lerned men haue so longe time contended vpon Doubtlesse Walter I do marueyle muche what hath moued you to charge me with so great an iniquitie as that I shulde dispraise the blessed Sacrament of matrimonye being instituted by God hym selfe the very ground and somme of al goodnes yea and that is of suche perfection that if any mortal man had inuented the same he shuld thereby haue worthely deserued immortall prayse and fame the groundes therof are so commendable and necessary Nor surely I neuer hadde other then very good and reuerent opinion of it in all my lyfe and yet in dede Walter I dayly se and haue sayd that wedded men for the more parte haue alway woful and cumbrous lyues vpon groundes and occation ministred by theyr wynes But for very trothe by the defaulte and neglygence of them selues that commonly lacketh eyther grace or discretion to order and vse theyr wyues as they shuld do Which neuer thelesse is not to be marueyled at for surely the ryght feate therof is a secrete that God reueleth not to all men left then they shulde lyue in such continuall pleasauntnesse and felicitie that they wolde neuer wyllyngly departe this lyfe whiche by thopinion of the Vtopyans is a great suspecte of perdicion but as for me in dede I haue the gyft therof And therfore I ensure you haue bin very desyrous to mary Yet not so muche for mine owne commoditie as for that I wold gyue other men example how to vse and gouerne theyr wyues in the ryght sort wherby to expell the inconuenience that I perceaue doth ensue by the contrarye but my chaunce hath not bin to obteyne For the deuyll uyll to ēmpesshe so good a purpose of quietnes in the worlde by one meanes or other hath alwayes hyndred my suite whiche is the very cause that I am so longe tyme vnmaryed and for no such errour or euyll opinion as ye haue vntruly surmysed of me for the more playne declaration whereof I haue herewithall sent you a note or copye of such letters as with careful hart I wrote before this vnto dyuers to entreate for my selfe vppon maryage whiche when ye haue perused then wyll I declare vnto you further of my mynde in this behalfe ¶ Here Bawdyn Bacheler beinge fuset t◠a certeyne Gentlewoman for maryage wryteth to a frende of hers for to haue his helpe and furtheraunce therein The thyrde Chapter AFter my very harty commendation ye shall vnderstande that partly for mine owne comforte and commoditie knowynge by sundry meanes what ioyes and felicitie there maye be in maryage and partely moued of compassion perceauynge a number of men ignorantly abusynge them selues in orderynge of theyr wyues whiche by my good ensample myght be reformed lyue in miserie and great vnquietnesse I am vtterly determined with all spede to be a maried man but yet not myndynge to bestowe my selfe so vnaduisedly for any haste as to choose a wyfe for couetise of goodes or land whereas my harte wyll not serue me to loue and fauour the person nor for dotyng loue or fauour where as there is not some conuenient abilitie in substaunce towarde suche charges as foloweth maryage nother yet for both where as the age shall much dyffer from mine owne Whiche thynges circumspectly consydered I iudge them all accordynge to my hartes desyre with a number of good conditions to be ioyned together in mystres B. your kynswoman to whome of late I haue bin suter in that behalfe and do perceaue by sundry meanes that she wyl folowe your aduyce Wherfore syr I shal very hartely desyre you to haue your helpe and furtheraunce therin Whiche to recompence yf my sute take place I dare be bolde to promyse you a thousande thankes of her part for the spedynge of her to so good a husbande as by my demeanoure towardes her I entende to shewe my selfe And yet for all that I haue such dispayre and mistructe in the matter that do the best ye can I wyl wage with you forty pounde that I get her not and on my fidelitie pay you truly yf I lese I learned this wager of a crafty priest that by such meanes with losynge of a lyttle money wan a good bynefice Lyke as for my parte I trust in this case to lese and yet be a geyner as knowethe the maker of matrimonie whom I wolde gladly had somwhat enterlased the pleasaunce therof with some coller or bytternesse for feare lest the continuall case and quietnesse that I shall fynde therin shulde happen to cause me desist and forget to wyshe and worke for heauen c. ⧠Wheras Bawdyn had byn suter to a certeyne Gentlewoman for maryage and was in good hope to obteyne he receaued knowledge to the contrary by letter from a Gentleman that hadde partly bin a meane for hym therupon wrote backe as foloweth The fourth Chapter AFter my ryght harty commendations ye shall vnderstande that I haue receaued your letter conteynynge a determinate nay in my sute to the Gentlewoman ye wote of whiche with a forced pacience I am contented to accepte accordyngely And in perswadyng my selfe the easelyer to bere the same do consider that and if my desyre had byn graunted the one of vs shulde of necessitie beinge borne so farre a sunder haue bin constrayned to abandon and forsake our countrey and kynrede whereby myght ensue to vs both more vnquietnesse then any commoditie therof growynge wolde be able to counteruayle With this and lyke coniectures I am nowe faine to feade my phantasie of entent to make lyght what lyeth at my hart moste heauye The deuyll I thynke for despyte caused me nowe contrarye to my common wont to tender such sute so earnestly other els God hath appoynted it as my penaunce for that I haue oftentymes treated much of lyke matter whereas in harte I mente nothyng lesse which requireth by consequence of equitie to mynd much and be lyttle regarded ▪ as nowe it foloweth And yet to accumpt indifferently me thinketh I can not well ascrybe it to neyther of them both but all wholy to my selfe that entendynge by pollycie to expel as it were a smarte haue conceaued a continuall ache As thus lamentynge the losse of my verye frende hee late husbande whiche to my harte was 〈◊〉 lesse sorowful then yf mine owne lyfe shuld immediatly haue folowed I thought that yet yf I myght get some commoditie by his death that dyrynge his lyfe tyme coulde not be obteyned the comforte of the one wolde so quallifie the griefe of the other that it shulde the more easely and sooner be disgested And thereupon dyd consyder that the moste soueraygne iewell in this worlde which many men mysseth is to haue a wife of commendable qualities and conuersation Wherof she as I had knowen by the report of hym whose iudgement beinge grounded on experience was not to be doubted dyd appeare to be one And therfore to recoue◠her as my recompence was the original and onely cause of my sute at the
fyrst vnto her Whiche sythens by circumstaunces dyd encrease to such presuÌ„pcion of spede in mine opinion that I accompted her as obteined And therewithall pacyfyenge my former torment as counterpoysed with the same dyd reuyue my mortyfyed spirites with the blossomes wherof fewe men fyndeth the fruite accepted her in harte none other but as a member or parcell of my selfe Which nowe beinge concluded contrary can to me be no lesse peynefull then the losse of mine hands or any other lymme of mine owne body the langour wherof is incredible to be wrytten Thus doth it nowe apeare what it is to contende ageynst the deuine purueyaunce as in murmurynge ageynste the hande of Godde whiche we lyttle knowe for what well or wo it is mente to go aboute the alteration therof by worldely pollicie whiche for the more parte turneth to our owne harme As ensample by my selfe that entended to anoyde the smarte that I haue doubled Wherefore from henceforth my councell and practise shal be in felicitie not to presume nor in aduersitie to dispayze neyther yet to employ our wyttes for to seke the alteration of neyther but with humble spirite suffer the gouernour to proceade trustynge all to be for the best as in dede for my parte nowe in this extremitie and peruersenesse of fortune I fynd the same by experience for by the myssynge of my mynde mine affection is altered into meditacion whereby I do consider both his power and mine owne wekenesse more then before tyme I dyd And therewithall as the best thynge that I may perceaue to haue obteyned by this my sute and enterpryse I satyffie my selfe not thinkynge my trauell and good wyll to be spent all in vayne c. Of Idlenesse ¶ Here Bawdyn wryteth to the Gentlewoman mencioned of in the last letter The fyfth Chapter Bycause I am loth to bestowe more kindnes on you then of your parte shall thankefully be accepted I haue me commended euen as hartely and as often as best can content your mynde and none other wyse Lo nowe may ye perceaue what a profitable and louyng husbande ye myght haue of me if ye had bin happy for hereby doth apeare that I loue not to bestowe any thing in wast and yet the same notwithstanding to satisfye your phantasie can be contented to giue you libertie ouer the threasure of my harte to spende therof at your owne wyll and pleasure Further you shall vnderstande that I haue receaued your refuse concernynge my late sute vnto you whiche on the one paâ—te bicause it doth so much contraty my desyze ought not in reason to be a lyttle mine vnquietnes of mynd But yet on the other syde considerynge that suche is your wyll and pleasure whiche I haue alwayes determined to preferre and folowe a boue mine owne I can but accept it in good parte and be contented therewith and for the tyme wyl no more trouble you with any further request in that behalfe as in deede there is good cause why for as I vnderstande ye are alredy els where promysed wherof God sende you ioy And as for my parte if reason in me do not the rather subdue affection I entende to practise the common prouerbe which sayth that newe loue dryueth away olde sorowes But surely it shal be done all by protestation that ye fall not wydowe ageyne for and if ye do I wil ones more attempt you what so euer promyse shall happen to passe me in the meane tyme trustynge to spede neuer the worse at your handes though nowe for certeyne considerations I seme to take the missinge of your good mynde lyghter then inwardely I feele it Further concernynge my deare frende your notable late husbande lyke as it is not possible to recouer ageyne his body so were it iniury to suffer his deserued good fame peryshe For the preseruation wherof I haue here Sithall sent certeyne verses in maner of an Epytaph which I pray you cause to be grauen and fixed on his sepulture and thus hartely fare ye well ¶ The Epytaph Lewes lyeth here so fell his fatall houre Blethin surnamed of south wales the floure In knowledge of the lawe worthy eternal fame In wysedome and temperaunce coequall to the same With all good qualities shortly to conelude And honeste trade of lyfe moste plenteously endude Whom cruel death alas in his .xxxv. yeare Wastynge of this worlde hath layde alonge on beare Wayle his want Welchmen to rathe ebbed was his tyde God sende you many suche and lenger to abyde ¶ Where as a certeyne Gentlewoman bare in hande that she was determined neuer to mary and was neuerthelesse lykely to be muche sued vnto for maryage here Bawdyn informeth her by his letter vnder what sort she were beste to vse and gyue ouer her suters The syxt Chapter GOod mystres N. I commende me vnto you beinge ryght sory that I can not season my commendations with some hartinesse howe be it I assure you it is not lefte vndone for any lacke of good mynde but onely for that I am not as nowe master of mine owne harte and can therfore in nothynge vtter any perfecte hartinesse yet neuerthelesse yf it may do you any pleasure to haue my harty commendations ye maye be therin as it were your owne caruer For doubtlesse my harte is with you so that ye maye vse the office thereof euen as ye lyste your selfe And then hauinge the hart after suche sort it maye not be forborne but that the body must nedes be at your commaundement And if ye doubt the contrary on my behalfe I praye you commaunde me to do what lately ye denyed me of and then the trueth wyll apeare Further where as ye refuse to accept me in mariage yet not for any mislykinge as ye say but onely for that ye are vtterly determyned neuer to mary Surely I accompte my selfe more bounden vnto you for that gentle answere with your frendely enterteynemente besydes then I shulde be to some other for the grauntynge my whole request therfore if in any thyng I may do you seruice or pleasure ye shal be well assured therof And as a proofe or ernest peny of the same I wyll at this tyme be so bolde as somewhat to councell you concernynge such matter as I suppose ye haue presently moste nede to be well aduysed of which is syth as ye saye ye are determined neuer to mary somewhat to shewe you vnder what maner is shal be best for you to vse and giue ouer such as may happen to sue vnto you for mariage Which kynde of suters ye shall vnderstande are deuided in three sundry sortes The one sueth for loue of the person another for loue of her lyuynge and the thyrde are they that make of wooynge theyr pastyme or recreation practysynge by sutes at large done in sport howe to fashion them selues and place theyr wordes ageynst such tyme as they shall happen to be earnest suters in dede and not meanynge to marry although theyr request were graunted
the promes shulde perceaue hym to profer further then was promysed yet were she better to suffer in scilence then to make any great noyse in the rescue lest it shulde sownde in the eares of some as in dede there lay strangers nere at hande that not knowynge her simple meanynge wolde thynke her in defaulte to suffer hym come so nere But what so euer was done in the meane tyme in conclusion secretely as he came so he departed and she for her parte supposinge that she had honestely acquyted her selfe of her promes determined for the residue of the nyght to take her rest and therfore rose vp and softly locked the dore after hym So by this we maye se that it is not to be marueyled at though some men laboure sore and can not thryne and that some other doyng nothing at all waxeth ryche for oft rymes Fortune gyueth one man the fruyte of anothers trauell When the bydden geste who had longe tyme walked vp and downe in his chamber Harkenynge here and there in abydynge his good houre vnderstode all thynges hushe and styll and that there was no blynche of candell lyght in any where apearynge then he thought tyme to set forwardes and with tremblynge fote and hande as thoughe his lyfe and death lay in balaunce dyd euen so but when he came to the Gentlewomans chamber and founde her dore fast thinking then that she ment onely to scorne hym all his hotte loue or luste whether of bothe I may best call it was sodeynely turned into rage and fury so that with a swollen harte he returned backe ageyne to his owne chamber and there tumblynge on his bedde passed the residue of the nyght in great malyncoly and displeasure In the mornynge the smell feaste departed very early without takynge of his leaue as commonly all men knowynge them selues gylty wyll be lotheÌ„ to tary longe nere theyr faulte for doubte of espymge but the bydden gest rode not tyl it was nere .viii. of the clocke whome when he was a lyttle in his way the Gentlewoman with a fayned frownynge countenance began to chalenge and sayde A syr I can you thanke ye kepte well your promesse to nyght a woman is well at case to set her honesty in your handes vppon any othe as who wolde say he hadde gone further then was promysed What so euer thanke ye can me for kepynge of my promesse sayde the Gentleman I can you none at all for the breakinge of yours and surely I am not contented with you for ye vsed me verye noughtely therein very noghtely sayd she I pray you why so Mary layde the Gentleman bycause ye made me watche a great parte of the nyght and to proule aboute in the darke promysynge to leaue your chamber dore abrode and dyd not so Then wyste she well that she had bin deceaued and serchynge for a womans shyfte howe to saue al thynges vpryght sodeynly founde one and sayde Why syr and were ye there in dede and I ment to chalenge you bicause ye came not Yea that was I by the good Lord sayd the Gentleman euen at mydnyght and founde it falste locked Nowe by out blessed Lady sayde the Gentlewoman then ye deceaued your selfe for my dore was left open purposely for you mary there was another dore faste by it whiche in dede was locked and of lykelyhod for lacke of lyght ye toke the one for the other Nowe on my fayth sayde the Gentleman it was euen so sure ynough and thereupon laughynge at the matter helde her excused determynynge to vse hym selfe more circumspecrely the nexte nyght folowynge but in the meane tyme as the deuyll wolde there came ageynste them a kynseman of the Gentlewomans to gyde her thyther as she was bounden who conneyed her out of his company And so by the crafty dealynge of the subtyll smell feaste the bydden gest was disapoynted of his purpose whiche by the peruersenes of Fortune without any default in the woman he could neuer recouer afterwardes ¶ The thyrde and last parte of the Epistle sente by Bawdyn Bacheler to Walter Wedlocke The .xv. Chapter By this experiment Walter we maye amonge other thynges perceaue thinstabilitie of womens determinations and how by discrete diligence and pollicie they may be allured whereunto men lyst be it good or euyll so that Fortune be not vtterly bent to the contrary as it semeth she was ageynste the bydden gestes enterpryse For in deede then there is no remedy as before this the wyfe in excusynge her selfe when she was blamed for geuynge her husbande the lothesome lyuery sayde that she coulde nat do therwith by reason that it was his fortune to haue it and was thereby very well alowed both of Iustice Mynos hym selfe and of all the whole courte But Lorde God Walter howe rashe wytted am I become of late for had I not chaunced to fall ageyne into like matter I shuld haue omytted one of the chefest thynges that concerneth the purpose I treate vppon whiche is to preserue the quyete betwene man and wyfe For surely by ought that I can perceaue the greateste breache therof is when she chaunceth to lye with some other man whiche thynge the husbande in some countreys vseth to take wonderfull greuously and yet let the matter rest there as in dede it might wel inough yf he were discrete and then were there no harme done at all for I haue knowen a number of men so vsed and yet remayne as holsome in theyr bodyes as quyete in theyr myndes and as sufficiently furny shed to all purposes as yf it had neuer so chaunced What is it then thynke ye that causeth their torment and distemperaunce mary the knowledge therof Why and whose defaulte I pray you is that is it the wyues Nay nay God wot but his owne that pryeth to perceaue it much lyke the mad man that seketh for a knyfe to â—le hym selfe Oh vphappye plage that commeth onely by Sathan for nature wolde haue it kepte pryuie and therfore prouoketh to haue it done in secrete nor God wolde not haue it disclosed and therfore setteth in the peoples hartes neuer to shewe the husband therof though it were so that al the rest of his paryshe shulde happen to knowe it and wyl he then hym selfe seke his owne harme and make earneste of game Well and if he wyll nedes be so foolyshe let hym languyshe with the frute therof and I shrewe all such as wyl mone him it is me thinketh muche lyke the eatynge of a flye blowe beinge a certeyne kynde of small wormes that is oftentymes founde in colde mutton and such lyke meates in the sommer tyme wherof although a man eate a thousande as commoÌ„ly men do when they feede hungerly and lokethe not for them yet doth it no harme at al. But and if afterwardes serchynge more narowly he perceaneth by them that are lefte that in dede he 〈◊〉 eaten some Then streyght wayes he 〈◊〉 his gorge and maketh ado as yf he 〈◊〉 poysoned which