xantip. with a ryght good wyl.
Eula. This was my chyefe care, to kepe me alwayes in my
housbandes fauoure, that there shulde nothyng angre him I obserued
his appetite and pleasure I marked the tymes bothe whan he woulde be
pleased and when he wold be all byshrwed, as they tameth the
Elephantes and Lyons or suche beastes that can not be wonne by strēgth
xantyppa. Suche a beaste haue I at home.
Eula. Thei that goth vnto the Elephantes weare no white
garmentes, nor they that tame wylde bulles, weare no blasynge
reedes, for experience teacheth, that suche beastes bee madde with
those colours, like as the Tygers by the sound of tumbrels be made
so wode, that thei plucke theymself in peces. Also thei yt
breake horses haue their termes and theyr soundes theyr hadlynges,
and other knackes to breake their wyldnes, wyth all.
[Illustration]
Howe much more then is it oure duetyes that ye wyues to
use suche craftes toward our husbandes with whō all our lyfe
tyme wil we, nyl we is one house, and one bed.
xantip. furthwith your tale.
Eula, whē I had ones marked there thynges. I applied my
selfe unto hym, well ware not to displease him.
xantip. How could thou do that.
Eulalya. Fyrste in the ouerseynge my householde, which is the
very charge and cure of wyues, I wayted euer, not onely gyuynge hede
that nothing shoulde be forgotten or undoone, but that althynges
should be as he woulde haue it, wer it euer so small a trifle.
xā. wherin.
Eulalia. As thus. Yf mi good man had a fantasye to this
thynge, or to that thyng, or if he would haue his meate dressed on
this fashion, or that fashion.
xan. But howe couldest thou fashyon thye selfe after hys wyll
and mynde, that eyther woulde not be at home or elles be as freshe
as a saulte heryng.
[Illustration]
Elali. Abyde a while. I come not at that yet, yf my husband
wer very sad at anye tyme, no time to speake to him. I laughed not
nor tryfled him as many a woman doth but I looked rufully and
heauyly, for as a glasse (if it be a true stone) representeth euer ye
physnamy of hym that loketh in it, so lykewyse it becommeth a wedded
woman alway to agre vnto the appetite of her husbande, that she be
not mery whē he murneth, nor dysposed to play whē he is
sad. And if that at any time he be waiward shrewshaken, either I
pacyfye hym with faire wordes, or I let hym alone, vntyll the wynd
be ouerblowen gyuing him neuer a word at al, vntil the time come
that I may eyther excuse my faute, or tell hym of hys. In lyke wyse
when he commeth home wel whitled, I gyue hym gentyll and fayre
woordes, so with fayre entreatynge I gette hym to bed.
xantyppa, O careful state of wyues, whē they muste be
gladde and fayne to followe their husbandes mindes, be thei eluyshe,
dronken, or doying what myschiefe they liste.
[Illustration]
Eula. As whoe saieth this gentill dealynge serueth not for
bothe partyes, for they spyte of theyr berdes muste suffre many
thynges in our demeanor, yet a time ther is, whē in a weighty
matter it is laufull that the wyfe tell the good mā his faute,
if that it be matter of substaunce, for at lyght trifles, it is best
to play byll under wynge.
xantyp. what tune is that
Eula. when he is ydle, neither angry, pensife, nor ouersen,
then betwixt you two secretly he must be told his faute gētly,
or rather intreated, that in this thynge or that he play the better
husbande to loke better to his good name and fame and to his helth
and this tellyng must be myxt with mery conceites and pleasaunt
wordes many times I make a meane to tel my tale after this fashyon,
that he shall promise me, he shal take no displeasure wyth my
thynge, that I a foolyshe woman shall breake vnto hym, that
pertayneth eyther to hys helthe worshyppe or welth.
[Illustration]
When I haue sayde that I woulde, I chop cleane from that
communication and falle into some other pastime, for this is all our
fautes, neyghbour Xantippa, that whē we begyn ones to chat our
tounges neuer lie.