Lives of Fair and Gallant Ladies. Vol 1Brantôme, Pierre de Bourdeille
History
Lives of Fair and Gallant Ladies. Vol 1
Brantôme, Pierre de Bourdeille
Erotic literature
I knew once a very great Lord, who, one morning, wishing to go
an-hunting, and his gentlemen having come to find him at his rising,
even as they were booting him, and he had his wife lying by him and
holding him right close to her, he did so suddenly lift the coverlet
she had no time to move away from where she rested, in such wise that
they all saw her as much as they pleased even to the half of her body.
Then with a loud laugh did the Lord cry to these gentlemen there
present: “Well, well! sirs, have not I let you see enough and to spare
of my good wife?” But so vexed and chagrined was she at it all that she
did conceive a great grudge against him therefor, and above all for the
way she had been surprised. And it may well be, she did pay it back to
him with interest later on.
I know yet another of these great Lords, who learning that a friend
and kinsman of his was in love with his wife, whether to make him the
more envious or to make him taste all the despite and despair he might
conceive at the thought of the other possessing so fair a woman, and he
having never so much as a chance of touching her, did show her him one
morning, when he had come to see him, the pair being a-bed together.
Yea! he did even worse, for he did set about to embrace her before
his eyes, as though she had been altogether in a privy place. Further
he kept begging of his friend to see, saying he was doing it all to
gratify him. I leave you to imagine whether the lady did not find in
such conduct of her husband excuse to do likewise in all ways with
the friend, and of good conscience, and whether he was not right well
punished by being made to bear the horns.
I have heard speak of yet another, likewise a great Lord, who did the
same with his wife before a great Prince, his master, but, ’twas by
his prayer and commandment, for he was one that took delight in this
form of gratification. Now are not such like persons blameworthy, for
that after being pandars to their own wives, they will after be their
executioners too?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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