[97] Orig. reads _whych perchyd_, which the context will scarcely allow.
[98] Unlawful.
[99] The words in italics are supplied by me from conjecture. They are
not in orig. or in Singer's reprint; but it is evident what the context
requires.
[100] Covetousness. Orig. reads _covetous_.
[101] Whitford, in his _Werke for Householders_, 1533, says:--"yet must
you have a lesson to teche your folkes to beware of the vii pryncipall
synnes, whiche ben communely called the seven dedely synnes, but in dede
they doue call them wronge: for they be not alway dedely synnes.
Therfore they sholde be called capytall or pryncipall synnes, and not
dedely synnes. These ben theyr names by ordere after our dyvysion:
Pryde, Envy, Wrath, Covetyse, Glotony, Slouth, and Lechery."
+ _Of the wyfe that bad her husbande ete the candell fyrste._ lvi.
+ The husbande sayde to his wyfe thus wyse: by this candell, I dremed
thys nyght that I was cockecolde. To whom she answered and sayd:
husbande, by this brede, ye are none. Than sayd he: wyfe, eate the
brede. She answered and sayd to her husbande: than eate you the candell:
for you sware fyrste.
By this a man may se, that a womans answer is _neuer to seke_.
+ _Of the man of lawes sonnes answer._ lvii.
+ A woman demaunded a questyon of a little chylde, sonne unto a man of
lawe, of what crafte his father was; whiche chylde sayde, his father was
a craftye man of lawe.
By this tale a man may perceyue, that somtyme peraduenture yonge
Innocentes speke truely vnaduysed.
+ _Of the frere in the pulpet that bad the woman leue her babelynge._
lviii.
+ In a certayne parrysshe churche in London, after the olde laudable and
accustomed maner, there was a frere Mynor, all thoughe he were nat the
best clerke nor coulde nat make the best sermondes, yet by the lycence
of the curate he there prechyd to the Parysshons. Among the whyche
audyence there was a wyfe at that tyme lytell disposed to contemplacyon,
[who] talked wyth a gossype of hers of other femenyne tales so loude
that the frere harde and somwhat was perturbed therwith. To whome
therfore openly the frere spake and sayd: thou woman there in the tawny
gowne, holde thy peace and leaue thy babelynge; thou troublest the worde
of God. This woman therwith sodenly abasshed, because the frere spake to
her so openly, that all the people her behelde, answered shortly and
said: I beshrowe his harte that babeleth more of us two. At the which
seyng the people dyd laughe, because they felte but lytell frute in hys
sermonde.
By this tale a man may lerne to beware howe he openly rebuketh any
other, and in what audyence, lest it come to his owne reprofe.
+ _Of the Welchman that cast the Scotte into the see._ lix.
_5 first lines wanting._
they toke many great interpryses and many shyppes
and many prisoners of other realmes that were
theyr enemyes. Amonge the whiche they happened
on a season to take a Scottes shype; and
dyuers Scottes they slewe and toke prisoners,
amonge whome there was a Welcheman that had
one of the Scottes prysoners, and bad him that he
shulde do of his harneys, whiche to do the Scotte
was very lothe; howe be it for feare at the laste he
pulled it of with an euyll wyll, and sayd to the
Welcheman: and if thou wylte nedes haue my
harneys, take it there, and cast it ouer the borde
into the see. The Welcheman, seynge that, sayd:
by Cottes blud and her nayle,[102] I shall make her
fette[103] it agayne; and toke him by the legges, and
caste hym after ouer the borde into the see.
By this tale a man may lerne, that he that is
subiecte to another, ought to forsake his owne
wyll and folowe his wyll and comaundement that
so hathe subieccyon ouer him, leste it turne to his
great hurte and damage.