Suche a disciple saide to his Maister: "I have Rad in wordis of
Philosophres whiche comaunden a man to kepe hym from the froward
wit and engyne of wymmen. And [Salomon] only in the same
proverbes amonestith and warneth. If thow therfor any thing above
the wiles of hem memoratief holdist I wold with tellyng thow
woldist teche and lierne me, outher of fables outher of proverbis."
[The Maister]: "That cause shal I do to the gladly. But I am
ashamed lest any simple soule redyng oure ditees whiche of the
craftis of wymmen to the correccioun of theym and thyn and to
instruccioun and liernyng of other seen. That is for to say how, nat
knowyng ne wityng their husbondis, [they] callen and clepen their
loves and with hem abiden, clippyng and kissyng; and so of theym
and in theym accomplisshen and fulfillen their lascivic and foul
lustis, trowyng the wikkidnes and cursidnes to Rebounde in vs."[1]
The disciple than saide: "Maister, ne dreede nat that forwhi Salamen
in the booke of proverbis and many sapient men whiche to
correcte suche evil and shrewd maners of theym wrote suche thynges
therof they deserved no blame, but laude and praisyng. And thow
in like wise writyng theym to our profite[2] shalt deserve no blame but
a corowne of glorie; and of this praier or tellyng shewe thow." Than
the Maister:
VII.[3] The Vine-dresser Deceived by His Wife.
"Suche a man went to cut his vyne. That his wif seeyng than[4]
vndirstode hym to dwelle and tarie long aboute it and sent a messangier
to cal (f. 123) hir love and lemman, and arraied a feeste.
Forsoth it happened and fil so that the lord of the vyne smyten
with a braunche in the eye, yeede ageyn anon vnto his house nothyng
seeyng with the hurt eye. Comyng to the gate of his [house he]
knocked at the doore. That the wif withynfurth [heryng] gretly
troubled cald hir love and hid hym, and after that opened the doore
vnto hir husbonde. Whiche entryng and gretly sorrowyng for his
hurt eye bad array his chamber and make his bedde, as that he
myght rest hym. The wif dred lest he entryng the chamber
shuld see hir love ther hid, and saide: 'What hastest thow to bedde?
First tel me what is the befalle.' And he told hir what was hym
befalle. 'O diere sir,' quod she, 'soeffre me that I conferme with
