William Dunbar: The Tretis of the Tua Mariit Wemen and the Wedo

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41	1	Apon the Midsummer Ewin, mirriest of nichtis,
	2	I muvit furth allane in meid as midnicht wes past,
	3	Besyd ane gudlie grein garth, full of gay flouris,
	4	Hegeit of ane huge hicht with hawthorne treis,
	5	Quhairon ane bird on ane bransche so birst out hir notis
	6	That neuer ane blythfullar bird was on the beuche hard.
	7	Quhat throw the sugarat sound of hir sang glaid,
	8	And throw the savour sanative of the sueit flouris,
	9	I drew in derne to the dyk to dirkin efter mirthis.
	10	The dew donkit the daill, and dynnit the feulis.
	11	I hard, vnder ane holyn hewinlie grein hewit,
	12	Ane hie speiche at my hand with hautand wourdis.
	13	With that in haist to the hege so hard I inthrang
	14	That I was heildit with hawthorne and with heynd leveis.
	15	Throw pykis of the plet throne I presandlie luikit,
	16	Gif ony persoun wald approche within that plesand garding.
	17	I saw thre gay ladeis sit in ane grein arbeir,
	18	All grathit in to garlandis of fresche gudlie flouris.
	19	So glitterit as the gold wer thair glorius gilt tressis,
	20	Quhill all the gressis did gleme of the glaid hewis.
	21	Kemmit war thair clier hair and curiouslie sched,
	22	Attour thair schulderis doun schyre schyning full bricht,
	23	With curches cassin thair abaone of kirsp cleir and thin.
	24	Thair mantillis grein war as the gres that grew in May sessoun,
	25	Fetrit with thair quhyt fingaris about thair fair sydis.
	26	Off ferlifull fyne favour was thair faceis meik,
	27	All full of flurist fairheid as flouris in Iune  
	28	Quhyt, seimlie and soft as the sweit lillies,
	29	Now vspred vpon spray as new spynist rose,
	30	Arrayit ryallie about with mony riche wardour
	31	That Nature full nobillie annamalit with flouris,
	32	Off alkin hewis under hewin that ony heynd knew,
	33	Fragrant, all full of fresche odour fynest of smell.
	34	Ane cumlie tabil coverit wes befoir tha clier ladeis,
42	35	With ryalle cowpis apon rawis, full of ryche wynis.
	36	And of thir fair wlonkes tua weddit war with lordis,
	37	Ane was ane wedow, iwis, wantoun of laitis.
	38	And as thai talk at the tabill of mony taill sindry,
	39	Thay wauchtit at the wicht wyne and waris out wourdis,
	40	And syn thai spak more spedelie and sparit no matiris.
		Aude viduam iam cum interrogatione sua
	41	Bewrie, said the wedo, #e woddit wemen #ing,
	42	Quhat mirth #e fand in maryage sen #e war menis wyffis.
	43	Reveill gif #e rewit that rakles conditioun,
	44	Or gif ever #e luffit leyd vpone lyf mair
	45	Nor thame that #e #our fayth hes festinit for euer,
	46	Or gif #e think, had #e chois, that #e wald cheis better.
	47	Think #e it nocht ane blist band that bindis so fast,
	48	That none vndo it a deill may bot the deith ane?
		Responsio prime vxoris ad viduam
	49	Than spak ane lusty belyf with lustie effeiris:
	50	It that #e call the blist band that bindis so fast
	51	Is bair of blis and blaifull, and greit barrat wirkis.
	52	#e speir, had I fre chois, gif I wald cheis bettir?
	53	Chen#eis ay ar to eschew and changeis ar sueit.
	54	Sic cursit chance till eschew, had I my chois anis,
	55	Out of the chein#eis of ane churle I chaip suld for euir.
	56	God gif matrimony wer made to mell for ane #eir!
	57	It war bot merrens to be mair bot gif our myndis pleisit.
	58	It is agane the law of luf, of kynd, and of nature,
	59	Togidder hartis to strene that stryveis with vther.
	60	Birdis hes ane better law na bernis be meikill,
	61	That ilk #eir with new ioy ioyis ane maik
	62	And fangis thame ane fresche feyr, vnful#eit and constant,
	63	And lattis thair ful#eit feiris flie quhair thai pleis.
	64	Cryst gif sic ane consuetude war in this kith haldin!
	65	Than weill war ws wemen that euir we war born.
	66	We suld haue feiris as fresche to fang quhen vs likit
	67	And gif all larbaris thair leveis quhen thai lak curage. 
	68	My self suld be full semlie in silkis arrayit,
	69	Gymp, iolie and gent, richt ioyus and gent.
	70	I suld at fairis be found new faceis to se,
	71	At playis and at preichingis and pilgrimages greit,
	72	To schaw myu renone royaly quhair preis was of folk
43	73	To manifest my makdome to multitude of pepill
	74	And blaw my bewtie on breid quhair bernis war mony,
	75	That I micht cheis and be chosin and change quhen me lykit.
	76	Than suld I waill ane full weill our all the wyd realme
	77	That suld my womanheid weild the lang winter nicht,
	78	And quhen I gottin had ane grome ganest of vther,
	79	#aip and #ing, in the #ok ane #eir for to draw,
	80	Fra I had preveit his pitht the first plesand moneth,
	81	Than suld I cast me to keik in kirk and in markat,
	82	And all the cuntre about, kyngis court and vther,
	83	Quhair I ane galland micht get aganis the nixt #eir
	84	For to perfurneis furth the werk quhen fail#eit the tother:
	85	A forky fure, ay furthwart and forsy in draucht,
	86	Nother febill nor fant nor ful#eit in labour,
	87	Bot als fresche of his forme as flouris in May.
	88	For all the fruit suld I fang, thocht he the flour burgeoun.
		Aude vt dicet de viro suo
	89	I haue wallidrag, ane worme, ane auld wobat carle,
	90	A waistit wolroun na worth bot wourdis to clatter, 
	91	Ane bumbart, ane dronbee, ane bag full of flewme,
	92	Ane scabbit skarth, ane scorpioun, ane scutarde behind.
	93	To se him scart his awin skyn grit scunner I think.
	94	Quhen kissis me that carybald, than kyndillis all my sorow.
	95	As birs of ane brym bair his berd is als stif,
	96	Bot soft and soupill as the silk is his sary lwme.
	97	He may weill to the syn assent, bot sakles is his deidis.
	98	With gor his tua grym ene ar gladderit all about,
	99	And gorgeit lyk tua gutaris that war with glar stoppit.
	100	Bot quhen that glowrand gaist grippis me about,
	101	Than think I hiddowrus Mahowne hes me in armes.
	102	Thair ma na sanyne me save fra that auld Sathane,
	103	For thocht I croce me all cleine fra the croun doun,
	104	He wil my corse all beclip and clap to his breist.
	105	Quhen schaiffyn is that ald schaik with a scharp rasour,
	106	He schowis on me his schewill mouth and schendis my lippis,
	107	And with his hard hurcheone scyn sa heklis he my chekis
	108	That as a glemand gleyd glowis my chaftis.
	109	I schrenk for the scharp stound, bot schout dar I nought,
	110	For schore of that auld schrew, schame him betide.
	111	The luf blenkis of that bogill fra his blerde ene
	112	As Bel#ebub had on me blent) abasit my spreit.
	113	And quhen the smy on me smyrkis with hios smake smolet
	114	He fepillis like a farcy aver that flyrit on a gillot.
	115	Quhen that the sound of his saw sinkis in my eris,
	116	Than ay renewis my noy or he be neir cumand.
	117	Quhen I heir nemmyt his name than mak I nyne crocis
	118	To keip me fra the cummerans of that carll mangit,
	119	That full of eldnyng is and anger and all euill thewis.
	120	I dar nought luke to my luf, for that lene gib.
	121	He is sa full of ielusy and engyne fals,
	122	Euer ymagynyng in mynd materis of euill,
	123	Compasand and castand cacis a thousand,
	124	How he sall tak me with a trawe at trist of ane othir.
	125	I dar nought keik to the knaip that the cop fillis,
	126	For eldnyng of that ald schrew that euer on euill thynkis.
	127	For he is waistit and worne fra Venus werkis,
	128	And may nought beit worght a bene in bed of my mystirs.
	129	He trowis that #oung folk I #erne #eild for he gane is,
	130	Bot I may #uke all this #er, or his #erd help.
	131	Ay quhen that caribald carll wald clym on my wambe,
	132	Than am I dangerus and daine and dour of my will.
	133	#it leit I neuer that larbar my leggis ga betuene,
	134	To fyle my flesche na fummyll me without a fee gret,
	135	And thoght his pen purly me payis in bed,
	136	His purse pays richely in recompense efter.
	137	For or he clym on my corse, that carybald forlane,
	138	I haue condiotion of a curche, of kersp allther fynest,
	139	A govn of engranyt claight right gaily furrit,
	140	A ring with a ryall stane or other riche iowell,
	141	Or rest of his rousty raid, thoght he wer rede wod.
	142	For all the buddis of Iohne Blunt, quhen he abone clymis
	143	Me think the baid deir aboucht, sa bawch ar his werkis  
	144	And thus I sell him solace, thoght I it sour think.
	145	Fra sic a syr God #ow saif, my sueit sisteris deir!
	146	Quhen that the semely had said hir sentence to end,
	147	Than all thai leuch apon loft with latis full mery
	148	And raucht the cop round about, full of riche wynis,
	149	And ral#eit lang, or thai wald rst, with ryatus speche.
45		Hic bibent et inde vidua interrogat alteram
		mulierem et illa respondat vt sequitur
	150	The wedo to the tothir wlonk warpit thir wordis:
	151	Now, fair sister, fallis #ow but fen#ing to tell.
	152	Sen man ferst with matrimony #ow menskit in kirk,
	153	How haif #e farne? Be #our faith, confese ws the treuth.
	154	That band to blise or to band, quilk #ow best thinkis,
	155	Or how #e like lif to leid in to lell spousage?
	156	And syne my self #e exem on the samyn wise,
	157	And I sall say furth the suth, dissymyland no word.
	158	The plesand said, I protest, the treuth gif I schaw,
	159	That of #our toungis #e be traist. The tothir twa grantit.
	160	With that sprang vp hir spreit be a span hechar.
	161	To speik, quod scho, I sall nought spar, ther is no spy neir.
	162	I sall a ragment reveil fra rute of my hert,
	163	A roust that is sa rankild quhill risis my stomok.
	164	Now sall the byle all out brist, that beild has so lang.
	165	For it to beir on my breist wes berdin our hevy.
	166	I sall the venome devoid with a vent large,
	167	And me assuage of the swalme that suellit wes gret.
	168	My husband wes a hur maister, the hugeast in erd.
	169	Tharfor I hait him with my hert, sa help me our Lord.
	170	He is a #oung man ryght #aip, bot nought in #outh flouris,
	171	For he is fadit full far and feblit of strenth.
	172	He wes as flurising fresche within this few #eris,
	173	Bot he is fal#eid full far and ful#eid in labour.
	174	He has bene lychour so lang quhill lost is his natur,
	175	His lwme is vaxit larbar and lyis in to swoune.
	176	Wes neuer sugeorne wer set na on that snaill tyrit,
	177	For efter sevin oulkis rest it will nought rap anys.
	178	He has bene waistit apon wemen or he me wif chesit,
	179	And in adultre in my tyme I haif him ane tane oft;
	180	And #it he is als brankand with bonet on syde,
	181	And blenkand to the brichtest that in the burght duellis,
	182	Alse curtly of his clething and kemmyng of his haris,
	183	As he that is mare val#eand in Venus chalmer.
	184	He semis to be sumthing worth, that syphyr in bour,
46	185	He lukis as he wald luffit be, thoght he be litill of valour.
	186	He dois as dotit dog that damys on all bussis,
	187	And liftis his leg apon loft thoght he nought list pische.
	188	He has a luke without lust and lif without curage.
	189	He has a forme without force and fesson but vertu,
	190	And fair wordis but effect, all fruster of dedis.
	191	He is for ladyis in luf a right lusty schadow,
	192	Bot in to derne at the deid he salbe drup fundin.
	193	He ralis and makes repet with ryatus wordis,
	194	Ay rysing him of his radis and rageing in chalmer.
	195	Bot God wait quhat I think, quhen he so thra spekis
	196	And  how it settis him!  so syde to sege of sic materis.
	197	Bot gif him self of sum evin myght ane say amang thaim,
	198	Bot he nought ane is, bot nane of naturis possessoris.
	199	Scho that has ane auld man nought all is begylit;
	200	He is at Venus werkis na war na he semys.
	201	I wend I iosit a gem, and I haif geit gottin.
	202	He had the glemyng of gold and wes bot glase fundin.
	203	Thought men be ferse, wele I fynd (fra fal#e ther curage)
	204	Thar is bot eldnyng and anger ther hertis within.
	205	#e speik of berdis on bewch  of blise may thai sing,
	206	That on Sanct Valentynis day or vacandis ilk #er.
	207	Hed I that plesand prevelege, to part quhen me likit,
	208	To change and ay to cheise agane, than chastite adew!
	209	Than suld I haif a fresch feir to fang in myn armis.
	210	To hald a freke quhill he faynt may foly be calit.
	211	Apone sic materis I mus at mydnyght my selfin.
	212	And murnys so in my mynd, I murdris my selfin.
	213	Than ly I walkand for wa and walteris about,
	214	Wariand oft my wekit kyn that me away cast,
	215	To sic a craudoune but curage that knyt my cler bewte,
	216	And ther so mony kene knyghtis this kenrik within.
	217	Than think I on a semeyar, the suth for to tell,
	218	Na is our syre be sic sevin. With that I syth oft.
	219	Than he ful tenderly dois turne to me his twme person,
	220	And with a #oldin #erd dois #olk me in armys,
	221	And sais, My souerane sueit thing, quhy sleip #e no betir?
	222	Me think ther haldis #ow a hete, as #e sum harme alyt.
47	223	Quod I, My hony, hald abak and handill me nought sair.
	224	A hache is happinnit hastely at my hert rut.
	225	With that I seme for to swoune, thought I na swerf tak,
	226	And thus beswik I that swane with my sueit wordis.
	227	I cast on him a crabit e quhen cleir day is cummyn,
	228	And lettis it is a luf blenk quhen he about glemys.
	229	I turne it in a tender luke that I in tene warit,
	230	And him behaldis hamely with hertly smyling.
	231	I wald a tender peronall that myght na put thole
	232	That hatit men with hard geir for hurting of flesch,
	233	Had my gud man to hir gest, for I dar God suer,
	234	Scho suld not stert for his straik a stray breid of erd.
	235	And syne I wald that ilk band that #e so blist call
	236	Had bund him so to that bryght quhill his bak werkit,
	237	And I wer in a beid broght with berne that me likit.
	238	I trow that bird of my blis suld a bourd want.
	239	Onone quhen this amyable had endit hir speche,
	240	Loud lauchand, the laif allowit hir mekle.
	241	Thir gay wiffis maid gam amang the grene leiffis,
	242	Thai drank and did away dule vnder derne bewis,
	243	Thai swapit of the sueit wyne, thai swan quhit of hewis,
	244	Bot all the pertlyar, in plane, thai put out ther vocis.
		Nunc bibent et inde prime due interrogant viduam et
		de sua responsione et quomodo erat.
	245	Than said the weido: Ivis, ther is no way othir.
	246	Now tydis me for to talk, my taill it is nixt.
	247	God my spreit now inspir and my speche quykkin,
	248	And send me sentence to say substantious and noble,
	249	Sa that my preching may pers #our perverst hertis,
	250	And mak yow mekar to men in maneris and conditiounis.
	251	I schaw #ow, sister, in schrift, I wes a schrew euer,
	252	Bot I wes schene in my schrowd and schew me innocent;
	253	And thought I dour wes and dane, dispitois and bald,
	254	I wes dissymblit suttelly in a sanctis liknes.
	255	I semyt sober and sueit and sempill without fraud,
	256	Bot I couth sexty dissaif that suttillar wer haldin.
	257	Wnto my lesson #e lyth and leir at me wit,
	258	Gif yov nought list be forleit with losingeris vntrew:
48	259	Be constant in #our gouernance and counterfeit gud maneris,
	260	Thought #e be kene, inconstant and cruell of mynd.
	261	Thought #e as tygris be terne, be tretable in luf,
	262	And be as turtoris in your talk, thought #e haif talis brukill.
	263	Be dragonis baitht and dowis ay in double forme,
	264	And quhen it nedis #ow, onone note baith ther stranthis.
	265	Be amyable with humble face, as angellis apperand,
	266	And with a terrebill tail be stangand as edderis.
	267	Be of #our luke like innocentis, thoght #e haif euill myndis.
	268	Be courtly ay in clething and costly arrayit  
	269	That hurtis #ow nought worth a hen, #owr husband pays for all.
	270	Twa husbandis haif I had, thai held me baith deir.
	271	Thought I dispytit thaim agane, thai spyt it na thing.
	272	Ane wes a hair hogeart that hostit out flewme.
	273	I hatit him like a hund, thought I it did preue.
	274	With kissing and with clapping I gert the carill fon,
	275	Weil couth I claw his cruke bak and kemm his kewt noddill,
	276	And with a bukky in my cheik bo on him behind,
	277	And with a bek gang about and bler his ald e,
	278	And with a kyind contynance kys his crynd chekis,
	279	In to my mynd makand mokis at that mad fader.
	280	Trovand me with trew lufe to treit him so fair.
	281	This cought I do without dule and na dises tak,
	282	Bot ay be mery in my mynd and myrthfull of cher.
	283	I had a lufsummar leid my lust for to slokyn,
	284	That couth be secrete and sure and ay saif my honour,
	285	And sew bot at certane tymes and in sicir placis.
	286	Ay quhen the ald did me anger with akword wordis,
	287	Apon the galland for to goif it gladit me agane.
	288	I had sic wit that for wo weipit I litill,
	289	Bot leit the sueit ay the sour to gud sesone bring.
	290	Quhen that the chuf wald me chid with girnand chaftis,
	291	I vald him chuk, cheik and chyn, and cheris him so mekill
	292	That his cheif chymys he had chevist to my sone,
	293	Suppos the churll wes gane chaist or the child wes gottin.
	294	As wis woman ay I wrought and not as wod fule,
	295	For mar with wylis I wan na wichtnes of handis.
49	296	Syne maryt I a merchand, myghti of gudis.
	297	He wes a man of myd eld and of mene statur;
	298	Bot we na fallowis wer in frendschip or blud,
	299	In fredome na furth bering na fairnes of persoune  
	300	Quhilk ay the fule did for#et for febilnes of knawlege.
	301	Bot I sa oft thoght him on, quhill angrit his hert,
	302	And quhilum I put furtht my voce and peddir him callit.
	303	I wald ryght tuichandly talk, be I wes tuyse maryit,
	304	For endit wes my innoncence with my ald husband.
	305	I wes apperand to be pert within perfit eild:
	306	Sa sais the curat of our kirk, that knew me full #ing.
	307	He is our famous to be fals, that fair worthy prelot.
	308	I salbe laith to lat him le quhill I may luke furtht.
	309	I gert the buthman obey  ther wes no bute ellis 
	310	He maid me ryght hie reuerens fra he my rycht knew,
	311	For (thocht I say it my self) the seuerance wes mekle
	312	Betuix his bastard blude and my birth noble.
	313	That page wes neuer of sic price for to presome anys
	314	Vnto my persone to be peir, had pete nought grantit.
	315	Bot mercy in to womanheid is a mekle vertu,
	316	For neuer bot in a gentill hert is generit ony ruth.
	317	I held ay grene in to his mynd that I of grace tuk him,
	318	And that he couth ken him self I curtasly him lerit.
	319	He durst not sit anys my sommondis, for or the secund charge
	320	he wes ay redy for to ryn, so rad he wes for blame.
	321	Bot ay my will wes the war of womanly natur,
	322	The mair he loutit for my luf, the lest of him I rakit,
	323	And eik  this is a ferly thing  or I him faith gaif
	324	I had sic fauour to that freke, and feid syne for euer.
	325	Quhen I the cure had all clene and him ourcummyn haill,
	326	I crew abone that craudone as cok that wer wictour.
	327	Quhen I him saw subieit and sett at myn bydding,
	328	Than I him lichtlyit as a lowne and lathit his maneris.
	329	Than woxe I sa vnmerciable, to martir him I thought,
	330	For as a best I broddit him to all boyis laubour.
	331	I wald haif riddin him to Rome with raip in his heid,
	332	Wer not ruffill of my renovne and rumour of pepill.
	333	And #it hatrent I hid within my hert all,
	334	Bot quhilis it hepit so huge quhill it behud out.
	335	#it tuk I meuer the wosp clene out of my wyde throte,
	336	Quhill I oucht wantit of my will or quhat I wald desir.
	337	Bot quhen I seuerit had tha syre of substance in erd,
	338	And gottin his biggingis to my barne and hie burrow landis,
	339	Than with a stew stert out the stoppell of my hals,
	340	That he all stwnyst throu the stound as of a stele wappin.
	341	Than wald I efter lang first sa fane haif bene wrokin
	342	That I to flyte wes als fers as a fell dragoun.
	343	I had for flattering of that fule fen#eit so lang,
	344	Mi euidentis of heritagis or thai wer all selit,
	345	My breist that wes gret beild bowdyn wes sa hyge,
	346	That neir my baret out birst or the band makin.
	347	Bot quhen my billis and my bauchles wes all braid selit,
	348	I wald na langar beir on bridill bot braid vp my heid.
	349	Thar myght na molet mak me moy na hald my mouth in.
	350	I gert the ren#eis rak and rif in to sondir,
	351	I maid that wif carll to werk all womenis werkis,
	352	And laid all manly materis and mensk in this eird.
	353	Than said I to my cummaris in counsall about,
	354	Se how I cabeld #one cout with a kene brydill.
	355	The cappill that the crelis kest in the caf mydding
	356	Sa curtasly the cart drawis and kennis na plungeing.
	357	He is nought skeich na #it sker na scippis nought on syd.
	358	And thus the scorne and the scaith scapit he nothir.
	359	He wes no glaidsum gest for a gay lady,
	360	Tharfor I gat him a gam that ganyt him bettir.
	361	He wes a gret golditt man and of gudis riche.
	362	I leit him be my lumbart to lous me all misteris,
	363	And he wes fane for to fang fra me that fair office,
	364	And thoght my fauoris to fynd throw his feill giftis.
	365	He frathit me in a gay silk and gudly arrayis,
	366	In gownis of engranyt claight and gret goldin chen#eis,
	367	In ringis ryally set with riche ruby stonis,
	368	Quhill hely raise my renovne amang the rude peple.
	369	Bot I full craftely did keip thai courthly wedis
	370	Quhill efter dede of that drupe that docht nought in chalmir.
	371	Thought he of all my clathis maid cost and expense,
51	372	Ane othir sall the worschip haif that weildis me eftir.
	373	And thoght I likit him bot litill, #it for luf of othris
	374	I wald me prun#a plesandly in precius wedis,
	375	That luffaris myght apon me luke and #ing lusty gallandis,
	376	That I held more in daynte and derer be ful mekill
	377	Ne him that dressit me so dink  full dotit wes his heyd!
	378	Quhen he wes heryit out of hand to hie vp my honoris,
	349	And payntit me as pako, proudest of fedderis,
	380	I him miskennyt, be Crist, and cukkald him maid.
	381	I him forleit as a lad and lathlyit him mekle.
	382	I thoght myself a papingay and him a plukit herle.
	383	All thus enforsit he his fa and fortifyit in strenth,
	384	And maid a stalward staff to strik him selfe doune.
	385	Bot of ane bowrd in to bed I sall #ow breif #it:
	386	Quhen he ane hal #ear wes hanyt and him behuffit rage,
	387	And I wes laith to be loppin with sic a lob avoir,
	388	Alse lang as he wes on loft I lukit on him neuer,
	389	Na leit neuer enter in my thoght that he my thing persit.
	390	Bot ay in mynd ane othir man ymagynit that I haid,
	391	Or ellis had I neuer mery bene at that myrthles raid.
	392	Quhen I that grome geldit had of gudis and of natur,
	393	Me thoght him gracelese on to goif, sa me God help.
	394	Quhen he had warit all on me his welth and his substance,
	395	Me thoght his wit wes all went away with the laif.
	396	And so I did him dispise, I spittit quhen I saw
	397	That superspendit euill spreit spvl#eit of all vertu.
	398	For weill #e wait, wiffis, that he that wantis riches
	399	And val#eandnes in Venus play is ful vile haldin.
	400	Full fruster is his fresch array and fairnes of persoune,
	401	All is bot frutlese his effeir and fal#eis at the vpwith.
	402	I buskit vp my barnis like baronis sonnis,
	403	And maid bot fulis of the fry of his first wif.
	404	I banyst fra my boundis his brethir ilkane,
	405	His frednis as my fais I heid at feid evir.
	406	Be this #e beleif may, I luffit nought him self,
	407	For neuer I likit a leid that langit till his blude.
	408	And #it thir wismen, thai wait that all wiffis euill
52	409	Ar kend with ther conditionis and knawin with the samin.
	410	Deid is now that dyour and dollin in erd.
	411	With him deit all my dule and my dredy thoghtis.
	412	Now done is my dolly nyght, my day is vpsprungin.
	413	Adew, dolour, adew, my daynte now begynis.
	414	Now am I a wedow, iwise, and weill am at ese.
	415	I weip as I wer woful bot wel is me for euer.
	416	I busk as I wer bailfull bot blith is my hert.
	417	My mouth it makis murnyng and my mynd lauchis.
	418	My clokis thai ar caerfull in colour of sabill,
	419	Bot courtly and ryght curyus my corse is ther vndir.
	420	I drup with a ded luk in my dule habit,
	421	As with manis daill I had done for dayis of my lif.
	422	Quhen that I go to the kirk cled in cair weid,
	423	As foxe in a lambis fleise fen#e I my cheir.
	424	Than lay I furght my bright buke on breid on my kne,
	425	With mony lusty letter ellummynit with gold,
	426	And drawis my clok forthwart our my face quhit,
	427	That I may spy vnaspyit a space me beside.
	428	Full oft I blenk by my buke and blynis of deuotion,
	429	To se quhat berne is best brand or bredest in schulderis,
	430	Or forgeit is maist forcely to furnyse a bancat
	431	In Venus chalmer val#eandly withoutin vane ruse.
	432	And as the new mone all pale oppressit with change
	433	Kythis quhilis her cleir face throw cluddis of sable,
	434	So keik I throw my clokis and castis kynd lukis
	435	To knychtis and to cleirkis and cortly personis.
	436	Quhen frendis of my husbandis behaldis me on fer,
	437	I haif a watter spunge for wa within my wyde clokis.
	438	Than wring I it full wylely and wetis my chekis.
	439	With that watteris myn ene and welteris doune teris.
	440	Than say thai all that sittis about, Se #e nought, allace,
	441	#one lustlese led, so lelely scho luffit hir husband.
	442	#one is a pete to enprent in a princis hert,
	443	That sic a perle of plesance suld #one pane dre.
	444	I sane me as I war ane sanct and semys ane angell,
	445	At langage of lichory I leit as I war crabit.
53	446	I sith without sair hert or seiknes in body,
	447	According to my sable weid I mon haif sad maneris,
	448	Or thai will se all the suth; for certis we wemen
	449	We set ws all for the syght, to syle men of treuth.
	450	We dule for na euill deid, sa it be derne haldin.
	451	Wise wemen has wayis and wonderfull gydingis
	422	With gret engyne to beiaip their iolyus husbandis,
	453	And quyetly with sic craft convoyis our materis,
	454	That vndir Crist no creatur kennis of our doingis.
	455	Bot folk a cury may miscuke that knawlege wantis,
	456	And has na colouris for to cover ther awne kindly favtis;
	457	As dois thir damysellis for derne dotit lufe,
	458	That dogonis haldis in dainte and delis with thaim so lang,
	459	Quhill al the cuntre knaw ther kyndnes and faith.
	460	Faith has a fair name bot falsheid faris beittir.
	461	Fy on hir that can nought feyne, her fame for to saif!
	462	#it am I wise in sic werk and wes all my tyme.
	463	Thoght I want wit in wardlynes I wylis haif in luf,
	464	As ony happy woman hast that is of hie blude.
	465	Hutit be the halok lase a hunder #eir of eild!
	466	I haue ane secrete serwand, rycht sovir of his toung,
	467	That me supportis of sic nedis quhen I a syne mak.
	468	Thoght he be sympill to the sicht he has a tong sickir,
	469	Full mony semelyar sege wer seruice dois mak.
	470	Thoght I haif cair vnder cloke the cleir day quhill nyght,
	471	#it haif I solace vnder serk quhill the sone ryse.
	472	#it am I haldin a haly wif our all the haill schyre.
	473	I am sa peteouse to the pur, quhen ther person is mony.
	474	In passing of pilgrymage I pride me full mekle,
	475	Mair for the prese of peple na ony pardon wynyng.
	476	Bot #it me think the best bourd quhen baronis and knychtis
	477	And othir bachilleris blith, blwmyng in #outh,
	478	And all my luffaris lele my luging persewis,
	479	And fyllis me wyne wantonly with weilfair and ioy.
	480	Sum rownis and sum ral#eis and sum redis ballatis,
	481	Sum raiffis furght rudly with riatus speche,
	482	Sum plenis and sum prayis, sum prasis mi bewte,
54	483	Sum kissis me, sum clappis me, sum kyndnes me proferis.
	484	Sum kerffis to me curtasli, sum me the cop giffis,
	485	Sum stalwardly steppis ben with a stout curage,
	486	And a stif standand thing staiffis in mi neiff,
	487	And mony blenkis ben our, that but full fer sittis,
	488	That mai for the thik thrang nought thrif as thai wald.
	489	Bot with my fair calling I comfort thaim all:
	490	For he that sittis me nixt I nip on his finger,
	491	I serf him on the tothir syde on the samin fasson,
	492	And he that behind me sittis I hard on him lene,
	493	And him befor with my fut fast on his I stramp,
	494	And to the bernis far but sueit blenkis I cast.
	495	To euery man in speciall speke I sum wordis, 
	496	So wisly and so womanly quhill warmys ther hertis.
	497	Thar is no liffand leid so law of degre
	498	That sall me luf vnluffit, I am so loik hertit.
	499	And gif his lust so be lent in to my lyre quhit
	500	That he be lost or with me lak, his lif sall not danger.
	501	I am so mercifull in mynd, and menys all wichtis,
	502	My sely saull salbe saif quhen Sabot all iugis.
	503	Ladyis, leir thir lessonis and be no lassis fundin.
	504	This is the legeand of my lif, thought Latyne it be nane.
	505	Quhen endit had hir ornat speche this eloquent wedow,
	506	Lowd thai lewch all the laif and loffit hir mekle,
	507	And said thai suld exampill tak of her souerane teching
	508	And wirk efter hir wordis, that woman wes so prudent.
	509	Than culit thai ther mouthis with confortable drinkis,
	510	And carpit full cummerlik, with cop going round.
	511	Thus draif thai our that deir nyght with danceis full noble,
	512	Quhill that the day did vp daw and dew donkit flouris.
	513	The morow myld wes and meik the mavis did sing,
	514	And all remuffit the myst and the meid smellit.
	515	Siluer schouris doune schuke as the schene cristall,
	516	And berdis shoutit in schaw with ther schill notis.
	517	The goldin glitterand gleme so gladit ther hertis,
55	518	Thai maid a glorius gle amang the grene bewis.
	519	The soft sowch of the swyr and sovne of the stremys,
	520	The sueit sawour of the sward and singing of foulis
	521	Myght confort ony creatur of the kyn of Adam,
	522	And kindill agane his curage, thoght it wer cald sloknyt. 
	523	Than rais thir ryall rosis in ther riche wedis,
	524	And rakit hame to ther rest throw the rise blwmys;
	525	And I all prevely past to a plesand arber,
	526	And with my pen did report ther pastance most mery.
	527	#e auditoris most honorable, that eris has gevin
	528	Onto this vncouth aventur quhilk airly me happinnit,
	529	Of thir thre wanton wiffis that I haif writtin heir,
	530	Quhilk wald #e waill to #our wif, gif #e suld wed one?

