The people of God, and made him, Mardoché,
Of Assuere enhanced2783 for to be.
There is nothing in gree superlative2784
(As saith Senec) above a humble wife.
Suffer thy wifë’s tongue, as Cato bit;2785
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,2786
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.2787
Husband and wife, what so men jape or play,2788
Of worldly folk holdë the sicker2789 way;
They be so knit there may no harm betide,
And namëly2790 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,2791 his tale he hath them told:
He saidë, “Friendës, I am hoar and old,
And almost (God wot) on my pittë’s2792 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 tender of age;
I pray you shapë2793 for my marriáge
All suddenly, for I will not abide:
And I will fond2794 to éspy, on my side,
To whom I may be wedded hastily.
But forasmuch as ye be more than I,
Ye shallë rather2795 such a thing espy
Than I, and where me best were to ally.
But one thing warn I you, my friendës dear,
I will none old wife have in no mannére:
She shall not passë sixteen year certáin.
Old fish and youngë flesh would I have fain.
Better,” quoth he, “a pike than a pickerel,2796
And better than old beef is tender veal.
I will no woman thirty year of age,
It is but beanëstraw and great foráge.
And eke these oldë widows (God it wot)
They connë2797 so much craft on Wadë’s boat,2798
So muchë brookë harm2799 when that them lest,2800
That with them should I never live in rest.
For sundry schoolës makë subtle clerkës;
Woman of many schoolës half a clerk is.
But certainly a young thing men may guy,2801
Right as men may warm wax with handës ply.2802
Wherefore I say you plainly in a clause,
I will none old wife have, right for this cause.
For if so were I haddë such mischance,
That I in her could havë no pleasance,
Then should I lead my life in avoutrie,2803
And go straight to the devil when I die.
Nor children should I none upon her getten:
Yet were me lever2804 houndës had me eaten
Than that mine heritagë shouldë fall
In strangë hands: and this I tell you all.
I doubtë not I know the causë why
Men shouldë wed: and farthermore know I
There speaketh many a man of marriáge
That knows no more of it than doth my page,
For what causes a man should take a wife.
If he ne may not livë chaste his life,
Take him a wife with great devotión,
Because of lawful procreatión
Of children, to th’ honoúr of God above,
And not only for paramour or love;
And for they shouldë lechery eschew,
And yield their debtë when that it is due:
Or for that each of them should help the other
In mischief,2805 as a sister shall the brother,
And live in chastity full holily.
But, Sirës, by your leave, that am not I,
For, God be thanked, I dare make avaunt,2806
I feel my limbës stark2807 and suffisant
To do all that a man belongeth to:
I wot myselfë best what I may do.
Though I be hoar, I fare as doth a tree,
That blossoms ere the fruit y-waxen2808 be;
The blossomy tree is neither dry nor dead;
I feel me now here hoar but on my head.
Mine heart and all my limbës are as green
As laurel through the year is for to seen.2809
And, since that ye have heard all mine intent,
I pray you to my will ye would assent.”
Diversë men diversëly him told
Of marriáge many examples old;
Some blamed it, some praised it, certáin;
But at the lastë, shortly for to sayn
(As all day2810 falleth altercatión
Betwixtë friends in disputatión),
There fell a strife betwixt his brethren two,
Of which that one was callëd Placebo,
Justinus soothly callëd was that other.
Placebo said; “O January, brother,
Full little need have ye, my lord so dear,
Counsel to ask of any that is here:
But that ye be so full of sapience,
That you not liketh, for your high prudénce,
To waivë2811 from the word of Solomon.
This word said he unto us every one;
Work allë thing by counsel—thus said he—
And thennë shalt thou not repentë thee.
But though that Solomon spake such a word,
Mine owen dearë brother and my lord,
So wisly2812 God my soulë bring at rest,
I hold your owen counsel is the best.
For, brother mine, take of me this motive;2813
I have now been a court-man all my life,
And, God it wot, though I unworthy be,
I havë standen in full great degree
Aboutë lordës of full high estate;
Yet had I ne’er with none of them debate;
I never them contráried truëly.
I know well that my lord can2814 more than I;
What that he saith I hold it firm and stable,
I say the same, or else a thing sembláble.
A full great fool is any counsellor
That serveth any lord of high honoúr,
That dare presume, or onës thinken it;
That his counsel should pass his lordë’s wit.
Nay, lordës be no foolës by my fay.
Ye have yourselfë shewed here to-day
So high
