WHan the creatour of al thinges had create and made heauen and erth of nought and all that is thei in saue man. Than made he vpon the syxte daye of erth, our fyrst father Adam in ye campe of Damasco, & he gaue vnto hym lyfe, and made hym lorde and inherit our of all thynges that were creat vpon earth. And also ye knoledge and vnderstandyng wyth the propertyes and vertues of all thynges and to eche thyng his proper name Than the lorde tooke from hym the place where he was made and set hym in Paradyse terrestre, that he should in herit it. And ye lorde sente into Adam a slepe and than tooke a rybbe of hym and made therof a woman. And And whā Adam awoke and founde the woman by hym he sayd. These bones bene of my bones, and this fleshe is of my fleshe. And God gaue commaundemente to thē bothe and sayd eate of all the fruytes of Paradice, but touche not: the tree the whiche standeth in the middes.
¶How the Serpent deceyued Eue, and how she forthwyth deceyued Adam.
WHan that the Lorde had giuen the commaundement / than the olde serpent the deuill practised how that he might make him disobediēt for he knew the strength of the man and so he thoughte for to deceyue the woman for she is of much febler nature to wtstande temptacion; & so he found the woman alone about the tree, than sayd the serpent to eue where [Page] fore hath the Lorde for byden you to eate of ye fruyte of knowledge of good & euyll? Than sayde Eue, we should peraduenture dye. The serpent sayde no nat so, but ye shall be lyke goddes knowyng good and euyll, therfore take the fruite and eate therof. and she saw that the apple was so fayre to se, and so she toke the apple and eat there of and gaue it forth to her husband Adam yt whiche also eate thereof. as one that wold not dysplease his wyfe and yet neuerthelesse he was one of the wisest mē that euer was vpon erth sauyng only the sonne of god. And whan that they had eaten of the Apple, than were bothe their eyes opened. and the saw that they were naked, and thus was the moste wysest and fayrest man of the worlde deceyued of his wyfe.
But whether ye Eue were to blame or no that Adam was deceyued that is in the great wysdum & predestynacyon of almyghty god, for ye secrete was closed in ye consistory of the holi trinitie that the sonne of god shuld ones die for the loue of man, and the death of the Sonne of god should haue an occasion wherfore that he shoulde dye.
¶For bycause that the erthly paradyse, is the place of all erthly pleasures and is receyued to be the worthyest and the moste precyouse place of the worlde, and for as much as the woman is shaped and made in that place & the man in the campe of Damasco, therfore som womē haue an opinion and say that they be better than ye mē and wyll be mens maysters as it fortuneth, yet nowe a dayes in the worlde. But they allegate not the wordes that god spake to the woman after that the commaundement was broken, and sayde, ye shall bere your chyldren with payne and wo ye shall be vnder the power of your husband, and he shall be your mayster, and shal [Page] haue Lordshyp ouer you. And thā the man must se that the woman haue that at shalbe nedeful and necessarye for her, for god hathe commaunded men to worke whan that he sayde, in the sweate of thy labour thou shalt eat thy brede, but alas there is now adayes muche people, yt whiche obeyeth not the commaundement. Also the man shal know the ordenaunce of god, and how that he hath made the woman out of the middes of the man, and not of the head, betokening that she shal not be the maister of the man, and also he hath not made her of a side & set lytle regarde by her / but he hath made her oute of ye myddes to the helpyng of man and that man and wyfe shall lyue wyth one accorde and one wyll in the state of wedlocke, and shall be two soules and one body, the whyche god hath so ordeyned to the saluacion of oursoules,
¶A new deceyte of a woman in Henegow, of late dayes.
IN the Citie of Valenciē was a mighty ryche man the whiche was receyuer of the country of Henegowe, and dwelte in an ende of the citie beside in a fayre house yt which house had many places and wayes to passe throughout to diuers stretes. And so there was one gate that was the waye in to an out strete, in the which strete dwelt a good simple man the which had a very fayre woman to his wife, & the receyuer went often times out at the gate for the amorouse sight of that louely woman so that he was taken wyth her loue / and made such acquayntaunce wyth her loue / that at last she consented to him, in so much yt he lacked nothing but time and place. And so past forth and the receyuer desyred often times this simple man and his wife to dinners and suppers, in so muche that the receyuer and he were great freendes, and so he had this poore symple man alwayes at his wyll and pleasure. And so it fortuned vpon a tyme that this symple man should go to a castell, the whiche was .iii. myte frō Valencyen and so he tooke his iourney thetherwardes and commaunded to his wyfe the kepyng of the house the whyche she was very glad, and shewed the receyuer therof, & he also was very glad therof, and toward night the backe gate was vnlocked, and there the prenely cam through to the receyuer, and he ioningly receyued her and she went with him into his house, for to make better acquayntaunce with him, where as al thinges stode redy of al sortes, and plentye of wyne, and so they past foorth the euenynge makynge good there, and gaue and receyued many a friendly kysse. And in makynge [Page] of this chere cam ye good man from his iorney, and cam by the receyuers daore, & saw that there was much light in the chāber, and because that ye good mā of the house and he were good freendes, he knocked boldly at ye dore and so the receyuer demaunded who was there, and the good man answered, your freend, and hys wyfe incontynent harde and knew the voyce of her goodman, than was she fo sore agast and afrayde that she could skant speake, and she wyst not what she should doo.
¶How that the receyuer dyd comfort his louer.
¶Whan the receyuer saw yt the woman was so afrayde be sayd my loue come by and by to bed for I shall couer you that no man shall se you. And thus they laye arme in arnie, with her backe toward thee doore and the good man was let in, and cam in the chamber where he found the table well arayed and well be set wyth good meate, & drynke and saw the receyuer lye wythe his louer in the bed the goodman seinge thys, was in doubte and sayde to the receuer, what hore haue ye there wyth you in the badde, and with that the good man was set at the table where he eate and dranke, and made good chere. But the good man hauing some suspeccion rose frō the table and came afore the bed of the receyuer, and sayd I muste see this woman ones ere that I departe and he lyfte vp the clothes where his honest wyfe laye vnder, but the receyuer did let him and the good poore man seinge thys, he wolde fayne haue lyfte vp the couerlet & the shete wyth force, wherewyth the receyuer hys freend, was halfe an gey, for they made a compacte together, that he shoulde show her hynder parte and her backe to hym the whiche was so fayre and so whyte. And whan this was done [Page] that he had seene her so behynde, he sayde that he neuer see a fayrer woman as pertaynynge the hynder parte and swore that he neuer sawe hinde castell so lyke hys wyfes ars. For yf I knewe not that my wyfe were honest and that she were now at home: I wolde saye that it were she, and wyth that she was couered agayne, and the receyuer rebuked hym, & sayd, why doo ye say suche thinges by your wyfe, and suche dyhosty by her, and so at last he is departed from thēce, taking his leue of the receiuer, and bad him good night, with his concubine, And he desyred hartely that they wolde let him go home through the backe gate, but they made an excuse & sayd that the keye was lost, and so he muste go a great waye aboute, & the receiuers seruaunt went wyth him home ward, and kept him with talking so longe as he could. And the good woman rose and plucked on her hosē and cast her gowne vpon her arme, and so she was let out at the backe gate, and she came incontinent home to her house, and so abode the commyng of her good man the whyche came frō his iorney. And whan yt he came afore his house he sawe that there was yet lyght in it & knocked at the doore, and hys wyfe went with a brome and swept the house, and she asked who was there, and he sayd: I am he thy husban, and she sayd thou art not my husband for my husband is not in the towne, neuerthelesse he knocked agayne, & sayd I am thy husbande, hys wyfe answered and sayd go from my doore, for I know well the voyce of my husbande. And also it is not my husbandes custome for to come and knocke this late at the doore. And so at the thyrde tyme he sayd so muche yt she knewe hym, for he was sore amoued, and laid vpon the doore as though he wolde haue brokē it in pieces, [...] [Page] so at last she let him in, & she set her handes on her side & sayde thou noughty knaue this haste thou doone for to proue me, and I tell thee yt thou arte not worthy for to haue so honest a wyfe. The good mā saw yt he had wrōg he spake feendly to his wyfe and sayd I beseche ye gētyl wife be cōtent, For of great necessitie I must nedes returne agayne, for I haue forgotten the principall letter yt I went for, But his wife wolde not be content & sayd yt he cā from the tauerne & from the shewes & she cursed the houre that euer she was maryed to hym, The poore simple mā whan he saw yt his wife was to angry (thinkyng him selfe to be the occasion therof) cam to his wife bare head wyth his cap in his hād & sayd, my most trewest wife I beseche thee if I haue myssayd or my soone any thyng against thee: I beseche the for the loue of god forgeue it me, For I com from a place where that I had good cheere, & there as I thoughte that I had sene thee and through thee I was sore moue [...] & wythout cause, & I am very sory for it, therfore I beseche thee forgeue it me & so at last she was som what content, but she sayd yu humanetly caytife thou comest frō thyne hores & there yu hast sene theyr lewdnes, & now wilt cast thi good wife in cheteth there wych. The good man answered alas good wyfe say not so, & I beseche ye speke no more therof but forgeue it me, and I wyll neuer doo so agayne as longe as I lyue. Nowe after thys tyme hath the good wife gone oftētimes throughe the backe gate wyth lesse sorow and drede wythout the knowledge of the symple mā her husbād (the whiche neuer knew no more therof after that day) as it is shewed mee. Thus ye may heare how that men be oftentymes deceyued by their wyfes.
❧How the patriarche Loth was deceyued by hys two doughters.
THat tyme whan Loth was departed out of Sodom with hys wyfe and his two doughters: thā the Ange [...]l cōmaunded hym that what so euer he hearde that he should not loke backwarde the which cōmaū dement Lothes wife brake, and soo she remayned there standyng and was trāsfygured into the Image of a salt stone, there to remayne for euer. Than went Loth into a small Cytye called Segor, the whyche throughe the prayer of thys Loth was spared for a wyhle, and [Page] remaynyned standing so longe as Lot was therin, but Loth seynge that they wolde not leue their foule synne, wolde not abide no lenger therin, & so he fled frō thens, and in continent the citie was also destroyed, & so Loth was in a speluncke or caue of an hyll (ther about) with his two doughters, and they had with them meat and drinke, and thus beynge there, the elder doughter sayde to her syster. Our father is olde, & there be no mē vpon the earth that we may haue conuersacion withal after the maner of the world therfore come and let vs make our father dronke with wine & let vs golye with him to thende yt we may kepe the seede of our father. And so at euen they gaue theyr father wyne to drinke: and soo the elder doughter went and lay with her father Loth, but Loth knew not of his doughter, nor whan that she rose vp agayne, and the next night they made theyr father dronke agayne, and than the yonger doughter went and lay by hym, but Loth knewe not whan that he was by her, nor whan that she arose from him, and bothe the doughters conceyued of theyr father, and the elder doughter bare a son the which was called Moas and he was the father of the Moabices. And the yonger bare a sonne called Amon, that is as muche to say, the sonne of my people, and was the father of the Amonytes, & thus was Loth deceiued of hys doughters with the wyne but for to saye the truthe it was no deceyte, for it was throughe loue and for the generation, and multyplying of the worlde, for they thought that there had ben no more people in the world and that ther had ben no more in the world but they, for they knewe none otherwyse, & therfore they made not theyr father dronke throughe decyte to obtayne theyr flesshelye lustes, [Page] lyke as now many a man ye hath a fayre wyfe ye which drinketh the wine with marchauntes, & wyth preestes and so they make theyr husbandes good chere and make them dronke so that they fall aslepe, and than they go a sporting wyth the woman in venus pastaunce. But so dyd not Loths doughters, for they dyd it in a good intent and for a good purpose, howbeit there was great dysceyte doone.
❧A new deceyte fortuned of late in England.
THere was in England in the Cytie of London a proctour of the Arches, the whiche was an olde man, and had to hys wyfe a fayre yonge gentilwoman. And this proctour had amonge his seruaūtes one that was a mery and a fayre yonge man, the which was his principal clarke ye wrote for him. This clarke through the dayly presēs of his masters wife, set his loue vpon her, and spoke so often and so louyngly to her, that her hart also was set afyre with the loue of hym, in so much that she loued him aboue all men, and she consented to him in al thynges that he desyred of him, & so they vsed theyr louely pastyme as often as they wolde, Vpon a tyme they spake together and tooke counsell how they myght best obtayne & doo theyr pleasure together without any drede or sorow of enuyous tōges or knowledge of her husbād, the which was sōwhat ialeous of hys wife. And than he found a suttel craft, for euer he was as seruysable to hys mayster as he was to his mastres And whan that the clarke saw that he stode well in the fauour of his master, thā he thought to blynd ye ialousy of his maister, and so vpon a time he came a fore him [Page] and wept very bytterly, wherof hys maister had greate maruayle and said beloued sōne shewe to me what thou aylest, for I wyl helpe thee if it be in my power. Than sayd the clarke, God thanke you good mayster for that haue I not deserued, & the cause is so shameful that I [...]a [...]e not shewe it you nor let it be knowen, wel sayd the mayster shewe it me hardyle wythout any drede, for I wyl kepe it as secrete as thou wylt thy selfe. Thā said the clarke, my beloued mayster euery mā thinketh (and you your selfe perchaunce) that I am a mā as a nother man is, and for to lyue with women in bodely pleasure as other doth, but alas I am not so, for I haue not wher with, and he had couered his preuy membres with a lytle thinge with shepes fleshe, and he had steyken vp his preuy member towarde his nauell warde as farre as he could, and thā he shewed it to his mayster, the which saw nothing but a cleane voyde place, and it was to see to: as though that he had nothing there, & thā the clarke sayd, my beloued maister there is no man that knoweth this but you only, And therfore for the trew seruice that I haue doone to you I requyre you, that it wyl please you to doo so muche for me as to helpe me in to sū cloyster or abbey where that I may haue my meate & drynke and that I may serue god for I am not mete to be in the worlde and wyth that he beganne bytterlye to wepe and so he blynded the eyes of his mayster, and by cause that he thought that he was a trewe seruaunt to hym his mayster counseled him that he should not goo to no abbay nor cloyster, & sayde that he hym selfe wolde prouyde for hym, & that he shoulde remayne styll wyth him and so his mayster entreated him with so fayre promyses: that the clark promysed him for to serue him to doo [Page] hym pleasure yet a certayne yeres, wherof his maister was very glad, for he could endyte & wryte very well & coulde ordeyne all other thinges belongyng to his office as well as hym selfe. And for bycause that he dyd trust his maister & had shewed & opened to him all hys secretes: his master thought that he wold not kepe hys owne secretes frō hym but opened hys hart to hys seruaunt in lykewyse & sayde to hym, I am sory for thyne impediment that god hath sent to the, therfore I haue great pitie on ye, but one thinge I shal geue the to know for yu maye doo me good seruyce therin, yu knowest wel yt I haue a fayre yonge wyfe, ye whiche is somwhat light hatred and quick spirited, & ye know wel yt I am an olde man & not very lusti, & therfore perchaunce I might be ye occasiō ye yong lusty felowes should come & proue her for to bryng her to dishonestye, and therefore I wyll betake her in thy keping, & I requyre thee that thou take so heed to her that I may haue no occasion to be ialous or amoued agaynst her, Thā ye clarke prayesed his maystres maruaylosly wel & sayd yt she was thereto to good and to honest, & he promised his maister yt wold keep and take good hede to her, & shew him if he fynde her in any suspect place, lyke as a good seruaūt was hoūd to do, And of this was ye maister glad, & let al sorow passe and so went about his busynes, cōmaūding his house & his wyfe to the keping of his clark, & incōtinēt the seruaunt went to his maistres (the whiche was commaū ded to hym) and tolde her all, how that his maister was deceyued: & that that he was wont to doo afore wyth feare & drede, that dyd he now with a fre wyl and with a free heart, And oftentymes as his maister rode forth: he lefte his Clarke at whome for to kepe hys maistres, [Page] And whā yt his wyfe rode out to pilgrymage or to weddinges or to any other festes, than he had leuer that his clarke had ben wyth his wife thā any of his other maydens, and thus had the clarke good fortune and chaūce for his mayster neuer knew therof. And who that sayd ought therof: let them say what they wolde, & thoughte euermore that he knew well cōtrary, but his good wife knew it muche better, & thus was the poore mā foule deceyued of his wyfe.
¶How the woman Iahell deceyued the great Captayne Sysara.
THe captayne Sysara had great puysance of men of warre, and was a great enemy agaynst them of Israell, he had in hys batayle .ix.C. greate Charettes the whyche were beset on bothe sydes with sithes, suche as they haue for to ma whay and Corne wythal, wyth the whyche he dyd great morther amonges the people of Israell. And whan that he had persued the chyldren of Israell .xx. yere wyth warre, than vpon a day there came the propheresse Deelbora, to Barache (the captayne of Israell) and sayd ryse vp this is thy day, in the whyche the Lorde shall delyuer Sysaram into thy handes, and so she and Barache went out wyth .x.M men, Sysara heard that the people came vpon hun, he was afrayd and lept from hys charet, and fled away a foote. And thus as he fled the woman Iahel met hym and sayde, Lorde come with me and go to my house for thi sauegarde, and he went wyth her, and than he sayde I dye for thurst. And Iahel heryng that gaue hym mylke to drynke. And Sisara was very wery in so muche that he fell a slepe. And Iahell tooke a great nayle and set it vpon the temple of hys head and droue the nayle crosse wise thorough hys head, and so she kylde him. Now behold the captaine the whyche all the power of Israell coulde not subdewe, and one only woman hath wonne hym with her deceyte.
¶A deceyte doone in Artoys of a late tyme.
IN the Erldome of Artoys was a mā of great power, ye which had a fayre yonge gentilwomā to his wife and liued veri louingly to gether, This knight had lost in a batayle one of hys eares & his lord and captayne that was aboue him was duke of Burgon and erle of Artoys the which had made peace & concorde wyth all the other kynges and lords in thrystendome, And for because that man sayde that this [Page] knyght was a deuoute man. Vpon a tyme he thought that he wolde not lede his lyfe in makyng of good chere and euer to lyue in Welthe, and also coniectured in hys mynde that it was not the waye of saluacyō. And so vpon a tyme he made hys vowe to the lande of Pruysse for to helpe to defende the chrysten fayth with the men and Lordes of the countrye, And shortly after he tooke hys leue of the Duke & of hys lordes and gentylmen, and of hys good wyfe, and so rode hys waye, with proper compeny accordyng to hys estate, tyl that he came in Pruyse where as he was ryght nobly receiued, and there he dyd many noble feates of warre agaynste the infydeles, in so muche that his name was spred through al the world And so it fortuned in the meane tyme whyl that he was out of hys countrey, and hys wyfe beyng a fayre young gentyl woman, the which laye alone: it fortuned vpon a tyme there cames a yonge proper gentylman the whyche wooed her for to lye wyth her and so he desyred her that he myght haue the kepynge of the Cytye and be her, husbandes liuetenant, the whyche within a shorte tyme & with a lyttel labour, consented to hym. And whan that her husband had bene certayne yeres forth, he tooke his leue of the lordes of Pruyse, & is returned agayne homwardes, sore longynge for to reste in the swete armes of hys fayre wyfe. And so it fortuned vpon the last nyght that he laye but .iii. myle from his owne castel where as he dwelt, longynge sore all the nyght for hys good wyfe (the whyche was verye besy wyth an other) and he was ye fyrste vp in the mornynge and toke hys horse, and rode all alone in greate haste, and wyth a feruente desyre towarde his castell, to thentent that he might yet fynd his wyfe vpon her bed, & he to warm him by her swete dsyes [Page] whyche thought full lytle vpon his commynge, and he rode so fast that he cam before day to his castel, & whan that he cam he found the vtter court open. and there he left his horse standynge and wente so forthe boted and spored to fore his wiues chamber where that she laye & had her pastauns with another mā, and the lorde drew his sword and knocked at the chaumber doore, whereof his wife and the keper of the Citie marheyled sore who that it myght be & the wife axed who was there, & the lorde answered I am here, what slepe ye yet? opē ye dore The wyfe knowynge well the voyce was sore amasyd and sayde to her louer, that he shuld incontinent rise and clothe hym, the whyche he dyd by and by. And the wyfe faried so longe tyll that he knocked agayne and sayd open quikly. Thā sayd his wyfe alas my husband is farre from hens, I beseche god sende hym well home agayne. Than sayd the lord by my knyghthod, woman I am he, and knowe ye me not. The woman said whan that it shal please my husband to com home, he wyl gyue me good knowlege before by sume of his seruauntes to thende that I maye mete hym and byd him welcome home with his cosins and his nexte kynred, & so I maye honourablye receiue him as it pertayneth to a Lorde, Than said the lord what mene ye, shal I stāde long here wyll ye not knowe your husband? and forthwyth he named his name and whan that her louer had clothed hym she bad hyme that he should come & stand by her behynd the doore. Than sayde the woman, alas good husbande yf it be you I requyre you ye you forgiue it me. The lord sayde I am content, than sayd the woman I wyll come and let you in yf I had a candell lyght. And for a truth whan that ye knocked at the doore I had a marueylous [Page] good dreine of you, what was that sayd the lord, she answered. My lord I dremed that ye were come home and that ye spake wyth me, and me thought that ye sawe as clerely with your blynde eye, as ye dyd wyth the other eye. The lorde sayd I wolde it were so. Than sayde the woman I beleue yet that it is so, what sayde the lorde, be ye foly she that ye beleue me not the woman, sayd let me proue for my mynde sake, and with that she opened the dore and helde a candell burnying in her hande. And the poore lord suffered his wyfe to hyde his eye with her hande and withe the other hande she helde the Candell before his blynde eye and sayde lorde I beseche you tel me the truthe whether ye do se wyth your other eye orno, the lorde sayde no by my knighthode, and with that his leuetenaunt of the towne wente be hind him out at the doore so pryeuely that the lorde perceyued hym not, And then sayde the woman, now se I well that my dreme is but deceyte but thanked be god that ye be here. And than she toke hym in her armes & kyssed hym many tymes and her lord told her how that he had lefte his company behynd, and how that he rose before them and rode his way to thend that he might yet fynd her a bed Than sayd the woman for a truth yet ye be a good man Than wet he to the hote howse & bathed and wasshed hym, and than forthwyth wente to bed to his lady with great solace & pleasure. And thus was the lord deceiued of his wyfe, the whyche he tooke yet for a good honest woman for it lay dead, and was so secretly kept that mi lorde knewe neuer therof. And yf my lorde had biden at home peraduenture the woman had neuer fallen to that mysgydinge, for they neuer coulde perceiue, but that she gydede her selfe well and honestelye all here lyfe afore [Page] Now take example by thys, for it is a comon prouerbe carre from home, nere thy harme.
¶The deceyte of Iudyth that wonne Holyfernus.
THe king Holofernus beseged the Citie of Bethulien with a hundred & .xx.m. footemē, and .xx.M horsemen so strongly yt there was no drinke to be gotten in the Citie but that they muste drynke the bludde of [Page] bestes. The wydow Iudith seing this: tóoke great pity on the people, and prayed mekely to God for grace and for to be delyuered out of captyuitie, and for to obtayn the victory of their enemies, and then she went into her chamber and arayed her with her best araye verie rychelye (for she was fayre and comely of persone) and God made her more fayrer. And she tooke with her a maide & went to the gate of the Cytie where yt the Lordes stoode, and she sayd to them. Pray vnto the lord god for grace for me, that it wyl please hym that I maye obtayne my purpose. And she went out of the Citie, where she was taken and brought to fore Holofernus by hys seruauntes, and than she sayd to Holofernus I am come for to put my lyfe in thy hāde & that I may be preserued thorough thee for the Citie must come shortely into thy hādes, and so by that men as she obtayned hys grace, and what that she desyred of hym she had it. And so she desired of him yt she might go euen and morning to the moūtaynes yt she myght pray there to her god for hym. And thā he gaue commaūdement to all his lords that where soeuer yt the woman Iudith wolde go, ye they should let her go fre & no man say her nay, & vpon the fourth day Holofernus made a costly dyner for his lordes, & sayd to his chāberlen. Vaago? Tel ye Hebrw womā the she come to me, ye whyche he did, & he sayd to Iudith. O ye gētilwomā drede not to go in, to my lorde Holofernus for he requireth you ye ye wyl be mery and drinke the wine with him. Thā sayd Iudith who am I, that I shouldēnot be obedyent to my Lord. All that shal please my lord, yf he thynke it good, I wyll be gladde to doo. And al that shall please hym, shall be good for me as longe as my lyfe shall endure. Than Iudyth rose vp secretely and [Page] arayed her rychely & went so forth wythin to Olephernꝰ and she stoode before hym. Than was Olefernus herte troubled, and brenned in the loue of her, & so he thought that he wolde slepe by her the same nyght and was very mery & droncke more wyne that nyght than he had done all hys lyfe tyme to fore, and so fel a slepe vpon his bed And Iudyth was onely alone with him in his chamber and her mayde stode without and kept the doore and at the beddes hed honge his sworde, & she drew the sworde out of the shethe, and tooke him bi the heare and lift vp hys heade and so cut it of and put it into a lether baggē and tooke it to her mayd and so brought it into the citie of Bethulyen, and whan that it was publyshed & knowen that theyr kynge Olephernus was dead, they went all away, and so the Cytie was delyuered out of captyuitie and bondage. O behold how the great and mighty prynce, the whyche coulde not be ouercome wyth all their craft, how he was wonne through the louely wordes and deceyte of a woman, the whyche many a thousand men dyd repent, and lese theyr lyfe therfore, who is it that can take hede of the deceyte of women, except he doo vtterly abstayne their company, for they be so false and so full of deceyte, that all the hede that a man can take is to lytle.
¶A new deceyte doone of late in Fraunce.
[Page]IN Fraūce was a gentilman of great puysaunce, the whiche entyerly loued a yonge fayre gentilwoman beynge maryed, whyche gentylwoman loued him no lesse than he dyd her, And therfore the gentylman made oftentymes his cōplaynt to his louer of the great dolours & paynes yt he suffred for her sake, and she hearynge hym so pyteously complayne: conforted hym the best that she could, sayeng to hym, I am alwayes redy and at your pleasure: but I can not be at youre desyre and wyll because of my husbād. For ye know well that I must be obedient & euermore be redy at my husbādes wyll and pleasure. Alas (sayd the gentilman) yf there be no meanes for to shortē my great paynes I wote not what to doo. Than sayde the gentilwoman with a feruent desyre to her louer: Come to nyght at one or two a clocke and knocked at my chāber doore. For I wyl fynde suche meanes that I wyl departe frō my husbād except som fortune do let me. The gentilmā heryng this: was conforted and was glad, & so departed from her, and abode ye houre that she had poynted him, and so the yonge gentylwoman sat all the nyght and had many fantasyes and sat musynge and was very sad for she wyst not what shoulde fortune her, but her chaunce and fortune was that her husbande him selfe gaue the occasion and cause, that her heuynes was tourned to myrthe, for her husbād saw a male lyenge in the chāber in the whyche male was his wifes clothes & for by cause that he saw that his wife sate in heuines: he demaūded what ye male did in the chamber. & wherfore that it was not brought into his place where it was wont to lye. Than said his wyfe wel husband I requyre you be not angry for our chamberlain shal take them out for therin is part of my [Page] clothes. Than sayd her husbande my semes that the male is ouer lytell for to put your clothes in wythout crokynge for they be large and longe. The gentyl woman sayde the male is great ynough, the lorde sayde my semes naye, well sayde the gentyll woman yf it please you I wyll lay wt you a dosen of teuen shertes agaynst a satyn kertyll, that we wyl put you in the male as ye be, for all that the male is solytle. The lorde sayde I holde ye that ye doo not. Than sayde the hande mayde, we shall sée who shal wynne it Than he drew the clothes out of the male, and then the maydē toke hym and made suche shyft that she put him in the male to his mā hode to. and all that were there laught and had good sporte at it, and so playenge and mockynge wyth hym they bonnde hym faste in the male and so brought him into a lytle out chamber ferre from his owne chamber, and they cryed all, we haue wonne it, and for that he coulde crye or call abode all that nyght there, & in short tyme after that he was put in the male came the gentylwomans louer the whiche she had apeynted pryuily by her, of whome he was louyngly receyued, and the vp & tolde him what was fortuned, and how she had put her husbande in the male, and shewed hym that all thinges was well and therfore (sayd she) ye shal remayne thys night by me, and kepe my husbādes place. And thus bē these two louers gon to bed together & louynglye haue helsed and kyssed eche other laborynge so sore that they both did swete in obtayning theyr louely purpose. And in the mornyng thys gentyl woman and her louer departed heuely from eche other and she wente vnto the out chāber where her husband lay and cryed ful loude let me out, for my semes ye mocke & gest with me. Than [Page] sayd the gentylwoman alas good husbande be ye here yet? now of trouth I knew it not, for yesternight I cō maunded my chamberlin that she shuld lose the male & let ye out. and one of my chamberlyns said that ye wer losed and that ye were hastely send for, for certayn causes, and sayd that ye wold not com home as this night and whan I herde that I wente to bed and slepte for I wēt that it had bene so. Than said her husbād to her I beseche you let me out, for I trow I haue bene here lōg ynough. And so this gentil wife vnlosed the male and her husbād exept out and was almost lame with lieng, and than she tooke him in her armes & kist hym swetely and prayed him hertely that he wold not be angry wt her. Than sāid her good husband I know wel it is not your faute, but the chamberleyns shal repent it, & than he made his mone and said that they had him in dirisiō and mocked with him, and also the moost greefe was yt he had lost his reuen shertes. And for this he shall neuer know wythout a myschaunce fall that this booke come to his hand for to read, the whiche God forbyd. Amen.
❧In olde deceyt how the Prince Naboth was killed, of the foule woman Iesabel
THe Kynge Achab, kyng of Israell dwelt in Syry, & had to his wyfe the mischeuous womā Iesabel the whyche pursued holy prophetes in al that she myght. And this king Achab had by him in his garden a great prince called Naboth, the whiche Naboth had a goodly vinyard by this king Achabs house, yt which the kyng entyerly desyred, & saide to Naboth I beseche thee let me haue thy Vynyarde, and Naboth wold not forgo his Viniarde, where vpon this king Achab went [Page] and layd hym in the bed and turned his face to the wal and wolde nother eat nor drynke. His wyfe Iesabell seynge this: demaunded what him ayled? Than he sayde my louer Naboth hath sayd to me nay, that he wyll not sell to me his vineyard. Than Iesabel caused the prince Naboth to be stoned to death. And than came Iesabel a gayne to her kynge saying, Ryse vp and drynke and make good cheere, and take the Vynyarde to thee, for Naboth is dead. And whan that Achab heared this: hearose vp and dyd enherit the Vinyarde. Here may ye see how that the good prynce Naboth hath loste hys lyfe thorough the myscheuous woman Iesabell. But the bloud of Naboth was auenged vpon Achab him selfe. For Helyas sayde to hym. There that the dogges haue lycked the bloud of Naboth: there shall they also lycke thy bloud. And the dogges shal eat the fleshe and body of the mischeuous womā Iesabel. And it fortuned in short tyme after, for she was stoned to death in a lytle oute strete and there she remayned lying tyl the tyme that the wordes of Helyas were fulfylled. O most myscheuous women take her ensample, for God is a ryghtwyse Iudge. for he sayth in the Gospell, wyth what measure ye mete out wythall, wyth the same measure shall be measured in wyth all, againe, lyke as it fortuned to the cursed woman Iesabell, as it is wrytten. Therfore ye women, let be your disceyte, & than ye shal not be deceyued, for what God sayth that is nolye.
❧A new deceyt doone of late.
[Page]THere was a wedded womā, yt which was of lyght cōtenaūce, & muche more lighter of hert for smal labour and expensis wolde obteyne her grace and fauour if one had sought vpō her for loue for she was so gentyl and so fre herted. And so it fortuned vpō a tyme she thought for to haue two yonge men vpon one day, & yt the one should not knowe of ye other, for she had apointed eche vpō a certayne houre, that was, the one at .viii. a clocke, and the other at .ix. And so in the morninge the good man arise vp from hys wyfe and clothed him and went and woke hys wyfe, & asked her if she wolde not aryse, and she answered ye knowe well that I am halfe acrased, & haue not slept of all the nyght, therfore I cannot aryse yet. And so her husband let her lye and weare his way into the cytie to worke, and in the meane while hys wyfe was not ydle, for as soone as the clocke had smytten .viii. there caue the yongmā the which she had apoynted the day afore, and he knocked at the doore and by and bi he was let in and hastely vnclothed him and went to bed to her, & so they two laye so longe together passyng the tyme tyl that another sued & cam knocking at the doore. Than sayde the woman, alas there is my hasband: than said the yongman where shal I hyde me yt your husbād finde me not, for yf he finde me it wolde cost vs both our liues. The womā sayd, take your clothes and go vp in the chamber and be there styl and secret tyll that my husband be gone, & so the yongmā did as the womā gaue hī coūsel & sat styl in the chāber the which was very olde & ful of holes. And than she lept lustly frō her bed (knowyng wel ynough yt it was not her husband yt knocked at ye doore) & let ye other yonge man in, yt which she had apoynted at .ix. a clocke, & by & [Page] by he dyd of hys clothes, & wēt to bed to this lusty trull (for she was good ynough & there had come .iiii. suche) and besely went & plowed Venus grounde, & there ocupyed the lustes of the fleshe, so long til she had weried hī But he that sat aboue in the chāber & saw yt, I reken he was not very well pleased, for he knew right well that it was not her husbād, & so he wist not whether it were best to speke or to holde his peace And so thei lay so lōg a bed til that her husbād came knocked at the doore and by and by she perceyued yt it was her husbande and than she wyst not what shyfte to make nor where she should hyde hym, but bad him yt he should lye betwene the bed & the wall & she toke the clothes and the couerlet and caft thē vpon him. And whā her husbād was com he be thought hym that he had heard mo than one in his house, and whā that he saw the bed so cast out of order, he maruayled for it semed not as though ther had layn a sycke womā, but a though there had ben a fyghtyng & a battell for stones, for it loked more lyker a boulting trough, than a sycke womās bed. Thā said her husbād out thou my scheuous whore, where is that knaue that hath laine wyth the, if I finde hym ye shall both repent it by gods body, and wyth that he caughte the couerlet and the clothes in his hand, and than he sayd, how properly is this gere done, for hys bed shewed as thoughe here had lyne .ii. Than sayde the woman be my trouth I am sure thou arte droncke all tedye, that thou raylest thus vpon me, and call me hore & thou knowest right well that I am none, but alas I am to trew to suche a Cocold and rebald as thou arte & I am sory that I haue ben so long so trew to the, seynge that thou neuer founde no dyshonest in me. Thys poore man west not what [Page] to say whan that he hard his wyfe, say suche wordes & begon for to chyde hym so, ye he mighte be glad that he had no stripes. And so the good mā (as it was best for hym) helde his prace, and said mekely My gentyl wife, I beseche thee be contente, for I loue not to chyde, and he that is here aboue ones shal pay for all, but he mente our lorde that he wolde haue accompte of it ones. But he that sat aboue in the chamber and heard al: he wende that he had ment hym and that he had thretened hym. Than sayd the yong man, my frende, it is ynough that I paye the halfe, for he that lieth beside the bedsted may wel paye the other halfe, for he is as wel culpable as I, Than had the man great maruaile and thought ye god had spoke to hym, and he that lay besyde the bed wylte not what to doo, for he knew nothyng of the other that was aboue in the chamber, but he was bolde and rose vp, and the other came downe out of the chamber. And whan they saw eche other they went together frō thens and none of them bothe that payde for theyr lyinge, nor yet for theyr bed hyre, and thus the man was troubled, and she made her husbande beleue that the one was a doctour of physyke the which came to see her water, and the other was a Surgyn that came to let her bloud and to chafe her vaynes, and so she pleased her husband, for al that she had made him cokcolde, ye prety trulles that loue to cary stones: learne this prety conceyt against ye be sycke.
❧An olde deceyte of Vergilius.
VYrgyll was a very wyse and experte man, and was a mayster of many dyuers sciences ye whiche (as some men say) the deuel had learned him, and also he was a wise man of councel▪ in so muche that ye Emperour chose him to be one of the lordes of his counsell. This Vyrgyl did many meruay els wyth Nicromaci for he made a gardē wherein were al maner of trees of al fruyte and fruytes, & what time that he wolde / there they found euer more rype frute, fayre floures and sede And also there was in the garden all maner of birdes, [Page] the whiche songe, nyght and daye. And this garden had no inclosing but onely the lyght that shone ouer it, and yet there could nobody come in. Also he had made in Rome an Image of gret light, the which might not fal And they of Rome might not open not her dore nor wī dow, but they must nedes se the Image. And who soeuer had sene that ymage, ye daye he shoulde haue had no pleasure for to haue doone the workes of the flesshe, of the which the women of Rome wente and shewed Vyrgilius, the which at last cast downe the Image, and thā the women had their pleasure agayne. Also this Virgilius had made in the myddes of Rome to the profyte of the commen people, a lampe of glasse the which shone & lyghted all Rome ouer and ouer, in so much that there was neuer so smal a strete but it was as lyghte of that lampe as though there had ben two torches burnynge, and some men say it stode well .iii.C. yere. And not fer from thens in an other place he had made a man of copper wyth a bow in his hande, poyntynge wyth hys atowe to the Lampe. And so it fortuned vpon a tyme the doughters of Rome wente a sportynge in an euenynge, and there came one of the maydens of Rome the which smote vppon the strynge of the bowe wyth her finger, and so the arow sprong louse, and shot the lampe in peces the whiche was greate pitye, And vpon an other tyme Vyrgilius did put out al the fyre that was in Reine, that no man coulde get fyre but onelye at one womans ars, the whyche had deceyued hym, and none coulde lyghte an others fyre, but that eche house myste goe vppon the Markete place and fetche hys fyre, at that womans ars. This Virgyl for all that he was so wyse, and a mayster of all scyences yet not wythstandynge [Page] he was deceyued of women. Vpon a tyme he set his loue vpon a fayre gentylwoman the whiche was of noble progeny, and made suche meanes that it came to her knowlege, and when that she knew that: she bethought her how she myght deceyue him, and than she sayd to him that it were very petilous for to beginne suche a thynge, for a man cometh lyghtly in the bound of loue, but he cannot come so lightly out agayn. But welbeloued Vyrgil for to please you and that ye maye haue your pleasure, so come to nyght to fore my house whan euery body is gone to slepe: and I wyl let down a basket out the chamber wyndow and there ye shal syt in, and so I wyl draw you vp into my chamber, of the whiche Vyrgyll was very glad, and sayde that he wolde doo so, whan it was nyght: Vyrgil came to fore thys gentylwomans house, the whyche stoode in the market place, and in the myddle of Rome. And so whā that Vyrgil was come: she let the basket downe to the erthe, And Vyrgyl went and sate in it, & than she drew him vp tyl that he came to the middle of the house, and whan that he was .xl. fote from her window she made the corde faste, and let him hange so in the basket, and sayde nowe men shall see thy iniquitie, and howe thou woldest haue layne by me, and there he remayned hangyng styll in the basket tyl the next day, to hys reprofe before all men, the whiche he auenged after warde vpō her. And thus was he deceyued to his vtter confusiō. And also Vyrgill made to the profyte of the Romayns (to thēde that they myght haue short lawe & that euery man myght incontinent know whether his cause wer trewe or false) by the crafte of Nycromancy a Lyon of brasse, and who that put hys hande in the throte of the [Page] lyon, and swore that his cause was true, and good and his othe being false lost his hand. And who that swore a true othe: drewe his hande agayne, wythoute drede or peryll. And so it fortuned vpon a time, that Vyrgyll sayd to hys wyfe that she had to doo wyth a gentylman the whiche she forsoke, and sayd that it was not so, and sayde that she wolde take the lawe at the Lyon, and so whan this was doone, and the day appointed that she should be iudged by the Lyon, and come to her answere than she found the meanes that the gentylman (her louer, was clothed in fooles clothyng, and so he went wt her to the place where the Lion stode, and there in ye presence of them al that was there: put her hande in the lyons throte, and there she did swere that she had no more to doo wyth that man that she was blamed for: than wt the foole that stode ther present, and so the woman drew her hand out agayn withoute any hurt, yet neuertheles Vyrgyl knew wel that she had to doo wyth the man of the which she was suspect wyth. Than was Vyrgyll wrothe, and destroyed the Lion, in so muche that neuer after that day was no iustyce doon with the Lion. Here may ye se how the mayster Virgilius that was so wise and so crafty in al thinges: and yet he was deceyued of a woman, ye of more then of one, as is rehersed afore
❧A new deceyte doone of late.
[Page]THere was a lady beyōd ye sea, which was a wedowe. This lady had a fayre gentilwoman for her chamberlen, that dyd lye wyth her. And it fortuned vpon a time that a lusty yonge gentylman dyd see hys loue vpon this yonge woman, the whiche was the fayrest and the most goodliest of stature yt was in that coū trie, and she was so beautiful & so vertuous yt she laye by her lady, and the gentylman often times did talke & comen with this gentylwoman, and opened hys harte and shewed to her all his intent, and spake so louingly to her: that also her hert was set in the loue of him, & so she consented to him to be redy at al times, yt it should please him, but they wyst not how nor by what meanes that they might come togither. And so vpon a tyme she came vnto the gentilmā and sayd, ye know wel that I lye by my lady, the which is great honour to me, and I may not leue her except I should be vtterly shamed and yet I wolde wel that you had youre desyre, and also I wyl gladly be at your commaundement and pleasur in all thinges that ye wyll desyre of me, yf that we may do it secretlye, and also I will shew you my minde, & what I wyl do. My lady hath a litle dogge, as ye know well yt which she loueth well, and must euer lye in her chābre and to night I wyl locke it wythoute the chamber, and wyl leue the next chāber open, and whan that ye think that my lady is in bed, com secretly into the chamber & locke the chamber doore and there ye shal find the lytle dogge, the whiche knoweth you well, & take hym by the eares and shake him that he may crye loude, and whan my lady shal heare hym. she shall know the voyce, & thē incontinent she shal cause me to rise, for to let the dogge in, and than I wil come secretly to you, but I pray you [Page] fayle not, for yf ye doo, I wyl neuer speake wyth you a agayne, Than sayd the gentylman, O my moost trusty and gracyous louer, I wyll thanke you hartely of your gracyous and lonely wordes, & be ye sure that I wyll not fayle, and so the gentylman abode hys tyme, & cam vnto ye place that was appointed according to hys promyse. And so the lytle dogge thought to haue gone into the ladyes chāber as it was wonte to doo, and for by cause that the chamber dore was locked. he abode in the chamber that was next vnto the ladyes. And so the lady is gone to bedde, and her chamberlaen wyth her, and the lusty gentilman is come into the next chamber, and went vpon hand and fote for to seeke the dogge, and at laste he found hym, & hath made him crye oute a loude and so the lady hearde the dogge crye, and thought that he wolde come in, & sayd to her gentylwoman the chā berleyn that she should aryse and let the dogge in, for me semes that he is in the nexte chamber, and she sayd I wyll doo it gladly, and so she arose and came to the doore in her smocke, and the gentilman came and mette her, and when that he sawe that she was so gracyous and so goodlye of person, he was so galdde that he loste all hys power, and fayled, and it was not in his power to doo her swerely, and groped her round breestes, & all that he coulde doo perteyninge to loue, but the flesshly operacion excepted, and so the gentylman returned agayne wythout comforte and yet he wolde gladly haue kepte her: but she durst tary no longer, and so the Lady went her maye and shytte the doore agayne, and the Lady demaunded her if she had lett in the dogge, and she sayde naye, for she coulde not fynde it. The ladye sayde well let hym alone, and so the chamberlayne was sore agreued, [Page] but he tooke courage vnto hym and sayde, yf yt my louer came agayne, for al that she is so fayre. I wold gyue her better knowledge that I am a man, and so he caught the dogge by the eares agayne, and made hym for to crye, that the Lady hearde it, and so the Lady caused her chamberlayn for to ryse, and also the thirde tyme she arose and came for the dogge, but the pore gentylmā had not her power nor strength for to breke one spere And whan that she saw that there wolde come nothing she went away into her chamber, and he perceyued her Than sayd the chamberlayn for to recompence hym of his great payne, and for to please the lady, awaye thou noughtye ape as thou arte, for thou shall not come thys night in the house, thou foule yll fauored beaste, and wyth that she dyd shyt the camber doore, And the ladye demaunded to whome that she spake, and she sayde that it was to the other dogge, the whiche hathe doone me great payne in seking of him, for he had hyd him vnder the benche, and whan that I had founde hym he wolde not aryse, for all that I coulde doo to hym. I woulde fayne haue had him in, but he wolde not ones lyftre vp hys head, and therfore I haue lefte him wythout, and so she locked the doore wyth greate spyte to fore hys face The Lady sayd my doughter that is well done, And thus was the gentylman deceyued:
☞A deceyte how that Sampson was deceyued of hys wyfe.
SAmpson beyng a strong yong mā came to Thā nats where that he saw one of the doughters of the philystins, the which he desyred to haue to his wife And whan that he came to fore the Vinyarde of the Citie there came a yonge Lyon tonnyng to hym, which he kylled. And in short time after as he came from his father and mother, it fortuned that he cam agayne to the place where that he had kylled this Lion, & so he found in the mouth of the Lion, a swarme of Bees. And whā that his wedding should be, there came .xxx. yonglings [Page] to his feast. And Sampson sayd to them I wyll giue to yon a ryddle, and if that ye can asoyle it win .vii. dayes after my feast: I wyl gyue to you .xxx. silkē poynts, and as many cotes, and if that ye assoyle not my ryddle: ye shal lese as muche. Than sayd the yonglinges shew to vs your ryddle. Then sayd Sampsō of the etet is mete gone out, and of the stronge is come su [...]ten [...]s. And so they could not assoile that riddle, & thā they came to his wife and sayd, desyre your husband, that he shew to you the ryddle & what it sygnifieth. And yf that ye wyl not we wyl set thy house and thy fathers in fyre. And than she went to her husband Sampson wiping & makyng her moue to hym, and sayd I pray you shewe to methe solucyon of the ryddle, and what ye meane wyth all, or els I saye that ye loue me not. Sampson answered and sayde I wolde not geu [...]nother father nor mother to know what it mēt, & shuld I tel it you▪ And so his wife wept & made greate lamentacyon .vii, dayes after he feast of theyr weddyng. And vpon the seuenth day she croudled Sāpson so sore, yt he shewed it hir, & she forth wt sheweth it to the yonglynges, yt whych sayd to Sāpson, what is shorter than heuy, & what is stronger thā a Lyon. Than said Sāpson, yf my [...]tesshe [...]alfe had not ben: ye had not soyled my riddle. Neere ye may see how Sampson was deceiued through ye, weping & lamētacion of a womā, and after ye Sampsō ca [...]u [...]t [...] his wyfe for to haue doone as he was wont to do, which his father had forbode hī, & said to Sāpsō I had went ye wold haue kylled her, & therfore I haue betake her to another husband. Thā was Sāpson wreth & did great mischef to the philystens. And so the philistens s [...]eyng that Sāpsons wyfe was the cause of that myschef thā went ye [Page] philistens and set her fathers house in fyre (the father & the doughter beynge in the house) & so dyd burne them both. ¶And after that he enterely loued a woman that dwelt in the valy of Soreth, whose name was Dalida. And so the cheefe hed prynce of the Phylystens came to Dalida & sayd we requyre the that thou wylt deceyue Sampson, and demaunde of hym wherein yt the strength of Sampson is, to the ende that we may conquere hym. And yf that ye doo it: eche of vs shall gyue to you [...].c.M. syluerpence. And so Dalida sought the occasiō to deceyue him & Sampson caused hym selfe .iii. times to be boūde through the petitiō of Dalida wt .iii. maner of bādes, but euer more he brake the bādes & ouer cam his enemies .iii. tymes. And whā that Dalida had sene al this: She came to Sāpson wt sweet flatteryng wordes and sayd, O my dere beloued Sāpson ye saye that ye do [...]ore me and your hart thynketh it not, for ye haue denyed to me .vi. times, for ye wold not shew me where that your strength testeth. And so she troubled Sāpsō many a day vnto the tyme that she brought him to his death, And so at last Sāpson shewed his wyfe the truth & sayd, yf my hed were shaue: thā were all my strength and power gon, Than Dalida sent worde to the Phylystens, and she caused Sampson for to slepe in her lap, and she called to her a barbeur, & he dyd shaue of al the here of Sampsons head & thā she thrust hym from her and hys power and might was gone from hym, And than cryed Dalida, Sampson Sampson, the phylistens ben come vpō thee, Thā he arose out of his slope & was incontinent as a prysoner, & his eyen were put out and so by that meanes he was killed, Now behold ye men, be the yonge and olde, heave that the strange Sampson [Page] was deceyued of the false womā Dalida, who is yt may beleue the swete and flatteryng woordes and the bitter mourning and weping of women,
❧ A new deceyte doone of late.
Ther was a gentylman yt which was very bold in the feares of warres, and entyerly loued a yerge fayre Lady, and had so oftentymes cōmunycacyō wyth her: that she consented to hym in all thynges that [Page] he wolde desyre of her, And whā yt he had done his wyl a certaine time with her: thā went he into spayne with hys lord for to kepe warre and in the meane while yt he was absēt: his louer was maried to an olde knyght the which knew right wel ye other mā, but this olde knyght knew not yt he was hys wyfes paramour, but at last it cā to his knowledge, of yt which he was not wel cō tent, And so it fortuned yt in shorte time after, her paramour came home againe, & by chaūce in an euenyng cā to ye castel where yt his sweeting was, & the old knight made him good cheere, for he was of his olde acquaintaūce, but it was halfe agaynst his hert. And in ye mene whyle yt [...]he old knight went about for to make al thynges [...]dy for to welcome his gest withal: he sat & talked wt his louer his prety foole yt he was wont for to play wt a [...] & desyred of her for to haue the olde freendshypp yt he was went to haue in time paster that she was wedded: she denyed hym & sayd that it was not possyble for to haue place & time suffycient. Than sayd her gest, O my dere beloued os [...]is, yf it please you ye may doo [...]esō freendshyp, for your husband shal know nothyng ther of, whā that he is a bed and a stepe that ye come and vysit me in my chāber, or in any other place where that it shal please you, or yf ye please I wyl come to you, then she sayd it may not be so, for my husbande is very soone awake, and I should haue great drede and sorowe, & also he neuer waketh, but he doth fele after me, & whā that he misseth me: than he wyl thinke what there is to doo. Thā he demaūded, what doth he more? More quod she: nothing, but turneth him again, for yf he com ones in a moneth that is muche to hym, for it is but fely for to fable wt you, for yf it came I wolde take it wyth all [Page] my harte, Than sayde he, I beseche the my sweete loue make it so that I may ly wyth the to night. Than she answered and sayd, I know a remedy, I haue a seruing mayde to the whych I wyll shew my secrete, and with her I wyll take counsell. And so incontinent she called her and sayd, my beloued mayde, ye must now helpe me in a matter, for I trust you best for to kepe my preuytie, Thā sayd the mayde, what yt shal please you I wil be glad for to doo. Thā sayd her lady to her,. This knight I loue aboue all men, & I wolde be sory that he should departe from hens, except I had spoke preuelye wt hym and it is not possible that I may speke secretely wt hym wtout that ye wil be so good as to kepe my place by my husband in my bed this night, for it is hys custom whā yt he waketh to feele after me, & than he layeth hym to slepe agayne, but I praye what so euerye doo ye maye not speake one worde but suffre all that he doth to you for I knowe of a very certayne that ye shalbe wythout sorow or drede for any thing that my husbond thy maister wyl doo, Than sayd the yonge lustly mayden to her Lady, your commaundement I wyll be glad to doo it, So soone as they had supte: ther wence all and walked abrode and the lady shewed her paramour how that her maide should kepe her place by her husband for ye night of the which the knight was maruailous glad, And so after that whan they had dronke, they went all to bed and the knyght went into his chāber where yt he shuld lye the which was gorgeously ordeyned, and there the table was beset with suckettes, confectes, & other costly thinges and of the best wine that might be got, And so incontinently the olde knight and his lady hath both vnclothed them, and went to bed and my lady did put [Page] out the candell, and the mayde stoode preuely by the bed syde, and whā the candell was out: she went to bed to her mayster, & so lay wyth him, & my lady went incontynent to hym yt abode her commynge, and about .iii, a clocke afore day: the olde knight dyd turne him, and he groped for hys wyfe, & thought yt she had layne by hym & so layde his hand vpon her brestes, & he felt that they were harde and rounde & thā incontinent he knew yt it was not his wyfe, for her brestes were not so roūd nor so hard: Thā he tooke her in his armes & gaue her a kis wt that ye longed therto; Al his busines was harde for hym, for she was a mayde, And so the poore mayde durst not speake one worde for sauinge of her maystres honestie, whan this was done: he begā to call to him that lay by his wife, & sayd how, how, syrknyght of whens be ye? speke once to me: The knyght hearing this: was fore amased, & my lady was whole agast, but they helde theyr pace, Than he called agayne, how my gest where be ye speke to me, Than sayd the knyght what is youre wyl syr, Than sayde he a ha syr I wyll euer be gladde of this exchaunge, the knyght sayd what exchaunge good syr: Mary for an olde hoore, to haue a yōg proper mayd for so haue ye serued me of the whyche I thanke you & so this gest wt his wyfe knew not what to say, And also ye poore mayd was hole ashamed, as wel for the dyshhonestie of her lady, as for her owne dishonestie & maydē hode, the which she had lost so pyteously, & so departed frō thens, & after had wept bytterly therfore, and the straūge knyght is departed from thence wtout any thā kes geuynge to any body, nor sayd not once adewe, but left the lady in great sorowe and drede, & so the straūge knyght came neuer there after that, but howe that the [Page] lady byd, and what chaunce she had: of that I had notinges, and therfore & can wryte no more therof.
❧ An olde deceyte doone in olde tyme
HErcules the worthye champion was a man of greate renowne, and was the bastarde of Kynge Iupyter, and of the Quene Alcumena, This Hercules whan that he lay yet in the cradel: he strangled & kylled two gret serpentes yt wold have kylled hym, the which [Page] hys stepmother Iuno had brought to hym. This Hercules ouercame a mighty great greke, yt which was called Phylotes, yt whych afterward becā Hercules seruaūt And throughe the informacion of Iuno his stepmother (the whych wolde wel that he had ben dead) went into a forest or heth of Neemy; & there he ouercam .iii. Liōs wt great power & strēgth. This Hercules toke his iourney into the cytie of Molosen, & fetched agayn the fayre Proserpina Orpheꝰ wyfe, the whych kyng Pluto had stolen, & he fought agaynst the porter Cerberꝰ, which was a mighty great Greke, but hercules ouercam him and bound hym hand & fore, and ouercome .iii.C. cytiesens of Molosyn, the whych wold haue taken Proserpina from him. This Hercules ouercame the great mō ster of leerne, the vpper part like a mā, and: iether part lyke a sergent, by the whyche mōster no mā myght passe wtout that he went wt, iii.C. or mostrong mē of armes And hys foode was the fleshe of mē & the [...]with he liued And he ouercame the king C [...]cꝰ, the which was a fers tyraunt & oppressed all the people of that countrey, and vpon a nyght he hadde stolen away Hercules Oxen in Italy, and Cacus had eyed them tayle to tayle and so brought thē into the caue wher that he dwelt, to thend yt they should not fynde ye footing of thē, for the footyng of the oxen did she wal wayes frō the caue ward where that he dwelt. Also he cōquered the great mōnster of the sea [...]afore Troye, the which they must haue gyuē euery day for hys dyner a [...] a shepe, and yt ꝯtained so longe tyl the lot fel vpon the kynges doughter, the which he delyuered, & subdued the greate monster, and delyuered the Cytie of Troye, and also he was a greate iuster, for where that he heard yt there were any greate Lorde, or [Page] kyng that was a tyraunt, or an oppresser of the people? thether wolde be go, and auēture his lyfe, & pursue thē to death, Ha good lord yf yt an infidell hath doone suche thynges (yt which had no hope of ye life eternal) through loue of iustice, how muche the more should euery christe lorde fyght for the trew iustyce, and that same to exalt, the which knoweth wel the great reward that is promised them of the lorde celestyall? ¶Vpon a tyme Hercules tooke his iourney towarde hys owne countrey, of Ycoyien wyth hys wyfe Megera, and her hand mayde And also he came into the land of Tassalian where that he must pusse ouer the water with the shyppe, and the shyppe was so lytle that it coulde not cary thē all ouer at ones, and so Hercules remayned and went not ouer wyth the shippe, and the fery man behelde Dianira, and whan thei came to lande: the fery man tooke Hercules wyfe and wolde haue runne away wyth her, and Hercules seynge that: tooke hys bow and shot ouer the water towarde Nessums the fe [...]y man, and shot the arow in Nessums syde▪ in so muche that he felt that he muste dye, and than he sayd to Dianira, Ye be a fayre woman, & therfore I requyre you take compassion vpon me, for your husband Hercules is not true, for he loueth other beside you. Hold take this box for therin is such a thing that whan that ye anoynt therwyth his shert, and that he put it vpon his body: than shal all the straunge loue departe from hym. And vpon a time Hercules subdued the kynge Prycus, the which had many doughters, and amonge them there was one that was the fayrest, the whych he entyrely loued aboue al the other and her name was Yole, and Hercules sayde to her Yole take me as your frend, for so must it be, for the goddes haue giuē [Page] to me this chaunce. And whā that yole herde this that she must doo him freendshyp, the whych had oppressed & conquered her father, than fel Yole in a swound and in great sorow. And than Hercules betooke Yole in the kepyng of, xii, men, that she should not escape him, And Hercules desyred her that she wolde be his wife, yt whiche at last she consented, and so Hercules lay bi her and accomplished his pleasure so longe with her that he holy forgat hys wyfe Dianira, Dianira heard of this & so she wrote a letter to him, remēbring him of ye great loue that was wonte to be betwene them, and to knowe yf that should be so lost and forgottē, and that he, the whyche all the worlde did drede, wolde so suffre hym selfe to be ouercome of a straunge woman, And whā Hercules hadred this letter he was not well contente and was yll apayde therof, in so muche ye none durst com by him nor also the fayre Yole, And so Hercules beynge in he up fantasy, deuysed him selfe home he might best forget the fayre yole, and so he tooke his way and Iourney to the mounte Othes on pylgrymage, and for to doo Sacryfice: to the God Appollo, and in the way met with hī Lucas chamberlyn of Dianira▪ and whan that Dianira knewe that, than she tooke one of Hercules shertes, the whiche was ouerstryken wyth the poyson that Nessūs had geuen to her and sent it to Hercules, for to put on, knowing no otherwise but that the straūge loue should therwyth haue departed from him, as Nessums made her to beleue, And than Hercules had made a great fyre for to doo sacrifice vnto the God Appollo wt an harte that Hercules had takē tunnyng, And Lucas gaue to h [...]m the sherte and for because that he s [...]et so sore through the great anguyshe & hard sorow he tooke [Page] the shert of Lucas and put it on, and whā that the shert was warme vpon him, it cleued so cast to his body, and he felt suche great payne that he wiste not what to doo and wold haue drawen of the shert agayne, but he could not but drew it of by great peeces from his body with the skinne and the fleshe to the bone, in suche wyse that one might haue sene his bowels. And so hercules saw and knewe wel that he muste dye, than Hercules sayde to Philotes tel Yole and all her frendes (wyth habundaūce of teres) of the miserable death of Hercules. Thā wayled Yole so bytterly that her hart dyd brast and died for sorow. whan that Dianira heard tell of the deathe of Hercules▪ and how that it was through the shert the which she had sent hym▪ she tooke a knife and kilde her selfe for sorow. And thus was the valyaunt Hercules shamefully deceyued of a woman, neuerthelesse it w [...]s without the knowledge of the woman, though tha [...] the woman wss the causer therof.
❧ A new deceyte of late doone in the Cytie of Tours.
IN the Citie of toures there was a marchaūt of great power the whych had desyred vpō a fryday his paison & other mo of his louers & freedes to dine wt hym & had promised thē a certayne great fysshe, the which was called a pyke. and cost hym two shyllinges, besyde the other smal fysshes, as Carpes, Bremes & pykerel, and other such smal fisshes, This marchaūtes wife loued wel a certayne frere and whā the husband had brought home the pyke, hys wyfe tooke it priuely & sent it to the frere, bi a Coblers wyfe, the whych knew all her secretes, and tolde her yt [Page] she should shewe the frere, that she wolde come yt nyght and make mery wyth hym, and remayne wyth hym all that nyght and helpe for to eat the Pyke, Thā was the Frere maruaylous glad and sayde, if there be any good wyne for to get for money I wil prouide vs some, & we wyl teache the Pike for to swym therin, Than went the good Frere musyng in hym selfe and thought how that he wolde cherishe this marchaūtes wyfe, And about, xii a clocke the good man came home with his gestes, the whyche he had desyred for to eat of the pyke, & brought them into the kitchyn for to see the great pyke yt he had bought, & sayd to hys wyfe shewe to my gestes what a great pyke that I haue bought, what Pyke sayde hys wyfe? Mary sayde he the great pyke that I sente home wyth the other fysshes, The good wyfe sayd yt she had seene no pyke, I thynke yt ye dreme, for heere is a great carpe, ii, pykerels and, iiii, Bremes, wyth other ryuer fysshes but as for the pyke, I haue not sene, why (sayd her husband) weene ye that I dreme? Than sayd the person and the other gestes we beleue that is not so for ye be very suttell and deceytfull, Than sayde hys wyfe by my trouth, I suppose that he mocked wyth you, for I haue sene no pyke of al thys yere, and therfore I thinke that he had dremed of a pyke, Than sayd the goodman I promyse you, it shabe a dere pyke for you And so he tooke a staffe and wolde haue beaten hys wife, but hys gestes tooke hym from her with force & dyd as muche as they could, for to make the peace, & went from thēce wyth the person for to make mery, And than his wyfe desyred one of the neyghbours (a yonge wedow) to dyne wyth her, and whan she was com to her she sayd, O my beloued neighbour I besech you doo one thyng for me, [Page] and I wyll rewarde you well therfore. Than sayde the wedow what soeur please you I wyl be glad for to doo. Tan sayde that woman, my hushande is maruelous hote upon hys busines, for he hath troubled me so muched the nyght past, that I should not be able to abide it this night, and therfore I requyre you hartly that ye wyll doo so muche as to kepe my place to night, yt whyche the wedow consented gladly. And so whan the good man had dyned he went pryuely & got him sū rods, whiche he layd at his beddes feete, for ther wt he wold haue chastised his wyfe in the night as he was wont to doo, forth▪ knoweth wel her husbādes minde, for he cānot home to supper but abode so longe out tyl he thought yt his wyfe were to bed. But she caused her neybour to vnclothe her & to kepe her place for her for that nyght and cōmaunded her that whan her husband cam home yt she should not speke to him, and his wife put out al the fite yt was in the house. And whā this was done she cōmaū ded her neybour, yt as soone as her husbād dyd ryse in ye morning yt she shuld go her way home to her own hous which she did promyse so for to doo. And than wēt his good wife to the graye freres cloystet for to helpe to eate the good Pyke wyth the frere, like as she had sent hym worde, and for her pardon, like as she was wonte to doo, and so made good there and dronke the wyne merely wyth the frere. And so whan it was night her husbande came home and thought to haue lyght a candell, but he foūde no fyre. He seing that went preuily to bed, and slept almost tyll it was day light, and thā he arose preuely & tooke the rods & cast vp the clothes & did bete his neibour yt the bloud ran downe of al sides. But his poore neybour durst not speke one word. And so at last [Page] he let her alone and went hys waye out. And than the poore wedowe (hys nedghboure) arose vp and went her way home to her owne house al morning, and complaynyng of her mischaunce, and cursed her neyghbour, and the time that euer she came there. And in short tyme aftercā his wife home from the freres, & cam in her chā ber, & sawe yt it was al to be strawed wt the roddes, and saw yt the shetes were al bloudy, & thā she perceiued wel yt her neyghbour had suffered penaunce. And incōtinent she wēt & made the chāber cleane, & made her bed & laid on a cleane payre of shetes & wēt to bed, & lay there tyl her husband came home, & whan yt he cā in the chābre he foūde his wife a bed fast a slepe & said, ha ladi wil ye not aryse yet why (said she) is it day I wist not that ye wer vp for I lay and dreamed, and that hath caused me for to lye so longe a bed, I beleue yt ye dreamed of the Pyke, for I gaue you a good remēbraūce therof. Thā said his wyfe, I haue no remēbraunce of you nor of the Pyke, Thā sayd he, is it al redy forgottē, how so said his wife, who should remēber dreames. Than sayd her husband is that a dreame, for to bete a handful of roddes to peres vpon thy body, And also I wote well yt the shetes wyl testify whether it be so or not. Thā sayd his wife, I wote not what ye meane, but I wote wel yt ye gaue me a frēdly kysse to day morning and so left me sleping Than sayd her husband, I maruayle of that, let me see the shetes, and thā she shewed to hym the cleane shetes that she had layde newe vpon the bed, and shewed her naked body all hole and cleane, and so whan her husband saw that the shetes were cleane, and her body hole he wyst not what to say, and so he was ful of fantasyes and said of a truth (wyfe) I had went yt I had beten you [Page] well to day mournynge, but I see well it is not so, and therfore I wote not what to say. Than sayd hys wyfe put that fātasyes out of your minde, for ye may se that ye haue not touched me, for ye haue dremed, lyke as ye dremed yesterday of the Pyke. Than sayde her husband Now I know well that ye sayd the truthe, and therefore I beseche you for the loue of God forgeue it me, for now I know wel that I sayd not the truth yesterday of the Pyke. And moste of all I am ashamed that I spoke so to you in the presence of the worshypfull men, & specyally in the presence of oure parson, and therfore I requyre thee forgeue it me. And than his wyfe sayde I forgiue you gladly, but I pray you be not so hasty another tyme. Than sayd he, My beloued wyfe it shall neuer be so more. And so what that he heard or saw after that: he thought all that he had dremed of it. And thus was the good man deceyued of hys wyfe, and thought that he had dremed of the Pyke. And she wente and made good there wyth this Frere, and euenynges and mornynges thei were together. and this marchaunt man was a litle Ialouse. And whan he spoke a worde to hys wyfe: Than sayde she peace foole thou dremest of the Pyke. And so thys Marchaunte was deceyued of hys wyfe indede.
❧ An olde deceyte doone in olde tyme.
THat tyme whan Dauyd was departed out of the worlde: than was Salomō his sonne made kyng of Israel in his fathers stede, & he put hys truste in phararo the king of Egipt and toke his doughter, and brought her into the Cytie of Dauid, Vpon a time Salomō made sacrifice and offered to Gybeō.a.M Offerynges or sacryfices, that were burned, And thā our lorde made reuelacion to him in his slepe and sayd, Aske what thou wilt, I shall geue it to thee. Than sayd Salomon, I am yet but yonge, and I know not my selfe whych is good or yll, & Salomon thy seruaunt requyreth of the worthy [Page] hert, that he may know this people, and vnderstand what is good and yl. Than sayd our lord for as much as ye haue not desyred longe lyfe, nor ryches nor youre enemyes euyl fare, but for a skylful perseueraūce,: therfore I geue to thee accordyng to thy wordes and desyre, fyrst a skylful heart, in so muche that nō like vnto thee hath not bene to fore thee, nor after thee shal none aryse that shal haue suche a wit as thou hast, And also I geue to thee that, that thou hast not desyred, that is ryches & honour, that there hath bene none a monge the kynges like vnto thee. And Salomon builded wel .xx. yere vpō the house ef god, & of the house of the kynge, and he had therto .ixx.m. laboryng mē yt bare the burthens, & .lxxx M. workemen that layd stones and suche other officers and .iii.m. and .iiii.c. rulers & ouerseers to gouerne the workemen, And the kyng Salomon was greater in riches & in wysdome than were al the kynges that were vpon earth, And all the people of the worlde desyred for to see Salomon, and for to heare of his wysedome that God had gyuen to hym, and euery man brought to him honourable gyftes, as golde, syluer, iewelis, and costely rayment, harneys, and sweet smelling herbes, & horses and mules. But Salomon loued wel outlandy she women, as the doughter of Pharao, the Moabites, the Amonytes, and the Edomytes, the whyche the lord of Israel had forboden saying beware go not to them and let them not come to thee for of a suetti they wyl cause thee to bowe thy heart to theyr god And yet Salomon went to them wyth great loue. And he had .vii.C, women to his wyfes, and, iii,c. cōcubines, and his wyues caused him to apply his hert to straūge goddes, in so muche yt his heart could not be whole wt the lord god, as ye hert of [Page] his father Dauid was, And so Salomon and Amoche went to the god of zydon and to Meicon the god of the Amoytes, and he buylded a house Chamos the God of the Moabites, vpon the mount yt lyeth before Ierusalem, and Moloch god of the Amonites, and Salomon caused all his outlandy she wyues to offre frankensēce to theyr god. And therfore god tooke wrathe vpon hym and departed his kyngdom. Now behold how the most wysest Salomon was deceiued of the women, & howe his hert was seperated from the lord God. Alas who may with stand the deceyte, the flateryng, & the weepyng of women.
❧A new deceyt doone of late at Danswyke in Pruyse.
VPon a tyme it fortuned in the worthy Cytye of Danswyke: that two yonge marchauntes went walkyng together to warde a place called artus gardeyn, whych stoode in the market place, & as they went walkyng: there came a yonge lusty fayre gentyl womā the whych met them, and her mayde wayting vpon her for they came fro the churche, and so one of the yong mē behelde this gentil womā, and said, without aduysemēt to his companion, by my trouth there goeth a fayre we mā by vs, yf that I might lye one nyght by her, I wold spend .l. nobles, the mayde (hearing ye word) sayde vnto her mastres, herken mastres what one of those men sayth, one of the men that passeth by vs said to his companion that he wolde gyue .l, nobles that he myght lye one night wyth you, The wife turned and loked backe warde, and saw that he was a lusty yonge man, & said vnto her mayde, abyde a lytle tyl he be departed frō hys felow, & than aske him if it please him to come to nyght to our house, he shalbe welcome and yet for all that her husband was in the strete. The mayde dyd lyke as her mastres had commaunded her, and she wente vnto the yonge marchaunt whan he was departed fro his felow and sayd to him gentyl yonge man wyl ye yet abyde by the wordes that ye sayd whan the gentylwoman came by you? yes sayd ye yonge marchaunt yet wil I abide bi my worde yf I may obtayne my purpose of yt woman. Than sayd the mayde, if it please you to obtayne your purpose: thā com to night to her house whan the clock hath smytten .vii. For it is the maner in Danswyke yt the moste parte of all the marchaunte men haue supped [Page] at .vii a clocke, and than they goe to Artus gardeyn to drinke and there to take there recreacyon. and somtyme to make bargains with theyr marchandise, so that it is fomtyme late in the night ere that they com home. And thus went this gentilwomans husband to Artus gardeyn at .vii. of the clocke after supper, and thā the yong marchaunt came home to the wife of the house, and she brought hym aboue in a fayre chamber, where she had arayed a costly bed after the goodlyest maner, and there they enbrased eche other with many a freendly kys, and there was geuen the ernest peny vpon theyr marchaundyse. And in short tyme after the yonge man dyd gyue her the .l. nobles wherof she sente one of them for wyne and layde a way the resydue of the money and kept it secretly, and than they dronke the wyne and made good chere, and one began to tother lyke as Venus chyldren should doo, and so they wente to bed together, and there she tooke him in her armes with great loue: seking the floures of nature in the swete rose gardeyne: and in the meane whyle the mayde lay looking out at the window for a spye, wayting the commyng of her mayster, as her mastres had commaunded her. For she knew wel of the marchaundyse that was made betwene the marchaunt and her mastres. ❧And so whā the clocke smote .xi. in the nyght: than came her mayster home, and incontinēt the mayde perceued hym and ran to her mastres, whyche by and by came downe and went to bed in her owne chambre, and whan her husband came to his chamber: hys wyfe lay and routed as thoughe she had ben fast a slepe, and so he put of hys clothes & went to bed to hys wyfe, and she spake in her slepe (as he thought) & sayd, alas husbande why doo ye a wake me so hastely out of [Page] my slepe I lay and slepte sweetly, ye sayd her husband, ye know well that I must come to bed, and so in shorte tyme after she longed for to haue bene aboue agayne, for to renue the good pastaunce, & so she found a subtyl meanes to begyle her husband and sayd, good husband I haue so great luste to slepe, that I wote not what to doo, and also I haue suche a tumblyng in my bely, that I must nedes goe to the preuy house, and I am afrayde that I should fall aslepe vpon the preuy, and than she arose vp from her husbande, and dyd set before the bed a basyn and a stycke in it, and sayde my beste beloued husband, yf that I fall a slepe vpon the preuy. I praye you than knocke vpō the basyn that I may with the noyse therof awake, And her husbande promysed her that he wolde doo her request, and than she went againe aboue where she was ioyfully receiued, for he thought it very longe tyl that she came and her husband had dronk wel in so muche, that incontynent he fel aslepe, and slept tyl in the mornynge at .iiii. a clocke, and than he starte out of his slepe & groped roūde about the bed: but he foūde not his wyfe, of the whych he was a frayde & lept from the bed and smote vpon the basyn in so much that incō tinent his wyfe came running and made her complaint & sayd, alas good husband, I haue suffered very great coulde, for I haue sit al this night sleapyng there vpon the preuy and I drede sore that I shall get a greate sickenes after this colde. And so she went to bed to her husbande and lay there tyl it was fyue of the clocke in the mornyge. And than arose her husband for to goe heare masse and for to doo such thinges as he had for to do. And whan that her husband was gone out, she wente incontynent aboue to her other louer, and there she remayned [Page] tyl that the clocke smote .viii. for than it was lefull for them to aryse and so depart without the knowledge of any body sauyng only the mayde. And so it fortuned whan yt they were departed this youg marchaūt wolde take his iourney toward his house, that was in the cytie of Lubeck in Saxō and tooke his horse & wēt thetherwardes. And vpon the same daye this womans husband rode out of the cytie of Danswyke towarde ye citie Lubecke & so whā that he had ryden a whyle vppon hys iourney: he looked vp and saw a horse man ride afore hym and whan that he had seene hym: he desyred gladly for to haue company, and rode the faster tyll that he had ouer taken the other man that rode afore hym, and so whan he had ouer taken him they rode together, and than the elder mā sayde to the yonge marchaunt I pray you tel me some newes or els of youre chaunces for to shorte our way wythall. Than sayde the yonge marchaūt there is no chaunce fortuned to me and therfore I can tel none. Than sayde the marchaunt I haue maruayle of yt, for in the cytie of Danswyke the yonge merchaunt men get many straūge chaūces, for the marchaunces be comenly olde men, and haue for the moste parte yonge lusty wyfes the wyhche haue more worke in their shoppes than theyr husbandes may wel awaye wyth all, in so muche that they borowe nowe and than a lofe of you or of suche other. Than sayd the marchaunt by cockes bones there is a prety chaunce fortuned to me of late of a Marchauntes wyfe, and so he vp and tolde him al the story of the woman and how it was brought to passe, and of the mayde, & of the bason, lyke as is expressed afore, The good man heard him tell his tale and was not well contente thereof in hys mynde [Page] and thought in him selfe, that al chose thynges were fortunate to hym selfe but he laught therwith. And whan that they had rydon a lytle forther: the marchaunt held styl with his horse, and sayd, alas it is wrong with me for I should ryde to Lubeck for money, & I haue forgot tē my pryncipall oblygacyō yt I should requyre my money wythall, & therfore I must nedes returne home wardes again, & if ye haue no great busines: I require you that ye wyll bere me companye to my house, and I wyll paye for your costes and for your horse, & make you the best chere that I can, Thā sayd the yong marchaunt, if I can doo you any pleasure: I wil be glad to beat your commaundemēt. And so they tooke theyr iourney back warde agayne and rode home and came in at the back syde of the marchauntes house, and came in at the horse stable, so yt the yong man knew nat the house and than they went forth into the house, whereas they founde ye good wyfe syttyng, the whych he beheld & knew wel in so muche that he was astonyed and sayde to hym selfe. Alas what haue I done, for it is not wel now, but if I had kept my teth before my tongue: thā had I done wel but there is no remedy it is doone, & that yt is sayd: cannot be called agayn, for it is said, and so must it be. And whan that they were with the wyfe, than sayd her husband, wife take money and go to market & bye vs some good meat, for I bryng here wyth me a good frende, the which I wyll make good there to night. But god knoweth the wyfe was not wel cōtent wt that frende to com in such maner. But not wstandyng ye wife must obey the cōmaundemēt of her husband. And whā it was nyght: the meat was redy, than the good man tooke hys gest and set them downe at the table, and there thei were well [Page] but the wyfe went about the house and came not to supper, in so muche yt her husbande was amoued with her and bad her that she shoulde come and syt by hym, the whych she did at ye last, & was sore ashamed. The good man made his geast the best chere yt he could: and dronke eche to other plenty of wyne. And so whan that the supper was doone and the meat taken from the table: than he commaunded hys seruaunt and one of the maydens to depart out of the chambre, and the other mayde that knewe of the bargaine: remayned styll in the chambre, and than he caused the chamber doore to be locked, and sayd with a loude voyce, Is here no honestly? for he that byteth hys nose of, shameth hys fate, and so it is wyth me, for yf I shame my wife: I shame my selfe. And than he sayd to his wyfe. My wyfe ye be to costly for to be my wyfe yf ye cā wyn one night .l. nobles: for thā wolde I hastely or ī short tyme spend al my goodes. The wyfe sayd that is not trew, than was her husband angri and said. Gothy wayes and fetche me hether the money, for God hath sent me ynoughe & also I wyl haue no suche money in my house. Thā the wife went with a moued myned, and did fetche the money and layd it to fore her husband vpon the table, and he tooke it and cold it, and there was .xlix. nobles. And thā he demaunded the yōg man sayinge, is thys thy money? no sayd the yong man but it was once my money. Than said his hoste, put it in thy purse. Than the hoste had yet some syluer money that was remayning of the noble, yt was chaunged for the wyne. And thā sayd the host, yet not withstanding ye labour must be payd, what shal I geue thy wife for her labour? Than sayd the yong man mine host, that I put to your good iudgement. Than sayd the hoste, she shal [Page] haue for her parte a payre of shewes & a payre of Slippers, and the mayde that kept the watche shall haue a payre of slyppers, and the mynstrell that playde vpon the basyn at the fockynge shal haue for hys parte a pot of wyne, And so the host gaue eche his money the whiche they must receyue. And than Iohn Iohn the boste that was mynstrell gaue hys parte fyrst of all and sente for the wyne and dronke and made good chere, and that that yet remayned of hys moneye: he gaue it agayne to the yonge man and said, holde take this and make good there therwyth to nyght, and goe to morowe where it please you, I requyre you that ye come here no more. And yf ye haue founde anye good fortune: I praye you be secret of your tounge and make no wordes of it for that yt is doone: must so remayne for there is none other remedy. And so the yonge man rode the next mornynge hys waye and was very glad of hys chaunce. Now ye maye see what that women can brewe. Now be holde ye ryche men of great power, & also yonge men the whych haue takē vpon you great busines & take a good hede hardely of false and subtle womē. But alas who is it that can take hede? for scripture fayth that a man shal seldō fynde an honest woman, or a worthy woman. For there standeth wryttē. Mulietem fortē quis inuentet? procul hic. &c. who is that, yt may fynde a strong honest womā or a substancy all honest woman, farre from hence or at the ende of the worlde. Thus euery man that wyl be sure: he may abstaine the face of women and the conuersacyon, theyr company, and beyng wyth them.
¶An olde deceyte doone of olde tyme.
THe seruauntes of Herode were sente forthe: and haue take saynt Iohn & brought him to ye gayle & there set him fast in pryson for Herodias sake. And Herodias layde agaynst him many thinges & wold haue beheded him, but they coulde not brynge it to passe, and Herod drad Iohn, for he knew wel that he was a Prophete and a holy man, and tooke great heed to him and was obedient to him in many causes, and also he hero him gladlye. And so it fortuned vpon a day yt he madi a great supper for his gentyles & principal states of Galyle. Than cam in the doughter of Herodyas & daūced of the whiche kynge Herode and they that were at hys table tooke great pleasure therin. And incontinent said [Page] kyng Herode to Herodias doughter and sayd, desyre of me what it please you and I wyl giue it you. and with that he swore an other & sayd, what soeuer that ye wyll desyre: I wyll geue it you, ye to halfe my realme to, thā sayd her mother to her, desyre and aske the head of Iohn baptyst And than incontinent she went to the kyng, in great hast, and sayd, I wyl that ye geue to me incontynent the hed of Iohn baptyst in a platter Thā was the kyng very sord wfull and so for hys othe sake, & for the company that were at his table: he wolde not that she should desyre in vayne but gaue to her her desyre, And incontinent the kyng sent the hangman to the pryson, and caused him to hed Iohn baptyst & brought ye hed in a platter and gaue it the doughter, and the doughter gaue it forthwyth to her mother. Now behold how yt ye holy prophet Iohn baptyst lost his hed & lyfe thorow the cause & falsed of the mischeuous womā Herodias Beholde what myschyef and what maruaylous thynges that women can bryng to passe,
¶A new decyte doone of late of a❧ Ialowsy man that wolde not very well trust hys wyfe.❧
[Page]THere was in Italy a well learned man the which had a fayre yonge floure to hys wyfe. This man had for the moste parte red all the practyces of the womē how that they were wont to deceyue their husbādes and therfore he wolde not well trust hys wyfe, and also he thought that he wolde take good heed, and to be wel ware that he wolde not be deceyued with suche deceyte and that perchaunce that his wyfe would spyn yl yarne like as many wiues had serued their husbandes before And so he abode in his ialousy wel .iii. or .iiii. yere in so much that his wyfe myght neuer be out of his presence but al wayes she must be by hym, without that she went to the churche for to here masse, & incontynent to come home agayne. And alwayes whan she went to church she had an olde woman bi her, as it is the maner in Italye, the whiche tooke heed to her. And so it fortuned vppon a tyme that a yonge lustye man harde tell of the rule and how that the fayre gentyl woman was troublede of her husbande with the fore named ialousy, And so yt fortuned vpon a tyme that thys yonge lusty man came and met with this fayre gentylwoman, and spake to her secretly saying or tellynge to her his good wyll and intent and made his complaint with heuy sighes to her that she maryed suche a Ialouse man. And he sayde to her that he loued her aboue all the women that were in the worlde, and shewed her what that he wold doo for her loue, and sayd yf that it pleased you I wyl write it to you in a letter, for because that I may talke nolenger with you, yf I wyst that my symple seruyce that cometh out of a good free hart should not be disdained nor put besyde but accepted, and that my labour be not spente in vayne, and that my hande be not ydle occupyde. And [Page] whan the gentilwoman heard these wordes of the yōge gentyl man and marked them well how that they were made with a good wyl and wyth greate desyre. And for because that ye olde trotte stode so nygh by her: she gaue the yonge man no good answere nor yet no louynge token, but she was contente & desyred wyth good heart and mynde for to see the letter & for to rede it. ❧Than the yonge man tooke hys leue wyth a glad chere for the fayre gentylwoman gaue hym a freendly farewell. And so whan he was departed: the olde trotte that stoode behynde her, demaunded what he wolde wyth her: Than answered her mastres and said he brought me tidinges of my mother, of the whyche I am very glad, for she is yet in good health and is mery thanked be god. And so they went homewarde, And the next day whan the gentyl womā went to churche: her louer came and met wyth her and had made a freendlye and a louynge letter the whyche he put preuely in her hande that the olde trotte knew nothing therof, And whā she was secretly alone: she opened the letter and dyd rede howe depelye that he was taken in the loue of her and wythout that she wolde shewe grace to hym: he shoulde suffre death, and desyred her hertely that it might remayne secretly, and that his loue might growe in her like as the loue of her dyd growe in hym. And whan the gentyll woman had red his letter: she tooke compassyon vpon hym for her hette brenned in the loue of hym, and wolde gladly haue spoken with him, to the ende that his loue should not haue ben vnrewarded, but she was so sharply watched that she could not speake to hym, for she might not go one foote out of her house, but whā that she went vnto churche and thā had she auoide totheles whore that [Page] tooke hede to her and neuer went from her. This yonge man the next daye dyd clothe hym in an other taymence and came and met wyth the gentylwoman the whyche knew him wel, and she passed so nygh by him: that she tooke hym her letter in his hād so priuely that no body sawe it, and he louingly receiued it and dylygently rede it, in the whiche he founde whole contracte and cōpacte in so muche that they lacked nothinge but time & place And so he was very glad of the confortable letter that he had of her. And so he wente to a good frende of hys whyche dwelt in the way as shewent to churchward, and shewed her all the bondage of his heart how he was set in the loue of her, desyrynge her that she wolde helpe hym in hys cause, and in tyme commynge for to doo as muche for her gayne, & so she promysed hym for to helpe hym as muche as lay in her power for to doo, whan he hearde that: he thanked her and sayd be ye content that I may speake priuely with her in your house: yea said the wyfe, speake wyth her as longe as it pleaseth you if it please her for to come in my house, for I wyll be gladde to shewe you all the pleasure that I can. Than was the yonge man very glad and wrote a letter to his louer in whyche letter was conteyned this folowing. O my most fayrest and gracious louer & comfort of my heart, ye hope of my entent & mynde, the whyche hath so strōgly caught my heart in the snare of your loue, for ye be among al womē the most gracius the most comliest and one that nature hath not forgotten, please it you to wytte howe that I your worthy seruaunt haue a secrete freend the whiche knoweth you well. And so she knoweth what a foule vyllayne that ye haue to youre husband she dwelleth in the way as ye goe to church warde [...] [Page] and wyth your licence I wil be there in ye one for mere chābers in straunge clothes yt no body shal know me, & I wil haue by me a kettell of water mingled wt asshes & whā yt ye come therby, I wil pore it vpō your clothes And whan ye be thus fouled? ye shall take it scornefully, and go into ye house for to make you cleane, & than ye shal sende your keper home for other rayment, and in the meane seasō we wil talke together of our loue, whā she had red thys letter: she wrote to hī againe yt she was content wt al such thinges as he had writtē to her. And the next day as she should go to ye church warde: her typet, her raile, her gowne, & al her clothes were al arayed wt asshes & water, and than was this gentilwomā angry and sore amoued, & so wēt into ye house as yf she had bene ashamed, but it was but her countenaūce, and thā her keper tooke a knife & scraped her gowne, as she thought it best. Then sayd the gentyl woman (no no) let it alone for we doo labour in vaine, for it wil not be incontinent cleane. And therfore seynge there is no remedy: run quyckly home & fetche me another gowne: a typet, and a taile, & come quickly agayn, yt we lese not our masse. And thus is the olde trotte gon home for other clothes, and incōtinent ye gentyl womā wēt aboue to her swete hert, of the whiche she was louingly receyned, and kissed her sweetly, and louingly embraced eche other, and there was loue by loue, & there loue spake to loue a longe tyme together. And whan her keper came home wythout her maistres: thā her mayster demaūded of her where she had left his wyfe. Than sayde the olde trot gent: I mayster we haue had a greate mysfortune, and so she vp & tolde him all yt was fortuned: and therfore I [...]ū for another gowne, & for another typpet for [Page] my mastres is ashamed for to goo so in the strete. Than sayd her mayster is it of a truthe? her keper sayde syr it is as I haue shewed you. Than sayde her mayster goo to thy mastres, for I know well what it is. For I haue redde of muche deceyte, myschefe and manye subtil wayes that woman haue to begyle their husbandes wythal, but thys subtyl meanes I neuer saw nor red afore this tyme. And therfore he fel in gret melancholy and dyed in short tyme after, for because that he had studied so longe in vayne and for because that he was so falselye deceyued and by such subtyll meanes. And therfore euery man take heede to his wyfe and beware of deceytfulnes.
❧An olde deceyte doone in olde tyme.
THe stronge and worthy Hercules was ouercome in all hys power and strength throughe the loue of a yonge maide, the fayre Yole yt kynges doughter of Calido ny in ye whiche the worthiest of the worlde could not ouercom & bryng hī to shame. This kyng her father had promysed Hercules that hys doughter Yole should be hys wyfe, the whyche in short tyme after he repented, of the whyche Hercules was very wroth, and tooke warre agaynst the kyng and ouercame hym, and tooke all the countrey with the fayre yole the whych he so entyrely loued. But yole the whyche thought more vpon the death of her father than on the loue of Hercules vnder a colour of false loue and with subtil meanes smylyng and with flatteryng wordes: hath drawē Hercules to such great loue, yt she caused him for to do what it pleased her and so she hath caused hym for to do lay a way his yron staffe, wherwith he was wont for to rule the stronge mosters and beastes wythall. She caused hym for to lay a way the lyons skynne and caused him to be clothed wt soft clothes of sylke, she caused hym for to were a crowne of to semary vpon his head, and goldē tynges vpon his fyngers, his rough here was kembed and after the best maner trymmed, & set a crowne vpon his hed and other costly ornamentes suche as the maydens and women dyd were. She caused hys toughe berde to be anoynted with costlye oyle of Cypres,
Thys yole was well feene in deceite & thought in her selfe that it was more laudable to deceiue such a grosse stronge man wyth aduoutry, than to kyl hym wyth the sword of myschyef, and so to reuenge her fathers death [Page] yet (to the dishonour of ye worthy Hercules, she caused hym for to gyue hym selfe to womēs busynes and ydlenes, in so muche that he went and sate among the womē and tolde ryddels and fortunes as the chyldren did, and fate and spon yarne at the dystaffe as the women dyd.
❧Now beholde how the worthy Hercules is brought to femynyne workes thorough the deceyt of yole to his vtter confusyon, the whych was wont to be so manly in all his feares. Now beholde, what myschyefe, what maruayles and what foly shites that the false and subtil women can brynge to passe, yea that semeth vnpossyble for to be, that can they doo and bryng to passe.
¶A new deceyte doone of late.
IN the Ereledom of Henegou dwelt a riche marehaūt the which had a fayre honeste yonge woman to hys wyfe, which marchaunt was most part from home for because of his marchaundyse, the whiche is not good for yonge womē for women be nyce and slypper, & specyally whā they seldome see yt they loue, for than lightly truneth there minde. Like as it fortuned wyth this marchaūtes wyfe, for the long beyng forth of her husbande was the cause that her hert was set a fyre in the loue of an other yonge man, with the which she had had longe her pastyme secretly. And this marchaunte had an vncle the which dwelt ouer agaynst him and saw euery night whan the marchaunt was out of towne, an other came to his house and sawe him goo oute in the mornynge agayne. And so when his vncle had seene thys manye tymes / he wente and shewed the marchant what rule that his wyfe kept whan he was from home aboute hys profyt, for whā he rode in colde and in rayne, his wyfe laye wyth an other yonge man dalieng in the bed, whan the marchaunt heard of this, he was not wel contente and so it fortuned vpon a tune the marchaunt was at home and shortly made him redy and caused his horse to be sadled, and sayd that he wolde ride a greate iourney, and yt it wolde be longe ere that he came agayne, & soo he gaue his wite charge of his house, and that she should se that all thinges were wel and in good order. And in the mornyng erly the marchūt tooke hys iourney and rode forthe, and in the euening whan it was somwhat darke he came home into the citie agayne, and set his horse in a stable by and by, and than came to his vncles house for [Page] to know ye trouth, and for to watche ye wower to whome his wyfe had sende worde that her husband was oute of the towne. And whan that the clocke had smytten .ix. the yonge man cā walkyng vp & downe before the marchaū tes house, watyng if there came any body to the doore, and so the yonge man wente walkynge vp & downe to & fro .ii. or .iii. tymes before the marchauntes house. The marchaūt seing that, boldly went forth on his vnckles house and came to the yong mā & sayd, My mastres sayd that ye shal go with me here behynd in the barne & there ye shal abyde for a seasō, for perchaūce that our mayster come agayne, & so he tooke the yong man & brought him preuely to the barne and locked the doore fast yt he coulde not come out. And than he went out at the bake side and came home agayn to his vncles house, and said ye mouse is in the trap what is now beste to be doone? Than saide his vncles wife, go and fetche her frendes, that they may see what an honest wife yt ye haue. And then the marchaūt went and fet his wiues father and mother & her two brothers and two of her systers, & caused them al for to come to his vncles house, & there he shewed vnto them what a false hore yt he had to his wife & how that he hadde locked her wower in the barne that he coulde not come out, and there desyred her freendes that they wolde helpe to kyll the false knaue, the whiche they all together yt were present promised for to doo. And the meane whyle that the marchaunt went for to get her freendes together, the gentyl woman his wife wente oute and walked too and fro, for to looke for her louer and so as she wente vp and downe, she came to fore the barne vnknowen to her that her louer was there, and whan that he hearde that there [Page] was one about the barne, he encouraged hym selfe and sayde, who is there? the gentyl womā (his wyfe beinge al a frayde āswered & sayd I am here your louer, howe cam ye hether? The yongmā sayd, your seruaūt brought me hether, & sayd yt ye sayd yt I should tary here, for perchaūce yt your husbond should come to night agayn. Alas sayd his wife, yt is not so, I am afrayd it hath bene my husbād. Thā sayd the yongemā, let me out or els I wyll breke the barne, Thā sayd yt gētilwomā I require yt do not so, for thā were I vtterly dishonested & vtterly shamed for euer, & she could not let him out for she had not the key, & so she went shortly into the house & there she foūde a būdel of olde keyes, & amonge ye same keyes she foūde a key yt opened the barne dore, & so she let out her louer, & in the same barne she wēt & set an asse for to saue her honesty, & than locked the barne fast agayne, & wyth a kysse they departed from thēs & went to his rest And whan that all her freendes were assembled in hys vncles house than they toke wyth them burnynge torches and other lyghtes, and so thei came before the marchauntes doore wyth halberdes & swordes and knocked at the doore, & incontinent the gentylwomā let them in & maruayled greatly and sayd, O my freend, what meneth this yt ye come so late here by night. And incōtinēt the marchaunt her husband tooke his fist and beate her that her nose and mouth ran a bloud, & said thou whore thou shalt know anon wherfore. And so forth they wēt al together to the barne and there they stoode wyth halberdes and naked swordes for to kyll the yonge man wt all. And the marchaunt sayde to his wyfe vnlocke the barne. The gentylwoman sayd, I neuer had the key, the key hath euermore bē wt your keyes. And thā he fet hys [Page] keyes & vnlocked the barne. And whā the asse saw all the light: he cryed very dredfully, in so much yt they wer afrayde, & saw yt it was an asse that stoode there of the whiche the frendes were sore amoued and sayd, yu art a foule knaue & a ribalde & a dishonester of womē & fals lieng traytour, and yf he had not ron a way: her two fysters wolde haue killed him. And the marchaunt seing yt was whole ashamed & wist not what to say, but sought for grace and mercy. And so after that: they ledde theyr life in peace and concorde, And the betrayer was euer more hated & so if one see & know any suche thinges, let him holde hys peace & be styl, & let goddes water go ouer goddes lande and than ye shall haue no mysse thanke.
¶The conclusyon,
I Should haue wryttē much more of the deceite of womē, for there was ye wtout nūber in the penne And for bycause that it should not be to redyous for the reder, and that the women should not be dyscōtent, and also it is agaynst my owne harte, for the conuersacion of the women is so swete, so louely and so delectable to beholde, for without women may none be full made, further, there as is no women is none made. Also besyde yt (as we finde wryttē, the face and beauty of the women kyndeleth the hart of man. Therfore all ye good honest women, and vyrgins be not myscontent, for yt I haue wryttē heere is of the vntrew and noughty hariots, the whych seeke nothing but good chere, and concupyscēce of the fleshe, the whych is the way to hel, from the whiche our mercyful lorde Iesu Christ defende vs. Amen,