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
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.
[Illustration]
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.
[Illustration]
Eu. I haue told you al redy, se that al thing be clene &
trim at home, that no sluttysh or vnclenlye syghtes dryue hym oute a
dores. Be your selfe alwayes redy at a becke, berynge continuali in
minde what reuerēce the wife oweth vnto her husbād. Be
neyther in your dūpes, nor alwayes on your mery pinnes go
nether to homely nor to nycely. Let your meat be cleane dressed, you
know yourhusbādes diet. What he loueth best that dresse.
Moreouer shewe your selfe louinge and fayre spokē vnto thē
where he loueth, call them now and thē vnto your table. At
meate, se that al thinges be well sauored, and make good there, And
whē that he is toppe heuy playing on his lute, sytte thou by
and singe to him so shalte thou make hym keepe home, and lessen hys
expences This shall he thynke at length, in faythe I am a fonde
felowe that maketh suche chere with a strumpet abroode with greate
lossee bothe of substance and name, seyng that I haue a wyfe
[Illustration]
at home bothe muche fayrer, and one that loueth me ten times better,
with whome I may be both clenlyer receiued and dayntelier cherisshed
xantip. Beleuest thou that it will take and I put it into a
profe.
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