¶ The deceyte of women to the instruction and ensample of all men yonge and olde newly corrected ¶ Prologue TAke on thy way thou lytle booke And feare not for no maner blame For though these wemen looke a crooke Take thou thereof hardly no shame For they that be good without deceyte Wyth this will not be greued But they that for false louers wayte Besode their husbandes be soone meued They that be good and not infecte For all that is sayde nede not to care For in this booke they be not electe Wherfore do thou not spare To shew of the lewde and theyr demeanour Throughout this booke where euer it be There came neuer good of their behauour Experience dayly ye may se Of women maried many one Which were right lewde and wyl not be knowen This booke right playnly maketh mencion For diuers of their husbandes were ouerthrowen Through their false wyles and arte mischeuous yet the good women herein be not named Wherfore to them it is nothing greuous That they be fauty be somewhat blamed Vyrgyll complayneth here and Hercules also For all their will great power and strength Sampson stronge with many worthies mo Haue bene begiled through women at length Finis WHan the creatour of al thinges had create and made heauen and erth of nought and all that is thei in saue man Than made he vpon the syxte daye of erth our fyrst father Adam in y e campe of Damasco he gaue vnto hym lyfe and made hym lorde and inherit our of all thynges that were creat vpon earth And also y e knoledge and vnderstandyng wyth the propertyes and vertues of all thynges and to eche thyng his proper name Than the lorde tooke from hym the place where he was made and set hym in Paradyse terrestre that he should in herit it And y e lorde sente into Adam a slepe and than tooke a rybbe of hym and made therof a woman And And whā Adam awoke and founde the woman by hym he sayd These bones bene of my bones and this fleshe is of my fleshe And God gaue commaundemente to thē bothe and sayd eate of all the fruytes of Paradice but touche not the tree the whiche standeth in the middes ¶ How the Serpent deceyued Eue and how she forthwyth deceyued Adam WHan that the Lorde had giuen the commaundement than the olde serpent the deuill practised how that he might make him disobediēt for he knew the strength of the man and so he thoughte for to deceyue the woman for she is of much febler nature to wtstande temptacion so he found the woman alone about the tree than sayd the serpent to eue where fore hath the Lorde for byden you to eate of y e fruyte of knowledge of good euyll Than sayde Eue we should peraduenture dye The serpent sayde no nat so but ye shall be lyke goddes knowyng good and euyll therfore take the fruite and eate therof and she saw that the apple was so fayre to se and so she toke the apple and eat there of and gaue it forth to her husband Adam y t whiche also eate thereof as one that wold not dysplease his wyfe and yet neuerthelesse he was one of the wisest mē that euer was vpon erth sauyng only the sonne of god And whan that they had eaten of the Apple than were bothe their eyes opened and the saw that they were naked and thus was the moste wysest and fayrest man of the worlde deceyued of his wyfe But whether y e Eue were to blame or no that Adam was deceyued that is in the great wysdum predestynacyon of almyghty god for y e secrete was closed in y e consistory of the holi trinitie that the sonne of god shuld ones die for the loue of man and the death of the Sonne of god should haue an occasion wherfore that he shoulde dye ¶ For bycause that the erthly paradyse is the place of all erthly pleasures and is receyued to be the worthyest and the moste precyouse place of the worlde and for as much as the woman is shaped and made in that place the man in the campe of Damasco therfore som womē haue an opinion and say that they be better than y e mē and wyll be mens maysters as it fortuneth yet nowe a dayes in the worlde But they allegate not the wordes that god spake to the woman after that the commaundement was broken and sayde ye shall bere your chyldren with payne and wo ye shall be vnder the power of your husband and he shall be your mayster and shal haue Lordshyp ouer you And thā the man must se that the woman haue that at shal be nedeful and necessarye for her for god hathe commaunded men to worke whan that he sayde in the sweate of thy labour thou shalt eat thy brede but alas there is now adayes muche people y t whiche obeyeth not the commaundement Also the man shal know the ordenaunce of god and how that he hath made the woman out of the middes of the man and not of the head betokening that she shal not be the maister of the man and also he hath not made her of a side set lytle regarde by her but he hath made her oute of y e myddes to the helpyng of man and that man and wyfe shall lyue wyth one accorde and one wyll in the state of wedlocke and shall be two soules and one body the whyche god hath so ordeyned to the saluacion of oursoules ¶ A new deceyte of a woman in Henegow of late dayes IN the Citie of Valenciē was a mighty ryche man the whiche was receyuer of the country of Henegowe and dwelte in an ende of the citie beside in a fayre house y t which house had many places and wayes to passe throughout to diuers stretes And so there was one gate that was the waye in to an out strete in the which strete dwelt a good simple man the which had a very fayre woman to his wife the receyuer went often times out at the gate for the amorouse sight of that louely woman so that he was taken wyth her loue and made such acquayntaunce wyth her loue that at last she consented to him in so much y t he lacked nothing but time and place And so past forth and the receyuer desyred often times this simple man and his wife to dinners and suppers in so muche that the receyuer and he were great freendes and so he had this poore symple man alwayes at his wyll and pleasure And so it fortuned vpon a tyme that this symple man should go to a castell the whiche was .iii. myte frō Valencyen and so he tooke his iourney thetherwardes and commaunded to his wyfe the kepyng of the house the whyche she was very glad and shewed the receyuer therof he also was very glad therof and toward night the backe gate was vnlocked and there the prenely cam through to the receyuer and he
ioningly receyued her and she went with him into his house for to make better acquayntaunce with him where as al thinges stode redy of al sortes and plentye of wyne and so they past foorth the euenynge makynge good there and gaue and receyued many a friendly kysse And in makynge of this chere cam y e good man from his iorney and cam by the receyuers daore saw that there was much light in the chaÌ„ber and because that y e good maÌ„ of the house and he were good freendes he knocked boldly at y e dore and so the receyuer demaunded who was there and the good man answered your freend and hys wyfe incontynent harde and knew the voyce of her goodman than was she fo sore agast and afrayde that she could skant speake and she wyst not what she should doo ¶ How that the receyuer dyd comfort his louer ¶ Whan the receyuer saw y t the woman was so afrayde be sayd my loue come by and by to bed for I shall couer you that no man shall se you And thus they laye arme in arnie with her backe toward thee doore and the good man was let in and cam in the chamber where he found the table well arayed and well be set wyth good meate drynke and saw the receyuer lye wythe his louer in the bed the goodman seinge thys was in doubte and sayde to the receuer what hore haue ye there wyth you in the badde and with that the good man was set at the table where he eate and dranke and made good chere But the good man hauing some suspeccion rose froÌ„ the table and came afore the bed of the receyuer and sayd I muste see this woman ones ere that I departe and he lyfte vp the clothes where his honest wyfe laye vnder but the receyuer did let him and the good poore man seinge thys he wolde fayne haue lyfte vp the couerlet the shete wyth force wherewyth the receyuer hys freend was halfe an gey for they made a compacte together that he shoulde show her hynder parte and her backe to hym the whiche was so fayre and so whyte And whan this was done that he had seene her so behynde he sayde that he neuer see a fayrer woman as pertaynynge the hynder parte and swore that he neuer sawe hinde castell so lyke hys wyfes ars For yf I knewe not that my wyfe were honest and that she were now at home I wolde saye that it were she and wyth that she was couered agayne and the receyuer rebuked hym sayd why doo ye say suche thinges by your wyfe and suche dyhosty by her and so at last he is departed from theÌ„ce taking his leue of the receiuer and bad him good night with his concubine And he desyred hartely that they wolde let him go home through the backe gate but they made an excuse sayd that the keye was lost and so he muste go a great waye aboute the receiuers seruaunt went wyth him home ward and kept him with talking so longe as he could And the good woman rose and plucked on her hoseÌ„ and cast her gowne vpon her arme and so she was let out at the backe gate and she came incontinent home to her house and so abode the commyng of her good man the whyche came froÌ„ his iorney And whan y t he came afore his house he sawe that there was yet lyght in it knocked at the doore and hys wyfe went with a brome and swept the house and she asked who was there and he sayd I am he thy husban and she sayd thou art not my husband for my husband is not in the towne neuerthelesse he knocked agayne sayd I am thy husbande hys wyfe answered and sayd go from my doore for I know well the voyce of my husbande And also it is not my husbandes custome for to come and knocke this late at the doore And so at the thyrde tyme he sayd so muche y t she knewe hym for he was sore amoued and laid vpon the doore as though he wolde haue brokeÌ„ it in pieces â— so at last she let him in she set her handes on her side sayde thou noughty knaue this haste thou doone for to proue me and I tell thee y t thou arte not worthy for to haue so honest a wyfe The good maÌ„ saw y t he had wroÌ„g he spake feendly to his wyfe and sayd I beseche y e geÌ„tyl wife be coÌ„tent For of great necessitie I must nedes returne agayne for I haue forgotten the principall letter y t I went for But his wife wolde not be content sayd y t he caÌ„ from the tauerne from the shewes she cursed the houre that euer she was maryed to hym The poore simple maÌ„ whan he saw y t his wife was to angry thinkyng him selfe to be the occasion therof cam to his wife bare head wyth his cap in his haÌ„d sayd my most trewest wife I beseche thee if I haue myssayd or my soone any thyng against thee I beseche the for the loue of god forgeue it me For I com from a place where that I had good cheere there as I thoughte that I had sene thee and through thee I was sore moueâ— wythout cause I am very sory for it therfore I beseche thee forgeue it me so at last she was som what content but she sayd y u humanetly caytife thou comest froÌ„ thyne hores there y u hast sene theyr lewdnes now wilt cast thi good wife in cheteth there wych The good man answered alas good wyfe say not so I beseche y e speke no more therof but forgeue it me and I wyll neuer doo so agayne as longe as I lyue Nowe after thys tyme hath the good wife gone ofteÌ„times throughe the backe gate wyth lesse sorow and drede wythout the knowledge of the symple maÌ„ her husbaÌ„d the whiche neuer knew no more therof after that day as it is shewed mee Thus ye may heare how that men be oftentymes deceyued by their wyfes ⧠How the patriarche Loth was deceyued by hys two doughters THat tyme whan Loth was departed out of Sodom with hys wyfe and his two doughters thaÌ„ the Angeâ—l coÌ„maunded hym that what so euer he hearde that he should not loke backwarde the which coÌ„mauÌ„dement Lothes wife brake and soo she remayned there standyng and was traÌ„sfygured into the Image of a salt stone there to remayne for euer Than went Loth into a small Cytye called Segor the whyche throughe the prayer of thys Loth was spared for a wyhle and remaynyned standing so longe as Lot was therin but Loth seynge that they wolde not leue their foule synne wolde not abide no lenger therin so he fled froÌ„ thens and in continent the citie was also destroyed so Loth was in a speluncke or caue of an hyll ther about with his two doughters and they had with them meat and drinke and
Than said his wyfe wel husband I requyre you be not angry for our chamberlain shal take them out for therin is part of my clothes Than sayd her husbande my semes that the male is ouer lytell for to put your clothes in wythout crokynge for they be large and longe The gentyl woman sayde the male is great ynough the lorde sayde my semes naye well sayde the gentyll woman yf it please you I wyll lay w t you a dosen of teuen shertes agaynst a satyn kertyll that we wyl put you in the male as ye be for all that the male is solytle The lorde sayde I holde ye that ye doo not Than sayde the hande mayde we shall sée who shal wynne it Than he drew the clothes out of the male and then the maydē toke hym and made suche shyft that she put him in the male to his mā hode to and all that were there laught and had good sporte at it and so playenge and mockynge wyth hym they bonnde hym faste in the male and so brought him into a lytle out chamber ferre from his owne chamber and they cryed all we haue wonne it and for that he coulde crye or call abode all that nyght there in short tyme after that he was put in the male came the gentylwomans louer the whiche she had apeynted pryuily by her of whome he was louyngly receyued and the vp tolde him what was fortuned and how she had put her husbande in the male and shewed hym that all thinges was well and therfore sayd she ye shal remayne thys night by me and kepe my husbādes place And thus bē these two louers gon to bed together louynglye haue helsed and kyssed eche other laborynge so sore that they both did swete in obtayning theyr louely purpose And in the mornyng thys gentyl woman and her louer departed heuely from eche other and she wente vnto the out chāber where her husband lay and cryed ful loude let me out for my semes ye mocke gest with me Than sayd the gentylwoman alas good husbande be ye here yet now of trouth I knew it not for yesternight I cōmaunded my chamberlin that she shuld lose the male let ye out and one of my chamberlyns said that ye wer losed and that ye were hastely send for for certayn causes and sayd that ye wold not com home as this night and whan I herde that I wente to bed and slepte for I wēt that it had bene so Than said her husbād to her I beseche you let me out for I trow I haue bene here lōg ynough And so this gentil wife vnlosed the male and her husbād exept out and was almost lame with lieng and than she tooke him in her armes kist hym swetely and prayed him hertely that he wold not be angry w t her Than sāid her good husband I know wel it is not your faute but the chamberleyns shal repent it than he made his mone and said that they had him in dirisiō and mocked with him and also the moost greefe was y t he had lost his reuen shertes And for this he shall neuer know wythout a myschaunce fall that this booke come to his hand for to read the whiche God forbyd Amen ⧠In olde deceyt how the Prince Naboth was killed of the foule woman Iesabel THe Kynge Achab kyng of Israell dwelt in Syry had to his wyfe the mischeuous womā Iesabel the whyche pursued holy prophetes in al that she myght And this king Achab had by him in his garden a great prince called Naboth the whiche Naboth had a goodly vinyard by this king Achabs house y t which the kyng entyerly desyred saide to Naboth I beseche thee let me haue thy Vynyarde and Naboth wold not forgo his Viniarde where vpon this king Achab went and layd hym in the bed and turned his face to the wal and wolde nother eat nor drynke His wyfe Iesabell seynge this demaunded what him ayled Than he sayde my louer Naboth hath sayd to me nay that he wyll not sell to me his vineyard Than Iesabel caused the prince Naboth to be stoned to death And than came Iesabel a gayne to her kynge saying Ryse vp and drynke and make good cheere and take the Vynyarde to thee for Naboth is dead And whan that Achab heared this hearose vp and dyd enherit the Vinyarde Here may ye see how that the good prynce Naboth hath loste hys lyfe thorough the myscheuous woman Iesabell But the bloud of Naboth was auenged vpon Achab him selfe For Helyas sayde to hym There that the dogges haue lycked the bloud of Naboth there shall they also lycke thy bloud And the dogges shal eat the fleshe and body of the mischeuous womā Iesabel And it fortuned in short tyme after for she was stoned to death in a lytle oute strete and there she remayned lying tyl the tyme that the wordes of Helyas were fulfylled O most myscheuous women take her ensample for God is a ryghtwyse Iudge for he sayth in the Gospell wyth what measure ye mete out wythall wyth the same measure shall be measured in wyth all againe lyke as it fortuned to the cursed woman Iesabell as it is wrytten Therfore ye women let be your disceyte than ye shal not be deceyued for what God sayth that is nolye ⧠A new deceyt doone of late THere was a wedded womā y t which was of lyght cōtenaūce muche more lighter of hert for smal labour and expensis wolde obteyne her grace and fauour if one had sought vpō her for loue for she was so gentyl and so fre herted And so it fortuned vpō a tyme she thought for to haue two yonge men vpon one day y t the one should not knowe of y e other for she had apointed eche vpō a certayne houre that was the one at .viii. a clocke and the other at .ix. And so in the morninge the good man arise vp from hys wyfe and clothed him and went and woke hys wyfe asked her if she wolde not aryse and she answered ye knowe well that I am halfe acrased haue not slept of all the nyght therfore I cannot aryse yet And so her husband let her lye and weare his way into the cytie to worke and in the meane while hys wyfe was not ydle for as soone as the clocke had smytten .viii. there caue the yongmā the which she had apoynted the day afore and he knocked at the doore and by and bi he was let in and hastely vnclothed him and went to bed to her so they two laye so longe together passyng the tyme tyl that another sued cam knocking at the doore Than sayde the woman alas there is my hasband than said the yongman where shal I hyde me y t your husbād finde me not for yf he finde me it wolde cost vs both our liues The womā sayd take your clothes and go vp in the chamber and be there styl and