The Seven Sorrows That Women Have When Their Husbands be Dead

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The seuen sorowes that women haue when theyr husbandes be deade. Compyled by Robert_Copland.

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¶The excuse of the Authour.

TO all archewyues I do pray instantly

And to all wydowes of the seconde degree

Me to excuse, that ignorantly

Your wordes to wryth I haue taken on me wryth ='wrest, strain or pervert the meaning of ... deflect, misapply'; see OED s.v. writhe v1, 7.

For suerly it is of no malignitie malignitie] malignitite 1565

But only to comforte young wyues that haue

Young louyng husbandes in their felicite

How after their death they may them haue.

¶Prologue of Robert_Copland.

¶Copland.

WHy should I muse suche tryfles for to wryte

Or wanton toyes, but for the appetyte

Of wandryng braynes, that seke for thynges new

And do not reche if they be fals or trew.

Quidam.

With what newes? or here ye any tidinges

Of the pope, of the Emperour, or of kynges

Of martyn_Luther, or of the great Turke

Of this and that, and how the world doth worke.

Copland.

So that the tongue must euer wagge and clatter

And waste their wyndes, to medle of eche matter

Thus ben we prynters called on so fast

That maruayle it is, how that our wittes can last.

Quidam.

With haue ye the takyng of the Frenche kyng

Or what conceytes haue ye of laughyng

Haue ye the balade called maugh murre

Or bony wenche, or els go from my durre

Col to me, or hey downe dery dery

Or a my hert, or I pray you be mery.

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Copland.

Thus if our heades forged were of brasse

Yet should we wexe as dulle as any asse

And al of baggage nought worthe in substaunce

But bokes of vertue haue none vtteraunce

As thus, syr I haue a very proper boke

Of morall wysdome please ye their-on to loke

O[r] els a boke of comen consolation. Or] Of 1565

[...............................] The rhyme-scheme indicates that a line is wanting here.

Quidam.

Tusshe a straw man, what should I do therewith

Hast thou a boke of the wydowe Edith

That hath begyled so many with her wordes

Or els suche a geest that is ful of bourdes

Let me se, I wyll yet waste a peny

Upon suche thynges and if thou haue eny.

Copland.

How say ye by these, wyll ye bestowe a grote

Quidam.

Ye syr so muche? nay, that I shorowe my cote shorowe: =shrew

A peny I trow is ynough on bokes

It is not so soone goten, as this worlde lokes

By saynt Mary I cannot tell the brother

Money euer goeth for one thyng or for other

God helpe my fryende, this worlde is harde and kene

They that haue it wyll not let it be sene

Haue ye not seene a prety geest in ryme

Of the seuen sorowes that these women haue

Whan that their husbandes been brought to graue.

Copland.

No I-fayth, I dyd neuer here ther-of.

Quidam.

By God and it is a very propre scoffe

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If it were prynted, it wyl be wel soulde

I haue heard it or now, ful madly tolde.

Copland.

It may well be, but I wene I should gyt

Displeasure of women if that I prynt it

And that were I loth, for I haue alway

Defended them, and wyll to my last day.

Quidam.

Ah ha, than I se ye be wel at ease

Whan ye are afrayde women to displease.

Copland.

What nede me gette angre, if I may haue thanke

In faythe I can not se, but as madde a pranke

As soone wyl a man do as a woman

Why should they be rayled and gested on than

And to say soth it is but a fond apetyte

To geste on women, or a_gainst them to wryte.

Quidam.

That is truthe, if they be good and honest

But this is but a mery bourdyng Ieest

Without reproufe, dishonesty or shame

That in no wyse can appayre their good name.

Copland.

That is good, but haue ye any copy

That a man myght enprynt it thereby

And whan I se it, than I wyll you tell.

If that the matter be ordred yll or well.

Quidam.

I haue no boke, but yet I can you shewe

The matter by herte, and that by wordes fewe

Take your penne, and wryte as I do say

But yet of one thyng, hertely I you praye

Amende the englysh somwhat if ye can.

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And spel it true, for I shall tel the man

By my soule ye prynters make such englyshe

So yll spelled, so yll poynted, and so peuyshe

That scantly one can rede lynes tow can] cane 1565

But to fynde sentence, he hath ynough[e] to do ynoughe] ynought 1565

For in good fayth, yf I should say truthe

In your craft to suffer, it is great ruthe

Suche pochers to medle, and can not skyl pochers ='blotters, pokers'? See OED s.vv. poach v1, 2, poche v2, and see Erler, p. 113.

Of that they do, but doth al marre and spyl

I ensure you, your wardeins ben therof to blame

It hyndreth your gayne and hurteth your name

Howe-be-it, it is al one to mee

Whether ye thryue, or elles neuer thee. neuer] nenuer 1565

Copland

Wel brother. I can it not a_mende

I wyl no man ther-of dyscommende

I care no[t] greatly, so that I nowe and than not] no 1565

May get a peny as wel as I can

Howe-be-it, in our crafte I knowe that there be

Connyng good worke-men, and that is to se

In latyn and englysh, whiche they haue wrought

Whose names appereth, where they be sought

But to our purpose, nowe tourne we a_gayne

And let me begyn to wryte a lyne or twayne.

Quidam.

Wyth al my hert, but fyrst I pray you say

Unto all women that I them hertely pray

To haue me excused of thys homely dede

And what I say, of themselfe take no hede

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¶The fyrst sorowe.

THe fyrst sorowe that these women haue

Is or theyr husbandes be layde in graue

And that is duble in this maner wyse

This man full sycke in deadly paynes lyse

Many a daye, nygh to the houre of deth

His eyene dymmeth, and very shorte is his breth

The flewme ratleth in his brest and throte

His powlces beten, his tounge is roughe and hote

Phisicions forsake him euery_chone

Whan that they se his money almost gone

Than this pore woman that so [g]reatly toyled greatly] hreatly 1565

Wrappy[n]ge, and warminge with many a hand defoyled Wrappynge] Wrappyge 1565

Doth hym beholde, and seeth he wyll dye

The holy candell she lyghteth hym by

And so he lyeth consumyng to his ende

This wyfe then that busely doth hym tende

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Seing hym lye to longe in that case

Wyth droppes and markes in euery place

Consyderyng her good, that is gretly spente

And the candell well-nygh wasten and brent

She loketh on the candell wyth a dolefull gost

Alas seyth she, thou arte gone almost

Now shall I for_go thy company

Whan thou arte gone, I ensure perfytely

To my lyues [en]de I wyll haue no mo ende] nede 1565

For thy sake, I haue the loued so

Alas good woman full wo arte thou

But what wylt thou do wyth hym now

Bury hym, alas thou arte ther-to full loth

But though that she be neuer so wrothe

It must be done, and so this good woman

Ordreth all thynges so well as she can

For his buryenge, and other seruyce

So cometh the prestes and other lykewyse

As the mourners, and executours

Torche-berers, kynsfolke and neyghbours

Than is the corps layd on the bere

Or in a coffyn as the guyse is here

Than this pore widow clothed all in blacke

Of sorow be sure she doth nothyng lacke

From her chamber she cometh a_downe

Than for great fere to fall in a swowne

Upon her she bereth some confeccion

As powder of peper, or a red onyon

And wha[n] she cometh th[e]re þe corps doth lye there] thre 1565

Her handes she wryngeth pyteously

Out out alas, what shall I do forth-on

Wolde god I were by thy graue anon

This sorow is longe, what shal me now betyde

I beseche Iesu thy soule in heauen may bide.

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¶The second sorow.

THe seconde sorow that these wyues do make

Is whan .iiii. men the corps on them do take

Toward the chyrche, and the prestes do syng

This wofull wydow al-waye folowyng

With bedes in hande, in mournynge-hood

God knoweth yf syghes do her any good

Now thinketh she, here haue I much to do

And haply thys wydowe hath a shorte sho

That streyneth her toes, and doeth hurte her fote

Than thynketh she, I be_shrew the hearte-rote

Of the horeson sowter, it greueth me so sowter ='shoemaker'

And to the ch[u]rche we haue ferre to go churche] chrche 1565

Or els she is laced in her new blacke gowne

That for straytnes she is lyke to swone

Or els it may fortune so that she

Hath in her som lose infyrmyte

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Or els the wynde doth waste the waxe to sore

And she knowes well that she must pay therfore

But whan they nyghe vnto the churche be

Who soroweth nowe: forsothe none but she

I can suppose, beyng so nere the place

Where he must rest, this is a heuy case

Who sygheth now, alas this pore woman

For I am sure that she woulde be as than

As farre homewarde, but she dothe take in worthe

This heuy chaunce, and wofully goeth forthe

And to herselfe al pryuely doth saye

What remedy all is wel on the waye

Well-a_way, than sayd the executour

That ledeth her, why make ye this dolour

I you ensure that ye do God displease

So for to fare, but it were more ease

For the soule, to saye som good oreyson

Nothynge can helpe your lamentacyon

Alas syr she sayeth, ye saye of certaynete

But yet my heart can not so serue me

And therewithall she doeth wepe so fast

That her heart tikleth as it would brast tikleth ='stirs with a thrill of pleasure'; see OED s.v. tickle v, 1.

O kynde womane I blame the not at all

Thou woulde hym haue in christen buryall

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¶The thyrd sorowe.

FOrth now than goeth this wofull creature

To the thyrd sorowe. I may you well ensure

In-to the chyrche and sytteth in a pewe

Full often than chaungeth all her hewe

For veray fayntnes, or is to harde enbraced

Would God sayth she that I were vnlaced

Or els may chaunce with chylde that she go

Of .x. wekes tyme, or haply of mo

Or els some qualme may in her stomacke ryse

100

As women haue in many dyuers wyse

But for all that this wydowe sytteth styll

Puttyng herselfe all in goddes wyll

Hearyng deuoutly the deuyne songe

A Iesu mercy thys seruyce is longe

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And she is very sycke and would be thence

In fayth I had leuer tha[n] .xl. pence than] that 1565

She were awaye, so I myght her excuse

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But not so, she will her-selfe sadly vse

Men shal not say that she would fayne be ryde

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Her sorowes shalbe womanly hyde

And in her prayers, herselfe occupy

Ne were it so that the beggers cry

On her so faste and let her for to pray

With some good man haue these folke away

115

I neuer sawe such folke, and so lewde

With stande at the dore knaues al be_shrewde

Ye troble this woman, and it is no nede

Come to_morowe and ye may haply spede

Thus is thys woman troublously arayde

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Tyll that the last dyryge is sayde

And wyth the corps walketh to the pytte

But than in-dede harde is to forgette

Alas sayth she, all this busines

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125

N[o]we were me leuer for to die than ly[u]e N[o]we: letter obscuredlyue] lyfe 1565

Now wyll I all my goodes away gyue

The mantyll and ryng, now wyll I take

Alas alas, now must I leue my make

Fare-well my Ioye, thou art gone for euer

130

Ah my pore herte in_sonder wyll sheuer

Ah fals death, why haste thou hym so slayne

And leueth me here in thys most woful payne

Thus nethelesse, this man is layde alowe

And than þe priest earth vpon him doth throw

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She seyng that loketh full heuely

Upon the clerke, and wofully doth crye

A good swete man, please it the trinite

That I were layd vpryght vnder thee

Whan this is done though it be to her payne

140

As wofull as she went, she must go home agayne

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¶The fourth sorowe.

NOwe wofull wom[a]n Iesu be thy spede woman] women 1565

Harde is to knowe what lyfe thou wilt lede

All this nyght, when I to [mynde thee] call mynde thee] me mynde 1565

With no more rest than a stone in a wall

145

Now wyll thou consyder thy great coste

And howe thow hast a good husbande loste

I meane thy bedfelowe, for he is gone

Thus is a newe payne for to lye a_lone

Now muse thou must, where thou wast wont to plai

150

Yet for all this as sone as any day

Thou must a_rys and ouerse thy hous

With come here, go there, as busy as a mous

Bring this fetche that, [b]are this thens bare] care 1565

Walke hyther, renne thyther, be not long thens

155

Go for hym, fetche her and desyre them

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To go wyth me to the masse of Requiem

Lo thus these women can not be out of care

But what than yet wyl they nothyng spare

To be quyte of thys charges, and what than?

160

God haue mercy on hys soule good man

I am well a_payde that I haue brought to passe

Thus far-forth, now let vs go to masse

Beshorow me, yf I woulde take suche payne Beshorow: =beshrew

On condicion to haue hym a_gayne

165

Whan for thys, for that, one thyng and other

Fye on it Fye, I swere by godds mother

Ye wyll not beleue what is the exspens

For this .xl. shyllynges and for that .xl. pens pens] penens 1565

Here a noble, and there well-nyghe a pounde

170

There goeth a grote, and there a shyllyng rounde

The prestes and clarkes, for the knyll and pyt knyll: =knell

And other thynges, that I am wery of it

Here is great sorow but what remedy

Go we to church I pray you hartely

175

I thinke this sorow wyl euer last

Mayde lay meate to fyre for our breke-fast

A_gaynste we come home, wel wel maystresse

Ye shal se me do al my busines

To masse now is the widow on her way

180

Deuoutly for her husband to pray

There doth she syt, god wat how sore mournynge

Tyl that the tyme come of the offring

Than for her husbande can not fro her mynde

The most fayrest peny that she can fynde

185

She taketh and [goeth] in-to the quere goeth] 1565 omits

Sayng softly that al the prestes may here

Lokyng on the peny with wofull eye

Full loth am I to depart fro the

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I can not blame her yf she were lothe to parte

190

Wyth that she loueth wel with all her harte

Thus with her loue, sorowe, and kyndnesse

The wydowe bydeth the residewe of the masse.

¶The fyfth sorowe.

THe fyfth sorowe is very dolorous

As he is buried and the wyfe in hous

195

Alone is left, and al her neyghbours gone

Styl museth she than makyng great mone

Sayng, wo is me thys tyme for to se

Now must I both husband, and wyfe be

Yet what of that I may take such sorow

200

Parauenture to dye or to_morowe

Nay let it be, for I wyl take no thought

Sorow wyl ryght soone bryng me to nought

Now syth he be gon, wel what remedy

Other be wyddwes as wel as I

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205

Than sytteth she sadly downe on the benche

What Ione I say, and called her wenche

Come hyther Ione to me is your hous drest:

I pray god gyue all chrysten soules good rest

And with her knyfe bytwene her fyngers two

210

She dalieth, waggyng it to-and-fro

With dydle dydle dydle, tyrle tyrle tyrle

The brayne rennyth and ther-of no [f]erle ferle] terle 1565no ferly ='no wonder'; see OED s.v. ferly n, 1.

As in suche a case, and than wyl requyre

O sorowe great, more hote than the fyre

215

Now is thys woman in greate fantasy

And no maruayle, yet hathe she no c[a]use whi cause] couse 1565

For haply he was vn-to her vnkynde

But for al that as clene out of her mynd

Of womanhed, and eke of her kyndnes her] here 1565

220

She dothe forget hys waywerde folyshnes

And dot[h]e performe the tenour of hys wyl dothe] dote 1565

And is in purpose hys mynd to fulfyl

Remembrynge greatly how the pore soule is

In great peryl, yf he haue left ought amysse

225

And than a_gayne her owne selfe for to chere

Her mayde she calleth as I dyd saye ere

Com hyther Ione and goo on my arande arande: =errand

Goo and desire my gossyp Coplande

My gosseyp Miles, and my g[o]ssip Susan gossip] gssip 1565

230

My gossip Stodarde, and my neybour An

The good-wyfe Rychardson, and the good-wyfe Gayes

And to Peters [w]yfe, and pray them streyght-wayes wyfe] vyfe 1565

To do so moch as to come speke with me

And whan thou hast done loke that thou hie the

235

And take a pot and go to saint_Iohans_heade

For a quart of Muscadel and newe bread

A couple of bounes or maunchettes newe bake maunchettes ='small loaves or rolls of the finest wheaten bread'

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For I promyse thee, my hert doth ake

Anone maystresse sayth she as a good damsell

240

And douth her message right fayre and well

And whan the gossyppes assembled be

What chere goode gossyp, than sayeth she and she

Be ye of good chere, and thanke god of all

This worlde ye se, doth tourne lyke as a ball

245

Now vp, and now downe, now to and now fro

Now myrth than Ioye, nowe care and than wo

A good-man, god haue mercy on thy soule

By my trouth whan I dyd her the bell tole

My hert erned and I shall tell you why erned ='was affected with poignant grief or compassion'; see OED s.v. earn v3, 2.

250

Ah good-man thou speke ful meryly

Thys day seuen-nyght and now thou art ful lowe

Now by my faythe in al this strete I trowe

Is not his felow in euery degree

By my sowle yf ye wyll beleue me

255

I trowe he wyll neuer out of my mynde

Surly gossyp he was euer kynde

A Iesu howe he woulde you prayes

His mynde was so occupyed alwayes

On this worlde, in his myrth and his game

260

I harde hym neuer no man defame

Ah gossyp, gossyp sayth thys wydow than

Though I say it he was an honest man

He left me so to dryue the wat a_way wat: Erler, p. 120, suggests an emendation to 'want'.

That I am bounde for hym dayly to pray

265

For_by thys syluere and wyne in this cuppe For_by ='besides, not to mention'

And therewith she made a soppe

Saynge gossyppes my hert is so sore

That I care not whyche ende doth go a_fore

And therewyth putteth it in-to her mouthe

270

And swere by hym that dyed in the southe

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There was neuer sorow, wo nor smerte

That euer dyd go more nerer my herte

Alacke good woman, take it not so heuyly

Sayth her gossyppes, lest that ye dye

275

Now he is gone, there is no better reede

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Thus this wydowe they comfort euery day

The best they can, to dryue her care a_way

¶The syxte sorowe.

Now hath thys wydow, thanked be Iesu

280

Performed the b[u]riyng, as to her is due

Sadly and wysely me nede not to tell

She hath behaued her ther-in so well

That I dare sweare if it chaunce her a_gayne

She can it do with lesse coste and payne

285

But for all that she is to hym so kynde

Tha[t] she wyl not forget his monethes minde That] Thao 1565monethes minde ='mass at one month's anniversary of death' (Erler).

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Nor his ann[i]uersary at the yeres ende anniuersary] annuuersary 1565

She doth so well that eche doth her commende her] here 1565

She renneth not hourly fro house to hous

290

But kepeth home as duly as a mous

Erly she ryseth and lyeth downe late

And laboureth sore to kepe her estate

Walkyng sadly in towne and strete

Without acquayntaunce of them that she mete

295

And somtyme hereth how folke doth [h]er prayes her] der 1565

Unus

Se ye yonder wydowe that goeth that wayes

I ensuer you she is a sadde woman

By my trouth if I were a sengle man

If I had fourty pounde and fourty there-by

300

I could fynde in my herte to make her lady.

Alyus.

Ye but I pray you is she of any substaunce

That would make a man any fortheraunce.

Unus

Ye by sa[y]nt Mary I holde her well at ease saynt] sant 1565

I tell you if that ye coulde her please

305

Or haue her good-wyll than were it cocke cocke ='leader, best example'? See OED s.v. cock n1, 7, and Erler, p. 120, n. 305.

For better it were to haue her in her smocke

Than som other that hath more good

It is a great treasure to haue womanhood.

Alius.

That is truth, but I shall tell you one thyng

310

Many that been so smothe in their goyng

Been also shrewed as is the deuell of hell

And neuer cease, but euer fyght and yell

Euer vnquiet, and alway chyde and brall

And that freteth a man both herte and gall

315

And many tymes in-stede of fleshe or fyshe

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A dede-mannes head is serued in a dyshe

And he ther-with is made so very mate

That hous and profite he doth in maner hate

For I haue herde a hundred tymes and mo

320

That wyues and smoke cause men there hous to for_go

Unus

He that is afrayde to treade on the grasse

Through medowes I counsell hym not to passe

He must aduenture that suche a thyng wyll haue suche] shuche 1565

Often he for_goeth, that fereth for to craue

325

Thus been these wowers euer in greate doubt

That sumtyme do bryng ther mater so a_bout

That they went to haue God by the cote

And haue the dyuel fast a_bout the throte

As I haue herde say I wote not what it meaneth

330

The matter goeth not as some folke weneth

But what of that, we must forth-on procede

To our wydowe, Iesu be oure spede

She lyueth so well and so honestly

That all her knowledge woweth her company all her knowledge woweth her company ='all her acquaintance courts her company'.

335

Fro the tauerne, daunces, and common playes playes] players 1565

And wanton maygames, she kepe[th] her alwaies kepeth] kepeht 1565

Pleasaunt pylgrymages, wylsdon and Crome

She seketh not, but tarieth styll at home

So chaunceth it, that on a festfulday festfulday ='festival day'; see OED s.v. feastful adj.

340

Whan that folke wandred [t]o pastyme and play to] co 1565

This woman at home hath a delyte to be

Saufe to the dore no farther walketh she

And on thresholde fortuneth to syt

Than som neyghbour happeneth to se it

345

And to her cometh to pastyme and to talke

For she no lust hath, a_brode as than to walke

With good euen fayre wydowe, how do ye today

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Well I thanke you as a lone woman may

That hath great charges, and but smal counsel

350

Wel neyghbour sayth he, al-thyng shal be wel

Thanked be God ye be out of det

God haue his soule that hath you so well set

Ye nede not to sequester vnder the bysshoppe

And that is sene by [y]our warehous and shoppe your] our 1565

355

And I am sure there is muche owyng you

Mary sayth she I can not shew you how

For he occupied muche more without

Than within, and that causeth me dout

How to get inwarde that other men haue

360

And I am ashamed on them for to craue

For all my sorow, payne, and thought

Is for to gather, that to hym was aught

For he was fre, and lent it here and there

To them that would b[o]rowe euery-where borowe] browe 1565

365

How-be-it, yet for his owne sowle sake

Here and there somwhat I wyll ay take

As they may paye, for I wyll none trouble

For I ensure you, though that it were double

I set not by it, but I wyll haue all ryght

370

As nyghe as I can of euery wyght

For what by tayle, by wrytyng and by score

I am ryght sure ther is ought me more

Than I wyl say, and that they would maruayle

One can not lyue with scoryng on the taile

375

No ywys neybour, and that you know full wel

As wel as I, me nede not ther-of for to tell

For it is a new thyng for to take in hand

To order all thynges right as it shoulde stande

For one that is but lytle wount ther-to wount: =wont

380

No remedy but it must nedes be do

sig: C3

But how-be-it I shall tell you what

If I coulde wel rule and guyde all that

Without the dore as I can that with-in can] cane 1565

I would not care therfore scantly a pyn

385

But or it be longe, neyghbour I trust

It shall be ordred par[t]ly as I lust par[t]ly: letter broken

Ye, ye, neyghbour sayth he I dare trust your wit

That well ynough ye wyll puruey for it

And what I can do ye shall fynde me redy

390

Whan that ye nede, both late and erly

And fare you well I take my leue as now

Neyghbour she sayth, [I] pray god thanke you.

¶The .vii. sorowe.

T[H]is laste sorow, yf any sorow be This] TOis 1565

Is so the wydow of her cha[ri]te charite] chairte 1565

395

Now must perfourme her husbandes intent

sig: [C3v]

Touching his wyll, his mynde and testament testament] testtament 1565

And so she doth, as nygh as she can

So that no-where ther is any man

That can demaunde of ryght and duty

400

But she them pleaseth well and honestly

So that her name is so wel spredde

That many delyteth her for to wedde

Wouers com with many a proude offre

Some with loue, and other som with proffre

405

Som come gayly, and all in pleasure

Som come poorely wyth countenaunce demure

Som launcheth mony largely fro theyr powches

Some sheweth rynges, Ieweles, and riche owches

Some sendeth her a tok[en] or a Capon token] tokne 1565

410

Som sendeth her wyne, other sendeth venyson

And all for to kendle, and set her hert on fire

To cause her to bowe, and folow ther desyre

But this wydow as stedfast as a wall

As she well can, thanketh them greatly all

415

Excusyng her as she can do full well

For certayne causes more that I can tell

How-be-it perchaunce that she woulde fayne

But she casteth in her mynde a_gayne

Yf I should wedde and holde me vnto one

420

That myght fortune all this chere were gone

Me-thynke I lede a metely mery lyfe

Whiche I should not yf that I w[e]re a wyfe were] whre 1565

To bed I go and ryse whan I wyll

All that I do is reason and skyll

425

I commaunde other but none commandeth me

And eke I stande at myne owne liberte

How-be-it I do note in consyence consyence] consynence 1565

Whether to wedde or lyue in continence

sig: [C4]

For I am yonge, and may the worlde increase

430

And vnto me it is full harde to cease

The wanton delyte, that younge women haue

And ferthermore my good name for to saue

For the resorte that here do com dayly

I take suche thought, and so muche care that I

435

Wote not well in what estate to a_byde

For yf a yonge-man shoulde me betide

That were to sharpe, or hath no worldli shifte

Than myght I say a_dew farewel my thryfte

And yf I sholde hym in any wyse contra[r]y contrary] contray 1565

440

Than myght perchaunce that we two shoulde vari

[And so me bete, saying olde wyddred hore

In the deuyls name, peke thee out at the dore] The two preceding lines are transposed in the copytext.

Or lay to pledge suche as I haue, or sell

Yet had I leuer neuer with none to mell

445

Yf he be olde and a waywarde wyght

He is yll to please, eyther day or nyght

Euer hummyng at thys thyng and that

And alway chydyng, and wotes not for what

And yf he fall ones in ialowsy

450

The deuyl than troubleth his fantasy

Thus I ne wote by god and by my soule

How that I may now me-selfe controule

He that I had, me-thought was very yll

But yf god pleased I wolde I had hym styll

455

So than this wydow her-selfe to comforte

Unto a frende of hers dothe resorte

With her neyghbours, and goynge b[y] the way by] be 1565

They chaunce to walke ouer an olde cawsay cawsay= 'pavement'; see OED s.v. causey n5.

Whiche is to_broke, and the pauement tore

460

Than taketh she vp her clothes a_fore

For fylyng, rememberyng her husbandes entent

sig: [C4v]

Thai euer a_mended that broken pauement

Saynge our lorde Iesu graunt hym his grace

That was wont to lay stones in this place

465

But if that I may lyue an-other yere

They shalbe layde as well as euer they were

Ah true wydowe, so true, louyng and kynde

Thy husbandes dedes be not fro thy mynde

Now all true wydowes as ye do entende

470

In all [y]our sorowes Chryst you comforte sende. your] our 1565

¶Finis. deo laus et honor.

Lenuoy of .R._Copland

GO lytle quayre, god gyue the wel to sayle

To that good sheppe, ycleped Bertelet sheppe: =ship

For through it thou mayst the more preuayle

Agaynst the rockes, that blyndly ben yset

Up-on the land thy substaunce for to fret

And from all nacyo[n]s, if that it be thy lot

Lest thou be hurt, medle not with a Scot.

¶And to thy readers, as custome is to say

Do thy deuoyr, but to wydowes chefely

Desyringe them to take it as in play

For that to do, was myne entent truely

Desyryng them to accept my fantasy

And to a_mende thyne englyshe where is nede

For to pastime myne intent was in-dede.

¶Explicit

¶Imprented at London in Lothburi ouer agaynste Sainct_Margarytes_church by me Wyllyam_Copland.