The Booke of Thenseygnementes and Techynge that the Knyght of the Towre made to his Doughters/Chapter 58
HOW EUERY GOOD WOMAN OUGHT TO ANSWERE FOR HER LORD.
WYLLE telle yow another Ensample of a good lady, the whiche ought wel to be preysed. It was the good lady Abygal, whiche had a lord that was ful of yre, dyuerse and ryotous to al his neyghbours. He forfayted somme thynge toward the kynge dauyd, wherfore he wold haue had hym to be destroyed and putte to dethe, but the good lady, whiche was sage and wyse, wente toward the kyng and so moche humbled her self that by he swete and fayr wordes she made the pees of her lord. Of many other peryls wherin he fylle and putte hym self thurgh his fals tongue, she saued hym also. And thus this good lady amended euer his folye, wherof she may be wel preysed. Therfore ye haue here good ensample how euery good woman must suffre of her lord and ought to answere for hym ouer al, al be he neuer so yrous ne cruel to her, and saue and kepe hym fro al peryls. I wolde ye wyst thexample of a good lady, wyf vnto a Senatour of Rome, as it is conteyned in the cronykles of the Romayns. This Senatour was Ialous of his wyf withoute ony cause, and was euvile and cruell to her. Hit befelle that he accused one of treason, the whiche anone casted his gage of bataylle vnto hym, sayenge that wrongly he accused hym. The day cam that they shold Iouste that one ageynst the other. The Senatour was aferd and durst not come, and sent word to the Senate how he was seke, and that he shold sende one to Iouste for hym, but he coude none fynde. Wherfore the valyaunt lady his wyf, that sawe the cowardnesse of her lord, and thishame comynge to hym, wente and armed her self & cam to the felde. And by cause god sawe her bounte and that she dyd her deuoyr, he gaf her force and strengthe in soo moche that she obteyned the vyctory. And whanne the Ioustynge was fynysshed, themperour wold knowe who was the champyon of the Senatour wherfor the good ladyes, helme was vnlocked and soo she was knowen, wherfor themperour and alle they of the toune bare vnto her fro thens forthon gretter honour than they, were wont to doo. And therfor is here good ensample how euery good woman must humbly suffre of her lord that whiche she maye not amende. For she that more suffreth of her lord withoute makynge therof no resemblaunt receyueth therof more worship x tymes than she that hath no cause to suffre of hym, or that wyll not suffre nothyng of hym, as Salamon sayth, whiche moche wel spake of wymment preysynge the one and blamynge the other.