The furious rage of a Husband offended for the chastity violated in his Wyfe, surpasseth all other, and ingendreth mallice agaynst the doer whatsoeuer he be. For if a Gentleman, or one of good nature, cannot abyde an other to doe him any kinde of displeasure, and mutch lesse to hurt him in hys Body, how is he able to endure to haue his honour touched, specially in that part which is so neere vnto him as his owne Soule? Man, and Wyfe being as it were one body and one will, wherein Men of good Judgement cannot well like the Opinion of those which say that the honour of a lusty and couragious person dependeth not vpon the fault of a foolish woman: for if that wer true which they so lightly vaunt, I would demaund why they be so animated and angry against them which adorne their head with braunched Hornes, the Ensignes of a Cuckolde: and truely nature hath so well prouided in that behalfe, as the very sauage Beastes doe fight, and suffer death for sutch honest Jealousie. Yet will I not prayse, but rather accuse aboue al faulty men, those that be so fondly Jealous, as eche thinge troubling their mindes, be afrayde of the Flyes very shadowe that buzze about their Faces. For by payning and molestinge theymselues with a thinge that so little doth please and content them, vntill manifest, and euident proofe appeare, they display the folly of their minde’s imperfection, and the weakenesse of their Fantasy. But where the fault is knowne, and the Vyce discouered, where the husbande seeth himselfe to receyue Damage in the soundest part of his moueable goods, reason it is that he therein be aduised by timely deliberation and sage foresight, rather than with headlong fury, and raging rashnesse to hazard the losse of his honour, and the ruine of his life and goods. And lyke as the fayth and fidelity of the vndefiled Bed hath in all times worthely ben commended and rewarded: euen so he that polluteth it by Infamy, beareth the penaunce of the same. Portia the Daughter of Cato, and wife of Brutus shall be praysed for euer, for the honest and inuiolable loue which she bare vnto hir beloued husband, almost like to lose hir life when she heard tell of his certayne death. The pudicity of Paulina the wife of Seneca appeared also, when she assayed to dy by the same kinde of death wherewith hir Husband violently was tormented by the vniust commaundement of the most cruel and horrible Emperoure Nero. But Whores and Harlottes, having honest Husbands, and well allied in Kin, and Ligneage by abandoning their bodyes, doe prodigally consume their good Renoume: yea but if they escape the Magistrates, or auoyde the wrath of offended husbandes for the wrong done vnto them, yet they leaue an immortall slaunder of their wicked life, and youth thereby may take example aswell to shun sutch shamelesse Women, as to followe those Dames that be Chaste, and Vertuous. Now of this contempt whych the Wyfe beareth to hir Husband, do rise very many times notorious