“The Maid of Thilhouse”, as entitled by the first two publishers featured below, becomes “The Virgin of Thilhouse” to the third.
This is the story a far older wealthy man who sought to purchase a sixteen year old bride with bribery and property; this rather backfired on him. A short piece nevertheless packed with witty prose.
Here is Mervyn Peake’s illustration.
These are those of Gustave Doré;
and this one by Jean de Bosschère.
Further details of each of these publications is given in https://derrickjknight.com/2023/01/06/droll-tales-1/