There was a man dwelling in the town very poor, that had nothing but that which he got by the labour and travel of his hands: his wife was a fair young woman, but very lascivious, and given to the appetite and desire of the flesh. It fortuned on a day, that while this poor man was gone betimes in the morning to the field about his business, according as he accustomed to do, his wive’s lover secretly came into his house to have his pleasure with her. And so it chanced that during the time that she and he were basking together, her husband suspecting no such matter, returned home praising the chaste continence of his wife, in that he found his doors fast closed, wherefore as his custom was, he whistled to declare his coming. Then his crafty wife ready with shifts, caught her lover and covered him under a great tub standing in a corner, and therewithal she opened the door, blaming her husband in this sort: Commest thou home every day with empty hands, and bringest nothing to maintain our house? thou hast no regard for our profit, neither providest for any meat or drink, whereas I poor wretch do nothing day and night but occupy myself with spinning, and yet my travel will scarce find the candles which we spend. Oh how much more happy is my neighbour Daphne, that eateth and drinketh at her pleasure and passeth the time with her amorous lovers according to her desire. What is the matter (quoth her husband) though our master hath made holiday at the fields, yet think not but I have made provision for our supper; doest thou not see this tub that keepeth a place here in our house in vain, and doth us no service? Behold I have sold it to a good fellow (that is here present) for five pence, wherefore I pray thee lend me thy hand, that I may deliver him the tub. His wife (having invented a present shift) laughed on her husband, saying: What merchant I pray you have you brought home hither, to fetch away my tub for five pence, for which I poor woman that sit all day alone in my house have been proffered so often seven: her husband being well apaid of her words demanded what he was that had bought the tub: Look (quoth she) he is gone under, to see where it be sound or no: then her lover which was under the tub, began to stir and rustle himself, and because his words might agree to the words of the woman, he said: Dame will you have me tell the truth, this tub is rotten and cracked as me seemeth on every side. And then turning to her husband said: I pray you honest man light a candle, that I may make clean the tub within, to see if it be for my purpose or no, for I do not mind to cast away my money wilfully: he by and by (being made a very ox) lighted a candle, saying, I pray you good brother put not yourself to so much pain, let me make the tub clean and ready for you. Whereupon he put off his coat, and crept under the tub to rub away the filth from the sides. In the mean season this minion lover cast his wife on the bottom of the tub and had his pleasure with her over his head, and as he was in the middest of his pastime, he turned his head on this side and that side, finding fault with this and with that, till as they had both ended their business, when as he delivered seven pence for the tub, and caused the good man himself to carry it on his back again to his inn.