THe prouerbe olde, who so denyeth
Is my conceyte, doth greatly arre
Both wyt & discrecyō yl he applyeth
That thynge of trueth, wold debar
Howbeit that folkes, presume so far
Wherby the truth, is often blamed
Yet in no wyse, trueth may be shamed
❧ A foole of late, contryued a booke
And all in prayse, of the femynye
Who so taketh labour, it to ouer loke
Shall proue, all is but flatterye
Pehan he calleth it, it may well be
The Pecocke is proudest, of his fayre tayle
And so be all women of theyr apparayle
☞ Wherfore as nowe, in this treatyse
What so be sayde, in rude sentence
Uertue to encrease, & to laye vyce
In chefe occasyon, of my pretence
And where that trueth is none offence
Who so therfore, that blameth me
I saye he demeth, wrongfully
❧ Parchaunce the womē, take displeasure
Bycause I rubbe them, on the gall
To them that good be peraduenture
It shall not be, materyall
The other sorte, no forse at all
Saye what they wyll, or bende the brewe
Them selfe shall proue, my sayeng trewe
☞ Eche other man, in generall
And namely those, that maryed be
Gyue euydent, testimonyall
Aftermynge the same, yf I wolde lye
And thus reporte, that femynye
Ben euyll to please, and worse to truste
[Page] Crabbed and comberous, whē them selfe luste.
❧ Haue tongue at large, voyce loude & shryl
Of wordes wonderous, passynge store
Stomake stoute, with frowarde wyll
And namely, when ye touche the sore
With one bare worde, or lytle more
They flusshe and flame, as hote as fyre
And swell as a tode, for feruent yre
☞ And where they here, one worde ye soūdeth.
Lytle agaynst, theyr lewde behauour
And twyse so moche els, which that redoūdeth
To theyr hye prayse, ye may be sure
So lyght of eare, they be and sowre
That of the better, they neuer recorde
The worse reherse they, worde by worde
❧ It were moche hurte, for to dyscrye
The propertyes all, of the femynyne kynde
Howbeit a man may, coniecture nye
And saye also, as experience dothe bynde
That very fewe, there be to fynde
But that they can, how soeuer the mattet stande
Bere fyre and water, bothe in one hande
☞ Euacyons they haue, fayut and feble
Them to excuse, of duplycyte
As though they were inuencyble
Spotted, in any wyse to be
And with othes / so craftelye
They shalbe forgyd, on suche a grounde
As all thyng were, bothe hole and sounde
❧ And be it in ernyste, or els in iape
To them it is, one maner a thynge
Surely nought els, they after gape
But euermore, in commynge
To let a man of his sayenge
[Page] Reason wyll, they not attende
But tell theyr owne tayle, to the ende
¶ And for to say, moost commonlye
This vice, is appropryate to them all
For let a man, to them replye
In reasons, of matters small
These women be, so sensuall
That by theyr reason, not worth a torde
Yet wyll the woman, haue the laste worde
¶ There may no reason, theyrs debarre
Nor none example, can them conuerte
They stody algate, to be at warre
And with euyll sawes, to be ouerthwarte
Malyce is so roteth / in theyr harte
That seldome a man, may of them here
One good worde, in a hole longe yere
☞ Albeit the nombre, of them are great
Yet doth theyr folye, farre excede
For all is fysshe, that commeth to net
In case that they, of theyr [...]ynde spyde
Broche, rynge, clothe, or threde
Shame haue they none, to tere and snatche
All is theyr owne, that they may catche
¶ What so it be, they fynger ones
Of wedded man, or syngle playne
He may as soone, eate the adamunde stones
As the selfe same, of them to retayne
Moche they craue, and nought gyue agayne
As holesome for a man, is a womans corse
As a sholder of motton, for a sycke horse
¶ And yet we may not, them longe mysse
For many sondry, commodytyes.
So tryckey way, they haue no kysse
With mouth, and rollynge eyes
[Page] Tongue to tongue, dysclose thyes
One and other, commonlye
Haue in suche case, lyke propertye
❧ That herde it were, in myne opynyon.
Yf god hym selfe, wolde company kepe
But that wolde, brynge hym vpon
Wakynge, or other els a slepe
Displease them ones, and then they wepe
By meane wherof, loue doth the cure
Yonge fooles to kepe / in longe vre
☞ And whyles, the woyng tyme doth last.
I meane with them, that maydens be
Lothe to dysplease, loue sure and fast
Are what ye wyll, and spede maye ye
Fewe or none, for the moost partye
Gently entreatyd, deny you can
With her tables, to entre your man
☞ That done they say, that ye dyd make.
Promesse to them, by good assuraunce
Them to mary, and to wyues take
Els had ye not, had suche dalyaunce
And all is for fere, of good vtteraunce
In case the bely, do not swell
They holde them pleased, and all is well
❧ Yet must ye be, at ferther daunger
Yf ye do endende, to vse them ofte
Kepe them bothe at racke, and maunger
Array them well, and lay them softe
Yet shall another man, come alofte
Haue you ones tourned, your eye and backe
Another she wyll haue, to smycke and smacke
☞ Perchaunce the bely, may ryse with all.
Then wyll they swere, and stare apase
That thyne it is, when it dothe fall
[Page] Be it mylary, porne or base
Loke they saye, on thyne owne face
Beholde well, bothe nose and eye
Nature it selfe, the father wyll trye
❧ And eyther there is, a synguler grace
Gyuen vnto babe, forth on
Or sure it is, a meruaylous face
That god hath gyuen, vnto the man
For were they. rx. they muste eche one
Loke they strayght, eyther els a shore
Be lyke the father, leest and moore
☞ And when they are ones, waxen small
And able to ryde, or els to go
Unto lyke acte, agayne they fall
As who wolde say, they felte no wo
Yf ye renounce, kyndnes to sho
Thē must ye sende thē, to some straunge place
As good a mayde, as she before was
❧ Then yf there come, a louer newe
And them apoynt, whether to come
They be lyke redy, vnto the mewe
And to be close, from wynde and sonne
With lytle labour, they are soone wonne
Not one I warrant you, amonges twentye
But she eftesones, wyll be as redye
☞ Wed them ones, and then a dewe
Fare well all truste, and houswyfrye
Kepe theyr chambres, and them selfe mewe
For staynynge, of theyr fysmye
And in theyr bed, all daye do lye
Must ones or twyse, euery weke
Feane them selfe, for to be sycke
❧ Sende for this, and sende for that
Lytle or nothyng, may them please
[Page] Come in good gossyp, and kepe me chat
I trust it shall, do me great ease
Complayne of many, a sondry dysease
A gossyps cuppe, bytwene, or twayne
Tyll she be gotten, vp agayne.
¶ Then must she haue, maydens two or thre
That may then gossyps togyther brynge
Set them to labour, to blere the eye
Them selfe wyll nother, wasshe ne wrynge
Bake ne brewe, nor other thyng
Syt by the fyre, let the maydens trotte
Brewe of the beste, in a halpeny potte
¶ Playe who wyll, the man must labour
And brynge to house, all that he maye
The wyfe agayne, dothe nought but glauour
And holde hym vp, with ye and naye
But of her cuppe / he shall not assaye
Other she sayeth, it is to thyne
Other els ywis, there is nothynge in.
¶ And when these gossyps are ones motte.
Of euery tayle, and newe tidynge
They bable fast, and nothynge forget
They put (I warrant) betwene rydyng
This lerne the yonger, of the elders guydynge
Daye by day, kepynge suche scholes
The semple men, they make as fooles
¶ Them selfe alway, do make good chere
With one or other, they neuer reste
Our Iohan shall paye, that is not here
Howe say you gossyp, is it not beste
I beshrewe his herte / nowe is he bleste
He bet me gossyp, I maye tell you
That yet I am, bothe blacke and blewe
Thus out it shall / what so it be
Good or bad, all is one thynge
What soeuer commeth, to memorye
Shall not be loste, for the tellinge
God wote they make, many a lesynge
Hit doth theyr stomake / greatly ease
To lerne what may / theyr husbandes displease.
¶ The yonge complayneth vnto the olde
Somwhat to ease, theyr hertes therbye
The elder sayeth / good gossyp beholde
To shewe your mynde, hollye to me
Fere it not, ye knowe pardye
That I haue bene, bothe olde and yonge
Bothe close and sure / of tayle and tongue.
❧ Then sayeth the yonger, I may tell you
I am so matchet, as no woman is
Of all this nyght, tyll the cocke crewe
He wolde not ones, tourne me for to kysse
Euery nyght, he ryseth to pysse
And when he commeth / agayne vnwarme
Doth tourne his ars / in to my barme
¶ Lappeth hym selfe, rounde all aboute
And thrusteth me / out of my place
Leaueth me scantly, one ragge or cloute
To couer and cast, ouer my face
Full lytell maner / gossyp he hase
The moost vnkyndest, man haue I
That euer woman, layde her by
¶ And be the daye, neuer so longe
He doth nothyng, but chyde and braull
Ye ye gossyppe, the more is my wronge
Hore and herlot, he doth me call
And byddes me gossyp, scrape and scrall
And for my liuyng, labour and swete
[Page] For as of hym, no peny I gette
☞ I was a curste, or els starke madde
And when I maryed, with hym vnwyse
I maye tell you, I myght haue had
Another maner of man, then he is
Yf I had folowed, my frendes aduyse
I shulde haue had, a mynyan
A man of lande, a gentylman
❧ The deuyls gossyp, ought me a shame
And payde I am nowe, euery penye
Wolde god he had, be blynde and lame
That daye and houre, he fyrst woed me
Ware not gossyp, these chyldren thre
I wolde not tary, ye maye be sure
Longer with hym, daye ne houre
☞ Then sayeth the elder, do as I do
Be sharpe and quycke, with hym agayne
Yf that he chyde, chyde you also
And for one worde, gyue you hym twayue
Kepe hym shorte, and haue dysdayne
He shulde vse you, after suche rate
Byd hym be styll, with one euyll date
❧ Cherysshe your selfe, all that ye maye
And drawe vnto, good companye
Caste not your selfe, gossyp awaye
Because he playeth, the churle with the
And by your wyll, kepe hym hungree
And byd hym go, when he wolde game
Unto his customers, god gyue hym shame
☞ Be euer with hym, at yea and naye
And by your wyll, begyn the warre
Yf he wolde smyte, then maye ye say
Go to hardely, yf thou so dare
I besh rewe thy herte, yf that thou spare
[Page] All the world, shall wonder on the
Howe thou doest wroke, thy tene of me
☞ Bycause thou hast be, at the dyse
And playde awaye, all that thou haste
Or from thy gylloutes, thou couldest not ryse
Of all this day, ye sat so faste
And nowe god, gyue the shame at laste
Commest dronken home, with a myschefe
And woldest be reuenged, vpon thy wyfe
☞ Better ywys, to holde thy hande
And more is, for thyne honestye
I had leuer thyne necke, where in a bande
Then I wolde take it, longe of the
Truste me, I wyll fynde remedye
Smyte and thou dare, I make god auowe
I wyll acquyte it, I wote well howe
☞ In case there be, no remedy
But that ye must, haue strokes sadde
Take vp the babe / that then is nye
Be it wenche, or be it lad
And byd hym stryke, yf he be madde
Smyte hardely, and kyll thy sonne
And hange therfore, when thou hast done
☞ Thus amonge, they kepe suche scholes
The yonge to drawe, after the olde
Motyng euer / vpon theyrs stoles
Of euery matter, that they haue wolde
By meane wherof, the yonge waxe bolde
So that within, a moneth they be
Quarter mayster, or more then he
❧ Truely some men, there be
That lyue alwaye, in great horrour
And saye it goeth, by destenye
To hange or wed, bothe hath one houre
[Page] And whyther it be, I am well sure
Hangynge is better, of the twayne
Sooner done, and shorter payne
¶ On pylgrymage, then must they go
To wylesdon, barkyng, or some halowes
Perchaunce be forth, a nyght or two
On fote for werynge, of horse showes
A vyage make, vnto the stewes
And neyther knele, to stones, ne stockes
But the offerynge take, with a quycke boxe
¶ Somtyme also, lycence they craue
To be wt some neyghbour, in ye mydwyues stede
And all to the ende, some other knaue
Shall dubbe her husbande, a somer byrde
The trueth is so knowen, it can not be hyde
Albeit that fewe men, do hym here
The kucko, syngeth euery yere
¶ They haue also another caste
In case the husbande, be present
The chylde I warrant, shalbe caste
And to her louer, therwith sent
The sylly man, none euyll ment
Regardeth lytell, or nothynge this
Howe by the babe, she sendes her kys
❧ And for she wolde, by rekened trewe
The matter to cloke, more craftely
Her kynsman call hym, I warrant you
And to blere, the husbandes eye
God wote the blynde / eateth many a flye
So doth the husband, often ywis
Father the chylde, that is not his
☞ Trym them selfe, euery daye newe
And in theyr glasses / poore and prye
Plat and plant, and theyr herys hewe
[Page] And all to make it, for the eye
The fynest ware, that they may bye
And all that euer / they may ymagyne
Is to enlure, the masculyne
☞ Paynt them rounde, with many a pyn
Rynged for routyng, of pure golde
Fayre without, and foule within
And of theyr tayles / haue slypper holde
Bye who wyll / ware wyll be solde
Ye nede go farther, the fayre is here
Bye when [...]e lyst / it lasteth ouer yere
❧ Spare for no cost / but drynke of the best.
And also of euery, deyntye eate
Hote in operation / and lyght to dygest
Nature to prouoke, and set on a heate
Oysters, kocles, and els what they may yet
Nowe this, nowe that, & fayne them selfe sycke
Suche thynges to receyue / as for theyr phisyck
☞ By meane wherof, Tyresyas
Arbyter chose, the trueth to dyscus
Gyue iudgement playne, in this case
That the woman is: farre more lecherous
Gallus gallinus, ter quin (que) sufficit vnus
Sed ter quin (que) viri / non sufficiunt mulieri
❧ In case they wolde / ought of you craue.
Anone they wepe, and lowre a pace
And say that they / can nothynge haue
Them to apparell, as other wyues hase
Truste not ouermoche, theyr mornynge face
Recorde ynough, of Samsons two wyues
who foloweth theyr myndes / seldō whē thryues
☞ Albeit the byrder, with his blered eye
Dyssemble sorowe / with his sad face
Yet is there no byrde, he maye come by
[Page] By his engynes / that may haue grace
By women it foloweth / in semblable case
Wepe they or laugh they: all is one thynge
They deale mooste craftly, whē they be wepyng
¶ And yet amonge / who so wyll thryue
And offyce bere, in towne or citye
Must nedes be ruled, by his wyfe
Or els in fay, it wyll not bye
The wyfe must able hym, to the degree
Able or vnable, lytle careth she
Bycause her selfe, wolde honoured be
¶ Feare not she sayeth, vnto her spouse
A man or a mouse, whyther be ye
Shulde ye, your honestly refuse
And be as lyke, as other men be
In person, and in eche degre
Take it vpon you, do not refuse
And I myne owne selfe, fynde youre house
¶ So by the meane, of her counsayle
The man may not, the offyce forsake
Bycause the wyfe, wolde haue a tayle
Come rakyng after, & a bonet blacke
A veluet heed, and also be take
With the best and not the worste
The man must be ruled: tyll all be in the dust.
¶ Of all the dyseases, that euer wore.
Weddynge is nexte vnto the goute
A saulue there is, for euery sore
To helpe a man within, or without
But of these two, I am in dowte
No payne so feruent, hote ne colde
As is a man, to be called cockolde
¶ And be neuer, so fearefull to fraye
So starke a cowarde, yet wyll he rage
[Page] And drawe his knyfe, euen strayght waye
Be he neuer so farre in eage
Call hym ones cockolde, and his corrage
Furthwith wyll kyndle, and force hym stryke
Worse then ye, named hym heretyke
☞ And syeth there is, no salue therfore
[...]it putteth many, a man in fere
To be infecte, with the selfe same sore
Howe well so euer, they them bere
Good taken haue they, also els where
That whosoeuer weddeth a wyfe
Is sure of sorowe / all his lyfe
☞ Of Socrates, the pacyent
Example good / of his wyues twayne
Whiche on a tyme / fell at dyssent
And vnto hym, dyd them complayne
He laught therat / and they agayne
Fall bothe on hym, with an euyll date
A pyspot they brake, vpon his pate
☞ He helde hym pleased, and well content
The pysse ran downe / by his chekes twane
Wyll wyst I, sayde he, what it ment
And true it is, that all men sayne
That after thonder, commeth rayne
Who hath a wyfe, is sure to fynde
At home in his house, many a sowre wynde.
☞ A certayne wyfe, sayde to me ones
I wolde thou knewe it, god made vs
Nother of earth, stocke ne stones
But of a thynge, moche precyous
Of a rybbe of a man, scrypture sayeth thus
Bycause the woman, in euery nede
Shulde be helpe to the man, in worde and dede
☞ Man made of earth, and woman of man
[Page] As of a thynge, moost pryncypall
Whiche argueth well, sayeth she then
By iudgement iust, and reason naturall
That we be euer substantyall
And yet ye men, thus of hus bable
That women alwayes are varyable
❧ Whiche thynge, as farre as I se can
Shulde be imployed, rather to you
Syth of the earth, god create man
And fygures therof, maketh euer newe
Nature thus naturate, me semeth nowe
Must nedes, his fyrste orygynall
Ensewe, or be vnnaturall.
☞ As ye saye (sayde I) helpe hym well
Euyll to thryue, and worse to fare
Who was the cause, that Adam fell
His wyfe or no [...] I make you ware
One and other, lytell ye care
So ye maye haue, that ye desyre
Though dun, and the packe, lye in the myre
❧ Made of a bone, ye sayd were ye
Truth it is, I can not denaye
Croked it was, styffe, and sturdye
And that wolde bende, no maner waye
Of nature lyke, I dare well saye,
Of that condicyon, all women be
Euyll to rule, bothe styffe, and sturdye
☞ And ouer that, who lysteth to trye
Put me two bones, in a bagge
Or mo as it is, of quantyte
That done, holde it somwhat sagge
Shake it also, that it maye wagge
And ye shall here, none other matter
Of these bones, but clytter clatter
¶ Lyke so of women, in felde and towne.
Assembled where, that many be
A man may heare them, by the sowne
Farther farre, then the eye maye se
Wherfore men saye / moost cōmenlye
Where many geese be, are many tordes
And where be women, are many wordes.
¶ And so the husbande, is lyke to haue
A synguler treasure, of his wyfe
He nedeth neuer, an yll worde to craue
All the dayes, of his longe lyfe
Hath not that man, a prerogatyue
That may alwaye, of his wyfe haue
A thyng of nought, and it not craue
¶ And commonly, where cause is none
Some thynge ymagyned is kepte in store
Whiche that she may, come the good mā home
With spedefull spiryte, lay hym before
Of lytle or nought, they make moche more
And be it true, or false they tell
All is sothed, as the gospell
¶ And yet the rybbe, as I suppose
That god dyd take, out of the man
A dogge vp caught, and away gose
Eate it clene, so that as than
The werke to fynysshe, that god began
Coude not be, as we haue sayde
Bycause the dogge, the rybbe conuayde
¶ A remedy, god founde as yet
Out of the dogge, he toke a rybbe
The woman forthwith he made of it
As to the man, neyther kynne nor sybbe
Nature she foloweth, and playeth the gyb
And at her husbande, doth barke and ball
[Page] As doth the curre, for nought at all
¶ Another reason, yf ye marke well
Dothe cause the woman, of wordes be ryue
A certayne man, as fortune fell
A woman tongles, wedded to wyue
Whose fronyng coūtenaunce, ꝑceyuyng belyue
Tyll he myght knowe, what men thought long
And wysshed full ofte, she had a tongue
¶ The deuyll was redy, & appered anone
An aspen leafe, he bad the man take
And in her mouth, shulde put but one
A tongue sayde the deuyll, it shall her make
Tyll he had done, his heed dyd ake
Leaues he gathered, and toke plentye
And in her mouthe / put two or thre
¶ Within a whyle, this medicyne wrought
The man coulde tary, no longer tyme
But wakened her, to the ende he mought
The vertue proue, of the medicyne
The fyrst worde, she spake to hym
She sayde thou horson, knaue, and thefe
Howe durst thou waken me, with a mischefe
¶ From that day forwarde, she neuer ceassed
Her boyster babell, greuyd hym sore
The deuyll he met, and hym intreated
To make her tongles, as she was before
Not so sayde the deuyll, I wyll medle no more
I deuyll, a woman to speake maye constrayne
But all that in hell be, can not let it agayne
¶ And by profe, dayly we se
What inclynacyon nature maketh
The aspyn lefe, hangynge where it be
With lytle wynde, or none it shaketh
A womans tongue, in lyke wyse taketh
[Page] Lytle ease, and lytle rest
For yf it shulde, the herte wolde brest
❧ Loke when the see, doth water want
Nor no wynde bloweth, to mylne the walke
When Ethna hyll, of fyre is scant
The crowne whyte, and blacke is chalke
Then women cease, wyll of theyr talke
It is lyke appropryed, all women to bable
As dogges to barke, and geese to gagle
☞ And that more is, all men do saye
That woman to man, is moost comforte
Howbeit they meane it, another waye
And saye she is, mannes vtter extorte
And ouer that, by iust reporte
The smaller pease, the mo to the pot
The fayrer woman, the more gyllot
❧ The fayrer of face, the brouder of harte
The lother to woo, the sooner won
The lesse of speche, the more ouerthwart
Not one so daungerous, as is dame dun
The fouler she is, the sooner it is done
So shorte of hele / they be ouer all
That and yf ye blowe / they must nedes fall
☞ By meane wherof, all men reporte
And saye that women, can not be stable
For be one gone, and other resorte
And profereth them, thyng seruysable
Our fyly is fetlyd, vnto the sadle
Ryde who wyll, shod is our mare
And thus they eschaunge, ware for ware
❧ In case thou woldest, not haue it so
But rather to fynde / euery thynge well
I counseyle the before thou go
Forth of towne, to crowche and knele
[Page] And offre a candell, to the deuyll
Parcase thy wyfe wolde, be so lewed
He wolde for let it, all beshrewed
❧ Example therof, and that was this.
A certayne man, from home shulde ryde
Whiche fearyng his wyfe, wolde do amys
To an ymage of Sathan, vpon a wall syde
Offered a candell, and that was espyde
And sayde syr Sathan, nowe I charge the
My wyfe in myne absence, thou do ouer se
☞ His iourney ended, came home agayne
And the selfe ymage, went streyght vnto
The deuyll hym shewed, euery thyng playne
Howe he had let, that shulde haue be do
And from her bacwarde, drawen one or two
The daungerest cure, that euer he had
Was to kepe good, that wolde haue ben bad
☞ Another thyng as pryncypals
Be not with her, in Ialosye
What mysaduenture, so euer befall
Forbyd her no mannes company
Nor yet rebuke her / syngulerly
In case thou do, though thou haddest sworne
A blaste shalt thou blowe, in Nynerus horne
☞ For as we se, by experyence
Euery day before our eye
And by reporte of men of credence
For the moost parte / the femynye
By theyr innatyue, destynye
Fyrst and formest, when they be chyd
Wyll that thynge do, they be forbyd
☞ And ouer that, thy wyfe present
I counseyle the, be wyse and ware
Thou prayse, no other mans instrument
[Page] Better then thyne owne, berynge ware
For yf thou do, she wyll not spare
Were he neuer, so naturall a foole
Tyll she haue assayed, the selfe same tole
❧ So frayle they be, of disposycyon
So croked, so crabbed, with that so yll.
So lewed, so shrewed, lyght of condicyon
That sure, it were vnpossyble
To let them, of theyr owne selfe wyll
And but it [...]ome, of theyr owne mynde
A man were as good, throwe stones at ye wynde
☞ Saye what ye wyll, they wyll do as thē lust
The profe therof, in a certayne fable
I husbande man, hauyng good truste
His wyfe to hym, had be agreable
Thought to attempt / yf she had be reformable
Bad take the potte, that sod ouer the fyre
And set it aboue, vpon the astyre
❧ She aswered hym, I holde the mad
And I more foole, by saynt Martyne
The dyner is redy, as thou me bad
And tyme it were that thou shuldest dyne
And thou wylte not, I wyll go to myne
I byd the sayde [...]e, bere vp the potte
A ha she sayde, I trowe thou dote
☞ Up she goeth, for feare at laste
No questyon moued, where it shulde stande
Upon his heade, the potage she cast
And helde the potte, styll in her hande
And towardes hym, she curst and bande
Sayd and sware, he myght her truste
She wolde with the potage, do what her luste
❧ No remedy, to dyscontent.
To tratle to them, of reason or lawe
[Page] For be a womans, purpose bent
Nothyng preualeth, to withdrawe
Nor yet to kepe / them vnder awe
Gyue them counsayle, the best ye can
They wyll folowe theyr owne wyll, now & than
❧ Loke of discrecyon, fewe womanly
And to the were few, profytable
Not thre I dare saye, amonge thyrtye
That be dyscrete, and reasonable
And yet alwayes, they byble bable
Of euery matter, and make it nyse
And in conclusyon, be wonderous peuysshe
☞ As holy as sayntes, in churche they be
And in strete as aungels they were
At home, for all theyr ypocrysye
A deuylysshe lyfe, they led all the yere
When lenton cometh, then to the frere
The frere lymlyfter, for a payre of pense
Wyll for all causes, with them dyspense
❧ And that more is, I dare auowe
That yf thy wyfe, dyspleasure take
Be it ryght or wronge, yet thou
Must nedes of forse, for thy wyues sake
Fyght and fraye, and hye wordes crake
Swere and state, as who wolde saye
Thou woldest not let, to kyll and slaye
☞ In case thou take the matter lyght
As man of peas, loue and concorde
Then wyll the wepe, anone forth ryght
And gyue the many, an euyll worde
And byd the gyrde, to the thy sworde
And saye, yf I had maryed a man
This thynge shulde not, be longe vndone
¶ Recorde, the wycked Iesabell.
Whiche wolde haue stayne / good Helyas
Recorde also of the gospell
The wyfe of Phylyp / Herodyas
Whiche through her doughter, brought to pas
That Herode her graunted, or that they wyste
To gyue her the heed / of Iohan Baptyst
☞ Thus were them selfe, may lytle do
As in regarde of corporall myght
Of cruelnes they rest not so
But stere theyr husbandes, for to fyght
The prouerbe olde, accordeth ryght
Women and dogges, causeth moche stryfe
And moost occasyons, to be myschefe
¶ In case that thou, so foolysshe be
For thy wyues wordes, to make a brall
Yf it so fortune, that she do it see
Regardeth lytle, what may befall
The fyrst thyng, that she doth of all
On the she runneth, and holdeth the styll
Whyles that an other, may the kyll
☞ And yf it chaunce, any vnkynde worde
Escape thy mouthe, wherby that ye
Bytwene your selfe / fall at dyscorde
Truste me well / in case that she
By any meane / may mayster the
For the moost parte, all women be
In suche case, all without pytye
¶ Weake and feble, albeit they be
Of body / moche impotent
Example dayly, yet maye ye se
Comberous they be, and malyuolente
Harmeles creatures, none euyll mente
The vpper hande, yf they ones get
[Page] Can no more harme, then amerseset
❧ Who was so busye, as was the mayde.
With croked language, Peter to appose
Ones, twyse, or thryse, to hym she sayde
And thou felow, arte one of those
The trueth sayde she / thy language showse
Peter abasshed, swore and denayde
And all by reason, of the lewde mayde
☞ Some men theyr be also, that saye
Be she syngule, or be she wedde
To moche she coueyteth, of chambre playe
As dyd Byblis, the thynge forbed
Presume to be, in her mother stede
Myrrha also, inordynatelye
With her owne father, founde meanes to lye
❧ The doughters twayne, of Loth the sage.
Hauynge lyke tykle, in theyr tayle
Coulde not refrayne, theyr wylfull rage
To satisfye, with euyll hayle
Theyr father fested, with costly vytayle
Made hym dronke, and so at laste
Medled with hym, he slepynge faste
☞ Examples hereof, dyuers there be
To approue my sayenge, strayght as a lyne
As fyrst of the, abhomynable Pasyphe
And then the insacyat, myssalyne
Pyrra, Fabulla, and fayre Helyne
With other thousandes, many mo
Whiche all to recyte, wolde neuer be do
❧ I pray you, why was Adam shent.
Bycause he onely, dyd transgresse
Eue hym meuyd, fyrst to consent
To eate of the apple, she dyd hym dresse
So all came, of her wylfulnesse
[Page] And syth that woman, that offyce began
She is more to blame then is thē man
☞ The wyfe of loth, wyllynge also
The wyll of god, to preuarycate
Out of the citye, when she shulde go
Loked behynde her, in her gate
To se by profe, the pronostycate
Displeased god, and she anone
Transfourmed was, in to a salte stone
❧ I pray you, what dyd quene atthalye
Loke in Paralypomenon
Mother of yonge kynge Othozye
Of all, and of all, the wylfullest one
Moued the kynge foresayde, her son
To do moche euyll, especyallye
The temple of god, for to dystroye
☞ Myghty Samson, two wyues had
The fyrst a Philistian, by generacyon
Neyther of them good, but passynge bad
And false to hym, farre out of fasshyon
The fyrst hym caused, by lacrymacyon
His probleme to her, so that he sayde
When she it knewe, she hym betrayde
❧ The seconde delte moche worse then so
Deceyuynge hym, as ye shall heare
For she his strength / dyd take hym fro
In her lappe slepyng, she clypte his heere
Betrayed her lorde, and her bewpere
Thus Dalyda, for mede hym serued
And caused his eyes out to be carued
☞ The wyfe of Iob, the man electe
Saluted hym with scornes and mockes
And full vnsemely, ofte hym cheete
Sayeng thou foule, full of the pockes
[Page] Full lyke a foole, thy brest thou knockes
Wenest thou, for thy fayre speche
God wyll come, the for to seche
☞ Thy pratynge leue, fowle the befall
Trust me, he wyll the neuer hele
Thy beestes / thy goodes, and thy chyldren all
Be deed and breute, nowe euery dele
And thou lyest here, with many a byle
Pratynge, and prayenge, to the diuyne
And worse then thou stynkest, then a deed swyne
❧ Lykewyse the wyfe, of olde Thoby
Whose name, as I remembre was Anne
Whiche hym entratyd, bosteously
With sad rebukes, nowe and than
Called hym dryuyll, and wytles fanne
Because he gaue / with herte so lyberall
Parte of his goodes, to the porall
☞ The wanton wyfe, of kynge Pharao
Ioseph adhortyd / with her to lye
In place secrete, betwene them two
God forbyd madame sayde he
Bycause she sawe, it wolde not be
A shamefull lye she dyd inuent
In pryson to caste / that innocent
☞ In women all, this propertys
Is knowen sure, and manyfeste
That yf a man, maye come so nye
To shewe them game, that they loue beste
And wyll not do it, then well they Ieste
But trust me sure, that with the harte
They wyll neuer loue hym afterwarte
☞ The wyse man sayeth, in his prouerbes
A strumpettes lyppes are dulce as honye
But in her dealynge, she is sowre as herbes
[Page] Wormewode, or rewe, or worse sayeth he
For when them lyketh, to mocke with the
With tongue & eye, suche semblaunce the show.
That harde it were them to mystrowe
¶ As though they spake, wt mouth & herte
With face they make, so good semblaunce
That harde it were, a man to starte
From theyr fayre glosynge, countenaunce
Thus with theyr sugered, vtteraunce
The symple men / that meane but iust
Disceyued are, where they moost trust
¶ In case they do you, but one benefyte
An hundreth tymes by you recompensed
They wyll you euer, with that one entwyte
With lytle cause, or none offensed
All your demerytes, shalbe vnrecensed
So be it lesse, or be it more
All is loste, ye gaue them before
☞ Yf ye renounce, your copy holde
And wolde be tenaunt, by Indenture
There is no ware, then to be solde
Ye must go seke, at your aduenture
For as of you, they haue no deynture
Thynke ye that I, wyll be so redy
Nay by Iesse, I holde you a peny
❧ And then yf ye, no labour make
Ye maye be sure that then wyll she
The lure out throwe, the hawke to take
Be lyke, of her affinyte
Good god howe straunge, nowe adayes be ye
I wolde haue thought, ye had ben none suche
But by the lytell, is knowen the moche
☞ So at length, by howche or by crowche,
Lesse or more, euer they craue
[Page] Untyll the hande, be in the pouche
No wordes prouaylen, the to saue
A thousande thousande wayes they haue
To make a man, a threde bare cote
And leue hym, neyther peny ne grote
❧ Nowe this nowe that, they craue alway
One thynge or other, they neuer rest
Saye what ye wyll, they wyll no naye
Nor none excuse, but theyr owne request
So they may be trymmed, and fed of the best
They haue no remorse, who bereth the name
Nor whome they put to open shame
☞ The trueth is knowen as in this case
By holy wryte, autenticate
Betwene Thamer, and the iudge Iudas
The booke called Genesis, examynate
Howe thamar the wydowe, in the waye sate
D [...]sgysed her selfe, in straunge araye
Iudas to dysceyue, after that waye.
❧ Her fresshe atyre, & countenaunce therto
Prouoked this man, a questyon to make
She lyghtly consentynge, as some other do
Sayde what wylt yu gyue, thy pleasure to take
Some pledge she sayde, for promyse is slake
Of hym she requyred, staffe mantell and rynge
His mynde to folowe, and do the thynge
☞ Shorte tayle to make, the lawe was then
A woman that founde was, in auoutrye
Dewe proffe alledge, by credyble men
Shulde suffre death, saunce remedy
The matter apperyd, by her bely
She openly sayde, in sclaunder of Iudas
Who oweth these thre, this dede done has
¶ Thus be they all, past shame and drede.
And careth not, who doth byd them bayle
With goostly sentence, them to fede
Lytell or nothynge, dothe them preuayle
Be the backe tourned, anone they rayle
And say, for all your counseyle good
Ye had leuer a bare ars, then a furred hood.
¶ To say that they can, counseyle kepe.
It were to me, a meruaylous thynge
Onlesse it be, when they do slepe
Or no body, to gyue the hearynge
Desyrous euer, of newe tydynge
And were it matter, of lymme and lyfe
Out it shall, be tolde byleue
¶ Tully the Roman, vpon a daye
Though to approue, his wyfe secrye
In counseyle tolde her, he had put awaye
The Emperour sonne, to the ende that we
Maye reygne and rule, bothe lande and see
Glad was she, and yet she went
And hym dysclosed, incontynent
¶ Tully escaped, harde with the lyfe.
And all by meane / of his owne folye
Had not the trueth, be knowen belyue
To haue be hanged / it was ieoperdye
Be it therfore true tale, or lye
Be wyse and ware, wake ye or wynke
And tell not your wyfe, all that ye thynke
¶ Kynge Salomon, bothe wyttye & wyse
A woman doth, assymylate
Unto a droppynge, euesynge guyse
Dystyllynge downe, after rayne late
Who droppes vnclene, doth maculate
The fynest vesture, that any man werys
[Page] With colde and wete, the body derys
☞ Euyn so a woman / litygyous
Disquieteth, a hole householde
And who so he be, that in his house
Entendeth to kepe, a woman skolde
The wynde that bloweth, bothe moyst & colde
Were better farre, for to herpour
And lesse shulde fynde, of dyspleasure
☞ Enuyous they be, it is dayly sene
And proude also, of comparyson
Recorde of Saba, the gorgyous quene
Before, nor syns, was neuer suche one
Bycause she enuyed, kynge Salomon
To proue his wysdome, and take with a tryppe
Passed the sees, in a meruaylous shyppe
☞ Bycause that Naboth, wolde not sell
Unto the kynge, of Samarye
The vyneyarde he had, at Israell
Achab the kynge, became angrye
As soone as Iesubell, the quene knewe why
She straytly cōmaunded, by wrytynge to fayne
Some cryme vpon Naboth, & so was he slayne
☞ Loke and rede, the boke Bockas
And ye shall fynde, many a reason
The pryde of women, to deface
For theyr m [...]slyuynge, in theyr season
Good women he wrote, were very geson
As ye shall fynde of, ri [...]he wrote
But of the. xx. neyther letter nor iote
☞ Salamon sayeth, thre thynges there be
Seldome, or neuer saturate
[...]ell the fyrst, is of the thre
The seconde, a womans water gate
The grounde of water / insacyate
[Page] Of euery lewde fassyon, recken who can
And euer I warrant, the woman is one.
¶ Harde to be knowen, lyke membre therbe
The fourth to knowe, who is he con
The fyrst whiche waye, a byrde wyll flee
Or of a serpent, sprent from a stone
What hauen a shyppe, shal be dryue vpon
The crafte of a hore, perceyue who con
And euer I warrant the woman is one
¶ The grounde also / doth vary by thre
The fourth may not, be stablysshed sure
A bonde man set, in maiestye
A foole fed fatte, whyles he wyll in powre
An odyous woman, in weddynge vre
An heyre made of, a bonde woman
So euer I warrant, the woman is one.
¶ Which thynges remēbred, well nere eche man
Reporte of them, accordyngly
And saye playnly, that in the woman
Is lytle thynge, of prayse worthye
Lettred or vnlerned, whether they be
They say of all creatures, women are the best
Cuius contrarium, verum est
¶ And were not, two small venyalles
The femynyne myght, be gloryfyde
Set in thrones perpetualles
And as the goddes, be deyfyde
Two venyall synnes, they haue and hyde
None of the seuen, theyr names who can tell
They can neyther do, nor saye well
¶ So to conclude, of this treatyse
A fynall ende, rude though it be
The processe through, who wyll superuyse
Shall well perceyue, I make no lye
[Page] An ende therfore, to make shorflye
In my conceyte / he lyueth in rest
That medleth with them, of all people leest.
FINIS.