_The Wisedome of a woman to withdrawe the foolishe loue of her
husband, wherwith he was tormented._
Many yeares are not yet expired sithens there was a Gentlewoman
of noble house (whose name I may not disclose), so wise and
vertuous as shee was wel beloued and esteemed of her neighbours:
her husband (not without good cause) trusted her in al his
affaires, which she ordred and gouerned so wisely, as her house
by her meanes grew to be one of the richest and best apparelled,
that was in the countrie wherein she dwelled. Liuing thus a long
time with her husbande, by whom shee had many goodly children,
their happie state and felicitie (after which daily insue their
contraries) began to decaie, because that he, defatigated with
to much quiet, abandoned restfull life, to seeke after
troublesom trauell: and had gotten a custome when his wife was a
sleepe to rise from her side, and not to returne vntill it was
very nere morning. The gentlewoman misliking this maner of life,
became very ielous of her husband, and yet made as though she
mistrusted nothing: but that spitefull passion entred her
stomacke so farre, as in thende shee forgot thaffayres of her
house, the diligence of her person, and good gouernment of her
familie, like vnto one that verely supposed that (do what shee
could) she had lost the fruite of her paine and labour, which
was the great loue of her husband, for continuance whereof shee
spared no trauaile or toile: but losinge altogether as shee
manifestly perceiued, shee grew to be so carelesse of her
housholde state and houswiferie, as speedelie appeared the
fruites of slouth and negligence: for her husband for his part
spent without order, and she staied her trauell from matters of
houshold: in such wise as the same was growen to so great
penurie, as the high and stately woodes were felled downe to the
stubbe, and the goodly maners deliuered into the handes of sir
Mathewe Morgage. One of the gentlewoman's frendes and kinsemen
which knew her disease, tolde her of her fault, and rebuked her
for that carelesse life: sayinge, that if loue of husband could
not make her to haue respecte of housholde profite: zeale and
regarde of poore children's state ought to moue her thereunto.
This good councell of her frende touched her very nere, and the
pitie of her children at lengthe made her to recouer her
spirits, and to assaie by all meanes possible to wynne againe
her husbande's loue. See here the nature of honestie, and
condicion of well disposed life: this gentlewoman was infected
with the plague of Ielousie (an ordinarie disease in women,) and
not without iust cause: for what Grisilde could suffre her
wedded husband, assembled in bedde, in depthe of slepe, to rise
and runne a straie like a wylde horse, neying after the straied
female kinde of that sorte? This good Gentlewoman, I saye,
almoste besides her wittes for alienation of her deserued loue,
now growen careles of worldly thinges, as you haue heard, is
vpon the louing admonicion of her nerest frend, pricked with
naturall regarde of Infantes: launching forth that festred sore
of Ialousie, serched meanes by policie to wynne that which
Ialousie could not get, whiche was her husbande's loue, whom
with curteouse wiuely shame not before assemblie of neighbours,
or straungers audience, by huy and crye as many doe, but in
domesticall boundes, within the compas of housholde, and within
the circuit of secret chambre, shee made him blushe from former
life, and to deteste all filthie and beastly factes in future
time. Suche be the frutes of a right matrone's life. Suche be
the gaines of the milde and quiet wife. Such a wife, I say, is
the honor of her husband's name, the onely vpholder and
restoratife of his renowme and fame. But turne we againe to the
experienced wisedome of this Gentlewoman. The next day she
diligently watched by false slepe, the time of his vprising from
her: and when he was gone, shee rose likewyse, putting her night
gowne about her, causing the bedde to bee made, and saying her
prayers, she waited the retourne of her husband, who being
retired into his chambre, she came before him to kisse hym, and
brought him a basen with water to washe his handes: and musing
at the vnaccustomed order of his wife, he tolde her that he was
come but from the priuie, and therfore neded not to washe.
Whereunto she answered, that although it were no great matter,
yet cleanly and honest, to washe the handes, being come from an
vncleane and stinking place, by which wordes she was desirous to
let him vnderstande his follie thereby to hate his dishonest and
filthie life. But for all that wyse and pretie taunte hee
amended nothing at all: Howbeit she continued that ordre the
space of one yere. And when she sawe, that her diligence could
not reforme his vsuall trade of lyfe, on a tyme wayting for her
husband, which taried longer then he was wont to doe, shee was
desirous to seeke hym out, and went from chamber to chamber,
till at lengthe shee founde hym a bedde in a back chambre and a
sleepe with the moste ill fauoured, foule and filthiest Slutte
of her house, such a homely pece and durty beaste, as the lyke
was not to be founde in a countrie. The gentlewoman beholding
this manerly sight, thought to teache him a lesson howe to
remembre the difference betwene the sweete and pleasaunt
lodging, with a fayre and duetifull wife, and the vncleanly
couching with a stinking and lothsome Queane. Wherupon she
caused a burden of Strawe and worne rushes to be brought vnto
her, setting the same on fier in the middes of the chamber, but
when she sawe her husband almoste choked with the great smother,
she waked hym, and plucked him out of the bed by the armes,
crying: "fier, fier." If the husbande were ashamed, and offended
with him selfe to be founde in a bedde with such an vncleanly
matche, by his faire and honest wife, I referre the iudgement to
all indifferent men, that be coupled with like wiues. Then his
wyfe said vnto him: "Sir I haue assaied the space of one whole
yeare, to withdrawe you from this vile and wicked life, by
gentlenes and pacience, and shewed example by washing you
without, that you might also clense your selfe within. But when
I sawe myne endeuour could take no place, I attempted to helpe
my selfe with the element that shall ende and consume vs all:
assuring you, sir, that if this doe not amende you, I cannot
tell if the seconde time, I be able likewise to ridde you from
the daunger that may happen. I praye you sir to thinke and
consider that there is no greater dispayre or dispite, then that
whiche is conceiued of loue: and had I not set before mine eyes
the feare of God, I could not haue practised suche pacience, as
I haue done." The husband very glad, that he had escaped that
misfortune, promised her neuer to geue occasion, that shee
should take like payne to bring him to order. Whiche promise the
Gentlewoman very willingly beleued, and with her husbande's
consent, she expelled out of her house, that which did displease
her moste: and from that time forth, they louingly liued
together, and the former faultes of this reformed life, was an
increase of ioyful and mutuall delightes. I beseche you
Gentlewomen (if there be any in the place where this nouell is
redde) if God doe geue you such husbandes to beware of dispaire,
vntill ye haue assayed all possible meanes to reduce them to
good ordre. For there be in the daye XXIIII. houres, in euery of
whiche houres a man may chaunge opinion: and a woman ought to
accompt her selfe moste happie, if by pacience and long
suffraunce she wynne her husbande, excepte fortune and frendes
haue procured one that is alreadie perfecte. This example
therefore maye serue al sortes of maried women. Let her take
example that list (quod Dame Partelot) for it is impossible for
me to vse suche long pacience. But let Dame Partelot speake her
pleasure, I would aduise all husbandes to lyue honestly with
their honest wiues, and doe praie to God to plant mo sutch wiues
to store the barren worlde that neuer or seldome bryngeth forth
such increase.