Part 28 (2/2)

I fynde that often this folysshe Jelowsy Of men; causyth some women to mysdo Where as (were nat theyr husbondes blynde foly) The pore wymen knowe nat what longyd therto Wherfore suche men ar folys and mad also And with theyr hodes whiche they them selfe purchace Within my shyp shall haue a rowme and place

For where as perchaunce theyr wyfes ar chaste and goode By mannys vnkyndnes they chaunge and turne theyr herte So that the wyfe must nedes gyue them a hode But to be playne some wymen ar esy to conuert For if one take them where they can nat start.

What for theyr husbondes folysshe Jelowsy And theyr owne pleasour: they scars can ought deny

THE ENUOY OF THE ACTOUR.

Therfore ye wymen lyue wysly and eschewe These wanton wowers and suche wylde company Get you G.o.de name by sadnes and vertue Haunt no olde quenys that nourysshe rybawdry Than fere ye nat your husbondes Jelowsy If ye be fawtles, chaste and innocent But wanton wowers ar ful of flatery Euer whan they labour for their intent.

Be meke, demure, bocsome, and obedyent, Gyue none occasyon to men by your foly If one ought a.s.she, deny it incontynent And euer after auoyde his company Beware of cornes, do nat your erys aply To pleasaunt wordes nor letters eloquent If that Helena had so done certaynly She had nat ven rauysshed by handes violent

Of auoutry, and specially of them y^t ar bawdes to their wyues, knowynge and wyll nat knowe, but kepe counseyll, for couetyse, and gaynes or auauntage.

[Ill.u.s.tration: A fole blynde, forsoth and wytles is that man Whiche thoughe his wyfe openly defylyd be Before his owne face, yet suche a chrafte he can To fayne hym a slepe, nat wyllynge it to se Or els he layeth his hande before his iye And thoughe he here and se howe the mater gose He snortynge slepyth, and wyll it nat disclose.]

O what disorder, what shame and what domage Is nowe brought in, and right lykely to abyde In the sacrament of holy mariage The fere of payne and lawe is set a syde Faythe is clene lost, and fewe them selfe do gyde After theyr othe, but for lacke of punysshement.

They brake and despyse this dyuyne sacrament

Alas the lawe that Julius dyd ordeyne Agaynst auoutry: is nowe a slepe or dede None feryth iustyce punysshement nor payne Both man and woman ar past all fere and drede Theyr promes brekynge, without respect or hede Had to theyr othe, by mariage solemnysed The bed defylyd. the sacrament despysed

Many ar whiche thynke it is a thynge laudable Anothers sponse to pullute and dyffame And howe beit the synne is moche abhomynable They fere nat G.o.d, nor dout nat worldly shame But rather boldly they bost them of the same They note no thynge the mortall punysshement Taken on auoutrers in the olde testament

Yet is another thynge more lothsome and vyle That many husbondes knowynge theyr wyues syn Absent themselfe and stop theyr iyen the whyle Kepynge the dore whyle the auoutrer is within They forse no thynge so they may money wyn Lyuynge as bawdes, and that to theyr owne wyues O cursyd money, this madnes thou contryuys

O cursyd husbonde thou ought to be a.s.shamyd To set so great fors for syluer or for golde That thou for them thy wyfe wyll se diffamyd And helpe therto: ye: and the dede beholde Blame it blynde dryuyll: by the lawe so thou sholde And nat therat to gyggyll laghe and Jest It is a lewde byrde that fyleth his owne nest

The Hystory of Atreus expressyth playne Howe he (by his owne brother) for auoutry Was dryuen from his royalme and his childre slayne For his mysdede: without: let or remedy These children thus bought theyr faders mad foly What shall I wryte the wo and heuynes Whiche Tarquyn had for rauysshynge lucres

I rede in the hystory of one Virginius Whiche to thyntent this foule synne to eschewe Whan his doughter was desyred by Clodius And that by force; the fader his dowghter slewe Bytwene the handes of Clodius vntrue The fader answered (whan men his dede dyd blame) Better is to dye chast: than longe to lyue in shame

But of auoutry somwhat more to speke In it is yre Enuy and paynfull pouertye.

And also he or she that mariage doth breke May fere of deth eternall whan they dye And here without welth ioy and rest shall they be And well ar they worthy (forsoth) of sore tourment In h.e.l.l: for brekynge this holy sacrament

But in the meane tyme here shalt thou haue discorde And neuer prosper in vertue nor ryches And lothsome be before the almyghty lorde Thy dedes shall purchace mysfortune and distres Thou lyue shalt in shame and dye in wretchydnes And if thou procede therin and nat amende Some great shame shalt thou haue before thyne ende.

THE ENUOY OF THE ACTOUR.

O creatures vnkynde leue ye this outrage Breke nat your othe whiche ye made solemly Eche one to other for to lyue in mariage Defyle ye it nat by synne and vylany On both partis if ye lyue faythfully After your promes: in loue, fayth and concorde Than shall ye in erth encreas and multyply And after haue syght of the almyghty lorde

Let all spousys in theyr myndes comprehende The lawys and decrees of the olde testament Howe they that in auoutry dyd offende Were outher stonyd or els openly brent Wherfore syns G.o.ddes son omnypotent.

Confermed hath the olde testament with the newe Auoutrers nowe deserue that same punysshement But well is to them, that stedfast ar and trewe

Of hym that nought can and nought wyll lerne, and seyth moche, lytell berynge away, I mene nat theuys.

[Ill.u.s.tration: He is a fole, and so shall he dye and lyue That thynketh hym wyse, and yet can he no thynge And though he myght he wyll nat set nor gyue His mynde to good maners, vertue nor cunnynge.

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