A Merry Dialogue Declaringe the Properties of Shrowde Shrews and Honest Wives — John Shaqi
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
Eulalia. Thus was I well ware on, that I neuer tell my husbād
his fautes before companie, nor I neuer caried any cōplaynte
furthe a dores: the mendes is soner made whē none knoweth it
but two, and there were anie suche faute that myght not be wel borne
nor amēded by ye wyues tellige, it is more laudable
that the wife make complaynte vnto the Parentes and kynsfolke of her
husband, then vnto her own, and so to moderate her complaynte that
she seme not to hate hym but hys vice nor let her play all the
blabbe, that in some poynt vnutered, he may know & loue his
wiues curteysy.
Xantip. She had nede be aswellerned womā, that would do
all this.
[Illustration]
Eu. Mary through suche demeanoure, we shall sterre our husbādes
vnto lyke gentylnesse.
Xan: There be some that cannot be amended with all the
gentyll handlynge in the worlde.
Eula: In faith I thyncke nay, but case there be, marke this
wel the good man must be for borne, howe soeuer the game goeth, then
is it better to haue him alwayes at one point or ells more kinde and
louing throw oure gentill handlinge, then to haue him worse and
worse throwe our cursednesse, what wyll you say and I tell you of
husbādes that hath won theyr wiues by suche curtesie, howe
muche more are we boūde to use the same towarde our husbandes.
Xantip. Than shall you tell of one farre vnlyke vnto thyne
husband.
Eula. I am aquented with a certayne gentelman well lerned and
a veri honest man, he maried a yonge wyfe, a mayden of. xvii. yeare
olde brede and brought vp of a chylde in the countre vnder her
fathers and mother wing
[Illustration]
(as gentilmen delite to dwel in the countre) to hunt & hawke
This yong gētilman would haue one that were unbrokē,
because he might the soner breake her after hys owne mind, he begā
to entre her in learning syngynge, and playinge, and by lytle and
lytle to vse here to repete suche thynges as she harde at sermons,
and to instruct her with other things that myght haue doone her more
good in time to come. This gere, because it was straūge vnto
this young womā which at home was brought vp in all ydelnesse,
and with the light communication of her fathers seruantes, and other
pastimes, begā to waxe greuouse & paynfull, vnto her. She
withdrew her good mynde and dylygence and whē her husband
called vpon her she put ye finger in the eye, and wepte
and many times she would fal downe on the grounde, beatynge her head
agaynst the floure, as one that woulde be out of thys worlde.
[Illustration]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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