¶ The preface of the transla­tour. Capitulo primo.
¶ To the ryght honorable and his especiall good Lady, the lady Lust of Pawesforde, Olyuer Oldwanton, your Ladyships bondeman, wyssheth a ioyfull lyfe and contynuall felicitie.

GAllynge to mynde the oppi­nion of Aristippus, a cer­teyne Philosopher of the­picuriens secte, who by profounde argumentes and sundry authorities vsed to maynteyne, that it was lawefull for man and woman at vacante tymes to exercise them selues with kyssinge and imbrasynge (together with the suites and cerymonies thereunto belongynge) ra­ther then to syt styll and be idle. The same my ioly good Lady hath caused me so great­ly to detest the wicked vice of Idlenes, that in eschewynge therof I haue had sundry deuyses, howe I myght most conueniently be occupyed, and thereupon fyndynge my selfe more apte then able, for thexcercise afore­sayde. And moreouer aswell ignoraunte in euery crafte and facultie of bodely labour as [Page]destitute both of lernynge and knowledge, wherby to inuente or set forthe any worthy matter of newe. I determined at length bi­cause I haue vnderstandynge in sundrye tounges, to take vpon me the translation of some worke into Englyshe, and for that purpose, perusing a numbre of bookes, I chaunced to fynde a lyttle queare intiteled, the I­mage of Idlenesse, wrytten many yeres past in the Troyane or Cornyshe speache, beinge the mother tounge of this noble Realme, then called Bryttayne, which made me the more wyllynge to take the same in hande, thynkynge that it myght drawe ageyne to memory the valyaunt people of Troy, wherof for my parte (be it spoken without ad­uante) I am one of the worthy ofspringe. But then came to my remembraunce the wordes of Plato, who sayth, that man lyueth not chiefely for hym selfe, but rather for his contrey, meanyng that we shulde not apply our trauel or study to our priuate plesure or commoditie: but rather to thaduauncement of our common wealth: which this purpose semed not to concerne, and therefore myght chaunce by some mens opynion ought not to be traueyled on. Yet neuerthelesse lyke as commonly most men be not sone perswaded to gyue ouer the thinge that they are affecti­onated [Page]vnto, vppon any surmyse or report, that the doinge therof shulde stande ageynst the rule of good order: But rather to iusti­fie theyr cause, wyll serche for some colou­rable argument to proue that the same maye stande within the compase of order. Euen so I beinge bent to this translation, (with the helpe of my wyttes which in this case fauoured my wil) haue vnder such sort wrested common reason, that in mine opinion (being inoughe as I suppose for the discharge of myne owne conscience) the doynge thereof may well inough stande with the precept of Plato. If not indirectely, yet at the leaste way by a meanes which I proue as thus.

To be a studient of the lawes, a councellour or a minister in the common welth is well a­lowed with Plato, and then to encorage or assist such person in his studye or ministrati­on, must nedes be of lyke effecte. And that in my mynde shalbe accomplysshed in this worke. For it is apparant vnto vs, that se­cious and sadde studye which perteyneth to the gouernaunce and ministration in a com­com wealth is so contrary to most mens na­ture, that if the mynd be not recreated with some pleasaunt matter, the wyttes wyl sone appalle, and the lyuely spirites waxe feble or dull. And therefore it semeth (that as it [Page]is necessarie) to haue studentes councellers and ministers in a common wealth. Euen as necessary it is that some men shulde trauell to set forth such matter as may reuiue theyr spirites, beynge mortyfyed by contynuall graue studye, which otherwyse as accloyed and werye, shulde of force be dryuen by vn­aptnes, to cease in theyr study or ministrati­on, and surely Madame, the iniquitie of tyme is nowe suche: that the verye graueste and moste wyse sorte of men (yea and euen they which haue ministration in the common wealth) wyll sometyme soonest laughe and reioyce to here and rede euyll of women: yet not as thoughe beinge euyll marched theym selues, they shulde seme gladde to perceaue other men in lyke case, as yf the euyll were as common as women are great in numbre, or that they thynke that they maye by rea­dynge of bookes more safely reproue theyr wiues faultes then by expresse wordes. But rather commeth as a certeyne plage of lightnes or franzie by thoperation of some per­uers planet, or euyll humoure that causeth them indiscretly to condempne them selues, by defamynge theyr moste naturall and best knowen parente. Lyke as yf the Tercell wolde saye that his Ceryer or dame were a Puttocke or Kyte, which argueth him selfe [Page]neuer likely to proue good hauke: And euen so it is of these madde men that delyght to speake and here euyll of women. Howebeit nowe very shortly, when by the beneuolence of the bodyes aboue, there shal no more such occasions be mynistred. I doubte not but that men wyl amende their misreportes and gyue ouer such vnsemely delectations. But yet in the meane season it shalbe necessarye to serue the tyme. And therefore the matter of this translation beinge interlased with certeyne surmysed faultes ageynste women, semeth to be as an ayde to the ministers in a common wealth, to refreshe with all theyr wyttes, beinge as I sayde before, appalled with graue studye. So that whereas suche ministers by theyr study and trauell do serue the common wealth indirectly: Euen so by this worke, which tendeth to meinteine and continewe theyr wyttes apte for studye and ministration. Me thinketh I serue the common wealth by a meanes, so that my tra­ueyle herein maye well inoughe stande with the precepte of Plato. And that thereby at the leaste way I Hall deserue as much com­mendation, as the Smyth which maketh a wrest to tune thinstrument: Who although he be ignorant in musicke, is yet worthy of some thankes for tharmony, by reason that [Page]and yf his traueyle had not bin, the stringes coulde not haue binne brought to agree in tune, and then had there byn no melody at al. But alas, a lamentable case to remember howe the folly and malyce of man is encrea­sed, syth the dayes of Saynt Iohn the E­uangelist, who for his recreation after longe prayers (as these discrete old wiues beare in hande) vsed to refreshe hym selfe in playing with his byrde. And lykewyse holy Saynt Anthony in teachynge his lyttle Pygge to tumble and vaulte, and dyd not delyght to here or vnderstande of womens faultes or doublenes, as men do nowe a dayes, which alteration by thoppinion of some doctours, commeth by thinfluence of some disordered planet. As in deede Venus of late to ad­uaunce her selfe hasted her ordinarie course, thinkynge to make her ascendaunte aboue the heade of Iupiter, but by a mischaunce she stumbled on Scorpio, and vnder suche sorte was tangled, that not onely she fayled thaduantage of her pretended purpose, but moreouer lost two degrees, and halfe of her possessed preemynence, the reuolusyon wherof semeth to be a great part of the cause that maketh many women nowe adayes to straye out of order, and minister much occa­sion of euyll reporte, as couetynge to be ac­coumpted [Page]of hygher estate and abilitie then in dede they are, or in makynge theyr bew­tie and come [...]ynesse seme more then it is, to garnyshe them selues with more sumptuous apparell and costely Iewels then dothe ap­perteyne. For the meyntenaunce whereof, they abuse that parte of theyr bodies where as the signe of Scorpio dothe commonly raigne, and by such meanes for a tyme ser­neth well theyr purpose, and doth increase theyr preferment and estimation. Howebeit at length eyther by smellynge or suspicion, they fall into defame and oblequy of the people, and be lesse estemed or set by then when they fyrst began. But what soeuer the cause of suche alteration be. Sythen I perceane that men are nowe so peruersly bente to re­port and here euyll of women, yet for the re­uerence and zeale that I beare vnto all wo­men, I haue thought best, bicause they may be the redier with theyrs answere or excuse, if any of theym shall happen to be charged with any of the faultes or euyll properties mencioned in this booke. For to make them fyrst priuie thereunto, by directynge of this my simple worke vnto your Ladyshyppe, be­inge of all honorable women in these dayes (none discommended) aswell for singuler wyt and good conueyghaunce, as for great [Page]pollicie and longe experience coumpted most notable, not doubtynge but that all women by your Ladyshyppes good aduyse and in­struction, wyll be well able to defende or ex­cuse them selues, what so euer shalbe layde to theyr charge, which chiefely hath holde­ned me to brynge this matter into our vul­gar speche, accoumptynge more honour for then to haue it come in question and be well aunswered, then by scylence to let it alway remayne in suspicion or doubtfull. In the furtheraunce wherof yf it may lye in me ey­ther by my wordes or weapon, to do them any seruice or pleasure: be theyr cause right or wronge, I am and shalbe both theyr ad­uocate and champion tyll my lyues ende.

For doubtlesse Madame, I hadde rather a thousande men shulde peryshe by the felynge of theyr faultes (yf any such were) then that I wolde defame or condempne the very sim­plist woman of your Ladyshyppes trayne, by confessynge of ought that might make a­geynste her. And for my trauetyle and good wyll in this behalfe do requyre nothynge els at your Ladyshyppes handes, but only that after this transytory lyfe, when your good Ladyshyppe for your woorthy workes in earth, shalbe glorified in the celestial throne of the goddesse Venus, that I may be resto­red [Page]ageine to youth, and made page of your Ladyshyppes Chamber, & that in the meane tyme it may please your Ladyshippe notwithstandynge the debilitie of my body, yet for the myghtynesse of my mynde and skylfull practyse, to admytte me Captayne generall of your bande, which I doubt not, what by mine owne pollycies, and what by the dili­gence and secrete shyftes of mine expert He­rauldes, and circumspecte espialles so ad­uysedly to leade and gouerne, as they shall escape all reproche and daunger of theyr bo­dyes. And as for the safegarde of theyr soules, bicause it concerneth not the charge of that office, I wyl referre the same to frier Floysterar, your Ladyshyppes Penitence, who for a small portion of the spoyle (as some folke bere in hande) wyll take theyr whole peryll on hym selfe, as beste knowethe the blacke Prouinciall, who longe preserue your good Ladyshyppe, and prosper your procea­dynges for euer and euer Amen.

The Image of Idlenesse. ¶ The fyrste parte of a certeyne Epistle sent by Bawdyn Bacheler to Walter Wedlocke, wherin doth appeare the grounde that caused the settynge forthe of this Treatyse. Capi­tulo .ii.

GOodman Wedlocke my harty commendations layde apart, wheras I perceaue by the re­port of Thomas Talker your Secretary that ye saye it is a shame for me to be so longe tyme vnmaryed, affirmynge that I despyse and eschewe maryage, as a carefull and vn­quiete lyfe, beinge good for nothynge els but onely to brynge sinfull people, that can paciently here it to heauen by the penaunce therof, as the very selfe purgatory that ma­ny lerned men haue so longe time contended vpon. Doubtlesse Walter I do marueyle muche what hath moued you to charge me with so great an iniquitie, as that I shulde dispraise the blessed Sacrament of matrimonye, being instituted by God hym selfe, the very ground and somme of al goodnes, yea and that is of suche perfection, that if any mortal man had inuented the same, he shuld [Page]thereby haue worthely deserued immortall prayse and fame, the groundes therof are so commendable and necessary. Nor surely I neuer hadde other then very good and reue­rent opinion of it in all my lyfe, and yet in dede Walter I dayly se and haue sayd that wedded men for the more parte haue alway woful and cumbrous lyues, vpon groundes and occation ministred by theyr wynes. But for very trothe by the defaulte and negly­gence of them selues, that commonly lacketh eyther grace or discretion to order and vse theyr wyues as they shuld do. Which neuer thelesse is not to be marueyled at, for surely the ryght feate therof is a secrete that God reueleth not to all men, left then they shulde lyue in such continuall pleasauntnesse and felicitie that they wolde neuer wyllyngly departe this lyfe: whiche by thopinion of the Vtopyans is a great suspecte of perdicion, but as for me in dede I haue the gyft ther­of. And therfore I ensure you, haue bin very desyrous to mary. Yet not so muche for mine owne commoditie, as for that I wold gyue other men example how to vse and go­uerne theyr wyues in the ryght sort, wher­by to expell the inconuenience that I per­ceaue doth ensue by the contrarye, but my chaunce hath not bin to obteyne. For the deuyll [Page]uyll to ēmpesshe so good a purpose of quiet­nes in the worlde by one meanes or other, hath alwayes hyndred my suite, whiche is the very cause that I am so longe tyme vn­maryed, and for no such errour or euyll opi­nion as ye haue vntruly surmysed of me, for the more playne declaration whereof, I haue herewithall, sent you a note or copye of such letters as with careful hart I wrote before this vnto dyuers to entreate for my selfe vppon maryage, whiche when ye haue perused, then wyll I declare vnto you fur­ther of my mynde in this behalfe.

¶ Here Bawdyn Bacheler beinge fuset t [...] a certeyne Gentlewoman for maryage, wryteth to a frende of hers for to haue his helpe and furthe­raunce therein. The thyrde Chapter.

AFter my very harty commendation, ye shall vnderstande that partly for mine owne comforte and commoditie, knowynge by sundry meanes what ioyes and feli­citie there maye be in maryage: and partely moued of compassion, perceauynge a num­ber of men ignorantly abusynge them selues in orderynge of theyr wyues (whiche by my [Page]good ensample myght be reformed) lyue in miserie and great vnquietnesse: I am vtter­ly determined with all spede to be a maried man, but yet not myndynge to bestowe my selfe so vnaduisedly, for any haste, as to choose a wyfe for couetise of goodes or land whereas my harte wyll not serue me to loue and fauour the person: nor for dotyng loue or fauour, where as there is not some con­uenient abilitie in substaunce towarde suche charges as foloweth maryage: nother yet for both where as the age shall much dyffer from mine owne. Whiche thynges circum­spectly consydered, I iudge them all accor­dynge to my hartes desyre, with a number of good conditions to be ioyned together in mystres B. your kynswoman, to whome of late I haue bin suter in that behalfe, and do perceaue by sundry meanes, that she wyl fo­lowe your aduyce. Wherfore syr I shal very hartely desyre you to haue your helpe and furtheraunce therin. Whiche to recompence (yf my sute take place) I dare be bolde to promyse you a thousande thankes of her part, for the spedynge of her to so good a husbande, as by my demeanoure towardes her I entende to shewe my selfe. And yet for all that, I haue such dispayre and mistructe in the matter, that do the best ye can, I wyl [Page]wage with you forty pounde that I get her not, and on my fidelitie pay you truly yf I lese. I learned this wager of a crafty priest that by such meanes with losynge of a lyt­tle money, wan a good bynefice. Lyke as for my parte I trust in this case to lese and yet be a geyner, as knowethe the maker of matrimonie, whom I wolde gladly had somwhat enterlased the pleasaunce therof with some coller or bytternesse, for feare lest the continuall case and quietnesse that I shall fynde therin, shulde happen to cause me de­sist and forget to wyshe and worke for hea­uen. &c.

❧ Wheras Bawdyn had byn suter to a certeyne Gentlewoman for maryage, and was in good hope to obteyne, he receaued knowledge to the contrary by letter from a Gentleman, that hadde partly bin a meane for hym, & therupon wrote backe as foloweth. The fourth Chapter.

AFter my ryght harty commendations, ye shall vnderstande that I haue receaued your letter conteynynge a determin­ate nay in my sute to the Gentlewoman ye [Page]wote of, whiche with a forced pacience I am contented to accepte accordyngely. And in perswadyng my selfe the easelyer to bere the same, do consider that and if my desyre had byn graunted, the one of vs shulde of necessitie (beinge borne so farre a sunder) haue bin constrayned to abandon and forsake our countrey and kynrede, whereby myght en­sue to vs both more vnquietnesse, then any commoditie therof growynge wolde be able to counteruayle.

With this and lyke coniectures, I am nowe faine to feade my phantasie of entent to make lyght what lyeth at my hart moste heauye. The deuyll I thynke, for despyte caused me nowe (contrarye to my common wont) to tender such sute so earnestly: other els God hath appoynted it as my penaunce for that I haue oftentymes treated much of lyke matter, whereas in harte I mente no­thyng lesse, which requireth by consequence of equitie to mynd much and be lyttle regarded▪ as nowe it foloweth. And yet to ac­cumpt indifferently, me thinketh I can not well ascrybe it to neyther of them both, but all wholy to my selfe, that entendynge by pollycie to expel (as it were) a smarte, haue conceaued a continuall ache. As thus, la­mentynge the losse of my verye frende hee [Page]late husbande, whiche to my harte was [...] lesse sorowful, then yf mine owne lyfe shuld immediatly haue folowed, I thought that yet yf I myght get some commoditie by his death, that dyrynge his lyfe tyme, coulde not be obteyned: the comforte of the one wolde so quallifie the griefe of the other, that it shulde the more easely and sooner be disgested. And thereupon dyd consyder that the moste soueraygne iewell in this worlde (which many men mysseth) is to haue a wife of commendable qualities and conuersation. Wherof she (as I had knowen by the report of hym, whose iudgement beinge grounded on experience, was not to be doubted) dyd appeare to be one. And therfore to recoue [...] her as my recompence, was the original and onely cause of my sute at the fyrst vnto her. Whiche sythens by circumstaunces dyd en­crease to such presūpcion of spede (in mine opinion) that I accompted her as obteined. And therewithall pacyfyenge my former torment, as counterpoysed with the same, dyd reuyue my mortyfyed spirites with the blos­somes, wherof fewe men fyndeth the fruite, & accepted her in harte none other but as a member or parcell of my selfe. Which nowe beinge concluded contrary, can to me be no lesse peynefull, then the losse of mine hands [Page]or any other lymme of mine owne body, the langour wherof is incredible to be wrytten. Thus doth it nowe apeare what it is to contende ageynst the deuine purueyaunce, as in murmurynge ageynste the hande of Godde, (whiche we lyttle knowe for what well or wo it is mente) to go aboute the alteration therof by worldely pollicie, whiche for the more parte turneth to our owne harme. As ensample by my selfe that entended to a­noyde the smarte that I haue doubled.

Wherefore from henceforth my councell and practise shalbe in felicitie not to presume, nor in aduersitie to dispayze, neyther yet to em­ploy our wyttes for to seke the alteration of neyther, but with humble spirite suffer the gouernour to proceade, trustynge all to be for the best, as in dede for my parte nowe in this extremitie and peruersenesse of for­tune, I fynd the same by experience, for by the myssynge of my mynde, mine affection is altered into meditacion, whereby I do con­sider both his power and mine owne weke­nesse, more then before tyme I dyd. And therewithall as the best thynge that I may perceaue to haue obteyned by this my sute and enterpryse, I satyffie my selfe not thinkynge my trauell and good wyll to be spent all in vayne, &c.

Of Idlenesse. ¶ Here Bawdyn wryteth to the Gentlewoman mencioned of in the last letter. The fyfth Chapter.

Bycause I am loth to bestowe more kindnes on you, then of your parte shall thankefully be accepted, I haue me commended euen as hartely and as often as best can content your mynde and none other wyse. Lo nowe may ye perceaue what a profitable and louyng husbande ye myght haue of me, if ye had bin happy, for hereby doth apeare that I loue not to bestowe any thing in wast, and yet the same notwithstanding, to satisfye your phantasie, can be contented to giue you libertie ouer the threasure of my harte, to spende therof at your owne wyll and pleasure. Further you shall vnder­stande that I haue receaued your refuse concernynge my late sute vnto you, whiche on the one pa [...]te bicause it doth so much contraty my desyze, ought not in reason to be a lyttle mine vnquietnes of mynd. But yet on the other syde, considerynge that suche is your wyll and pleasure, whiche I haue al­wayes determined to preferre and folowe a boue mine owne, I can but accept it in good parte, and be contented therewith, and for the tyme wyl no more trouble you with any [Page]further request in that behalfe, as in deede there is good cause why, for as I vnder­stande ye are alredy els where promysed, wherof God sende you ioy. And as for my parte if reason in me do not the rather sub­due affection, I entende to practise the common prouerbe, which sayth that newe loue dryueth away olde sorowes. But surely it shalbe done all by protestation, that ye fall not wydowe ageyne, for and if ye do, I wil ones more attempt you, what so euer pro­myse shall happen to passe me in the meane tyme, trustynge to spede neuer the worse at your handes, though nowe for certeyne considerations I seme to take the missinge of your good mynde lyghter then inwardely I feele it.

Further concernynge my deare frende your notable late husbande, lyke as it is not possible to recouer ageyne his body, so were it iniury to suffer his deserued good fame peryshe. For the preseruation wherof I haue here Sithall sent certeyne verses in maner of an Epytaph, which I pray you cause to be grauen and fixed on his sepulture, and thus hartely fare ye well.

¶ Where as a certeyne Gentlewoman bare in hande, that she was determined neuer to mary, and was neuerthelesse lykely to be muche sued vnto for maryage, here Bawdyn informeth her by his letter, vnder what sort she were beste to vse and gyue ouer her suters. The syxt Chapter.

GOod mystres N. I commende me vnto you, beinge ryght sory that I can not season my commendations with some hartinesse, howe be it I assure you it is not [Page]lefte vndone for any lacke of good mynde, but onely for that I am not as nowe master of mine owne harte, and can therfore in no­thynge vtter any perfecte hartinesse, yet ne­uerthelesse yf it may do you any pleasure to haue my harty commendations, ye maye be therin as it were your owne caruer. For doubtlesse my harte is with you, so that ye maye vse the office thereof euen as ye lyste your selfe. And then hauinge the hart after suche sort, it maye not be forborne but that the body must nedes be at your commaunde­ment. And if ye doubt the contrary on my behalfe, I praye you commaunde me to do what lately ye denyed me of, and then the trueth wyll apeare. Further, where as ye refuse to accept me in mariage: yet not for any mislykinge as ye say, but onely for that ye are vtterly determyned neuer to mary: Surely I accompte my selfe more bounden vnto you, for that gentle answere with your frendely enterteynemente besydes, then I shulde be to some other for the grauntynge my whole request, & therfore if in any thyng I may do you seruice or pleasure, ye shalbe well assured therof. And as a proofe or er­nest peny of the same, I wyll at this tyme be so bolde as somewhat to councell you con­cernynge such matter as, I suppose ye haue presently moste nede to be well aduysed of [Page]which is (syth as ye saye ye are determined neuer to mary) somewhat to shewe you vn­der what maner is shalbe best for you to vse, and giue ouer such as may happen to sue vnto you for mariage. Which kynde of suters ye shall vnderstande are deuided in three sundry sortes. The one sueth for loue of the person, another for loue of her lyuynge, and the thyrde are they that make of wooynge theyr pastyme or recreation: practysynge by sutes at large done in sport, howe to fashion them selues and place theyr wordes ageynst such tyme as they shall happen to be earnest suters in dede, and not meanynge to marry although theyr request were graunted, but rather scoffyngly to retreate, and dishonest­ly make theyr aduaunte of that they myght haue had. The diuersitie and dispositions of which persons it shalbe necessary for you to endeuer your selfe with all the sleyghtes and pollicie that possible ye maye deuyse to perceaue and knowe, and thereafter to giue them enterteynement and answere.

For as to any of the fyrst sort, a sodayne refuse is death without redemption, and therfore vnto such you may not gyue the re­pulse at fyrste, but rather with an answere of double vnderstandyng, by lyttle and lyt­tle quayle theyr hope of spede: Or other­wyse [Page]by counterfaytinge your selfe to be fro warde or entangled with some other euyll tatche, to make them thinke you better lost then founde, so that they maye rather seme to gyue ouer then to be refused.

But as for the seconde meyny (whereof God wote there are so many) ye can not vse them to euyll. For surely vnto suche wret­ches, the very torment and payne of hel (so that the poore soule were saued) is scarsly sufficient punishement. And therfore besides an vtter nay at the fyrst, to shewe them as much sullayne strangenesse as ye can deuise, whereby the rather to brynge them in dis­payre of spede, shalbe but wel done: Respect yet somewhat to be had that ye seme not to take vnthankefully that whiche is offered vnder a frendly pretence, and beware that in such case ye gyue no credyte to any crea­ture that speaketh in theyr fauoure or fur­theraunce. For no doubt it is often sene that such sutes grounded on couertise be so com­passed with golde and gyftes, that manye tymes one frende selleth another, whereby bothe the byer and seller are geytners. But woe may be the poore wyfe that payeth for all, and yet is neuer the rather maryed, for in such case the goodes be maryed, and not the woman, and as we may se by experience [Page]eyther of them cheryshed and set by accor­dyngly.

But nowe to the thyrde sort of suters, these eluyshe dissemblers that I spake of before, when ye haue a lyttle denyed them, whiche I wolde wyshe were doone vnder a mylde indifferente sorte, onely to eschewe that ye minister them none occasion to boast of any thynge graunted, and not to brynge them in vtter dispayre of spede, wherby to gyue ouer theyr sute and lese no more but theyr laboure▪ For that were to lyttle pe­naunce, and therefore ye muste in suche case when ye haue sayde them nay, counteruayle your worde with a louynge lyppe or frendly eye, as though, not perceauynge theyr dis­simulation, ye ment them muche better then ye spake, and therwithall to encrease theyr affection, ye must enterteyne them with port and fashyon, as ye shall thynke most to theyr contentation, which neuerthelesse muste be done with suche demure simplicitie, as it seme not to passe the bowndes of woman­hed and honest estimatiō, and vnder so good awayte, that ye seme not in the same pre­sence to shewe the lyke grace and familiari­tie to any other: assayinge by suche meanes to make of such counterfeytes ryght veneri­ans, and then smylynge at theyr smarte, [Page]scornefully to gyue thē ouer, on my fayth I thinke in conscience were none offence at al.

I wryte you these thinges as a warning that ye recompence not the fayner with the faythfulles rewarde, nor marry away your lyuynge, and remayne wydowe your selfe for feare of repentaunce, as in dayes paste, and not thynkynge thereby the rather to al­lure you (although I be one of the first sort) to shewe me any grace or fauour. Yet neuerthelesse if any such good chaunce happen me being for truth in my behalfe not loked for, and yet much trusted vpon, I assure you, ye shall gratifie your selfe with suche a good turne, as vpon the profe ye wyll be sory to haue so longe tyme forborne, and so fare ye well.

¶ Here Bawdyn wryteth to a certeyne Gentlewoman that was daunge­rous to be sene or spoken with­all by her suters. The seuenth Chapter.

MYstres B. after my harty commenda­tions, whereas ye vse to absente your selfe and wyll not be spoken withall at suche tyme as I and other good felowes come to treate with you vppon maryage, I [Page]can do no lesse for good mynde that I beare you, but to wyshe that ye wolde leaue suche demeanoure. For I assure you there are many men that gather euyl opinion therof, and thinke the cause to be that doubtynge your selfe to go with chylde, ye abashe to be sene in any presence of skilfull iudgement. How be it as for my parte, on my fayth I suspect no such thinge, but recken surely that ye do it onely of entent thereby to auoyde suters, whose presence and wordes myght els hap­pen to win you vnto wedding, by the which ye shulde leaue your chast wyddowyshe lyfe, and lese the merite that in heauen is for the same ordeyned. Howe be it, and if your meanynge be none other then so, then sithe ye are so well assured in refusynge of suche requestes, as before this I haue harde you bere in hande, better were in my mynd that ye common therof with as many as lyst sue vnto you, for the more temptacion ye with­stande, the greater shalbe your mede. And yet bicause my lernyng in scripture doth not extende to discusse what blysfull rewarde may be due for such vnnaturall and frutles penaunce, the best and surest way for you in my iudgemente were to accepte suche one of your suters to your husbande or familiar frende, as ye may thynke loueth you moste [Page]hartely, and in no wyse to refuse them all least hereafter ye repent as other haue done. For what merite God gyueth to the chaste sowles I knowe not, but it is very certeine that the Goddesse Venus punisheth ryght sharpely the bodyes that are repugnaunt to her louynge lawes, as partely doth apeare by the hystories folowyng, which I tel you are not fayned, but wrytten by good aucthoritie in the boke of Cupides sayntes, and be thus. There was sometyme a knyght na­med Permalides that loued most hartely the Lady Agglarose, who for no sute that pos­sible myght be made, wolde ascent to his desyre. The importunate sorowes whereof shulde shortely haue ended his wofull lyfe dayes, hadde not bin the greate mercy of Venus, who by playne miracle, pyteinge to se her faythfull seruaunt so tormented with the crueltie of a mercilesse Lady, made an exchaunge of both theyr desyres, so that this Lady loued this knyght aboue al creatures, and he to the contrary hated her beyonde al reason, whereupon when she had longe time folowed him with many lamentable and pi­teous complayntes requyrynge his fauoure and myght not obteyne, dyed euen of loue. Lo thus ye maye se Venus can wounde her disobediēt subiects with their owne wepon. [Page]There was also before this one Narcissus, of suche bewtie and semelines, that dyuers women came out of farre countreys onely to beholde hym, wherof many peryshed by his defaulte, for he wolde in no wyse encline to loue, whiche caused Venus to take displea­sure and to punyshe hym as ye shall here. On a tyme this Narcissus, to go in a disguising with other companye, happened to attyre hym selfe in the apparell and garmentes of a woman, and passynge ouer a brydge, per­ceaued in the water the shadow of his owne comely person and straunge attyre, whiche hym thought to be wonderfull semely, and thereupon for lacke of discretion to knowe hym selfe, whiche Venus withdrewe from hym, had no mynde on his disguysed appa­rell, but iudged verely the same to be one of Dyanas Nymphes, who in suche lyke pla­ces vsed oftentimes for recreation in the sommer season to make her abode, and therup­pon waxed so amorous of his owne sha­dowe, that after many humble requestes of loue, and instaunt desyres of speche, spede­lesse he determined to refer hym selfe to her grace and mercy, saying that in so goodly a creature loue nor pitie coulde not be absent, and then with armes displayed lepte into the ryuer, thynkinge to embrace his Lady, [Page](who also helde her armes abrode of entē [...]t to his fonde opinion, onely for to receaue hym) and was there drowned. Thus was his crueltie rewarded with folly.

There was also not longe agone in Ge­noa, both a knight and a Lady, who for the excellencie of theyr persons and qualities, were of such fortune, that dyuers sued vnto them for loue, and coulde by no meanes ob­teyne. For not regardynge faythfull harte and good mynde, they couered so much high parētage & great abilitie, that they thought none of theyr suters worthy to be accepted. The knyghtes name was Malmtrophus, and the Ladyes Syllera, who at length by thappoyntment of Venus fell both in loue, and were amorous eche of other. Then ey­ther of them called to remembraunce howe many suters they had suffered to peryshe by theyr obstinacy in loue before tyme. And thereuppon fell into despayre by remorce of conscience, thinkyng verely that in so much as they had so misused Venus lawes, Ve­nus from whom all grace to obteyne in loue doth preceade, wolde graunt them none, al­though it were required and deuoutly pray­ed for. In so much that the one of them ne­uer durste motion thother of loue, but al­wayes tormented them selues with inward [Page]desyre and desperate thoughtes, tyll at lengthe this Lady Syllera in folowyng the feminine nature, which of necessitie must by some meanes disclose theyr secrete though­tes, wrought all her mynde and opynyon with sylke in her sampler, and sone after dyed only of loue longing, wherof when Mal merophus had knowledge, and wyst of he [...] sampler, as enraged for sorow, he strangled hym selfe therwith and so miserably ended. Thus for lacke of audacitie to disclose theyr myndes eche to other (which grace for their stubburne boldenes in refusynge of trewe louers before tyme, Venus withhelde from them, they dyed all bothe at mischiefe, whiche if it be well noted, is a greate ensample for other to eschewe lyke offence in auoy­dynge the lyke or worse punyshement.

Wherfore I wyll aduyse you to accepte some one of your suters vnto your fauoure, and to leue this hardnes of hart in scorning theyr paynefull lyues. For doutles Venus is nowe of as great a power as euer she was and as able to punishe her rebelles. yea and althoughe by her godly pacience she space you a season vpon profe of amendement, yet maye you be ryght sure, she wyll at lengthe punishe you with some displeasure if ye thus continu [...]. Wherfore at your parell do as ye [Page]lyst nowe that ye are warned, & thynkē not that I wryte you these examples of intēt to ferre my selfe vnto your fauour, albeit that to my iudgement I am he that moste loueth you. For ye haue so often denyed me that I am vtterly desperate therein: as shortely wyll apeare by the ende of my wofull lyfe days for sorowe of the same, which chaunce of all creatures ye shall haue moste cause to lament. For thereby shall ye be sure both to lese a frende in earth, and to haue a shrewde Sollycitour in heauen. For when Venus shall enquire the cause of my sodayne com­mynge thyther, then muste I nedes disclose your obstinate demeanour in loue, which no doubte wyll be extremely punyshed, vnlesse your amendement may apeare vpon some o­ther in the meane tyme. Or els and if your cruell hart be so stout that it wyll not alter for feare of her displeasure and punishment, yet then let it alter in hope of her grace and fauour. For doubtlesse she is not so rigorous in punyshynge her rebelles, but that she is more benigne and gentle in cherishynge her faythful and obedient seruauntes. And ther fore in all holy scripture this is taken for her posey or prouerbe, loue and lacke not, and if that be not inough to brynge her bountie in your credence, ye shall to affirme the [Page]same, here of a myracle whiche in the olde dayes she wrought, and was thus. One Pigmalion, (a verye connynge grauer or workeman in stone and mettall) made in A­labaster the image of a woman whiche was of so goodly proportion, fauour, and coun­tenaunce, that on a tyme as he behelde her he was sodaynely taken with her loue, and that so feruently that he could not suffer to haue her out of his fyght. Whereuppon he bought her costely and ryche apparell, and dayly wold set hee at his table, carue to her of his best meates, at after none reade before her storyes of loue, shewe her all his mynde in secrete causes, and at nyght take of her clothes and lay her by hym in naked bedde, greatly bewaylynge her deadly dombnesse, and so continued a longe season, notwith­standynge the contrary councell of all his frendes. Which demeanoure the blessed Ve­nus from aboue ryght well behelde, greatly commendynge his stedfast louynge courage, and to recompence the same, on a wynter nyght as he lay in his bedde, well nere fro­sen with embrasynge this colde image, she gaue her naturall heate, lyfe, and quycke­nesse, so that they were afterwardes maried together, and lyued longe tyme in blysfull loue, and much ioy, tyll at length this Pig­malyon [Page]dyed, and then was his wife turned ageyne into an image of Alabaster, whiche to this day so remayneth, and is accomp [...]ed through out all Greece theyr beste and chie­fest pylgremage for to remoue or expell the passions and peynes of ielousy, whiche for truth came fyrst to knowledge and credence by this miracle. The princes of Tarent, but after some bookes of Ottronto, fyndynge her Lorde and hushande in bedde with one of her Chamberers, fell into suche a maylyn­coly and pensifenesse, that in maner she was at the very poynt of death, and then beinge warned by a vision to repayre vnto this blessed image for helpe, dyd auowe her pylgry­mage thyther, and receaued this oracle, (Marsoyse thees duan Guisea ancorne [...]og hatre arta) being expounded by the prestes of that temple to this effecte in Englyshe.

If to weare the horne thou fynde thy selfe agreu [...]d. Gyue hym backe agaynt, and thou shalt sone be eased. Whereby bothe she and sythens that tyme a great nomber of o­ther beinge in lyke case haue byn wonder­fully comforted and holpen. Wheras before the disease was in maner vtterly incurable. And surely all this is done by grace deryued from Venus. What creature then trowe ye may better spende theyr tyme then in the seruice [Page]of her that so benygnely rewardeth her faythfull seruauntes, doubtlesse none. Wherfore yet ones ageyne, as he that for al your vnkyndnes shewed, can bu [...] wyshe youwel, I wyll exhort you to enter and spende your lyfe in blysfull loue, which vnfeyled amonge worldly felicities is the very greateste ioye. Howbeit I sp [...]ke it not as he that hath had any experience therof, for alway it hath bin my chaunce to loue vnbeloued, whiche for truthe is the greatest payne in earth, but yet the same maketh me perceaue in reason the blysfulnes which may be in your loue, that are beloued: for of this I am certeyne, con­trary circumstaunce wyll haue contrary ef­fecte, so that lyke as my loue is paynefull, bycause I am not beloued, euen so muste yours nedes be pleasaunt bicause ye are lo­ued, wherefore enter into it hardely with a gladde harte, and that ye may well perseuer in the same, ye shalbe assured of my daylye prayer, that sometyme trusted to be of lyke religion, and nowe an abiecte al desperate, but yet not by mine owne defaulte or deser­uinge. Wherefore my truste is that Venus wyll take at me no displeasure, but at least way recompence my well meanyng with the name of a Vencrian, whiche shalbe a suffici­ [...]nt tytle for me after this lyfe, to chalenge [Page]a tabernacle in her eternall throne. And nowe to conclude if ye shall thynke me wor­thy to be imputed of folly, for that I delare so much with such paynted proces vppon so weake a grounde or matter, I pray you consider therewithall that the newe wyne or o­ther troubled lycour, beinge in a close vessel wyll for lacke of ayer (if it be not vented) swell and bruste his caske. For euen so in lykewyse my poore harte beinge replenished with the anguyshe of affection and desyre, yf it shulde not thus by vtteringe of my mynde be suffred to asswage and ease it selfe, wold ouer swell with deadly sighes, and shortely seuer in funder. And if ye be so harde of cre­dence that ye wyl not thinke al these things to be trewe, yet then I shall desyre you at least way to take them for your pastyme in the readynge, as I haue done in the wry­tynge. And so hartely fare ye well.

¶ Here Bawdyn wryteth to a certeyne gentlewoman at whose handes he had bin disdeynefully refused vpon treaty of maryage. The .viii. Chapter.

Mystres G [...]after my harty commenda­tion, whereas by your sundry nayes [Page]vpon the sute that before this I made vnto you for mariage, I was minded to giue vnto the same. Yet your gentle interteynemente at our last being together, when as ye graunted to common with me further therein at conuenient season, & after appoynted with my seruaunt both tyme and place of metyng for such purpose, made me somewhat to re­newe my former intent, and to attende for you accordyngly, howe be it ye came not, which caused me (beinge then bownde to­wardes Troynouant) to sende a certeyne frende of myne to knowe the cause of your stay, vnto whom (not aunswering the same) ye vnder a disdeynefull sorte vtterly refused me, which was more then neded to be spo­ken of at that tyme, albeit that and if your fantasy had serued you nedes so to do, yet me thynketh ye myght haue doone it with more temperaunce and lesse wordes, lyke as it is possible inough I shulde haue done to­wardes you, yf ye had graunted my request, in which case (on my faith) I am vncerteine whether I wolde haue taken or lefte, for I neuer vse thorowely to examine my selfe therin, tyll tyme it apeare I maye be at the choyse, and that neuer founde I at your handes. But and yf I had a gentle retreate with thankes for your confirmable good [Page] mynd, had bin the least of your recompence, and surely no lesse I loked for on your be­halfe, specially consyderynge that women are or shulde be of a myld and gentle nature. And yet maye chaunce that your meanynge [...], was better then to some mens iudge ment it sounded, as thus. Perceauyng that myne affection towardes you was grounded on speciall good opinion, which I had con­ceaued of you, ye doubted leaste I shulde (euen to the death) lament the losse of suche a fautelesse wyfe, so greately desyred, and therfore of intent to qualifie my griefe with the portion of my harme, ye haue ryght gentelly aggrauased the one to mollyfie the o­ther, and contrary to your conuersation for­ced your tonge to declare you both stubborne of harte, suspicious of imagination, and in­constance of mynde, that lyke as then all thinges considered, my losse was not great, my sorowes ought not to be muche. And yf ye ment me so frindly, I am the more boun­den to thanke you, howe be it on my fayth to say trothe, I neded nothynge at all of a­ny such confortatyues. For lyke as some men delyght for to trace the hare, more to perceaue the wylynes of her doublynge and subtyll skyppes, then for any ioye to recouer or brynge home the game: Ryght so in lykewise [Page] for my parte, haue I vsed such kynde of sutes, more for my solace and recreation, and [...]o vnderstande the dealinge and demea­nour of some folkes, then for any hope or intent to obteyne the thynge that I semed to seke for, as he that hath alwass thought the pastyme of wooynge to be muche better then the penaunce of weddynge, or and if it myshappen me at any tyme to be ouer desirous of spede therin, and in conclusion be denayed, whereby for lacke of good aduyse­ment I chaunce a season somwhat to lamēt my repulse, then in makynge consolation to my selfe. I call to remembraunce a number of mine acquayntaunce, that vppon [...]htey­nynge in lyke sutes, whereas they sought and loked for all suche commed [...]es as I haue iudged to be in you, when it came to the profe they had not onely myst the same, but moreouer in the steade therof, found the clene contrary, with wonderful vnqu [...]e [...]nes and displeasure, repentynge theyr spede al they lyfe dayes after, and tehn streyght wayes do reioyce myne owne hap, and be­wayle theyrs, lyke as a man that hath escaped from a shypwracke, where many of his frendes peryshed, and [...]herwithall am clene out of hand delyuered from al such thought and care as though I hadde neuer knowen [Page] the partie, nor mynded suche matter. But yet for all these bragge, yf it shall seme vnto you by the maner of my wrytynge, that I take ouer lyght the myssing of your good mynde, yet wolde I be ryght sory that ye shulde by the occasion therof, eyther set the lesse by your selfe (as to beleue y^t in dede the thing is no better worth) or yet to accumpt me so ignoraunte, that I can not esteem thynges somewhat accordynge as they are. But rather thynke I pray you, the troth to be playne contrary on both partes, and that I wryte vnder suche sorte eyther as a com­mon pollicie, to set lyttle by the thinge that can not be had, or els for that I doubte it myght disteyne the grauitie which shulde be longe to the number of mine yeares, for to be acknowen any thinge intangled with the afflictions of loue, although that in dede it toucheth my very nere, or otherwyse that I do it bycause I serue in Barrison and place of warre, and wolde by the bolde bearynge out of suche a losse, shewe my selfe to be of such hygh spirite and inuinsible harte, that I wyll not seme to be ouercommen with the thynge, whereunto bothe the myghtye and wise haue sundry rymes giuen place, where­by the outward apparaunce of my weke and simple person, by counterfaytynge the in­warde [Page] vertue, after the opinion of some men called magnanimitie (temperately bearynge bothe felicitie and aduers fortune) I maye seme better worthy to supply the same, or better come, and so to assay whether by the spendynge of my good mynde vnrewarded, I may fynde meanes to obteyne better esti­mation then I haue deserued, or at leaste way if I mysse of them bothe, yet thento quyet my selfe with the hope of the one, al­though in vayne. For doubtlesse this tran­sitory life is intangled with so many kindes of miserie, prouokynge pensiuenes, that vnlesse a man sometyme wyll flatter him selfe with some kynde of vayne glory, or contra­ry to the lyuely eye of his reason, delyght or reioyce in some one tryfle or other, the calamitie and vnquietnesse therof, wyll so frette nature, that none shalbe able to lyue out half theyr naturall course, and therfore al­though it shall seme vnto you, that I might better haue spente the tyme then so to make su [...]e, or thus to declare my selfe, yet bere so muche in my fauoure I beseche you, as to thynke that it is dome to some purpose of ef­fecdte, and not all of folly, as in dede it may happē ye shal hereafter so pereaue at large, and in the meane time I pray you accept the simple verses folowynge, as my frendely [Page]token, and so wyshynge you as to myselfe bothe in lodgynge and otherwyse, hartely face ye well.

Of Idlenesse. ¶ Here Bawdyn wrytynge to a certeyne Gentleman (his frende) amonge other thynges, bewayleth hym selfe of his euyll spede in wooynge and trea­tie of mariage. The .ix. Chapter.

MAster D. After my very har [...]ye com­mendations, trustynge that ye are past the danger of this late vniuersal sickenesse, the newe sweare, these shalbe to aduertise you, that euen so am I, and that with as much peryll of lyfe as euer man es­caped, howe be it all for the beste as it hath chaunced, for wheras before tyme, by rea­son of my age and euyll dyete, my complexi­on was playne malynedlyke, mixed with o­uer muche coller, nowe by this meanes the vnkyndly heates are subprest, and all euyll humours so expelled, that (the blud tempe­tately alayed with steume hauynge mastry) I am turned to as goodly a Sanguyne as euer ye sawe, and therewithall growen as full of loue, as any noppy newe alt is ful of barme, the croppe wherof, muche after the selfe same sorte (sauynge not altogether so hygh a lof [...]e) worketh, couetynge vent and [...]t [...]eraunce, neuerthelesse I am determined not to d [...]part therwith, but onely vnder the [Page]blylfull bande of matrymony, whiche holy and pleasaunt sacrament, bycause I wyl no ther rashely enter into, nor yet bashefully (for any refuse at a fewe handes) gyue ouer. I haue with good aduysement made a kalen­der of all such maydens, and wydowes (in these partes) as can content me that waye, whiche in the whole together with an olde fellowes wyfe, that I dare saye wyll not lyue out this next Marche, are to the num­ber of .xi. Vpon which appointment I haue not shewed my selfe to be so nyce or daunge­tous to please, as to alowe, none other but onely such as are cleane without any faulte, for feare least then I shulde not haue so [...]ibe­rall a choyse in so small a circuite, and ther­fore conferrynge theyr euyll tatches with theyr good qualities, I haue accepted or re­iected, accordyng to the more parte or grea­ter number, hauynge respecte therewithall for myne owne aduauncement, that one profytable commoditie shal counteruayle to euyl properties, vnlesse they be of certeyne nota­ble fortes, which are not to be borne withal. And more ouer preuentynge leste my tender simple hart myght happen to brusie for so­rowe of a repulse, if I shulde laye all my whole loue and good mynde in one of them [...]t once, and then be refused, I haue taken [Page]this order in my sute. When I am somwhat well entered in communication of maryage, with the fyrst, then after two or three mee­tynges, and before I demaunde to haue any directe aunswere there, I begyn to enter­teyne the seconde, and when I haue noted in her some one thynge or other to my con­tentacion that the other hathe not, then streyght wayes I returne to knowe her de­terminate mynde, which although it be not agreable to mine, I greately force not, for then I stande in hope to be aswell spedde or better of the seconde, and so proceadynge in lyke maner with her, I go to the thyrde, alwayes reteynynge one within possibilitie of spede, vnder this fort I haue alredy perused .vii. of my number, and yet fedyng my fantasy with hope that the best is behynde, my hart remayneth as freshe and whole as when I fyrst began. But yet by saynt Mary lyke as it shalbe wyse dome to cast the worst before it fall, so I consider that and yf my fortune be so euyll, that for lacke of skylfull interteynement I shulde chaunce to fayle al­so of the reste, I doubte it wolde brynge me into such perplexitie and sorowe, as I shall then be neuer able to expell, for daungers once growen to thextremitie, are seldome or neuer reconered, and therfore syr I shal de­ [...]yre [Page]you so muche to assiste me herein, as to [...]certeyne me by your letter, vnder what sort ye vsyd your selfe, vppon obteynynge in lyke sute, that I may somewhat practise the same, wherein for lacke of power to re­compence you otherwyse, of this ye maye be assuryd, myne gotten by your meanes (as reson is) shalbe at your commaundement, and so hartely fare ye well.

¶ Where as Bawdyn serued in Garryson, and had compounded with a certeyne Gen­tleman, his frende, to repayre thyther at all tymes of daunger, the same being so sireighted in a tyme of cōmotion, that he was for­ced for his safegarde to take another howlde, where as were many Gentle women, whiche kynde of furnyture the other greatly wanted, here Bawdin maketh him request to haue some fruition of that necessarye commoditie. The .x. Chapter.

The rather to allure you for to satysfye my necessitie, hauynge presentely a cer­teyne kynde of lacke, I haue thought good that ye shulde fyrst be aduertysed how well I intended towardes you, yf so were [Page]that for your part ye had neded of mē, whi­che is none other, but that my lodgyng was prepared to receue you, and my force in redi­nes for your defence, yf ye had listed to haue drawen hyther nowe in this daungerous tyme, accordynge to the tenure of our com­position and olde bande of amitie. My well meanynge wherein, I craue not to be recompensed with any golde or costly iewell. But (by your mediation) with the presence and fauour of some one of your fayre Gentlewomen (whereof as I here saye, ye haue plentie and spare) of intent that being nowe forced to be a man of warre, in very dede, wheras heretofore, I haue bin but as it were a sha­dowe therof, I may wax in loue, and be valiaunt, wherby the rather not onely to with stande, but also to subdue these vnruly and disobedient people that manase to assaulte this Garryson, beinge a place I assure you, not onely pleasaunt and of greate strengthe both by buyldynge and situation, but also plentuously furnished with men, munitions, and al other thynges requisite for the wars, that grace of amoures only excepted, which beinge had kyndely of it selfe, and not de­layed nor peruerted with the bande of wed­locke, is to a man of warre as a spurre to a dull or slowe horse. Or to expresse more [Page]lyuely, well nere as greate an increase of holde and forwarde harte, couetynge hyghe enterpryse, to obteyne honest estimation and fauour at his mystres handes, as drery wed locke appallynge the lyuely spirites prouo­keth cowardry. And yet to say trothe I haue sometyme knowen wedded men in warlyke affayres do ryght boldely and well, but that hath byn by waye of desperation, chosynge rather to dye, yf Fortune wolde ascent, then longer to liue vnder such yoke of seruytude, from the which our Lorde delyuer you, and preserue me.

¶ The aunswere made to the sayde leter. The .xi. Chapter.

AFter my very harty commendations, these shalbe to aduertyse you that I haue receaued your letter, and by the same do playnely perceaue your faythfull frendeshyppe ment towardes me, greatly to my comforte and reioysyng, but not as who wolde saye, for that nowe in extremitie and iust tyme of tryall, I shulde haue consolati­on to fynde my selfe in your behalfe, assured of that which before tyme I stode in doubte of, but rather for that it doth nowe expres­ly apeare, that my wyttes and iudgement, [Page]wherof before tyme I doubted hath serue [...] me a ryght, in chosynge suche an carnest [...] frende as ye are coniecturynge of you afore hande, as iustly hath folowed. Which to re­compence with the beste of my lyttle power, ye shall at al tymes be assured of. Neuerthe­lesse as to satisfye your requeste in that ye wryte, concernynge my Gentlewomen, whereof in dede I haue plentie, and spare, (as cause reasonable shall requyre) I can do you no pleasure therein, for as ye knowe it must nedes be done by theyr owne consente, and resteth not in me to apoynte, hauyng no further charge, but to the defence of theyr persons. Howe be it for trothe I haue in your behalfe had communication with sun­dry of them, aswell Ladyes as other, of whom I haue receaued sundry aunsweres, for some of them say that if your demeanour were good, it is lykely that ye myght be ac­cepted nere home, whereas ye are better knowen, and not forced thus to sue in for­reyne partes, and some say that they are vncerteyne whether of bothe may be most mys­lykte, your crabbed face or your croked con­ditions, and some of them saye, that they disdayne to take the refuse of so many, as heretofore ye haue bin suter vnto, and some also sayth, that ye are so spente with age [Page]and trauayle, that to theffect of theyr most nede, they thynke that they shulde be but deceaued with you. This is as much as I can hytherto get at theyr handes, but that they acquyte your gentle request, with theyr har­ty thankes, faythfully promysynge to do theyr best for your spede elswhere, so it be not on any of theyr frends, and in affirming the same, haue hereunto euery of them set theyr handes, and so ryght hartely fare ye well, wyshynge that the lawes were of such lybertie that euery man myght bestowe his owne as hym selfe lysteth, for then I know where ye shulde for a tyme be well pleased, and your very frende thereby much eased.

¶ Here Bawdyn replyeth to the same, and perceauynge his continual euyll spede, determineth to gyue ouer al such kynde of sutes. The .xii. Chapter.

IF I were ignorant of myne owne impedi­dimentes, and euyll fortune, or forgetful of that I dayely haue in remembraunce, (which for trothe, more then the number of mine yeres, hasteth me to my graue) ye shuld haue done but well, vppon the aunswere of my late letter, to expresse my faultes, and [Page]sufficient cause of refuse, at your Gentle­woman handes, as ye haue done, and yet consyderynge as the tyme nowe requyreth, that we are of all sydes forced to prepare and fashyon our selues for the warres, wherin bolde and aduenturous harte (who neuer sheweth so wel, as where there is a plesaunt and amorous mynde) resteth for a principall parte, it shulde haue byn good pollicie for al men (in mine opinion) not onely to dissem­ble and beare eche one with the folly and faultes of other, lest contrary might happen to engender eyther frowarde controuer­sie, or feble pensiuents, but moreouer euery man for his owne parte to fede and startes them selues with some kynde of vanitie or vainglory, without hauing any respect to de­sert, or not deseruing, which in dede depen­deth much vpon the vaine tryffles and toys of women, beinge a kynde of creatures, al­though scarce worthy to be accompted as resonable, & rather an impediment vnto man, vpon matters of grauitie or importaunce, then any furtherer, yet to encorage battel & like mischiefe, a very handsome & wouderful necessary instrument, which was the onely cause (the tyme thereunto nowe so requisite) y^t I made request to haue some one of yours, for to reuine my dull spirites, beinge mortis [Page] [...]yed with contemplation, to styrre vp, and make the same more apt for feates of armes and chyualry, alterynge euery vertues qua­litie of the mynde, into some boldly excercise of actiuitie or pollicie of warre. But nowe sythe I perceaue my felfe by your wrytynge to be thus euyll accepted, at so many dys­crete Gentlewomens handes, and for so sundry faultes and impedimentes as by them is alleaged, I am become vtterly desperate to obteyne in any like sutes hereafter, and therfore do determine no more to attempte the same, but rather yf I may chaunce to escape the hasarde and daunger of these warres, to be professed an Armyre, and to lyue alone in wyldernesse, but yet for mine owne consolation in the meane tyme, consyderyng that the thynge whiche can not be hadde, ought wysely to be forborne, I thought it good pollicie to perswade my selfe that theyr company is more comberous then comfortable, and for that purpose dyd delyght to se and rede suche bookes as spake or treated any thynge to the dispreyse or blame of women, wheras I founde wrytten aswell by sundry Phylosophers, that knowe by learnynge and natural causes, as also by other Sagies that wyste by practise and experience in ma­ner and forme folowynge. Fyrst one of them [Page]sayth that they are crafty conueyers, of all maner shrewdnes, and ignorant innocentes in all kynde of goodnes. Another saythe: Blame not all women though one haue of­fended, Say well by the worst, the best may be amended. Another sayth: Of that they may haue, they set lyttle store, And what they can not get, they longe for euermore.

Another sayth: Lybertie they couet, to do what they wyl, yet what they take in hand commenly they spyll. Another sayth: What they be desyred, they vtterly refuse, And what they ye denayed, moste gredely wyll they vse. Another sayth: Abyde by them, and they are sone cought, But out of sight, and out of thought. Another sayth: For to know diuers they alwayes loue, Iudgynge hym to be best, which they neuer dyd proue. Another sayth: They are discryuers of coun­cels, and fayners of fables, Not reckynge who rolleth his dyce on theyr tables. Ano­ther sayth: Wery may they be, but satisfied neuer, Theyr box is inclosed in such a kynd of lether. Whiche sayinges soundeth moste blyffull and comfortable to me, and as I trust wyll shortly so crepe into my credence, and temper my desyre towardes all women, that I shall thynke the beste of them to be better lost then founde. For surely all olde [Page]writers do thorowly agree as a very ground or principle, not to be denayed or doubted of, that the greatest felicitie and moste plea­faunt parte of matrymonie on the mans be halfe, resteth onely in the woynge and in­treatie of maryage, wherof the Goddes be thanked, I haue ryght largely had my part and yet was always refused, which maketh me to thynke my selfe more happy then wise that vnder suche sorte inioyinge as it were the grayne and leauynge the chaffe, I esca­ped the harme that so busely I sought for.

¶ The seconde parte of the Epistle sente by Bawdyn Bacheler to Wal­tex Wedlocke. The .xiii. Chapter.

LO Walter, nowe may ye perceaue howe desyrous I haue byn, and what meanes I haue made to marry. For although by some parte of my wrytynge I semed to re­proue or scorne suche as I was suter vnto, yet for trothe I mente to entreate or flatter them, consyderynge that women wyll often tymes accept thynges cleane contrary, and therfore I thought besi to proue both ways, but al wold not auayle me, for I was styll refused, which brought me into suche a per­plexitis [Page]and pensyuenes of mynde, that I was well nere faulne into a consumption by playne dispayre and malyncoly, accumpting my selfe the moste vnfortunate of all men, thus to lose with much traueyle, what com­monly other folkes get with ease, and to lament the lesynge, of that other men repent the wynnynge. But such is the frowardnes of Fortune, that to comber all men, dispo­seth peruerdy all thynges, as a wyfe to him that lacketh skyll howe to guyde her, and none at all to the doctours of that scyence. Yet at length searching for mine owne case, howe best to quyet my selfe, I dyd consider howe God myndeth to furnyshe heauen, as­well of wyrgyns as of martyrs and other saynctes, iudgynge that he intendeth to re­serue me in this estate, onely for that pur­pose, wherby to incrense my felicitie in the worlde to come. For I remember where as Paule doth but barely alowe matrimonie, he commendeth virginite, and therefore for mine owne parte, syth this is mine appoin­ted talent, I am contented to slande there­to, and frome hence forthe wyll seke for no change. The moste that greueth me is, that wedded men can not now learne at my hand as I entended they shulde do, for doubtlesse the mystery of that doctrine can neyther be [Page]disclosed nor perceaued by wordes or wryetynge, so well as it may by syght of the do­inge, lyke vnto the common experience of holdynge the ploughe, which is not so sone lerned by reporce, as by seynge the thynge done. But yet sythen that nowe it maye be none otherwyse, I wyl therein wryte part­ly mine opinion, trustynge that it shall take some effecte, although not so much as I in­tended, yf my sute for maryage had taken place. There is a common opinion (and in dede experience oftentymes approuethe the same) that the thynge whiche is not well come by, prospereth not with the owner, I meane to this effecte, men commonly nowe a dayes come not by theyr wyues as they ought to do, whiche causeth them to agree the worse when they be together. For wher as they shulde marry for affection to the wo man and in hope of chyldren to be broughe vp in the feare and honour of God, surely Walter the more parte of your secte neglec­tynge all both, doth make of marryage as it were a for huntynge, which as you knowe is not medled withall, but when the case is somwhat worth. And then the hunter, after knowlege had where the game is, besetteth the couert with hewers to course at aduan­ [...]ge, yf he maye preuentynge before hando [Page]vpon diligente inquyry made, what tochet or borowe it vseth to resorte vnto, as his chefe refuge, and there at thentry taketh it with a pursenet, when it thinketh to be most out of daunger, and so beinge with muche crafty pollycie and trauell gotten, is caryed home with gladnes, by common presumpti­on to playne meanyng people for loue of the fleshe, but contrarywyse within a very short whyle the case is pulled of, and the carcas not estemed. And euen so it is of these gredy men that marryeth for the loue of ryches, without respect to the woman, or her qualities, who not only suborneth her familiers for money, in stede of hewers to be playne lyers, exaltynge the suter about all other men in such quallities or habilitie, as they shall perceane the simple woman moste to delyte, or otherwyse perswadeth her vnder collour of religion, as in safegarde of the dissem­blers lyfe, that els wolde dye for loue, wher as in dede he neuer loued other then her ly­uynge, but moreouer preuenteth her at such handes, as she is most lykely to resort vnto for councell, whiche crafty counceller, al­though he minde to further the purpose, yet wyll he not speke therein for doubte to be suspected of corruption, but when she com­meth to sike his aduyce, he is then lyke a [Page]pursenet, and knytteh vp the matter which sone after is repented. For the good man regardynge none other but onely the thynge that he chefely sought (which was the good and lande) estemeth not the wyfe, and then she fyndynge her selfe disceaued of the loue and good mynde that she loked for, castethe to shorten his days by anger and displesure, trustyng to spede better next. And so mary­ages disorderly begon, haue commonly combrous continuance, and an euyll ende, I make this lyttle dygression Walter to put you in remembraunce, ageynst your next maryage, if you come therto, for surely by that ye surmyse that I haue an euyll opinion of maryage, I suspecte that eyther you feele the same discommodities your selfe, & that you wolde gladly haue me to be in like case, or els you are lyke to the greedy ryche man, that is lothe to haue any poore neyghbours, yet not for any charitie that is in hym, but rather for feare least they wolde be borrow­ers. What I meane hereby I doubt not ye knowe well inough. And nowe to theffect of my promes which was to instruct you howe men myght lyue moste quyetely with theyr wyues. You must fyrst vnderstande (Walter) that notwithstandynge▪ all the euyll proper­ties and shrew de tatches that euer were written [Page]of women, yea or that is in them, in ve­ry dede (whiche for trewth is muche more then conueniently may be expressed) yet are they not therefore to be blamed or founde faulte withall, by reason the same is gyuen them euen of very nature, whose gyftes be­inge in maner forced of necessitie (be they good or euyll) deserue neyther prayse nor blame. For sythe the tyme that the serpente tempted Adam and Eue, in the similitude & lykenes of a woman, doubtlesse the fraude and mallyce of that spirite, hathe alwayes bin most incident to the same sects, & maketh them naturally inclyned to dissimulation, in constancy, and frowardnes, with a number of other vyces. But what of that, shuld we exclude them from our company as vnwor­thy, or shulde we disdeynefully accept them (accordynge to the common terme) as euyll necessaries, or shulde we (beinge worst of al) as mystrustyng that the Gods were not able to worke therein sufficientely them selues, take on vs to alter them by arte. As before this Virgyl (whose presumption was pre­uented by death) For he after such tyme as he hadde atchened many strange and defuse conclusions, enterprysed to make glasse a­byde the hammer, determyuynge sone after to make all women constant in lone, and conformable [Page]to the wyll and pleasues of theyr husbandes, and al by arte magyke and sor­cery, nay nay gods forbyd. And what then, mary let vs consider, that lyke as there is nothynge in earth so thorowly good, but that to some purpose, and after some sorte vsed, it may be euyll. That euen so there is nothynge of his owne nature so euyll, but that to some purpose, and after some sorte vsed, it may be good, and yet this hope we haue of women aboue all other thinges. The great god hym selfe vpon the creation of A­dam (as apeareth in Genesis) sayde, let vs make man an helper, and then made Eue, of whom al other women are descended, which proueth that being skylfully vsed, they must nedes be helpynge and comfortable to man, for God neuer lyeth, and then me thynketh consyderynge that the matter toucheth the quyet of mans person so hyghly as it dothe, it is moste necessarye that men shulde applye theyr wyrtes to serche out the ryght vse of them, so as they maye iustely serue the pur­pose that God promised, as in dede (Walter) for my parte I haue done euen so, and that with a contemplatiue spirite, myndynge to lyue with them in maryage accordingly, and do perceaue the hole state and mystery ther­of, beinge disclosed vnto me by reuelation [Page]in my slepe, which in effect is thus. Ne [...]m [...] ­nedes the God of matrymony, for the conso­lation of maryed men, vpon lamentable com­playnt of theyr miserable estate (by reason of theyr wyues crabbednesse) graunted by a certeyne braunche of heauen [...]y influence to dystyll into the harte of the bryde at euery weddynge, a certeyne kynde of [...]umour, cal­led by the Bretians Spurfalxe, beinge as muche to saye as the iuyce or vapour of the rynge, and in Englyshe named a wyues to the, a terme of longe tyme knowen, and yet but lately and to fewe men perceaued. The nature whereof is vehemently to inforce her sp [...]ites to couer preheminence in certeine poyntes, which being obteyned and alowed her, it dissolueth the malyce of all her for­mer euyll qualities, much after the common opinion, that one poyson expelleth another. Hetherto (Walter) I suppose ye fynde lyt­tle comfort in my wordes, for that it semeth they are not by this miracle any thynge a­mended, but rather altered from one euyil into another, which may chaunce is worse, Neuerthelesse yf you note me well, ye haue ryght good cause to reioyce, for hereby theis e [...]abbedues that by longe continuance in many discentes was growen to be in manes naturall, and therefore vn [...]rable, maye be [Page]taken away, and in stede therof other things placed, that ye maye casely expell if ye lyste your selfe. I dare say you maruell what I meane by this circumstaunce, and do longe to knowe the effect therof. Well, I am content that you shall so. Surely the prehemi­nence that the wyues doth couette at theyr husbands handes by vertue of that humour, is none other, but onele to haue lybertie in three kynde of thynges, whiche is, to saye what they wyll, to haue what they wyll, and to do what they wyl, wherin you know the husbande maye easely bere with them, and surely doyng so, they are the most quyet and comfortablest creatures, that euer were ordeyned for man. But restraynynge them therof, they are so crabbed and so combe­rous, as that there is nothynge so displea­saunt as theyr company, which the discrete husbande muste by: his wysedome consyder, and for his more ease vse them thereafter. For seinge that by the lawe they are al both but one body, and muste remayne at one bed and bourde, it is not in mauer possible that he may longe lyue in quyet, when she is tho­rowly offended. Wherefore it shalbe necessa­ry for him to vse her, lyke as he vseth other bryttle thynges, as for example, If ye haue a very fayre drynkynge glasse, it is both ne­cessary [Page]in vse and pleasaunte to the syght, and wyll so continue longe ynough yf it be ordred accordyngly, but and if by rashenes or lacke of consideration, you force it more then the tender nature therof may suffer, you sodenly destroy your owne commoditie, for then wyll it breake and be worth nothynge at all. And surely euen so is it of a fayre plesaunt and louynge wyfe, which is the grea­test treasure and comfort that man may haue in earth, whilest she remayneth in that estate and that wyll she tyll her dyinge daye, yf she be gentelly vsed, and left to haue her liber­tie in these three thynges. For althoughs they vse of theyr owne accorde to submitte them selues inough, yet theyr noble hartes maye in no wyse suffer to be forced nor brought into subiection by violence, muchs lyke for that purpose to the hawke, whose nature of all lyuynge thynges they drawe nerest vnto, for the female kynde of them is alway most stubborne, most eger, and moste apte to euyll, and yet by gentle meanes may be recleymed and brought to do much plea­sure, but the Fawkener muste beware that althought she chaunce to checke, or to sore awry and range, he may not therfure at her returne misintreate her with any rygoure, but skilfully consideryng the cause, as lacks [Page]of bathynge, or otherwyse, must preuent to eschewe the lyke, and so paciently suffering for the tyme, maye reforme and wynne her from her wylde and rammishe nature, by po­lycie and gentlenesse. Much more reasona­ble is it then, that the husbande shuld bere, and by suche gentle sufferaunce qualifie the crabbednes of his wyfe. For wheras thone purpose serueth but only to meyneteyne his wayne pleasure, thother toucheth hym most hyghly, both in the quyet of his person, and estimation of his name, whiche aboue all o­ther the [...]es is chefely to be consydered, yea and [...] (Walter) geuynge them a face of lybertie to haue theyr owne wyll in these three poyntes, they may by pollycy be tray­ned to do youre, and in dede some of them wyll so euen of theyr owne mynde and free wyll: Lyke as the hawke when she flyeth well and sleeth her fowle, serueth her ma­sters purpose and doth hym singuler plea­sure, and yet meaneth none other then her owne commoditie, howe be it, both theyr de lyghtes beinge bent to one effect, are serued vnder one Euen so some wyues are wholy of lyke inclination as theyr husbandes, and then leseth he nothynge at all by graunting them suche lybertie, for then: doynge the thynge that pleaseth her selfe, she in lyke­wyse [Page]contenteth hym. And some of them al­so are of such worthy and honorable quali­nes, that they wyll shewe them selu [...]s in theyr beneuolence, as it were able to com­pare with the greate Alerander, who after such tyme as he had in a daungerous battell with great peryll of his person, and losse of many men, ouercome the myghty kynge Porus, a certeyne prince of the Indians, coue­tynge nought els but only the glory of vic­tory, and power to take what he lyst. Receaued hym afterwardes into anutie, and inlarged his dominion with an other kyngdome of his owne. And euen so it suffyseth suche worthy wyues onely to obteyne the prehe­minence at theyr husbandes handes with­out settynge the same in vet, but wyl rather of theyr mere and gentle nature inclyne thē selues to the wyll and pleasure of theyr husbandes. But in dede some ageyne are so presyse in kepynge theyr prerogatyue, that thynke yf they do any thynge wyttyngely to theyr husbandes contentacions, they less theyr liberties and shame them selues for e­uer Such wynes theyr husbandes may neyther manace, nor yet intreate, but must com­passe them by pollycie, as thus. Loke what he wolde haue them to do, let hym seme to [...]uette the contrary, for then thinkinge to [Page]serue her owne turne, she wyll serue his, or els let hym get some gestes to his table, that by way of talke shall surmyse some other mans wyfe, which dwelleth a farre of, to vse her selfe towardes her husbande, vnder such sort as the goodman wolde wyshe that his wyfe shulde do, geuynge her much praise and commendations for the same, and then wyll she for very vayneglory, to purchase lyke report, do in lykewyse, or els let hym cause some of her gossyppes, whom she hath in displeasure (as commonly they are neuer without some suche) to reioyce and lawghe her to scorne, for the misusynge of her hus­bande, for then wyll she amende onely to spyte her enemy withall. But (Walter) like as a crabbed Toulte muste be rydden with a toughe byt, euen so yf the wyfe be to outra­gious she muste be vsed after a more sharper sorte, as thus. Let the husbande fayne him selfe to be sicke, complaynynge altogether in his hedde, and thereupon sende for the physition, with whom he must be at a point before hande, who at his commyng, shal in open presence make the matter lyght and put hym in comforte to do well, and then takynge her a parte, shewe her in secrete that he is wonderfully inclyned to a Franzie, [...]serybynge hym a speciall dycie for the de­fence [Page]therof, which aswell for deynty fee­ding, vnder pretence to ingender good blud as also for gentle interteynment for dout to styrre vp the collericke humours, shalbe euen as the goodman him selfe had before hande deuysed, & yf afterwardes he shall perceaue her to breake any parte of the same, then must he streyght wayes seme to be starke sta­rynge madde, and amonge other lyght and vnwonted partes be sure to beate her well, and to inforce the matter, make as thoughe he wold leape out at the chamber wyndow, but let not her be to nere at hande leste she happen to helpe him onward, & whē he hath a whyle stormed in his rage, then let the phisition come ageyne, and blamynge the wife for breakynge his order, seme to pacyfy him by medicine, yet fyrst hardly let hym be well bounde, euen after the ryght Bedlem fashy­on, but let it not be to streyght, least finding hym at such aduantage, she happen to be euen with hym, and afterwardes when he is well come to hym selfe, and informed vn­der what maner he misintreated his wyfe, let hym vtterlydenay it, as though he knew not what he had done in his woodnes, swe­rynge and starynge that and yf he wolde be so lewde it were pyttie of his lyfe, affirming that in al the worlde, there is not so beninge [Page]and louynge a woman to her husbande, no [...] that so lyttle doth de [...]erue to be vnder such sort vsed, but at length when by his wyues teares, her broken eye, her blacke sydes, and sore bones, he must nedes be perswaded that it was trewe, then muste he counter­feyte such woful repentaunce, as though he shulde streyght wayes out of his wyt ageine for pure sorowe, wyshynge rather to dye a thousande solde, then to be vexed ageyne with the lyke passion. Let him vse her two or three tymes after this forte (Walter) and I dare wa raunt she wyll for her owne case obserue the phisitions order, albeit she wold disdayne to do the same at her husbandes appoyntment, but the husbande nereth to be­ware and handle hym selfe wysely in those poyntes, for and if she chaunce to espye his fetche, she is incurable for euer, lyke vnto the For, which being once tangled in a trap and escapeth, wyll be so e [...]rcumspiete, that he is neuer taken by any kynde of engine afterwardes. Sundrye other meanes and sleigh [...]es there is to qualifie t [...]e rygoure of theyr lyb [...]rtie, whiche yf the husbande do consyder and wyttely prouyde for, theyr company (be they neuer so euyll) is tollera­rable ynough. But Walter in any wyse, and as you inte [...]de to eschewe the danger of all [Page]theyr whole naturall malyet, looke yest swarue not from your principle, as to su [...] thē to haue theyr wyl in tho [...]e thre thinges, or els at least waye, so to vse them, as they maye thynke they haue it, for surely the same is so incident vnto them that tyll tyme they haue obteyned it, they are neuer con­tented, nor in maner of ryght mynde or trac­table, and that once alowed them, they are quyete ynoughe, and framable to manye good purposes. Thus Walter I haue per­formed my promesse, which was to instruct you howe the husbande maye beste vse hym selfe to lyue quyet with his wyfe, I praye God all your sect may perceaue and folowe it wel, which I thynke they shulde do much the better, yf I confirmed my doctryne by some lyuely example of experience, but that can I not do in ought that chaunced vnder the yoke of matrymonye, by reason I haue had no practyse that way, neuerthelesse to make you vnderstand, that by gentle meanes and good pollicie, there is commoditie to be had at womens handes, whiche rygoure or violence shal neuer ob eyne. I wyl shewe you an example, whereunto I was somewhat pryuie, that happened of late betwene a cer­teyne Gentleman and Genglewoman, both beinge of myne acquantaunce, & was thus.

¶ Here Bawdyn to proue that women are neuer so muche addicte or bente to theyr owne wyll and opinion, but that by wysedome and good pollycie, they maye easely be broken thereof. Sheweth a lyuely example of late experience. The .xiiii. Chapter.

ON a tyme a Gentleman of the Weshe partes (who shalbe namelesse) at Cha­rynge Crosse in his waye home wardes from London (then called Troynouant) ouer toke a certeyne fayre Mystres, whom when he had saluted, and by communication dyd perceaue that she shulde ryde foure or fyue dayes in his company, he was wonderfull gladde therof. For beinge hym selfe a cocke of the game, he thought her to be a henne of the same sorte, and trusted well to haue some iolly good treadynge by the way. And therefore after a lyttle acquayntaunce, de­maunded her whether she coulde be conten­ted to auowe and vse her selfe as his wyfe in that iourney or not (which wordes neuerthelesse, were vttered vnder such sort, that and if his motion were not well taken, all was spoken but in sport) whereunto she dissemblyng as though she misunderstode him, [Page](and the rather by some pensiuenes appea­rynge in her person, to perswade hym that she was not apt to receaue suche in [...]erteyne­ment) sayde, that in dede she had byn a wife but as then was none, nor neuer wolde be. And thereupon takinge occasion to speke of her deade husbande, semed as thought she wolde shortly haue folowed hym for pure so­rowe, which when this gentleman by good exhortaciō had somwhat appesed, & then af­ter a lyttle pawse resited ageyne theffect of his former wordes, promysyng that & yf she wolde shewe hym so muche gentlenesse, he wolde not onely beare her expense, but moreouer be glad to shewe her any kynde of pleasure that shulde apperteyne to the dew­ty of an husbande for the tyme. Whereunto she beinge then in maner forced to make dy­recte aunswere, with sober countenaunce sayde. Alas howe haue I reioysed without cause, for wheras beinge a stranget in these partes, I thought it a comfort to mete with company, the same to haue so euyll opinion of me, as to demaunde such question, is most to my discomfort, and therwithal protested before Godde that she neuer was woman of that conuersation, nor neuer wold be. Then the Gentleman leauynge to his fyrst aduan­tage, sware that he durst depose the same in [Page]her behalfe, and that he spake but in borde to passe away the tyme, desyrynge her not to be offended therwith. Howe be it for al that, he intended not so to gyue ouer his enterpryse, but determined to prosecute the same by another meanes, and thereuppon thought good to do as men commonly vse to do with sicke folkes, that (for lacke of appetite) when they are axed whether they wyll haue this meate or that made redy for them, they vtterly refuse it, wheras beinge a cawdell or other good morsell, if without such questioninge it be made redy & brought them, the pleasaunt sauour or syght there­of, wyll prouoke theyr stomakes to receaue it, therfore although beinge after this ma­ner refused, yet he thought yf he myght mete her in conuenient place with his thin­ges in redynesse, he had good trust to be ac­cepted, for the common prouerbe sayth, that women loue better to haue it, then to heare sp [...]ke of it, and therupon determined by sum one pollycie or other to mete her warme a bed, and then to profer it without makinge of any question or demaunde. But fyrste as the phisitions vse to gyue preparatyues be­fore they minister the substaunce of theyr medicine. Euen so bycause he wolde the better be alowed when he came, he enterteined her [Page]before hande with all kynde of gentlenesse, for at her Inne she lacked not wyne, spyce, nor no other thynge that he might perceaue she coueted to haue, nor no gellyes, or other confections that were good to make her coc­kyshe hote or apt to receaue what he mente towardes her, and by the way to helpe her vp and downe, or to amende any thyng that was amysse about her, her owne seruaunte was not so attendaunt as he, so when he had by such expenses and diligēce, brought him selfe in some credite and fauour, then to gyue hee some warnynge before hande, leste she shulde abashe to much at his commynge. Amonge other pleasaunte talke, he shewed her howe he doubted that he was not well chrystened, for as he sayde, he vsed often­tymes to ryse out of his bedde in his stepe, and goynge aboute the house, shulde do he wyst not what hym selfe, and that when he were in suche case, he myght go whyther so euer he wolde, for there was nother locke nor barre but wolde open ageynste hym, ex­horstynge her therfore, that and if he shulde happen to be vexed with that passion in her companye, and come into her chamber by nyght, that she shulde not be afrayde therof, nor make none outcry, for he vsed not to do [...]ny harme at all, At whiche woordes she [Page]laughed and sayd, that and if he came ther [...] she wolde so scorge hym with her rod, that he shulde repent his commynge. The nyght folowyng (beinge in the Sommer tyme) they came to Salisbury, where as this Gentle­man determined to set in vre theffecte of his deuyse, and after supper, perceauynge the Gentlewoman gone into the garden with the wyfe of the house, and her seruaunte in the stable, leauing her chamber dore abrode, he made his seruaunt pryuie of his mynde, and bad him locke fast his chamber dore, as though he had byn gone to bedde, and then secretely gettynge into the Gentlewomans chamber, hyd hym selfe vnder her bedde, in­tendynge when she were a stepe, to get in by her. And so deuysynge in his mynde what a busye nyght he shulde haue, thought it good somewhat to refreshe hym selfe before hande, and so fell a stepe, durynge whiche tyme there came into the same Inne one of syr Ogter Penkeyls seruauntes, who when he was alyghted, perceauynge the doore a­brode, came sireyght into the same chamber and leauynge his capease there, locked the chamber dore, and toke the key with hym, which when the Chamberlayne perceaued, he made request to haue it ageyne, saying [...] that he coulde not lye there, for that the [Page]come was otherwyse appoynted, whereun­to the tother aunswered that the same had alwayes wont to be his chamber, and there wolde he lye who so euer sayde nay, vnlesse he were fet out by the eares. In so muche that the Chamberleyne knowynge hym to be a common geste of the house, and a fro­warde felowe, was loth much to stryue with hym, and therefore shewed the matter to the Gentlewoman (somewhat blamyng her seruaunte for leauynge the dore open) and desyred her to take another chamber, wher­in she was sone intreated and dyd so. And when tyme came gate her to her bedde, as in lyke wyse the seruynge man to his, all this whyle the Gentleman lyinge vnder the bedde fast a slepe, and knewe nothynge of this alteration. About midnyght he awaked and harkenynge whether he coulde here a­ny folke sterrynge about the house, hard no thynge saue one softely drawynge breathe within the bedde, which he supposed vere­ly to be the Gentlewoman, wherwithal his hart tyckled for ioye, which streyght wayes was turned to hygh displeasure. For as he came forth from vnder the bedde, thinkyng to vnray him selfe, he stumbled on the chamber potte, and made suche a noyse that the [...]erurynge man sodenly awaked, and vnder a [Page] [...]ough sorte asked who was there, when the Gentleman contrary to his expectaciō hard a mans voyce, he was wonderfully abashed, but yet (coniecturinge that it was the Gen­tlewomans seruaunt abedde with his myste­res) he boldely answered and sayde, it is I the good felowe that haue rydden so longe in your company (Mystres I speke to you, although it be your seruaunte that asketh me the question) & nowe to shewe you the cause of my commynge hyther, the troth is, I suspected that ye were not so clere in your ly­uynge, as you wolde seme to be accompted by your wordes, for the profe whereof I haue purposely watched you, and nowe do perceaue what ye are. When the seruinge­man harde this straunge aunswere, not knowing what the matter ment, he thought it was some naughty felowe that came to pycke his purse when he were a slepe, and that nowe perceauynge hym to be awaked, wolde counterfepte hym selfe to be a foole, the rather to haue his misdemeanour borne withall, and thereupon leapynge out of his bedde to his weapon, cryed out, theues, theues, and made such a noyse, that with­in a whyle the goodman of the house, and all thother gestes, brake open the chamber dore, and with torche lyght and clubbes [Page]came into theym and asked what was the matter, wherof beinge aduertised by the declaration of the seruyngeman (who mysta­kynge the purpose that was ment, made the act very heynous) Gogges body master Bacheler sayde the good man, lyttle nede had you to vse your selfe so in this house, for by the holy mast I wolde rather haue layde al the plate in my house at gage for you, then that ye shulde lacke money if I had knowne it. Gramarcy myne Hoste sayd the Gentle­man, but to make you perceaue that I had no suche nede (the rather thereby to iudge that I ment no such thynge) ye shalbe pry­uie with my purse, and therewithall ope­nynge the same, shewed forth in money and iewels, to the value of .xx. or, xxx. pounde, and then sayde, syth the matter is come to this poynt, I wyll nowe out of hande shew you the thynge that I thought not to speke of tyll that lent were come, that I shulde meete with my goostly father, and therupon (geuynge money to the residue of the company to depart, and drynke a gallon of wyne for theyr paynes) he toke the good man of the house and the seruyngeman asyde, and shewed them the whole circumstaunce of his purpose and intent, wherat when they had a whyle well laughed (exhortynge hym to [Page]vse more circumspection in the matter at his next lodgynge) they departed, euery man promysynge to kepe councell. Howebeit ac­cordynge to the common prouerbe, whiche sayth that two maye chaunce to kepe coun­sell, but three neuer. Euen so this matter was so longe talked of in councell from one to another, that before fyue of the clocke in the mornyng it came to the Gentlewomans eares, who although she were nothynge in defaulte, was neuerthelesse wonderful sory to haue it reported that suche thynge was ment towardes her, accomptynge that there might enter into the hearers therof some suspect of her euyll, which by any honeste wo­man shulde be eschewed, in maner as muche as the very euyl it selfe. And therefore per­ceauynge that she coulde not remedye what was past, she thought yet to preuente what was to come, so that in the morninge when this Gentleman sente to knowe when she wold ryde, she fayned her selfe sicke, and so forsoke his company, wherwith he was not a lyttle offended, and therupon imagininge the cause of her stay, determyned to remaine all nyght at the nexte bayte, whiche was Shaftesbery, thinkynge that when she had once perceaued hym past and gone, it shulde not be longe or she wold come after, and euen [Page]as he thought so it chaunced, for in deede the same nyght she came to Shaftesbery, wherof although the Gentleman were wonderfull gladde, yet wolde he not be acknow­en to her vntyll the mornynge that she were a horsebacke, for feare lesse she shulde fayne lyke excuse, to eschewe his companye as she had done before tyme. But in the morninge as sone as she was gone, he came dasshynge after, and bad her good morowe, wherwith the Gentlewoman being abashed, made aunswere and sayde, yea, are you there, had I knowne ye were no further paste, I wolde not haue byn thus farre forthe, that wolde God I had neuer sene you: Why so mystres sayde the Gentleman, haue I shewed you any such vnkyndenesse, that ye shulde haue cause thus to lothe my company: Nay said she ye haue shewed me none, but rather the contrary what so euer ye ment towardes me But as thintent of euery acte deserueth the thanke or blame, so the pretence of your gentlenesse tendrynge to my slaunder (as nowe I knowe it dyd) deserueth no thankes at all. As to shewe you what I meane by these wordes, it shall not nede, for I am sure ye knowe it well inough your selfe, and in like wyse doth all the countrey. What rumoure for shame haue ye caused to be made of me [Page]the other night in the towne behynde, thēce is no other talke amonge the people but of you and me, wherin although for my parte I dyd nor ment any euyll at all, yet am I assured by your meanes not to escape slaun­der, and therwithal gan piteously to wepe. When the Gentleman perceaued the mat­ter taken in so euyll parte, he was ryght so ty, but yet somewhat recomforted ageyne bycause she wepte (for commonly the spyte and displeasure of a woman wereth awaye with her teares, so that when thone is spent thother is past, and she then much more tractable to any frendely purpose then afore) whertupon after a lyttle counterfeyte e [...]gh­ynge to be aduysed how to excuse him selfe, he thought beste, sythe his doynges in the matter were so apparaunt that it coulde not be denayed, that yet he wolde denaye any euyll of his parte mente thereby, or of hers receaned. And then sayde, I wysse mystres whereas ye saye that I haue caused you to to be slaundered, yf ye vnderstode aryght, there coulde neuer thinge chaunce better for the declaration of your honesty, then for me to come into your chamber vnder such sorte as I dyd, for wheras it myght be suspected that there was some misdemeanour vsed be­twene vs (rydynge together as we haue [Page]done) nowe that it is perceaued home I durst not profer to come vnto your bed, but by stelth and vnknowen vnto you, the same suffiseth for your declaration in that be­halfe, for all men may iudge that and yf ye had byn pryuie, or assentynge therunto, I wolde haue come in more boldely, so that in my mynde, there coulde neuer thynge haue happened better for your purpose, then for me to do as I dyd, and as to thynke that I entended you any euyll by my commynge, by the blessed Godde I mente you no more harme, then to mine owne body, wherefore good mystres I pray you quyete your selfe, and be not thus offended without cause, no more harme then to your owne bodye sayde she? no, I thynke wel that, howebeit what so euer ye wolde to your owne body, I am sure ye ment thereby none honesty towardes me. As I be saued sayde he, I ment you no dishonesty at all, and nowe to shewe you my mynde further, sythe the matter is come to this passe, on my fayth mistres I neuer in al my life knew what loue ment tyl time I met with you, why and do ye knowe now what it meaneth? sayde she, yes mystres yes, much more to my payne, then I haue as yet byn acknowne of sayde the Gentleman. For doubtlesse your comely person and discrete [Page]demeanour hath so drawen myne affection towardes you, that without your presence and fauour, it is not possible for my lyfe a­ny whyle to endure, and surely to shewe you therof in secret [...], and somewhat to be satys­fyed therin, was the onely cause that made me attempt the commynge to your bed, and for no dishonesty at all as Godde shalbe my iudge. A well sayde she, nowe I perceaue it shalbe an easy thynge to proue you eyther a dissembler or a lyer, or els bothe. For and yf ye say ye loue me, and do not, then are ye a dissembler, and on thother syde, yf ye do loue me and wolde come to my bedde (as ye say your selfe, to be saryffyed in loue) the same doth imply as much as to dishouest me, and therfore to say ye ment me no dishonesty though the terme be rude ye are therin but a lyer. Alas mystres were it then your dysho­nesty that I shulde imbrase and kysse you abedde sayde the Gentleman, yea but ment you none other thynge saue onely so, sayde she? Why no by the blessed sacralente sayde he, and yf I dyd or do intende, otherwyse towardes you, God let me neuer light from this horse in my ryght wyttes. So that in conclusion, with swerynge and staryng that he mente her but all well, and partely in re­compence of the Gentlenesse and liberalitie [Page]shewed in that iorney towardes her, she was contented the nexte nyght folowynge to leaue her chamber dore open, and to gyue hym libertie with kyssynge and enbrasynge to do his hart an ease. This thynge so con­cluded, then brake they into other talke that all theyr folkes myght here to dryne a­way suspiciō, & so with pleasant thoughtes passynge the daye, came the nexte nyght to Charde, where as she was lodged at thone ende of a longe Gallery, and he at the other, and in an other chamber, whiche stode be­twene bothe, there lay another gest, whiche was bownde towardes London, and came in a lyttle before them (one master Iewegur a Gentleman of Deuonshyre) who beinge of the other Gentlemans acquayntaunce, sup­ped with hym in the Gentlewomans cham­ber, and after supper walked for recreation altogether into the garden, wheras after a lyttle talke, this master Iewegur (beinge a suspicious and wyly fellowe) perceaued by countenances that his companyans coueted to haue some secrete talke, wherein to gyue them scope vnder coloure to loke in a lyttle boke that was in his bosome, he slaked his pace, but neuerthelesse had his cares atten­tyfe to theyr talke, and harde the Gentleman with a softe voyce saye, loke ye kepe [Page]your promes for els ye sle me, and she to him yes yes, but for Goddes sake loke ye come secretely. Yea thought the other: then I knowe what ye meane. Well? though I be not byddē to the banket, yet may I chaunce to haue some parte of the chere, and there­upon repayrynge to them ageyne, fell into sundry deuyses, tyll at length a damosell of the house came to the Gentlewoman, saying her chamber was redy, and that yf it plea­sed her to go to it, she wolde brynge her to bedde, whereupon the Gentlewoman departed, but the Gentlemen remayned there as longe as the day lyght wolde serue them to walke, and when nyght came drewe eyther of them to his chamber, seuerally watching of a conuenient tyme for one purpose, howe beit the smell feast had aduauntage of the bydden gest (for by that names wyl I from henceforth call them) bycause he stode so in the way, that as longe as any steryng was in his chamber, the other had no safe pas­sage. At length when the smel feast percea­ued the householde abedde, and al thinges in quyete, sauynge in the bydden gestes chamber (for whom he was determined how to prouyde) he vnrayed hym selfe to his bare shyrte, and then takynge occasion to loke on his swerde, founde faulte that the [Page]same was cankered, and then deuysynge a meete place for such a purpose (in the Gal­lery not farre from the bydden gestes cham­ber dore) he sette his seruaunt aworke with scourynge thereof, and in the meane tyme went hym selfe to the Gentlewomans chamber, whereas he founde the dore open, and was frendely interteyned, but yet whether he were satysfyed with kyssinge and enbra­synge as was promysed, or not, I some­what doubt bicause it was not he that made the promesse. And surely the selfe loue of our vnhappy tyme is such (God amende it) that we shall seldome se any body forbeare his owne commoditie, for the obseruynge of another mans promes, and ageyne yf she thynkyng hym to be the same that made the promes, shulde perceaue hym to profer fur­ther then was promysed, yet were she better to suffer in scilence, then to make any great noyse in the rescue, lest it shulde sownde in the eares of some (as in dede there lay stran­gers nere at hande) that not knowynge her simple meanynge, wolde thynke her in de­faulte to suffer hym come so nere. But what so euer was done in the meane tyme, in con­clusion, secretely as he came, so he departed, and she for her parte supposinge that she had honestely acquyted her selfe of her promes, [Page]determined for the residue of the nyght to take her rest, and therfore rose vp and soft­ly locked the dore after hym. So by this we maye se that it is not to be marueyled at, though some men laboure sore, and can not thryne, and that some other doyng nothing at all waxeth ryche, for oft rymes Fortune gyueth one man the fruyte of anothers tra­uell. When the bydden geste who had longe tyme walked vp and downe in his chamber, Harkenynge here and there in abydynge his good houre, vnderstode all thynges hushe and styll, and that there was no blynche of candell lyght in any where apearynge, then he thought tyme to set forwardes, and with tremblynge fote and hande, as thoughe his lyfe and death lay in balaunce, dyd euen so, but when he came to the Gentlewomans chamber, and founde her dore fast (thinking then that she ment onely to scorne hym) all his hotte loue or luste (whether of bothe I may best call it) was sodeynely turned into rage and fury, so that with a swollen harte he returned backe ageyne to his owne cham­ber, and there tumblynge on his bedde, pas­sed the residue of the nyght in great malyn­coly and displeasure. In the mornynge the smell feaste departed very early without ta­kynge of his leaue (as commonly all men [Page]knowynge them selues gylty, wyll be lothē to tary longe nere theyr faulte for doubte of espymge, but the bydden gest rode not tyl it was nere .viii. of the clocke, whome when he was a lyttle in his way, the Gentlewo­man with a fayned frownynge countenance began to chalenge and sayde. A syr, I can you thanke, ye kepte well your promesse to nyght, a woman is well at case to set her honesty in your handes vppon any othe (as who wolde say he hadde gone further then was promysed) What so euer thanke ye can me for kepynge of my promesse (sayde the Gentleman) I can you none at all for the breakinge of yours, and surely I am not contented with you, for ye vsed me verye noughtely therein, (very noghtely sayd she) I pray you why so? Mary layde the Gen­tleman, bycause ye made me watche a great parte of the nyght, and to proule aboute in the darke, promysynge to leaue your cham­ber dore abrode and dyd not so. Then wyste she well that she had bin deceaued, and ser­chynge for a womans shyfte howe to saue al thynges vpryght, sodeynly founde one, and sayde: Why syr and were ye there in dede? and I ment to chalenge you bicause ye came not. Yea that was I by the good Lord (sayd the Gentleman) euen at mydnyght, and [Page]founde it falste locked. Nowe by out blessed Lady sayde the Gentlewoman, then ye de­ceaued your selfe, for my dore was left open purposely for you, mary there was another dore faste by it whiche in dede was locked, and of lykelyhod for lacke of lyght ye toke the one for the other. Nowe on my fayth, sayde the Gentleman, it was euen so sure ynough, and thereupon laughynge at the matter, helde her excused, determynynge to vse hym selfe more circumspecrely the nexte nyght folowynge, but in the meane tyme as the deuyll wolde, there came ageynste them a kynseman of the Gentlewomans (to gyde her thyther as she was bounden) who con­neyed her out of his company. And so by the crafty dealynge of the subtyll smell feaste, the bydden gest was disapoynted of his pur­pose, whiche by the peruersenes of Fortune without any default in the woman, he could neuer recouer afterwardes.

¶ The thyrde and last parte of the Epistle sente by Bawdyn Bacheler to Walter Wedlocke. The .xv. Chapter.

By this experiment Walter we maye (a­monge other thynges) perceaue thinsta­bilitie [Page]of womens determinations, and how by discrete diligence and pollicie, they may be allured whereunto men lyst, be it good or euyll, so that Fortune be not vtterly bent to the contrary, as it semeth she was ageynste the bydden gestes enterpryse. For in deede then there is no remedy, as before this, the wyfe in excusynge her selfe, when she was blamed for geuynge her husbande the lothe­some lyuery, sayde that she coulde nat do therwith, by reason that it was his fortune to haue it, and was thereby very well alowed both of Iustice Mynos hym selfe, and of all the whole courte. But Lorde God Wal­ter howe rashe wytted am I become of late, for had I not chaunced to fall ageyne into like matter, I shuld haue omytted one of the chefest thynges that concerneth the purpose I treate vppon, whiche is to preserue the quyete betwene man and wyfe. For surely by ought that I can perceaue, the greateste breache therof, is when she chaunceth to lye with some other man, whiche thynge the husbande in some countreys vseth to take wonderfull greuously, and yet let the mat­ter rest there, as in dede it might wel inough yf he were discrete, and then were there no harme done at all, for I haue knowen a number of men so vsed, and yet remayne as [Page]holsome in theyr bodyes, as quyete in theyr myndes, and as sufficiently furny shed to all purposes, as yf it had neuer so chaunced.

What is it then thynke ye that causeth their torment and distemperaunce, mary the knowledge therof: Why and whose defaulte I pray you is that, is it the wyues: Nay nay God wot, but his owne that pryeth to per­ceaue it, much lyke the mad man that seketh for a knyfe to [...]le hym selfe. Oh vphappye plage, that commeth onely by Sathan, for nature wolde haue it kepte pryuie, and therfore prouoketh to haue it done in secrete, nor God wolde not haue it disclosed, and therfore setteth in the peoples hartes neuer to shewe the husband therof, though it were so that al the rest of his paryshe shulde hap­pen to knowe it, and wyl he then hym selfe seke his owne harme, and make earneste of game. Well and if he wyll nedes be so foo­lyshe, let hym languyshe with the frute ther­of, and I shrewe all such as wyl mone him, it is me thinketh muche lyke the eatynge of a flye blowe (beinge a certeyne kynde of small wormes that is oftentymes founde in colde mutton, and such lyke meates, in the sommer tyme) wherof although a man eate a thousande (as commōly men do when they feede hungerly, and lokethe not for them, [Page]yet doth it no harme at al. But and if after­wardes serchynge more narowly, he percea­neth by them that are lefte, that in dede he [...] eaten some. Then streyght wayes he [...] his gorge, and maketh ado as yf he [...] poysoned, which for erothe is not for any [...]uyll that is in the thyng, but commeth onely of a certeine squeymyshenes and imper section of the stomake. And surely Walter, euen so is it in the other matter, yea and in all bothe cases to thynke that it be so, is as great displeasure and vnquietnesse of mind, as if it were so in dede, which declareth the inhicilitie of mans nature in that behalfe, and prouethe playnelye that it is rather a vayne quarrel of the mynde grounded on no necessitie, then any sufficiente or effectuall cause of displeasure. But yet Walter for all that, yf ye be one of these that can not paci­ently beare it (yf it so chaunced) then myne aduyce shalbe that ye neuer mystruste it, nor yet make meanes to knowe it, for then I dare warrance ye shal neuer be greued ther­with. Or cast the worst, as that ye chaunce to espye it your selfe vnloked for, yet then beware that in no wyse ye make any noyse or wordes therof, but kepe it as secrete from all other mens knowledge as ye can. For well wyst the wytty Duyde what discommodities [Page]growethe by the contrarye, when he wrote the parable howe Vulcanus fynding his wyfe in bedde with Marse, transformed the shetes that they laye betwene, by a cer­teyne magytycall meanes, into a cage or net of wyer, and brought al the Gods to won­der at thē, who neuerthelesse dyd but laugh hym to scorne for hys folly shewed therein, and estemed his discretion the lesse euer af­ter. Doubtlesse a worthy example for vs to eschewe the lyke mysdemeanoure, yf wee chaunce to come within the daunger therof, for it appereth that by so doyng, we get no­thynge els but rebuke and shame. No Wal­ter, not so much as to let your wife her selfe perceaue that ye do knowe it, for then ey­ther wyll she be abhominable bolde, seynge you contented to beare therewith. Or els must ye thinkyng to breke her from it, make such a styre and busines, as all the worlde shall wonder at you bothe, and surely much better it is to dissemble at the matter for a tyme and abyde the commynge of age, who is the common amender of all suche faultes, to whiche effecte I wyl shewe you a notable experience that chaunced of late, and was thus. In the towne of Penborgh a certeine Smyth on a tyme came to the Prouest of the colledge there, and told him that syr Henry [Page]Polmarghe a priest of the same colledge re­sortynge muche to his house vnder pretence of cosynage, vsed his wyfe ouer boldely. Whereunto the Proueste aunswered, peace Iohn Iohn, for I dare say it is not so: or and yf it be, I promesse thee I wyll cause hym to leaue it. Nay master sayd the Smyth I neyther doubte of the one nor hope of the other, but my desyre shalbe, that your master shyppe for my poore honesty, wyll cause him to vse hym selfe more circumspectly therein then he hath done, for yesterdaye as he and I sat together at brekefast, master Saghers man called me forthe to shooe a horse, and when I came to the clinshing of the nayles, I myst my pyncers (beinge in my hall wyn­dowe) which when I came to fetch, I found my wife and him interlased vpon my bench, vnder suche an homely sorte, that on my sayth I was ashamed to loke on them, and thereupon wente backe ageyne before they espyed me, and borowed a payre of pyncers of my neyghbour. And syr, aswell myght there a straunger haue come in, and shamed me for euer, as by my trothe, yf I had byn certeyne where the pyncers hadde lyen, I wolde haue sent master Saghers man in for them. And syr bycause the matter toucheth me so nets as it doth, I thynke it not beste [Page]for me to speke vnto them therein my selfe, aswell for doubt I shall not kepe due temperaunce in my wordes, or for sundrye other considerations, nor in dede I wolde not they shulde perceaue that I knowe so much therein as I do, and therefore good master Prouest make no notherwyse vnto hym, but that ye suspect it of your selfe vpon reporte at large, for that shall suffyce to make hym more ware and circumspecte, whiche is as much as I loke for as yet. Nor syr I tel it not you, but as it were vnder confession, trustynge that ye wyll kept it secrete. If this rude man this Smyth that neuer redde Ouyde, nor no other good aucthor, coulde after suche discrete sorte temper his cause, muche rather shulde they do so that art of more knowledge and better learned. And to you ye Venerian wyues, though ye chaunce to be narowly taken, and charged therwith, yet be well ware ye neuer confesse it to the death, but speke and prate in your excuse to the vttermoste, as thoughe ye were inno­cent in the matter. For what so euer the presumption or lykelynes thereof be, yet of this ye maye be certeyne, the very effecte re­steth on so defuse and secrete a poynte, that in manner it is not possyble to be playnely knowen, without ye wyll be so madde as to [Page]condempne your selues, and then farewell your good dayes all your lyfe after. Where­as by a lyttle stoute standynge at your de­fence, with a sober or circumspecte lyfe fo­lowynge, ye shall sone growe out of suspici­on, for this ye muste vnderstande, men are easely perswaded to beleue the thynge, such as in theyr hart they couet it shulde be. And for your partes ye Cupydyan knyghtes, ye must ieme to delyght in such pastyme and recreation, as ye shall perceaue the good man to do, whether it be huntynge, hawkyng, gamynge, or otherwyse, for so may ye beste growe into familiaritie with hym, and co­lour your repayre to the house to be onely for his company. But then beware that your open lyght demeanour, disclose not your secrete intent, as the wenche that pretended heroften goynge to the Churche to be all for deuotion, but when it came to th [...] purpose, her affection so muche ouerpaste h [...] reason, that she set asyde the Paxe, and kyst the pa­ryshe Clarke, wherby her mynde that before tyme was pryuate to her selfe, was made common to the whole paryshe, therfore take hede that ye do not in lykewyse, & when ye lift to reward your mystres with some iewel or garment, loke ye make no gyft therof, but [Page]lese it vnto her vpon some wager, made in the husbandes presence. And what so euer the vchemency or ouerboldnes of her affection shal happē to be, yet be you wel ware that ye neyther disapoynte or interrupte hym at any such tyme, as he shal mynde to haue her attendaunt him selfe, for that is odible, and wyll sone engender suspicion, and besydes that in dede it is ageynst all good curtesye, wherein the people of this Realme haue bin accompted to excede all other. And surely a chiefe part therof, is to suffer the good man (be he neuer so simple) to haue preheminence and chiefe attendaunce of his owne wyfe, notwithstandynge her frendely familiaritie mente towardes any other, beinge of better abilitie or more estimation. Yet for my part not meanynge hereby to excyte or intyce you to any dissolute maners or incontinent trade of lyfe, but onely your selues beinge bente thereunto, that then it may be so conneyed, as least rumour and inconuenience may ther of followe, in preseruynge the [...]uyernesse that I wyshe to haue contynewed betwene man and wyfe, which I chiefely do for the reuerence I bere to the pleasaunt sacrament of matrymony, bicause my poore father was sometyme accompted to be one of that band. No syrs, nor by saynte Mary I wyll not [Page]knowē that suche enterpryses of yours is lawful, for what so euer hath bin permitted vppon considerations in the former ages, or wrytten by the Phylosophers or Po [...]tes of that time, yet I remember wel we haue this famylier prouerbe, of aucthoritie. (Newe Lordes, newe lawes) and therefore maye chaunce that by the commynge of Chryste, such olde rytes and customes are abrogated and then is there peryll in the vse thereof.

And also it semeth that the gyft claymed by these wyues from Neomenius, maketh not so much for theyr purpose as they thynke it doth, for in dede it is none other, but onely to make them cou [...]t lybertie, for to say, do, and haue what they wyll, not expressynge that the same shalbe lawfull for them, nor yet doth not dispence with thiniquitie ther­of yf it be otherwyse. And surely Paule to the contrarye saythe, that the husbande is the wyues hedde, and that she shulde holde her selfe to hym onely, and be confirmable to his wyll, and therfore aduise them at theyr owne peryll, for if they chose the wronge way, I wyll not bere the wyte thereof by abettynge them thereunto. And nowe Walter to conclude with you, wheras ye haue vniustly accused me, that I shulde dispyse maryage, I trust I haue bothe suffi­ciently [Page]declared my selfe therein, and also gyuen you ensample of a Chrystian charitie, aswell in exhortynge you (notwithstanding your raylynge rage shewed towardes me) howe paciently to suffer the harme that can not be eschewed, as also in counsaylynge how the same may best be kept frō the knowledge and wondrynge of the worlde, which for troth in such case is more payne and rebuke then the very euyll it selfe, requyrynge no more at your handes for all my traueyle and good wyll herein, but from hence forth, to haue your good worde, and ye shalbe sure of myne.