A Merry Dialogue Declaringe the Properties of Shrowde Shrews and Honest WivesErasmus, Desiderius
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A Merry Dialogue Declaringe the Properties of Shrowde Shrews and Honest Wives
Erasmus, Desiderius
Dialogues, Latin (Medieval and modern) -- Translations into English; Imaginary conversations
xantip. But I fynde him not so.
Eula. Order thy selfe to him as I haue tolde thee, and cal me no
more true sayer but a lier, if he be not so good vnto the as to anie
creature liuinge Again cōsidre this he is yet but a childe, I thinke
he passethe not. xxiiij. the blacke oxe neuer trode on hys fote, nowe it
is but loste laboure to recken vpon anye deuorse.
xantippa. Yet manye a tyme and ofte I haue troubled my braynes
withal
Eulalia. As for that fantasye whensoeuer it commeth into your mynd
first of all counte how naked a thynge woman is, deuorsed from man. It is
the hyghest dignitie that longethe to the wyfe to obsequyous vnto her
spouse. So hath natyre ordeined so god hath appoynted, that the woman
shoulde be ruled al by the man loke onely vppon this whiche is trouth,
thine husbande he is, other canste thou none haue. Againe forgette not
that swete babe be gotten of both your bodies what thin beste thou to do
with that, wilte thou take it awaye with thee? Thou shalte bereue thyne
husband his ryght wylt thou leue it with hym? thou shalt spoile thy self
of thy chefeste Jewell thou haste. Beside all this tell me trueth hast
thou none euyll wyllers, Besyde all thys tell me trueth, hast thou none
euyll wyllers.
xan. I haue a stepdame I warrant you, and myne husbandes mother
euen such another.
Eula. Do they hate the so deadly.
xantip. They woulde se me hanged.
Eula. Thē forget not thē what greater plesure couldest
thou shew them then to se the deuorsed from thine husband and to led a
wydowes lyfe. Yea and worse thē a wydow, for wydowes be at their
choise.
xantippa. I holde well with youre coūsell, but I can not awaye
with the paynes.
Eulalia. yet recken what paines ye toke or ye colde teache your
paret to speake.
xantippa. Exceadynge much.
Eu. And thinke you much to labour a lytel in reforming your husbād
with whō you may liue merely all the dayes of your lyfe. What busines
doe mē put thē self to be wel & easly horsed & shal we
think our selues to good to take paines that we mai haue our husbādes
gētil & curteise vnto vs.
xantip. What shal I do.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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