt at the doore, and her selfe asked who was there, which Jemy hearing was afraide of her mother: also Sir sayes she, creepe under the bed, my mother comes. Jemy bustled not a little, under he creepes stark naked, where hee was stung with nettles: judge you that have feeling of such matters, there he lay turning this way and that way, heer be stung his leg, heere his shoulder, there his buttockes: but the Mayde having lockt the doore to him, went to bed, and there lay hee in durance (as they say) till morning: when the day broke, up gets the Mayde, to Court she goes, and tels the Kinges Chamberlaine of the matter, and he tolde the King, who laughed thereat right hartily. (Armin 1600: C3r)
World History
