 | Here begynneth a merry Ieste of a shrewde and curste Wyfe |  |
How the curst wife in Morels skin lay, Because she would not her husband obay.
Now
will I my sweete wife trim,
According as she deserueth to me:
I sweare by God and by saynt Sim,
With Byrchen roddes well beate shall she be.
And after that in Morels salte skin,
I will her lay and full fast binde,
That all her friendes, and eake her kyn,
Shall her long seeke or they her fynde,
According as she deserueth to me:
I sweare by God and by saynt Sim,
With Byrchen roddes well beate shall she be.
And after that in Morels salte skin,
I will her lay and full fast binde,
That all her friendes, and eake her kyn,
Shall her long seeke or they her fynde,
Then he her met, and to her gan say,
How sayest thou wife wilte thou be mayster yet:
She sware by Gods body, and by that day,
And sodaynly with her fyst she did him hit.
And defyed him dreuill at euery worde,
Saying precious horsesone what doest thou thinke
I set not by thee a stinking torde
Thou shalt get of me neyther meate nor drinke.
How sayest thou wife wilte thou be mayster yet:
She sware by Gods body, and by that day,
And sodaynly with her fyst she did him hit.
And defyed him dreuill at euery worde,
Saying precious horsesone what doest thou thinke
I set not by thee a stinking torde
Thou shalt get of me neyther meate nor drinke.
Sayest thou me that wyfe quoth he than
With that in his armes he gan her catche
Streyght to the seller with her he ran
And fastened the dore with locke and latche
And threwe the key downe him besyde,
Askyng her than if she would obay
Than she sayde nay for all thy pryde
But she was mayster and would abyde alway.
With that in his armes he gan her catche
Streyght to the seller with her he ran
And fastened the dore with locke and latche
And threwe the key downe him besyde,
Askyng her than if she would obay
Than she sayde nay for all thy pryde
But she was mayster and would abyde alway.
Then quoth he we must make a fraye
And with that her cloths he gan to teare
Out vpon thee horesone than she did saye
Wylte thou robbe me of all my geare
It cost thee naught thou arrant theefe
And quickly she gat hym by the heade
With that she sayde God giue thee a mischiefe
And them that fed thee fyrst with breade.
And with that her cloths he gan to teare
Out vpon thee horesone than she did saye
Wylte thou robbe me of all my geare
It cost thee naught thou arrant theefe
And quickly she gat hym by the heade
With that she sayde God giue thee a mischiefe
And them that fed thee fyrst with breade.
They wrestled togyther thus they two
So long that the clothes asunder went
And to the grounde he threwe her tho
That cleane from the backe her smock he rent.
In euery hand a rod he gate,
And layd upon her a right good pace:
Asking of her what game was that,
And she cryed out horeson, alas, alas.
So long that the clothes asunder went
And to the grounde he threwe her tho
That cleane from the backe her smock he rent.
And layd upon her a right good pace:
Asking of her what game was that,
And she cryed out horeson, alas, alas.
What wilte thou doe, wilte thou kill me,
I haue made thee a man of nought:
Thou shalte repente it, by Gods pitty,
That euer this deede thou haste ywrought.
I care not for that dame he did say,
Thou shalt give ouer or we departe
The maystership all, or all this day
I will not cease to make thee smarte.
I haue made thee a man of nought:
Thou shalte repente it, by Gods pitty,
That euer this deede thou haste ywrought.
I care not for that dame he did say,
Thou shalt give ouer or we departe
The maystership all, or all this day
I will not cease to make thee smarte.
Euer he layde on, and euer she did crye,
Alas, alas, that euer I was borne
Out vpon thee murderer I thee defye
Thou hast my white skin, and my body all to torne
Leaue of betyme I counsayle thee,
Nay by God dame I saye not so yet,
I sweare to thee, by Mary so free
We begyn but nowe, this is the first fyt.
Alas, alas, that euer I was borne
Out vpon thee murderer I thee defye
Thou hast my white skin, and my body all to torne
Leaue of betyme I counsayle thee,
Nay by God dame I saye not so yet,
I sweare to thee, by Mary so free
We begyn but nowe, this is the first fyt.
Once agayne, we must daunce about
And then thou shalt reast in Morels skyn,
He gaue her thau so many a great cloute
That on the grounde the bloud was seene.
Within a whyle, he cryed newe roddes newe
With that she cryed full lowde alas,
Daunce yet about dame, thou came not where it grewe,
And sodainely with that in a sowne she was.
And then thou shalt reast in Morels skyn,
He gaue her thau so many a great cloute
That on the grounde the bloud was seene.
Within a whyle, he cryed newe roddes newe
With that she cryed full lowde alas,
Daunce yet about dame, thou came not where it grewe,
And sodainely with that in a sowne she was.
He spyed that and vp he her hente,
And wrang her harde then by the nose:
With her to Morels skin, straight he wente,
And therein full fast he did her close.
Within a while, she did reuiue,
Through the grose salte that did her smarte:
She thought she should neuer haue gone on liue,
Out of Morels skin so sore is her harte.
And wrang her harde then by the nose:
With her to Morels skin, straight he wente,
And therein full fast he did her close.
Within a while, she did reuiue,
Through the grose salte that did her smarte:
She thought she should neuer haue gone on liue,
Out of Morels skin so sore is her harte.
When she did spy that therein she lay,
Out of her wit she was full nye:
And to her husband then did she say,
How canst thou doe this vilany.
Nay how sayest thou, thou cursed wife,
In this foule skin I will thee keepe,
During the time of all thy life,
Therein for euer to wayle and weepe.
Out of her wit she was full nye:
And to her husband then did she say,
How canst thou doe this vilany.
Nay how sayest thou, thou cursed wife,
In this foule skin I will thee keepe,
During the time of all thy life,
Therein for euer to wayle and weepe.
With that her moode began to sinke,
And sayd deare husband for grace I call:
For I shall neuer sleepe nor winke,
Till I get your loue whatso befall.
And I will neuer to you offend,
In no maner of wise, of all my lyue:
Nor to doe nothing that may pretend,
To displease you with my wittes fyue.
And sayd deare husband for grace I call:
For I shall neuer sleepe nor winke,
Till I get your loue whatso befall.
And I will neuer to you offend,
In no maner of wise, of all my lyue:
Nor to doe nothing that may pretend,
To displease you with my wittes fyue.
For Father nor Mother whatsoeuer they say
I will not anger you by God in throne:
But glad will your commaundementes obay,
In presence of people and eake alone.
Well on that condicion thou shalt haue,
Grace and fayre bed to rest thy body in:
But if thou rage more so God me saue,
I will wrap thee agayne in Morels skin.
I will not anger you by God in throne:
But glad will your commaundementes obay,
In presence of people and eake alone.
Grace and fayre bed to rest thy body in:
But if thou rage more so God me saue,
I will wrap thee agayne in Morels skin.
Then he tooke her out in his armes twayne,
And beheld her so pitteously with blood arayed,
How thinkest thou wife, shall we agayne,
Haue such businesse more to her he sayd,
She aunswered nay my husband deare,
Whyle I you know, and you know me,
Your commaundementes I will both far and neare,
Fulfill alway in euery degree.
And beheld her so pitteously with blood arayed,
How thinkest thou wife, shall we agayne,
Haue such businesse more to her he sayd,
She aunswered nay my husband deare,
Whyle I you know, and you know me,
Your commaundementes I will both far and neare,
Fulfill alway in euery degree.
Well then I promise thee by God euen now,
Betweene thee and mee shall neuer be strife,
If thou to my commaundementes quickly bow
I will the cherish all the dayes of my life.
In bed she was layde and healed full soone,
As fayre and cleare as she was beforne,
What he her bid was quickly done,
To be dilligent ywys she tooke no scorne.
Betweene thee and mee shall neuer be strife,
If thou to my commaundementes quickly bow
I will the cherish all the dayes of my life.
In bed she was layde and healed full soone,
As fayre and cleare as she was beforne,
What he her bid was quickly done,
To be dilligent ywys she tooke no scorne.
Then was he glad, and thought in his minde
Now haue I done, my selfe great good,
And her also, we shall it finde,
Though I haue shed parte of her blood.
For as me thinke, she will be meeke:
Therefore I will her father and Mother,
Byd to guest, now the next weeke,
And of our neighboures, many other.
Now haue I done, my selfe great good,
And her also, we shall it finde,
Though I haue shed parte of her blood.
For as me thinke, she will be meeke:
Therefore I will her father and Mother,
Byd to guest, now the next weeke,
And of our neighboures, many other.
| Here begynneth a merry Ieste of a shrewde and curste Wyfe | |