¶ 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
doo afore wyth feare drede that dyd he now with a fre wyl and with a free heart And oftentymes as his maister rode forth he lefte his Clarke at whome for to kepe hys maistres And whā y t his wyfe rode out to pilgrymage or to weddinges or to any other festes than he had leuer that his clarke had ben wyth his wife thā any of his other maydens and thus had the clarke good fortune and chaūce for his mayster neuer knew therof And who that sayd ought therof let them say what they wolde thoughte euermore that he knew well cōtrary but his good wife knew it muche better thus was the poore mā foule deceyued of his wyfe ¶ How the woman Iahell deceyued the great Captayne Sysara THe captayne Sysara had great puysance of men of warre and was a great enemy agaynst them of Israell he had in hys batayle .ix. C. greate Charettes the whyche were beset on bothe sydes with sithes suche as they haue for to ma whay and Corne wythal wyth the whyche he dyd great morther amonges the people of Israell And whan that he had persued the chyldren of Israell .xx. yere wyth warre than vpon a day there came the propheresse Deelbora to Barache the captayne of Israell and sayd ryse vp this is thy day in the whyche the Lorde shall delyuer Sysaram into thy handes and so she and Barache went out wyth .x. M men Sysara heard that the people came vpon hun he was afrayd and lept from hys charet and fled away a foote And thus as he fled the woman Iahel met hym and sayde Lorde come with me and go to my house for thi sauegarde and he went wyth her and than he sayde I dye for thurst And Iahel heryng that gaue hym mylke to drynke And Sisara was very wery in so muche that he fell a slepe And Iahell tooke a great nayle and set it vpon the temple of hys head and droue the nayle crosse wise thorough hys head and so she kylde him Now behold the captaine the whyche all the power of Israell coulde not subdewe and one only woman hath wonne hym with her deceyte ¶ A deceyte doone in Artoys of a late tyme. IN the Erldome of Artoys was a mā of great power y e which had a fayre yonge gentilwomā to his wife and liued veri louingly to gether This knight had lost in a batayle one of hys eares his lord and captayne that was aboue him was duke of Burgon and erle of Artoys the which had made peace concorde wyth all the other kynges and lords in thrystendome And for because that man sayde that this knyght was a deuoute man Vpon a tyme he thought that he wolde not lede his lyfe in makyng of good chere and euer to lyue in Welthe and also coniectured in hys mynde that it was not the waye of saluacyō And so vpon a tyme he made hys vowe to the lande of Pruysse for to helpe to defende the chrysten fayth with the men and Lordes of the countrye And shortly after he tooke hys leue of the Duke of hys lordes and gentylmen and of hys good wyfe and so rode hys waye with proper compeny accordyng to hys estate tyl that he came in Pruyse where as he was ryght nobly receiued and there he dyd many noble feates of warre agaynste the infydeles in so muche that his name was spred through al the world And so it fortuned in the meane tyme whyl that he was out of hys countrey and hys wyfe beyng a fayre young gentyl woman the which laye alone it fortuned vpon a tyme there cames a yonge proper gentylman the whyche wooed her for to lye wyth her and so he desyred her that he myght haue the kepynge of the Cytye and be her husbandes liuetenant the whyche within a shorte tyme with a lyttel labour consented to hym And whan that her husband had bene certayne yeres forth he tooke his leue of the lordes of Pruyse is returned agayne homwardes sore longynge for to reste in the swete armes of hys fayre wyfe And so it fortuned vpon the last nyght that he laye but .iii. myle from his owne castel where as he dwelt longynge sore all the nyght for hys good wyfe the whyche was verye besy wyth an other and he was y e fyrste vp in the mornynge and toke hys horse and rode all alone in greate haste and wyth a feruente desyre towarde his castell to th entent that he might yet fynd his wyfe vpon her bed he to warm him by her swete dsyes whyche thought full lytle vpon his commynge and he rode so fast that he cam before day to his castel whan that he cam he found the vtter court open and there he left his horse standynge and wente so forthe boted and spored to fore his wiues chamber where that she laye had her pastauns with another mā and the lorde drew his sword and knocked at the chaumber doore whereof his wife and the keper of the Citie marheyled sore who that it myght be the wife axed who was there the lorde answered I am here what slepe ye yet opē y e dore The wyfe knowynge well the voyce was sore amasyd and sayde to her louer that he shuld incontinent rise and clothe hym the whyche he dyd by and by And the wyfe faried so longe tyll that he knocked agayne and sayd open quikly Thā sayd his wyfe alas my husband is farre from hens I beseche god sende hym well home agayne Than sayd the lord by my knyghthod woman I am he and knowe ye me not The woman said whan that it shal please my husband to com home he wyl gyue me good knowlege before by sume of his seruauntes to th ende that I maye mete hym and byd him welcome home with his cosins and his nexte kynred so I maye honourablye receiue him as it pertayneth to a Lorde Than said the lord what mene ye shal I stāde long here wyll ye not knowe your husband and forthwyth he named his name and whan that her louer had clothed hym she bad hyme that he should come stand by her behynd the doore Than sayde the woman alas good husbande yf it be you I requyre you y e you forgiue it me The lord sayde I am content than sayd the woman I wyll come and let you in yf I had a candell lyght And for a truth whan that ye knocked at the doore I had a marueylous good dreine of you what was that sayd the lord she answered My lord I dremed that ye were come home and that ye spake wyth me and me thought that ye sawe as clerely with your blynde eye as ye dyd wyth the other eye The lorde sayd I wolde it were so Than sayde the woman I beleue yet that it is so what sayde the lorde be ye foly she that ye beleue me not the woman sayd let me proue for my mynde sake and with that
she opened the dore and helde a candell burnying in her hande And the poore lord suffered his wyfe to hyde his eye with her hande and withe the other hande she helde the Candell before his blynde eye and sayde lorde I beseche you tel me the truthe whether ye do se wyth your other eye orno the lorde sayde no by my knighthode and with that his leuetenaunt of the towne wente be hind him out at the doore so pryeuely that the lorde perceyued hym not And then sayde the woman now se I well that my dreme is but deceyte but thanked be god that ye be here And than she toke hym in her armes kyssed hym many tymes and her lord told her how that he had lefte his company behynd and how that he rose before them and rode his way to th end that he might yet fynd her a bed Than sayd the woman for a truth yet ye be a good man Than wet he to the hote howse bathed and wasshed hym and than forthwyth wente to bed to his lady with great solace pleasure And thus was the lord deceiued of his wyfe the whyche he tooke yet for a good honest woman for it lay dead and was so secretly kept that mi lorde knewe neuer therof And yf my lorde had biden at home peraduenture the woman had neuer fallen to that mysgydinge for they neuer coulde perceiue but that she gydede her selfe well and honestelye all here lyfe afore Now take example by thys for it is a comon prouerbe carre from home nere thy harme ¶ The deceyte of Iudyth that wonne Holyfernus THe king Holofernus beseged the Citie of Bethulien with a hundred xx.m footemeÌ„ and .xx. M horsemen so strongly y t there was no drinke to be gotten in the Citie but that they muste drynke the bludde of bestes The wydow Iudith seing this tóoke great pity on the people and prayed mekely to God for grace and for to be delyuered out of captyuitie and for to obtayn the victory of their enemies and then she went into her chamber and arayed her with her best araye verie rychelye for she was fayre and comely of persone and God made her more fayrer And she tooke with her a maide went to the gate of the Cytie where y t the Lordes stoode and she sayd to them Pray vnto the lord god for grace for me that it wyl please hym that I maye obtayne my purpose And she went out of the Citie where she was taken and brought to fore Holofernus by hys seruauntes and than she sayd to Holofernus I am come for to put my lyfe in thy haÌ„de that I may be preserued thorough thee for the Citie must come shortely into thy haÌ„des and so by that men as she obtayned hys grace and what that she desyred of hym she had it And so she desired of him y t she might go euen and morning to the mouÌ„taynes y t she myght pray there to her god for hym And thaÌ„ he gaue commauÌ„dement to all his lords that where soeuer y t the woman Iudith wolde go y e they should let her go fre no man say her nay vpon the fourth day Holofernus made a costly dyner for his lordes sayd to his chaÌ„berlen Vaago Tel y e Hebrw womaÌ„ the she come to me y e whyche he did he sayd to Iudith O ye geÌ„tilwomaÌ„ drede not to go in to my lorde Holofernus for he requireth you y e ye wyl be mery and drinke the wine with him ThaÌ„ sayd Iudith who am I that I shouldeÌ„not be obedyent to my Lord. All that shal please my lord yf he thynke it good I wyll be gladde to doo And al that shall please hym shall be good for me as longe as my lyfe shall endure Than Iudyth rose vp secretely and arayed her rychely went so forth wythin to Olephernê° and she stoode before hym Than was Olefernus herte troubled and brenned in the loue of her so he thought that he wolde slepe by her the same nyght and was very mery droncke more wyne that nyght than he had done all hys lyfe tyme to fore and so fel a slepe vpon his bed And Iudyth was onely alone with him in his chamber and her mayde stode without and kept the doore and at the beddes hed honge his sworde she drew the sworde out of the shethe and tooke him bi the heare and lift vp hys heade and so cut it of and put it into a lether baggeÌ„ and tooke it to her mayd and so brought it into the citie of Bethulyen and whan that it was publyshed knowen that theyr kynge Olephernus was dead they went all away and so the Cytie was delyuered out of captyuitie and bondage O behold how the great and mighty prynce the whyche coulde not be ouercome wyth all their craft how he was wonne through the louely wordes and deceyte of a woman the whyche many a thousand men dyd repent and lese theyr lyfe therfore who is it that can take hede of the deceyte of women except he doo vtterly abstayne their company for they be so false and so full of deceyte that all the hede that a man can take is to lytle ¶ A new deceyte doone of late in Fraunce IN FrauÌ„ce was a gentilman of great puysaunce the whiche entyerly loued a yonge fayre gentilwoman beynge maryed whyche gentylwoman loued him no lesse than he dyd her And therfore the gentylman made oftentymes his coÌ„playnt to his louer of the great dolours paynes y t he suffred for her sake and she hearynge hym so pyteously complayne conforted hym the best that she could sayeng to hym I am alwayes redy and at your pleasure but I can not be at youre desyre and wyll because of my husbaÌ„d For ye know well that I must be obedient euermore be redy at my husbaÌ„des wyll and pleasure Alas sayd the gentilman yf there be no meanes for to shorteÌ„ my great paynes I wote not what to doo Than sayde the gentilwoman with a feruent desyre to her louer Come to nyght at one or two a clocke and knocked at my chaÌ„ber doore For I wyl fynde suche meanes that I wyl departe froÌ„ my husbaÌ„d except som fortune do let me The gentilmaÌ„ heryng this was conforted and was glad so departed from her and abode y e houre that she had poynted him and so the yonge gentylwoman sat all the nyght and had many fantasyes and sat musynge and was very sad for she wyst not what shoulde fortune her but her chaunce and fortune was that her husbande him selfe gaue the occasion and cause that her heuynes was tourned to myrthe for her husbaÌ„d saw a male lyenge in the chaÌ„ber in the whyche male was his wifes clothes for by cause that he saw that his wife sate in heuines he demauÌ„ded what y e male did in the chamber wherfore that it was not brought into his place where it was wont to lye