sig: [A1] | |
¶The spectacle of louers. | |
¶Here-after foloweth a lytell contrauers dyalogue bytwene loue and councell / with many goodly argumentes of good women and bad / very compendyous to all estates / newly compyled by Wyllyam_Walter seruaunt vnto syr Henry_Marnaye knyght Chauncelour of the Duchye of Lancastre. | |
sig: [A1v] | |
¶Here begynneth the prologue of the auctoure. |
|
FOr-as-moche as ydelnesse is rote of all vyces | |
Whom to eschue the wyse man dothe vs counsayle | |
I therfore entende with some maner of besynesse | |
Agaynst the same that I myght preuayle | |
5 | Recorde of Phylosepher whiche maketh rehersayle |
Better it is to wryte and some-thynge for to saye | |
Than in slouthe and ydelnesse to spende the tyme awaye | |
¶And thus thynkynge my mynde for to apply | |
To make some-thynge for my recreacyon | |
10 | It came to my remembraunce to shewe and notyfy |
Betwene a louer and me the greate alteracyon | |
Of his peteous complaynt makynge demonstracyon | |
The answeres agayne there-vnto replyenge | |
In maner of argument togyder dysputynge | |
15 | ¶Wherfore I requyre you with humble petycyon |
This my poore werke to take agreable | |
And there-as is amysse to make reformacyon | |
From mesure and good makynge whiche is so varyable | |
Lette ygnoraunce excuse my faute reprouable | |
20 | Whiche made it not for ony presumpcyon |
But onely for pastyme and recreacyon | |
¶Finis. |
|
sig: A2 | |
IN a mornynge for my recreacyon | |
In-to the feldes as I went walkynge | |
To beholde the grounde I had delectacyon | |
Arayed with floures fayre and swete-smellynge | |
5 | The trees buddynge and the byrdes syngyng |
Phebus his beames shynynge lyke the golde | |
Made my herte ioye suche pleasures to beholde | |
¶And as I was thus walkynge all alone | |
By an herber I herde ryght sodeynly | |
10 | A louer that pyteously made his mone |
Sayenge alas for sorowe I shall dye | |
Uenus darte hath wounded me so cruelly | |
Without I maye my purpose soone attayne | |
For sorowe my herte wyll breke in twayne | |
15 | ¶O goddesse of loue that hath the sygnory |
Of all creatures attende to my petycyon | |
Enclyne my lady that she do apply | |
To my desyre by thyne instygacyon | |
That loue in her maye haue suche operacyon | |
20 | That our two wylles togyder maye be knyt |
For as a prysoner to her I me submyt | |
¶Alas how greate sorowe it is and payne | |
To lyue in drede alwaye Imagynynge | |
How her good grace that I myght attayne | |
25 | In thought and pensyfnesse alwaye desyrynge |
At a good ende my purpose for to brynge | |
Thus do I lyue bytwene hope and drede | |
Somtyme trustynge / and somtyme not to spede | |
sig: [A2v] | |
¶Whan her noble person fyrst I dyd beholde | |
30 | The souenaunce of her beaute my herte so enbraced |
That my coloure chaunged / my blode waxed colde | |
Loue there my herte and wyll togyder enterlaced | |
So fyrmely that neuer it can be defaced | |
But as her true louer to loue her pardurable | |
35 | Whiche for no chaunce shall be founde varyable |
¶Alas good lady holde me excused | |
Yf I desyre the / whiche I am vnworthy | |
Loue had my herte so greatly abused | |
Aboue all other to loue you specyally | |
40 | To my harde fortune I can no-wyse reply |
But to submyt me vnto your grace and wyll | |
It is at your pleasure to saue or to spyll | |
Wherfore good lady With pyte do entende | |
Into your handes As a prysonere | |
45 | Loue hath me brought Lette loue my care amende |
Lose not his lyfe That loueth you so dere | |
In thought and care Euer I stande in fere | |
Alas swete lady Remembre my greate payne | |
Mercy I aske Do not my loue dysdayne | |
50 | ¶By her loue my mynde is solycyted |
That slepynge nor wakynge I am in quyetnesse | |
But in ymagynacyons and thoughtes greatly turmented | |
My coloure is faded / my mynde for heuenesse | |
Is greatly oppressed / my body for werynesse | |
55 | And lacke of sustenaunce is so weyke of nature |
That without her pyte / it maye not longe endure | |
sig: A3 | |
¶Whan that I do her beaute contemplayre | |
Her noble vertue / her goodly countenaunce | |
Who that dame nature / hath made so passynge fayre | |
60 | Than am I supprysed with her remembraunce |
As a man that were all in a traunce | |
Enflamed with the hote brennynge fyre | |
Of loue / that nothynge may slake my greate desyre | |
¶I wolde Iesu she had the prerogatyfe | |
65 | That she knewe the thoughtes of al creatures humayne |
Than sholde she knowe what a bytter lyfe | |
I lede for her / so myght she not refrayne | |
But for pyte release me out of payne | |
And by her loue to conforte me restore | |
70 | For there is nothynge that I desyre so sore |
¶Alas how am I thus greatly abused | |
That my mynde to her dare not expresse | |
For yf she sholde ones haue me refused | |
Alwaye in sorowe I sholde lyue confortlesse | |
75 | Ones must she knowe my cause of heuynesse |
Or of my purpose I shall nothynge attayne | |
But thus styll my fortune to complayne | |
¶O how greate ioye sholde my herte enbrace | |
Yf that my lady of her femynyne pyte | |
80 | Wolde me accept in-to her specyall grace |
That togyder in maryage vnyed we myght be | |
Than were I brought from care to felycyte | |
Well myght I saye my loue were not in vayne | |
Syth her goodly person that I dyd optayne | |
sig: [A3v] | |
85 | ¶Often-tymes I haue ben purposed |
My pyteous sorowe to her to declare | |
But whan my loue I sholde haue dysclosed | |
Despayre byddeth me for to beware | |
Lest by dysdayne I were brought in care | |
90 | Desyre my mynde than greatly dothe auaunce |
Of my fortune to knowe the fynall chaunce | |
¶Thus haue I lyued alwaye languysshynge | |
In varyaunce bytwene loue / hope and drede | |
With pensyfe thoughtes alwaye ymagynynge | |
95 | Of my purpose how that I myght spede |
And yf I sholde be vnreguardoned | |
For the loue that I to her do bere | |
Thus am I alwaye put in thought and fere | |
¶O cruell loue O loue insacyable | |
100 | What haue I offended to be thus troubled |
By the cruell dartes of desyre intollerable | |
Whiche hath my herte so greatly abused | |
With contynuall care to be thus tourmented | |
That at no tyme I am in ony rest | |
105 | But by desyre and fere alwaye opprest |
¶Cursed be ye my cruell eyes twayne | |
Whiche haue perfyxed my mynde so desyrous | |
That my herte in no wyse can refrayne | |
But of my lady for to be amorous | |
110 | Ye haue me wounded with paynes dolorous |
Of sorowe and care that persed hath my herte | |
Without her conforte my lyfe wyll soone departe | |
sig: [A4] | |
¶Consultor. |
|
¶Whan that I herde hym thus pyteously complayne | |
My herte for pyte sorowed inwardly | |
115 | And for to cause hym his sorowe to refrayne |
With wordes of conforte I dyd my mynde apply | |
For in trouble there is no better remedy | |
Than to a frende for to dysclose his sore | |
For sorowe close-kepte engendreth more and more | |
120 | ¶Wherfore these wordes to hym dyd I saye |
Why do ye thus pyteously lament | |
Conforte your-selfe yf that ye maye | |
Or elles ryght soone ye wyll repent | |
For where-as sorowe on sorowe dothe augment | |
125 | In processe of tyme thynke it as no wonder |
But that it wyll perse your herte asonder | |
¶Amator. |
|
¶He loked on me with face pale and wan | |
His face dyscouered his wofull heuynesse | |
Alas he sayd I am a wofull man | |
130 | That by loue am brought in-to dystresse |
I loue and dare not my loue to her expresse | |
That hath my herte hoolly in her cure | |
Meruayle it is that I maye this woo endure | |
¶I loue a lady whose beauty dothe excell | |
135 | Lyke as aurora all other sterres in lyght |
Of her noble vertue the trewthe I can not tell | |
Nature and fortune hath gyuen her that myght | |
Her noble beaute hath persed so my syght | |
Enflamynge my herte by desyre contynuall | |
140 | That vnto loue I am made bonde and thrall. |
sig: [A4v] | |
¶Consultor. |
|
¶Suche dysordynat loue / procedeth of ydelnesse | |
To beholde women / hauynge delectacyon | |
Whiche by contynuaunce / dothe more and more encrese | |
Encensynge theyr myndes / by besy Imagynacyon | |
145 | To fynde the crafte / and operacyon |
To brynge poore women / in-to suche dotage | |
In theyr loue / that they myght madde and rage | |
¶Some to theyr louers / tokyns do sende | |
Other delyte them / in goodly apparell | |
150 | Some other in wrytynge / theyr louers do commende |
And by false promyses procure them to do yll | |
Other lewde tales / of rybaudry to tell | |
And to hote meates and drynkes women desyre | |
By suche prouocacyon / to set theym on a_fyre | |
155 | ¶Thus do they dayly / and study in theyr mynde |
How folysshe women / that they myght abuse | |
And yf by chaunce / ony suche they fynde | |
Than for a tyme / they wyll them haunt and vse | |
And for an-other / soone after theym refuse | |
160 | They do not care / how many they begyle |
For suche madde loue lasteth but a whyle | |
¶Amator. |
|
¶What man is he / that wolde hym-selfe abstayne | |
From beholdynge of so noble a creature | |
Or what is he that wolde not take greate payne | |
165 | Yf that he myght / to purchase suche a treasure |
Whiche myght be moost / to his synguler pleasure | |
God neuer created thynge / vnder the fyrmament | |
So noble as woman / nor to man more conuenyent | |
sig: B1 | |
¶And where-as ye saye men haue great delectacyon | |
170 | To dysdayne women by some subtyll trayne |
And to be mutable of theyr dysposycyon | |
Trouthe it is / trewe loue wyll neuer stayne | |
But to be stedfast / trewe / faythfull and playne | |
Though some entende to women to do shame | |
175 | All trewe louers of theym are not to blame |
¶Consultor. |
|
¶Trewe loue / nay nay / madde loue men may it call | |
A foole is he / he can it not deny | |
Where he is free to make hym bonde and thrall | |
In louynge a woman with herte so stedfastly | |
180 | Whiche by his loue in no meane can apply |
Yet from her loue he can hym not refrayne | |
Though that he knewe his loue spent in vayne | |
¶Suche is the condycyon of louers impacyent | |
That do desyre / that they may not attayne | |
185 | Whiche to theyr degrees is not equiualent |
Yet by reason they can not theym refrayne | |
But of theyr possybylyte to complayne | |
Of the dyffycultye they seke no remedy | |
Bothe counsell and shame they vtterly deny | |
¶Amator. |
|
190 | ¶Why sholde not men loue women in theyr mynde |
Syth that brute beestes do loue theyr semblable | |
All-thynge is gouerned by nature and by kynde | |
And syth that nature in beestes is so stable | |
Why sholde not a man / a creature reasonable | |
195 | Loue a woman syth nature dothe hym bynde |
Wolde ye haue men erre agaynst theyr kynde | |
sig: [B1v] | |
¶We louers haue alway suche harde chaunce | |
Some for to loue ferre vnder theyr degre | |
Or theym-selfe more greatly do auaunce | |
200 | We neuer be at our owne lyberte |
To haue respecte vnto the qualyte | |
Nature hathe vs in suche subieccyon | |
There to loue / where we ought not of reason | |
¶Loue her I wyll whyle my lyfe shall last | |
205 | What-so-euer therof / here-after shall ensewe |
My herte and wyll shall euer be stedfast | |
Her onely to loue / as a louer trewe | |
Reason nor counsell / my mynde can not subdewe | |
No shame it is to loue in honeste | |
210 | Though that she passe ferre aboue my degre |
¶Consultor. |
|
¶What man is so madde to loue his ennemy | |
Whiche dayly putteth hym to suche encombraunce | |
That at no tyme he can rest quyetly | |
Nor many tymes take bodyly sustenaunce | |
215 | But leseth his colour / and mysspendeth his substaunce |
His credence / his vertue and all his good name | |
For suche madde loue / wyse men wyll hym dyffame | |
¶Suche vyces ensue madde louers comynly | |
They are suspicyous and theym do deedly hate | |
220 | That with theyr louers vse to company |
And with theym often fyght / chyde and debate | |
Moche myschefe ensueth / they be infortunate | |
Now in / now out / this is theyr condycyon | |
Some lose theyr lyfe / some theyr wyt and reason | |
sig: B2 | |
¶Amator. |
|
225 | ¶Of a noble herte procedeth gentylnesse |
Wolde ye haue me my louer to dysdayne | |
Though she be parte of my greate heuynesse | |
I am chefe grounde of my mortall payne | |
Though I her loue she can me not refrayne | |
230 | Why sholde I her for my mysfortune blame |
Syth I my-selfe am chefe cause of the same | |
¶It was neuer my purpose wyll nor mynde | |
By suche mysgouernaunce my-selfe to abuse | |
No false susspeccyons in me shall she fynde | |
235 | For by good cause my loue she myght refuse |
Yf that therin I myght me not excuse | |
Tho[u]gh I her loue / yet wyll I not go madde | |
Nor lose my lyfe / my wyt is not so badde | |
¶I meruayle that ye loue so despyse | |
240 | Whiche of hertely kyndnesse is engendred |
Nature a man there-vnto dothe entyse | |
Of myrthe and pleasure it dothe also procede | |
Frendshyp and charyte there-with-all agrede | |
Rancoure and malyce it destroyeth vtterly | |
245 | All-thynge by it dothe growe and multyply |
¶Loue dothe quycken euery mannes herte | |
It prouoketh the mynde to pleasure and lustynesse | |
Slouthe and sadnesse it causeth to departe | |
Strength and manhode by it dothe encresse | |
250 | It hateth penury / it loueth largesse |
Loue causeth a man to haue delyte and pleasure | |
With a woman to do the course of nature | |
sig: [B2v] | |
¶Consultor. |
|
¶For-asmoche as ye be taken in the snare | |
Therfore ye do loue more greatly auaunce | |
255 | But in loue there is sorowe and care |
It consumeth a man by space and contynuaunce | |
The lenger ye loue the more is your greuaunce | |
Loue brenneth theym so with her cruell fyre | |
The more they take the more they do desyre | |
260 | ¶Theyr laughters ben shorte theyr mournynges are longe |
Full lytell ioye but syghes many and greate | |
In plente of sorowe small pleasure is amonge | |
Anger and trouble theyr hertes dothe ofte frete | |
Slepynge nor wakynge they be in quyete | |
265 | In thought and desyre they brenne feruently |
Suche dolefull payne they suffre wylfully | |
¶Amator. |
|
¶Loue is not so as ye haue made reporte | |
Women to men are moost profytable | |
Theyr wordes and beaute dothe men greate conforte | |
270 | Theyr kysses and lokes are moche delectable |
To myrthe and ioye they be agreable | |
Where that woman be / there is greate solace | |
Happy is he that maye attayne theyr grace | |
¶We wylfull louers do lyue pleasauntly | |
275 | To vs by kynde it is appropryed |
Somtyme to suffer sorowe pacyently | |
And in ioye agayne to be exalted | |
A thynge harde-wonne shall better be loued | |
He that wyll not suffre suche lytell payne | |
280 | Is not worthy suche pleasure to attayne |
sig: B3 | |
¶Consultor. |
|
¶O foolysshe louer / false is thy sentence | |
To thynke thy payne / to be to the pleasure | |
For well thou doest knowe / by experyence | |
That loue thy reason hath made dull and obscure | |
285 | That wyll thou or not / this payne thou must endure |
Loue hath the made / for to be agast | |
That wysedome and vertue / is clerely from the past | |
¶Ye louers delyte / in slouthe and sadnesse | |
In-stede of myrthe / ye syghe contynually | |
290 | Despare dothe ofte encrese your heuynesse |
Ye be also troubled by Ialousy | |
By suche meanes / ye be brought in fransy | |
In ydell thoughtes / and slombres of the nyght | |
Suche is to you / greate pleasure and delyght | |
¶Amator. |
|
295 | ¶To se you contynue in erroure I meruayle |
What man is so constaunt / in his lyuynge | |
But loue and nature / shall hym ofte assayle | |
With women to haue / theyr bodyly lykynge | |
In age / wysedome / and beaute florysshynge | |
300 | I trowe none can be founde in ony place |
But that loue hath / or shall his herte embrace | |
¶To beholde women / so fayre and swete of vysage | |
Theyr colour shynynge / theyr membres well-fourmed | |
Theyr prety countenaunce / with handes fayre and large | |
305 | Theyr eyes twynkelynge / theyr wordes well-vttred |
Theyr behauour and courtesy of kyndnes dothe procede | |
What herte is so harde / that coude hym-selfe refrayne | |
To eschewe theyr company / or at theym to dysdayne | |
sig: [B3v] | |
¶Consultor. |
|
¶O cruell youthe / full yll thou arte abused | |
310 | To suffre so quyetly / thy payne intollerable |
The flames of loue / with colde thought encreased | |
Seynge the pleasure / so shorte and abhomynable | |
Moche sorowe for small ioye / is not commendable | |
Pondre thy payne / and pleasure in thy mynde | |
315 | For small ioye / soone moche sorowe thou shalt fynde |
¶What is beaute / but a floure vanysshynge | |
The carnall felycyte / the infeccyon of the eye | |
The dysceyuynge of the mynde of men so coueytynge | |
A frayle pleasure full of trechery | |
320 | There-as it is taken / it deceyueth kyndly |
Beaute and wysedome / seldome dothe agre | |
It causeth theym vnstable / and inconstant for to be | |
¶In youth theyr coloure / is fayre and florysshynge | |
By age and syckenesse / it is soone faded | |
325 | Where they were ruddy / they be pale and lourynge |
Theyr skynne in all places / swarte and wrynkeled | |
There is nothynge ought more to be mystrusted | |
For it blyndeth the eye / with suche voluptuosyte | |
That from theyr daunger / none escapeth fre | |
330 | ¶Full harde it is / to fynde a woman stedfast |
For yf one eye wepe / the other dothe contrary | |
Theyr trouth and faythe / but a small whyle dothe last | |
Theyr pleasure and lust / is harde to satysfye | |
In wrathe and malyce / they be contynually | |
335 | Trewthe / shame / ne loue / can not theym refrayne |
Theyr synguler pleasure / but that they wyll optayne | |
sig: [B4] | |
¶What woman is so stedfast / chaste and sure | |
But for prayer / lust or mede she wyll be greable | |
That thou of her sholde haue thy wyll and pleasure | |
340 | Scante one amonge a thousande shall be so stable |
Yet drede / shame / or wrath that one shall able | |
Or elles she is suche / the whiche that lacketh beauty | |
Whome that no man desyreth to company | |
¶Yf she be a mayden that hath the in fauoure | |
345 | Wyll not she for small lust lose her vyrgynyte |
Yf she be a wyfe / consyder her erroure | |
How by her crafte men deceyued be | |
Yf she be a wydowe / thou mayst playnly se | |
How soone theyr husbandes deth that they do forget | |
350 | Wherfore he is not wyse / that in theym trust doth set |
¶Yf she be an harlot / she maketh no questyon | |
Of thy maner / wysdome / beaute or alyaunce | |
But for her rewarde fyrst she maketh mocyon | |
Or that thou of her shall haue ony dalyaunce | |
355 | Thus dothe she loue the / onely for thy substaunce |
As longe as ye haue / so longe theyr loue dothe last | |
Where pouerty is / all loue is clerely past | |
¶Loue is conuenyent / to a man of sadde dyscrecyon | |
For madde louers set lytell by theyr frendes | |
360 | Theyr hertes be so take by loues prouocacyon |
To dreme and syghe / and beholde theyr semelynes | |
To the prayse of theyr louers al thynges they do expres | |
They haue eyen and se not / and wyt without reason | |
Thus be they brought to shame and confusyon | |
Amator. |
|
sig: [B4v] | |
365 | ¶Yf fortune be to vs / somtyme contrary |
And that loue hathe put vs / to anoyaunce | |
Fortune wyll tourne / and loue wyll applye | |
To theym that seke it / in space and contynuaunce | |
Loue healeth quyckely / all sorowe and greuaunce | |
370 | All-thynge is pleasure / that we louers couet |
Loue causeth vs / our sorowe to forget | |
¶Agaynst age / none can make assystence | |
Yf beaute fayle / sholde loue be mynysshed | |
Kyndnesse and loue / wolde theym recompence | |
375 | For that they haue had / for to be cherysshed |
Loue seldome decayeth / but sooner is encreased | |
The bonde of wedlocke / theym also dothe combynde | |
Unto theyr dethe / to be stedfast and kynde | |
¶Mannes reason to nature dothe apply | |
380 | For no man can haue greater delectacyon |
Than with women to conuerse and company | |
And with theym to haue carnall copulacyo[n] | |
To sowe theyr swete sede of generacyon | |
What better pleasure maye a man couet | |
385 | Than chyldren of his owne sede to beget |
¶God created woman for mannes pleasure | |
Without theym the worlde coude not multyply | |
Arystotell saythe / it is the greatest pleasure | |
Unto a man / the thynge moost necessary | |
390 | To haue a wyfe / of excellent beauty |
Curteys / gracyous / stedfast / wyse / and sad | |
Were not a man happy / that suche a louer had | |
sig: C1 | |
¶Suche there be / and many in the nombre | |
Yf some be lyght / and vnstable of condycyon | |
395 | Ye ought not / on all other for to wondre |
Lette euery for theym-selfe / make declaracyon | |
And as they haue deserued / so regarde the person | |
Full many in trouble / stedfast proued be | |
Suffryng for theyr husbandes / bothe payne and pouerte | |
400 | ¶Lyke as the doughter / wyll morne and bewayle |
Without of the mother / she be conforted | |
In lykewyse loue / can no tyme preuayle | |
Without of gladnesse / it be nourysshed | |
There is no louer / but that he is auaunced | |
405 | Somtyme in myrthe / to haue delyte and pleasure |
Or elles theyr sorowe / they myght no-whyle endure | |
¶What causeth a man / to loue sooner apply | |
Than a quycke wyt / gentylnesse and good lyuynge | |
Unto a wyse man / it is moost necessary | |
410 | That can kepe counseyll / and is sadde of gouernynge |
Theyr ryght and honeste / alwaye dyffendynge | |
Unkyndnesse and shames / they vtterly defye | |
Wherfore in true loue / all noblenesse dothe lye | |
¶Consultor. |
|
¶For-asmoche as these wordes can not refrayne your herte | |
415 | Take ensample by theym / that haue ben deceyued |
And in thy mynde / prudently aduerte | |
Fyrst of kynge Dauyd be it remembred | |
For all his holynesse / auoutry he commytted | |
With one Barsabe / wyfe vnto Urye | |
420 | And after for her sake / caused hym to dye |
sig: [C1v] | |
¶Kynge Salomon that all men in wysedome dyd excell | |
By women was enclyned vnto ydolatry | |
The wyfe of kynge Acab / called Iesabell | |
The prophetes of god caused for [t]o dye to] do 1533 | |
425 | Prognes her sone / rosted full truely |
And gaue hym to Tereo / her husbande to eate | |
Bycause her syster Phylomine / with chylde he begete | |
¶Sampson the stronge / was also betrayed | |
By dalida his lemman / in whome he had confydence | |
430 | Uyrgyll by a woman / in a basket was hanged |
A woman rode on aristotell / with shame and vyolence | |
Thus were they vaynquysshed / for all theyr scyence | |
Medea / slewe her chylde / lyke a cruell mother | |
And gaue Iason one parte / and toke her-selfe the other | |
435 | ¶The Cytees of troy / and also of Thebe |
By womans trespas / was brought to destruccyon | |
The wyfe of kynge Mynos / called Pasyphe | |
Made a Cowe of wood / lyke in proporcyon | |
Couered with a skynne / by whiche decepcyon | |
440 | To fulfyll her lust / with a Bull she medled |
Of whome Mynotawre / the monster she conceyued | |
¶Of many other / I coude reherse the lyuynge | |
But for my purpose / these do nowe suffyse | |
What auayled theyr holynes / wysedome and cunnynge | |
445 | Or strength / sythe women can theym so entyse |
To do that thynge / that men sholde theym despyse | |
Is not he madde / seynge the experyence | |
That wyll haue in theym / trust or confydence | |
sig: C2 | |
¶Amator. |
|
¶I meruayle that ye coude speke or thynke the same | |
450 | For the trespace of fewe / on all other for to rayle |
Pretendyng by your wordes theym vtterly to dyffame | |
How-be-it your saynge / shall nothynge preuayle | |
For of as many good women I shall make rehersayle | |
The merytes of whome / are as moche to be praysed | |
455 | As the vyces of the other / sholde be dyscommended |
¶Mynerua of Athenes / was called the goddes | |
Of her wysedome / for her cunnynge and polycy | |
Carmenta of latyn / founde fyrst the letters | |
Nycostrates also / the letters of Italy | |
460 | What saye you to the sybylles / with theyr greate prophecy |
Aregenes founde also / fyrst the crafte of weuynge | |
Thus dyd they excell men / by theyr wyt and cunnynge | |
¶What man can gyue theym praysynge conuenyent | |
Whiche studyed so besyly / to get fruytfull scyence | |
465 | To prouoke mannes herte / to study to be dylygent |
Who can expresse / the wyfely pacyence | |
Of Grysell / or of Penolype the prudence | |
The stedfastnes of Lucres / agaynst her wyl rauysshed | |
Whiche slewe her-selfe / after the dede publysshed | |
470 | ¶Who wyll not prayse the faythfull and true Orestyll |
Whiche whan she sawe Mercus_prolancus to shyp goo | |
That was her husbande / agaynst her mynde and wyll | |
For his loue fell downe there deed for woo | |
Elyssa / after the dethe of her husbande Dydo | |
475 | For sorow ranne / vnto the funerall fyre |
Her body with her lordes / to brenne was her desyre | |
sig: [C2v] | |
¶Of Arthemesya / Porcya / and also Tysbe | |
Iudyth / Iulya / Ualerya / and Hester | |
Reed the hystoryes / there shall ye playnly se | |
480 | From stedfast loue / they neuer dyd dysseuer |
For length of tyme / theyr storyes I dyffer | |
And for theyr vertues / I afferme certaynly | |
That men ought theym to prayse and magnyfy | |
¶Consultor. |
|
¶Yf men consydered / the trouble and the payne | |
485 | That they sholde suffre whan they be maryed |
I thynke they wolde theym-selfe soone refrayne | |
In eschewynge the da[u]nger / that after sholde procede | |
For an heuy lyfe / many of theym do lede | |
Whiche for to treate of / in euery cyrcumstaunce | |
490 | It wolde aske / a longe contynuaunce |
¶Some of theym do wake / whan that they sholde slepe | |
Some for theyr lyuynges / labour contynually | |
Other auenture theym / in-to perylles depe | |
Where they lese lyfe / and substaunce sodeynly | |
495 | Thus do they lyue in drede and ieoperdy |
Some stele or borowe / to bere theyr importune charge | |
Some hanged / some in pryson and dare not go at large | |
¶Some to brynge vp theyr chyldren / are ententyfe | |
And greatly troubled / for theyr vntowardnesse | |
500 | Some with theyr wyues / contynue an heuy lyfe |
As in chydynge / fyghtynge / and other frowardnesse | |
Some by Ialousy / are put in heuynesse | |
In care / trouble / sorowe / and seldome in tranquyllyte | |
Suche is theyr lyfe / neuer at no certeynte | |
sig: C3 | |
505 | ¶For yf she be fayre / she shall haue great resort |
And for her beaute she shall be moche desyred | |
Fewe men wyll haue pleasure or confort | |
To take a wyfe whiche that is dyfformed | |
A fayre wyfe to kepe a man dothe stande in great drede | |
510 | A foule wyfe to hym is but lytell pleasure |
Thus is theyr mynde neyther stable nor sure | |
¶Amator. |
|
¶Holde your peace / your wordes are frustrate | |
To alledge in maryage suche importunyte | |
For many men are so fortunate | |
515 | That neuer were maryed / nor neuer shall be |
No man can contynue alway in felycyte | |
For man is predestynate by fortunes operacyon | |
To lyue in this worlde in trouble and vexacyon | |
¶Yf men sholde folowe theyr naturall dysposycyon | |
520 | Bytwene beestes and theym there were no dyfference |
Wherfore for to haue natures operacyon | |
By wedlocke it is suffred to be without offence | |
Otherwyse to do / is shame and inconuenyence | |
Bothe goddes lawe and mannes / he offendeth greuously | |
525 | Wherfore no man can say / but wedlocke is necessary |
¶Better than chaste loue / what thynge is to be loued | |
Whiche is grounded in holynes and also in honeste | |
Frendshyp and affynyte is therby encreased | |
In one body togyder ioyned be | |
530 | Chyldren borne in wedlocke be lawfull and fre |
They be combyned with bonde so charytable | |
That nothynge but dethe can make theym separable | |
sig: [C3v] | |
¶Loue must be fyrst / or they be maryed | |
For by the bonde of loue maryage is consecrate | |
535 | There ought nothynge / more to be commended |
Than loue that with charyte / and peace is confyderate | |
For there-as is loue / there seldome is debate | |
And yf amonge louers / happen ony varyaunce | |
Seldome it is sene of ony longe contynuaunce | |
540 | ¶It is longe of theyr husbandes / yf they do not well |
Wherfore ye do now / accuse theym wrongfully | |
To folowe theyr myndes / men maye theym compell | |
But women can not to theyrs apply | |
What cause hath a man to be than in ialousy | |
545 | For yf ony trouble be / angre or varyaunce |
Women bere the brunt / and suffre the penaunce | |
¶What pleasure it is for a man to take a foule wyfe | |
Without her vertue be the more acceptable | |
Full often he shall be wery of his lyfe | |
550 | A fayre wyfe to hym / shall be more agreable |
As good and as kynde / and as moche profytable | |
Foly it is / to haue theym mystrusted | |
For yll they maye be / yf they be so dysposed | |
¶Consultor. |
|
¶Whan brome bere apples / or homlockes hony | |
555 | Than trust the wordes of women / and stedfastnes |
That nature hathe gyuen theym / no man can deny | |
It is theyr proprytees / to be full of dysceytfulnes | |
To wepe and spynne / and hyde no secretnes | |
To lye and flatter / suche condycyo[n]s they haue | |
560 | Fewe other good proprytees / god vnto theym gaue |
sig: [C4] | |
¶Beware of women / for they be fraudulent | |
Theyr wordes are venym / mengled with hony | |
Thou knowest her sayenge / thou knowest not her entent | |
A foole is he / that in theym dothe affye | |
565 | Tell theym thy councell / and they wyll it dyscrye |
Imparfyte / dysceytfull / and full of mutabylyte | |
Suche is theyr kynde / nature and properte | |
¶Women can loke on men / with face double | |
For in theyr hertes / they be full varyable | |
570 | Theyr fayned loue / hath put many men to trouble |
Whiche haue supposed theym / to be ferme and stable | |
By blandysshynge wordes / theyr bate detestable | |
Lyke the Scorpyon / that sheweth the face smylynge | |
And with the tayle / sodeynly dothe stynge | |
¶Amator. |
|
575 | ¶Fye fye for shame / ye do rayle in your sentence |
Theym so to dysprayse / it is not commendable | |
Syth they be bounde / by vertue of obedyence | |
To obey theyr husbandes / and to theym to be seruysable | |
Not as a seruaunt / but by loue charytable | |
580 | And as a frende / to be to theym stedfast |
In worde and dede / whyle that theyr lyues last | |
¶Why do ye despyse women / so shamefully | |
Syth that in these offence / that men be more infecte | |
What is he that Iustly can deny | |
585 | In none of theym / that he maye be detect |
Some women in wysedome / haue better cyrcumspect | |
Than some haue / with wysedome and prouydence | |
To eschewe suche shame / and inconuenyence | |
sig: [C4v] | |
¶To haue a frende / it is a synguler pleasure | |
590 | Who can haue a better / than his wedded wyfe |
For she can do to hym no dyspleasure | |
Syth she is partener / of all his sorowe and stryfe | |
With hym she must contynewe all her lyfe | |
And to her power to helpe theym at theyr nede | |
595 | For of theyr husbandes they stande in fere and drede |
¶Women be full of pyte and compassyon | |
Theyr merytes can not be to moche praysed | |
Loue is in theym / by nature and complexcyon | |
Of hertly kyndnes / to men so perfyxed | |
600 | In welthe and wo it is not mynysshed |
All payne and trouble / they take agreable | |
That myght for vs be good and profytable | |
¶Consultor. |
|
¶Now-adayes olde women / and yonge go straungely | |
Lyke comen women / theyr apparell is dysguysed | |
605 | To prouoke yonge hertes / theyr desyres to apply |
Theyr heer dysplayed / theyr faces paynted | |
Theyr gownes lowe-collered / theyr brestes enhaunced | |
Suche venym they profer / though it be not acceptable | |
Yet is theyr entent / approued dampnable | |
610 | ¶Thus fewe of theym / do regarde theyr honeste |
And folowe theyr pleasure / and sensuall delectacyon | |
For at feestes and esbatementes there wyll they be | |
Where yonge people resorte / for theyr recreacyon | |
Whiche are dysposed / by naturall inclynacyon | |
615 | To talke and dally / and besyly to procure |
To prouoke theym to apply to theyr disordynat pleasure | |
sig: D1 | |
¶All-thynge that youth and courage can delyte | |
At suche feestes as is prepared comynly | |
Theyr myndes to solace and pleasure to excyte | |
620 | As good metes and drynkes / mery talkynge and mynstralsy |
Dauncynge and syngynge / and iestes of rybaudry | |
Whiche bryngeth women to suche perplexyte | |
That they forget bothe shame and honeste | |
¶O what grete myschefe ensued and aduersyte | |
625 | For that quene Helyn by coloured deuocyon |
Went to Uenus temple there Parys was for to se | |
And the other troyans makynge theyr oblacyon | |
To se the experyence she had delectacyon | |
Yf his beauty were as it was reported | |
630 | Where-by her argument after she was rauysshed |
Under suche colour they vsed theyr hauntes dampnable | |
To be newe-fangled it is theyr properte | |
And blasyngly to shewe theyr beauty delectable | |
And to be prompte in spekynge suche is theyr felycyte | |
635 | By suche meanes they breke theyr wedlocke and chastyte |
For the shyp sholde neuer by tempest spyll | |
Yf in the hauen it contynued styll | |
¶Whan ye haue a wyfe kepe her from lyberte | |
On her do not dote nor be not to tendre | |
640 | For by suche meanes she wyll haue suche felycyte |
That of the she wyll not stande in ony fere | |
To moche famylyaryte / dysdayne dothe engendre | |
Without drede be / loue they soone forget | |
Loue and drede togyder yll-purpose dothe let | |
sig: [D1v] | |
¶Amator |
|
645 | ¶Why sholde not women vnto feestes resorte |
One frende with another I thynke ordynate | |
To passe the tyme with honest game and sporte | |
For to be solytary / the mynde is fatygate | |
To be in company / the mynde is recreate | |
650 | Yll thoughtes and humours / engendreth of ydlenes |
It shorteth the lyfe with slouth and heuynes | |
¶To were suche apparell / it is the guyse comynly | |
From the comen vsage they may theym not refrayne | |
Theyr husbandes pleasures for to satysfy | |
655 | To were newe facyons they must be glad and fayne |
Or as an abiecte they wyll at them dysdayne | |
And as vnworldly they shall be elles reprobate | |
Not regardynge theyr honeste and estate | |
To go on pylgrymage it is merytoryous | |
660 | For god wolde be worshypped in many a sondry place |
Bothe to body and soule it is commodyous | |
For by it the soule purchaseth pardon and grace | |
It febleth the body by contynuaunce and space | |
Theyr hertes to more deuocyon doth enclyne | |
665 | Wherfore at theyr doynge men ought not to repyne |
¶To kepe theyr wedlocke they haue great dylygence | |
Yf they breke wedlocke they lyue in worldely shame | |
To god they make an heuy offence | |
Theyr husbandes honesty they vtterly dyffame | |
670 | Wronge heyres enheryte by theyr importune blame |
With penaunce they may theyr synnes puryfy | |
But the trespas and sclaundre they can neuer remedy | |
sig: D2 | |
¶Full lytell a man / regardeth his honeste | |
Yf he kepe his wyfe / in suche subieccyon | |
675 | That seldome she sholde haue ony lyberte |
With her frendes to haue recreacyon | |
To kepe theym to streyte / it is a prouocacyon | |
To cause a good woman / her husbande for to hate | |
For yf she be yll / nothynge can her abate | |
¶Consultor. |
|
680 | ¶Women be lykened / to the Chymer of Thesayle |
Hauynge the symylytude / or heed of a lyon | |
The body of a Gote / the last parte or tayle | |
Unto a Chure / a venymous Dragon | |
To this monstre / by theyr dysposycyon | |
685 | They be lykened / by the poetes faynynge |
For .iij. pryncypall vyces in them moost reygnynge | |
¶Fyrst they do loke / with a lyons countenaunce | |
To haue preemynence / they desyre vtterly | |
And that men sholde theym / in euery place auaunce | |
690 | And to theym do seruyce / pleasure or curtesy |
They frete in theyr hertes / for dysdayne and enuy | |
Yf they se ony better / than they be apparelled | |
Or better taken / or more to be commended | |
¶The seconde to a Gote / for synne and vycyousnesse | |
695 | They be lykened / and to the see swalowynge |
A man shall neuer fynde theym out of redynesse | |
How moche he wyll do / he shall haue no denyenge | |
But alwaye more and more / they be coueytynge | |
And for-as-moche / as one can not suffise theyr appetyte | |
700 | To haue helpe of many / some of theym delyte |
sig: [D2v] | |
¶The .iij. they be lykened / to a dragon venymous | |
For theyr besy tongues / that alwaye talke and clatter | |
Yf they be dyspleased / than be they so fumous | |
That they care not what they say or who they sclaunder | |
705 | Moche grudge and quarelynge myschefe and daunger |
Ensueth by theyr tongues serpentyne | |
Whiche are so double that they can byte and whyne | |
¶Amator. |
|
¶To dysprayse women it can not you preuayle | |
Theyr good names by you can not be empayred | |
710 | It becommeth no man on theym so to rayle |
Though some haue done amysse all haue not offended | |
For one womans trespas sholde all be dyscommended | |
No man wyl repute your sayenge reasonable | |
To allege on theym suche vyces detestable | |
715 | ¶Men gyue them preemynence by custome and curtesye |
Though that women wolde they can it not refrayne | |
Theyr dutyes they must vse and occupye | |
Not by no pryde suche custome they do vse | |
They are not so ignorant theym-selfe so to abuse | |
720 | Nor to dysdayne ony that theym dothe excell |
In beaute substaunce or good apparell | |
¶The Phylosopher sayth it is expedyent | |
The gentyll to be of greater strength and vertue | |
The pacyent in nature more feble and impotent | |
725 | For yf they were equall than myght they not subdue |
The one the other / nor no fruyte sholde ensue | |
Wherfore the coldest man is of more hoter kynde | |
Than the hotest woman that ony man can fynde | |
sig: D3 | |
¶Why sholde not women / of theyr tongues be ryfe | |
730 | To plede theyr causes / theyr trewthe to veryfy |
They haue none other armoure dyffensyfe | |
Theyr power is to feble / theyr wronges to iustyfy | |
To speke nor to do / none can lyue so pacyently | |
Though that they chyde / theyr angre is soone past | |
735 | Theyr wordes of wynde / is lyckened to a blast |
¶Ten monethes / women with theyr chyldren go | |
And of theyr bodyes / that tyme be they nourysshed | |
With panges and stytches / they suffer payne and wo | |
In peryll of dethe / whan they be delyuered | |
740 | With theyr mylke after / a season they be fed |
Moche payne and trouble / our mothers for vs take | |
Wherfore all women / we ought to loue for theyr sake | |
¶To make of women men sholde be gladde and fayne | |
Syth they to vs / be so tendre with dylygence | |
745 | One man for an-other / wolde not take the payne |
Theyr kyndnesse we can not duely recompence | |
To loue theym we haue good cause / by experyence | |
They are so moche our frendes in sycknesse and in helthe | |
He that theym hateth / loueth not his welthe | |
¶Consultor. |
|
750 | ¶We wyll no lenger / in these maters debate |
Folowe my counsell / his company eschewe | |
Yf ye entende your sorowe to mytygate | |
In secrete places / do not ye contynue | |
Imagynacyons and thoughtes / your mynde wyl subdue | |
755 | Wherfore suche hauntes / yf ye do not cease |
Loue wyll in you / more and more encrease | |
sig: [D3v] | |
¶Experyence by fyre / whiche is nygh quenched | |
With brymstone it wyll be kyndled soone agayne | |
In lykewyse loue / yf it be frequented | |
760 | Wherfore from her loue / do your-selfe refrayne |
Fynde some occasyon / at her to dysdayne | |
To desyre her loue / be not ye to madde | |
Except of yours / that she wolde be as gladde | |
¶Amator. |
|
¶To gyue me suche counsell / me-thynke ye be not wyse | |
765 | Your sugred lyppes can not me begyle |
For yf I sholde folowe your aduyse | |
My lyfe wolde contynue / but a small whyle | |
From her company / I can not me exyle | |
To leue that thynge / whiche that I loue best | |
770 | No reasonable man / wyll make no suche request |
¶Wherfore of this talkynge / now lette vs cease | |
Ensamples I haue / ryght many and excellent | |
Theyr wysedome and noblenesse / for to encrease | |
But at this tyme / these shall be competent | |
775 | Wherfore from hensforthe / leue your false argument |
And of women speke not so reprouable | |
For shame it is to you / and nothynge commendable | |
¶Consultor. |
|
¶Thus dyd we fynysshe / our communycacyon | |
Desyrynge the assystence to take this agreable | |
780 | And in that is amysse / to make reformacyon |
And also all women / I humbly theym supply supply='supplicate' | |
At this poore treatyse / for to haue none enuye | |
I haue nothynge sayd / that is to theyr dysprayse | |
But I haue made answer / theyr honour more to rayse | |
sig: [D4] | |
785 | ¶But for-asmoche as some men haue delectacyon |
To rayle vpon women and theym to dyscommende | |
I therfore entende to make demonstracyon | |
Of theyr opprobryous wordes / wherin they do offende | |
By reasonable answeres to enduce theym to amende | |
790 | Wherby they may haue perfytly knowlege |
That women be not gylte in that they do allege | |
¶Wherfore I requyre you consyder myne entent | |
Whiche made it not for malyce or ony despytefulnesse | |
For yf I sholde so do / I were ryght neclygent | |
795 | And worthy to be rebuked of shame and vngentylnesse |
Bothe prayse and dysprayse herin I do expresse | |
Yf I deserue blame in spekynge so largely | |
I trust to haue thanke for replyenge the contrary | |
¶Lenuoy of Robert_Coplande. |
|
Endeuer thy-selfe thou lytell boke I pray | |
To thyne auctoure and vnto eche degre | |
Excusynge thyne impressyon alway | |
Yf to theyr mynde it fortune not to be | |
5 | And where mysse is / that they wyll pardon me |
And to correct after theyr good entent | |
With lesse or more as it is conuenyent. | |
¶Finis. |
|
¶Imprynted at London in Fletestrete at the sygne of the Sonne by me Wynkyn_de_worde | |
sig: [D4v] |