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herbes, whiche she thought meete for that disease, and rode to Paris. And the first thing she went about when she came thither was to see the counte Beltramo. And then she repaired to the kyng, praying his grace to vouchsaufe to shewe her his disease. The kyng perceivyng her to be a faire yonge maiden and a comelie, would not hide it, but opened the same unto her. So soone as she sawe it, shee putte hym in comforte, that she was able to heale hym, saiyng: " Sire, if it shall please your grace, I trust in God without any paine or grief unto your highnesse, within eighte daies I will make you whole of this disease." The kyng hearyng her saie so, began to mocke her, saiyng: " How is it possible for thee, beyng a yong woman, to doe that whiche the best renoumed phisicions in the worlde can not!" He thanked her for her good will, and made her a directe answere, that he was determined no more to followe the counsaile of any phisicion. Whereunto the maiden answered: " Sire, you dispise my knowledge bicause I am yonge and a woman, but I assure you that I doe not minister phisicke by profes­sion, but by the aide and helpe of God: and with the cun- nyng of maister Gerardo of Narbona, who was my father, and a phisicion of greate fame so longe as he lived." The kyng hearyng those wordes, saied to hymself: " This woman, peradventure, is sent unto me of God, and therefore why should I disdain to prove her cunnyng 1 sithens she promiseth to heale me within a litle space, without any offence or grief unto me." And beyng determined to prove her, he said: "Damosell, if thou doest not heale me, but make me to breake my determinacion, what wilt thou shall folowe thereof." " Sire," saied the maiden: " Let me be kept in what guarde and kepyng you list: and if I dooe not heale you within these eight daies, let me bee burnte : but if I doe heale your grace what recompence shall I have then ] To whom the kyng answered: " Bicause thou art a maiden and unmaried, if thou heale me accordyng to thy promisse, I wil bestowe thee upon some gentleman, that shalbe of right good worship and estimacion." To whom she answeared: " Sire, I am verie well content that you bestowe me in mariage: but I will have suche a husbande as I my self shall demaunde, with­out presumpcion to any of your children or other of your bloudde." Whiche requeste the kyng incontinently graunted. The yong maiden began to minister her phisicke, and in shorte space before her appoincted tyme, she had throughly cured the kyng. And when the king perceived himself whole, said unto her: " Thou hast well deserved a husbande (Giletta) even suche a one as thy selfe shalt chose." " I have then my lorde (quod she) deserved the countie Beltramo of Rossi- glione, whom I have loved from my youthe." The kyng was very lothe to graunte hym unto her: but bicause he had made a promis which he was lothe to breake, he caused hym to be called forthe, and saied unto hym: " Sir counte, bi - cause you are a gentleman of greate honor, our pleasure is, that you retourne home to your owne house, to order your estate according to your degree: and that you take with you a damosell whiche I have appoincted to be your wife." To whom the counte gave his humble thankes, and demaunded what she was ] " It is she (quoth the kyng) that with her

medecines hath healed me." The counte knewe her well, and had alredie seen her, although she was faire, yet knowing her not to be of a stocke convenable to his nobilitie, disdain- fullie said unto the king, " Will you then (sir) give me a phisicion to wife 1 It is not the pleasure of God that ever I should in that wise bestowe my self." To whom the kyng said: " Wilt thou then, that we should breake our faithe, whiche we to recover healthe have given to the damosell, who for a rewarde thereof asked thee to husband V' Sire (quoth Beltramo) you maie take from me al that I have, and give my persone to whom you please, bicause I am your sub­ject : but I assure you I shall never be contented with that mariage." "Well, you shall have her, (saied the kyng) for the maiden is faire and wise,