Eulalia. Thus was I well ware on, that I neuer tell my husbād
his fautes before companie, nor I neuer caried any cōplaynte
furthe a dores: the mendes is soner made whē none knoweth it
but two, and there were anie suche faute that myght not be wel borne
nor amēded by ye wyues tellige, it is more laudable
that the wife make complaynte vnto the Parentes and kynsfolke of her
husband, then vnto her own, and so to moderate her complaynte that
she seme not to hate hym but hys vice nor let her play all the
blabbe, that in some poynt vnutered, he may know & loue his
wiues curteysy.
Xantip. She had nede be aswellerned womā, that would do
all this.
[Illustration]
Eu. Mary through suche demeanoure, we shall sterre our husbādes
vnto lyke gentylnesse.
Xan: There be some that cannot be amended with all the
gentyll handlynge in the worlde.
Eula: In faith I thyncke nay, but case there be, marke this
wel the good man must be for borne, howe soeuer the game goeth, then
is it better to haue him alwayes at one point or ells more kinde and
louing throw oure gentill handlinge, then to haue him worse and
worse throwe our cursednesse, what wyll you say and I tell you of
husbādes that hath won theyr wiues by suche curtesie, howe
muche more are we boūde to use the same towarde our husbandes.
Xantip. Than shall you tell of one farre vnlyke vnto thyne
husband.
Eula. I am aquented with a certayne gentelman well lerned and
a veri honest man, he maried a yonge wyfe, a mayden of. xvii. yeare
olde brede and brought vp of a chylde in the countre vnder her
fathers and mother wing
[Illustration]
(as gentilmen delite to dwel in the countre) to hunt & hawke
This yong gētilman would haue one that were unbrokē,
because he might the soner breake her after hys owne mind, he begā
to entre her in learning syngynge, and playinge, and by lytle and
lytle to vse here to repete suche thynges as she harde at sermons,
and to instruct her with other things that myght haue doone her more
good in time to come. This gere, because it was straūge vnto
this young womā which at home was brought vp in all ydelnesse,
and with the light communication of her fathers seruantes, and other
pastimes, begā to waxe greuouse & paynfull, vnto her. She
withdrew her good mynde and dylygence and whē her husband
called vpon her she put ye finger in the eye, and wepte
and many times she would fal downe on the grounde, beatynge her head
agaynst the floure, as one that woulde be out of thys worlde.
[Illustration]
When there was no healpe for this gere, the good man as though he
hadde bene wel asked his wyfe yf she woulde ryde into the countre
with him a sporting vnto her fathers house, so that she graunted
anone. When they were cōmē thyther, the gentilman left his
wyfe with her mother & her sisters he wēt furth an huntynge
with his father in lawe, there betwene theym two, he shewed al
together, how that he hadde hoped to haue had a louynge companion to
lead his lyfe withall, now he hath one that is alwaies blubberynge
and pyninge her selfe awaye withoute anye remedie, he prayeth him to
lay to hys hande in amendinge his doughters fautes her father
answered yt he had ones giuen hym his doughter, and yf
that she woulde not be rewled by wordes (a goddes name take
Stafforde lawe) she was his owne. Then the gētylman sayd
agayne, I know that I may do but I had leuer haue her amēded
eyther by youre good counsell or commaundement,
[Illustration]
then to come vnto that extreme waies, her father promised that he
would fynde a remedye. After a dai or two, he espied time and place
whē he might be alone with his doughter. Then he loked soureli
vpō his doughter, as though he had bene horne woode with her,
he began to reherse how foule a beaste she was, how he feared many
tymes that she neuer haue bestowed her. And yet sayde he much a doe,
vnto my great coste and charg, I haue gottē the one that
moughte lye by any Ladyes syde, and she were a quene and yet thou
not perceiuying what I haue done for the nor knowynge that thou hast
suche a man whiche but of his goodnes myghte thynke thee to euill to
be stoye in his kytchen, thou contrariest al his mind to make a
short tale he spake so sharpely to her, that she feared that he wold
haue beaten her. It is a man of asubtyll and wylye wytte, whyche
wythout a vysarde is ready to playe anye maner of parte.
[Illustration]
Thē this yonge wife what for feare, and for trouthe of the
matter, cleane stryken oute of countenaunce, fell downe at her
fathers fete desyryng hym that he wolde forgette and forgiue her all
that was past and euer after she woulde doe her duetye Her father
forgaue her, and promised that she shoulde finde him a kynd and a
louynge father, yf so be that she perfourmed her promyse.
xantippa. How dyd she afterwarde?
Eulalya, whē she was departed frō her father she
came backe into a chaumber, and there by chaunce found her husband
alone she fel on her knees to hym and said. Mā in tymes paste,
I neyther knewe you nor my selfe, from this daye froward ye shall se
me cleane chaunged, onelye pardon that is past, with that her
husbande toke her in his armes & kyssed her sayinge she should
lacke nothyng yf she woulde holde her in that mind.
xantip. Why did she cōtinue so.
[Illustration]
Eulalya. Euen tyll her endynge daye, nor there was none so
vyle a thynge but that she woulde laye handes on it redely with all
her herte, if her husband wolde let her, so great loue was begō
and assured betwene them and many a daye after, shee thanked god yt
euer she met with such a mā. For yf she had not she sayd she
had ben cleane caste awaye.
xan. We haue as greate plentie of suche housbandes, as of
white crowes.
Eulalya. Now, but for werieng you? I coulde tell you a thynge
that chaunced a late in this same citye.
xantyppa. I haue litell to doe, and I lyke your communicacyon
very well.
Eulalia. There was a certaine gentilmā he as suche sort
of men do, vsed much huntyng in the cuntre, where he happened on a
younge damoysell, a very pore womās child on whō he doted
a man well stryken in age, and for her sake he lay oftē out of
his owne house his excuse was hūtîg. This mās wife
an exceding honest womā, halfe deale suspecte the mater, tried
out her husbandes falshed,
[Illustration]
on a tyme whē he had taken his iourney fourth of the town vnto
some other waies, she wente vnto that poore cotage and boulted out
all the hoole matter, where he laye on nights, wheron he drāke,
what thyng thei had to welcō him withall. There was neither one
thyng nor other, but bare walles. This good womā returned home,
and sone after came againe brynginge wt her a good soft
bed, and al therto belongyng and certain plate besydes that she gaue
them moneye, chargynge them that if the Gentilmā came agayne,
they shold entreate him better not beyng knowē al this while
that she was his wyfe, but fayued her to be her sister. Not long
after her husband stale thether againe, he sawe the howse otherwyse
decked, and better fare then he was wounte to haue. He asked, frome
whence commeth al this goodly gere? They sayde that an honeste
matrone, a kynsewoman of hys hadde broughte it thyther and
commaunded
[Illustration]
thenm that he should be well cherished when so euer he came, by and
by his hart gaue him that it was hys wiues dede, whan he came home
he demaūded of her yf she hadde bene there or nay, she sayd
yea. Then he asked her for what purpose she sente all that housholde
stuffe thyther. Man (said she) ye haue bē tenderly brought vp.
I perceiued that ye were but corslie handled there, me thought that
it was my part, seing it was your wyll and pleasure to be there ye
shoulde be better loked to.
Xantippa. She was one of goddes fooles. I woulde rather for a
bed haue layd vnder him a bundel of nettels: or a burden of
thistels.
Eula. But here the end her husbande perceyuyng the honeste of
her great pacience neuer after laye from her, but made good cheare
at home with his owne. I am sure ye knowe Gilberte the holāder.
Xan. Very well.
Eu. He (as it is not vnknowē maried an old wife in his
florishîg youth.
[Illustration]
Xā. Per aduēture he maried the good and notthe
woman.
Eulalia. There sayde ye well, setting lytell stoore by hys
olde wife, hunted a callette, with whom he kept much companie
abrode, he dined or supped litell at home. What wouldest thou haue
sayd to ye gere.
Xantip. What woulde I a said? I wolde haue flowē to the
hores toppe and I wolde haue crowned myne husbande at hys oute
goinge to her with a pysbowle,that he so ēbawlmed might haue
gon vnto his souerayne ladie.
Eula. But how much wiselier dyd this woman? She desyred that
yonge woman home vnto her, and made her good chere, so by that
meanes she brought home also her husband without ani witchraft or
sorserie, and yf that at anye season he supped abrode with her she
would sende vnto them some good dayntie morsel, and byd him make
good chere
Xantippa. I had leuer be slayne then I woulde be bawde vnto
myne owne husbande.
[Illustration]
Eulalia. Yea, but consyder all thynges well, was not that
muche better, then she shoulde be her shrewyshnesse, haue putte her
husbandes minde cleane of from her, and so haue ledde all her life
in trouble and heuynesse.
Xantippa. I graunte you well, that it was better so but I
coulde not abyde it.
Eulalya. I wyll tell you a prety story more, and so make an
ende One of oure neyghboures, a well disposed and a goddes man, but
that he is some what testie, on a day pomeld his wife well and
thriftely aboute the pate and so good a woman as euer was borne, she
picked her into an inner parler, and there weepynge and sobbynge,
eased her heuye harte, anone after, by chaunce her husbande came
into the same place, and founde hys wyfe wepyng. What sitest thou
heare sayth he seighing & sobbîg like a child Thē she
like a wise woman sayde. Is it not more honesty for me to lamente my
dolours here in a secret place, thē to make wondering and on
oute crye in the strete,
[Illustration]
as other womē do. At so wyfely and womanly a saing his hart
melted, promysynge her faythfullye and truelie that he woulde neuer
laye stroke on her afterwarde, nor neuer did.
Xantippa. No more wil mine god thanke my selfe.
Eulalya. But then ye are alwaies one at a nother, agreinge
lyke dogges and cattes.
Xan. What wouldest thou that I should do?
Eu. Fyrst & formest, whatsoeuer thy husbande doeth sayde
thou nothinge, for his harte must be wonne by lytell and litel by
fayre meanes, gentilnesse and forbearing at the last thou shalte
eyther wynne him or at the least waie thou shalt leade a better life
thē thou doest now.
Xantippa. He his beyonde goddes forbode, he wil neuer amende.
Eulalia. Eye saye not so, there is no beest so wild but by
fayre handling be tamed, neuer mistrust man thē. Assay a moneth
or two, blame me and thou findest not that my counsell dooeth ease.
There be some fautes wyth you thoughe
[Illustration]
thou se them, be wyse of this especyall that thou neuer gyue hym
foule wordes in the chambre, or inbed but be sure that all thynges
there bee full of pastyme and pleasure. For yf that place which is
ordeined to make amēdes for all fautes and so to renew loue, be
polluted, eyther with strife or grugynges, then fayre wel al hope of
loue daies, or atonementes, yet there be some beastes so wayward and
mischeuous, that when theyr husbandes hath them in their arms a bed,
they scholde & chyde making yt same plesure their
lewd condicions (that expelseth all displeasures oute of their
husbandes mynde unpleasaunt and lytell set bi corrupting the
medecine that shuld haue cured al deadly greifes, & odible offēces.
xantip. That is no newes to me.
Eula. Though the woman shulde be well ware and wyse that she
shulde neuer be disobedient vnto her husbād yet she ought to be
most circūspect
[Illustration]
that at meting she shew her selfe redy and pleasaunt unto him.
xantyppa. Yea vnto a man, holde well withall but I am combred
with a beast.
Eula. No more of those wordes, most commonly our husbādes
ar euyll through our owne faute, but to returne againe vnto our
taile they that ar sene in the olde fables of Poetes sai that Venus
whome they make chiefe lady of wedlocke (hath a girdle made by the
handy worke of Vulcan her Lorde, and in that is thrust al that
enforceth love and with that she girdeth her whan so ever she lyeth
wyth her housbande
xantippa. A tale of a tubbe.
Eulalya. A tayle it is, but herkē what the taile
meaneth.
xantippa. Tell me.
Eulalia That techeth us that the wyfe ought to dyspose her
selfe all the she maye that lieng by her husbād she shew him al
the plesure that she cā; Wherby the honest love of matrimony
may reuiue and be renewed, & that there with be clene dispatched
al grudges & malice
[Illustration]
xant. But how shall we come by the thys gyrdle?
Eula. We nede neyther wytchraft nor enchauntment, ther is non
of them al, so sure as honest condiciōs accompayned with good
feloshyp.
xan. I can not fauoure suche an husbande as myne is.
Eula, It is moste thy profyt that he be no longer suche. If
thou couldest by thy Circes craft chaunge thin husband into an
hogge, or a bore wouldest thou do it?
xantip. God knoweth.
Eu. Art thou in dout? haddest thou leauer marye an hogge than
a mā.
Xantip. Mary I had leauer haue a manne.
Eulalia. wel, what and thou coudest by sorcery make him of a
drōkarde a soober man, of a vnthrifte a good housbande of an
ydell losell a towarde body, woldest thou not doe it?
xantip. yes, hardely, woulde I doe it. But where shoulde I
learne the cunnyng?
Eula. For soth that cōning hast thou in the if thou
wouldest vtter it, thyn must he be, mauger thy head, the towarde ye
makest him, the better it is for the,
[Illustration]
thou lokest on nothing but on his leude cōdicions, and thei
make the half mad, thou wouldest amende hym and thou puttest hym
farther oute of frame, loke rather on his good condicions, and so
shalt thou make him better. It is to late calagayne yesterdaie
before thou were maryed unto hym. It was tyme to cōsyder what
his fautes were for a women shold not only take her husbande by the
eyes but by the eares. Now it is more tyme to redresse fautes thē
to fynd fautes.
xantt. What woman euer toke her gusband by the eares.
Eulali. She taketh her husbande by the eyes that loketh on
nothyng, but on the beautye and pulcritude of the body. She taketh
him by the eares, that harkeneth diligētly what the common
voice sayth by him
xantip. Thy counsaile is good, but it commeth a day after the
faire.
Eula. Yet it commeth time ynough to bringe thyne husbande to
a greate furtheraunce to that shall bee yf God sende you anie frute
togither.
[Illustration]
xantippa. We are spede alredy of that.
Eulaly. How long ago.