wife, to last unto his lifë’s end. For then his life is set in sickerness, He may not be deceived, as I guess, So that he work after his wifë’s rede; Then may he boldëly bear up his head, They be so true, and therewithal so wise. For which, if thou wilt worken as the wise, Do alway so as women will thee rede.
Lo how that Jacob, as these clerkës read, By good counsel of his mother Rebecc’ Boundë the kiddë’s skin about his neck; For which his father’s benison he wan. Lo Judith, as the story tellë can, By good counsel she Goddë’s people kept, And slew him, Holofernes, while he slept. Lo Abigail, by good counsél, how she Saved her husband Nabal, when that he Should have been slain. And lo, Esther also By counsel good deliver’d out of woe The people of God, and made him, Mardoché, Of Assuere enhanced for to be. There is nothing in gree superlative (As saith Senec) above a humble wife. Suffer thy wifë’s tongue, as Cato bit; She shall command, and thou shalt suffer it, And yet she will obey of courtesy. A wife is keeper of thine husbandry: Well may the sickë man bewail and weep, There as there is no wife the house to keep. I warnë thee, if wisely thou wilt wirch, Love well thy wife, as Christ loveth his church: Thou lov’st thyself, if thou lovest thy wife. No man hateth his flesh, but in his life He fost’reth it; and therefore bid I thee Cherish thy wife, or thou shalt never thé. Husband and wife, what so men jape or play, Of worldly folk holdë the sicker way; They be so knit there may no harm betide, And namëly upon the wifë’s side.
For which this January, of whom I told, Consider’d hath within his dayës old, The lusty life, the virtuous quiét, That is in marriágë honey-sweet. And for his friends upon a day he sent To tell them the effect of his intent. With facë sad, his tale he hath them told: He saidë, “Friendës, I am hoar and old, And almost (God wot) on my pittë’s brink, Upon my soulë somewhat must I think. I have my body foolishly dispended, Blessed be God that it shall be amended; For I will be certáin a wedded man, And that anon in all the haste I can, Unto some maiden, fair and