Part 6 (1/2)
Malice of women! What is it to dread?
They slay no man, destroyen no cities, Ne oppress people, ne them overlead, Betray Empires, Realmes, or Duchies, Nor bereaven men their landis, ne their mees, Empoison folk, ne houses set on fire, Ne false contractis maken for no hire.
Trust, Perfect Love, and Entire Charity, Fervent Will, and Entalented Courage, All thewis good, as sitteth well to be, Have women ay, of custom and usage.
And well they can a manis ire a.s.suage, With softe wordis, discreet and benign.
What they be inward, they show outward by sign.
Womanis heart unto no cruelty Inclined is; but they be Charitable, Piteous, Devout, Full of Humility, Shamefaste, Debonaire, and Amiable, Dread full, and of their wordis measurable: What women, these have not, peradventure; Followeth not the way of her nature.
Men sayen that our First Mother na'theless Made all mankinde lose his liberty, And nakid it of joye, doubteless, For G.o.dis hestes disobeyed she, When she presumed to taste of the tree, That G.o.d forbade that she eat thereof should.
And ne had the Devil be, no more she would!
The envious swelling, that the Fiend our foe Had unto man in hearte, for his wealth, Sent a serpent, and made her for to go To deceive EVE; and thus was manis health Bereft him by the Fiend, right in a stealth, The woman not knowing of the deceit, G.o.d wot! Full far was it from her conceit!
Wherefore I say, that this good woman EVE Our father ADAM, ne deceived nought.
There may no man for a deceit it preve Properly, but if that she, in heart and thought, Had it compa.s.sed first, ere she it wrought.
And for such was not her impression, Men may it call no Deceit, by reason.
Ne no wight deceiveth, but he purpose!
The fiend this deceit cast, and nothing she.
Then it is wrong to deemen or suppose That of this harm she should the cause be.
Wyt.i.th the Fiend, and his be the maugree!
And all excused have her innocence, Save only, that she brake obedience!
And touching this, full fewe men there be, Unnethis any, dare I safely say!
From day to day, as men may all day see, But that the hest of G.o.d they disobey.
Have this in minde, siris! I you pray.
If that ye be discreet and reasonable; Ye will her holde the more excusable!
And where men say, ”In man is stedfastness; And woman is of her courage unstable.”
Who may of ADAM bear such a witness?
Tellith me this! Was he not changeable?
They bothe werin in one case semblable.
Save that willing the Fiend deceived EVE; And so did she not ADAM, by your leave!
Yet was this sinne happy to mankind, The Fiend deceived was, for all his sleight; For aught he could him in his sleightis wind, G.o.d, to discharge man of the heavy weight Of his trespa.s.s, came down from heaven on height And flesh and blood he took of a Virgine, And suffered death, him to deliver of pine.
And G.o.d, to whom there may nothing hid be, If He in woman knowen had such malice, As men record of them in generalty; Of our Lady, of Life Reparatrice Nold have been born: but for that she of vice Was void, and full of virtue, well He wist, Endowid! of her to be born Him list.
Her heaped virtue hath such excellence That all too lean is manis faculty To declare it; and therefore in suspense Her due praising put must needis be.
But this we witen, verily, that she, Next G.o.d, the best friend is that to Man 'longeth.
The Key of Mercy by her girdle hangeth!
And of mercy hath every man such need, That razing that, farewel the joy of man!
And of her power, now takith right good heed!
She mercy may well and purchasen can.
Depleasith her not! Honoureth that woman!