A Complaint of Them that be Too Soon Married

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¶A complaynt of them that be to soone maryed.

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¶For-as-moche as many folke there be

That desyre the sacramente of weddynge

Other wyll kepe them in vyrgyny[t]e vyrgynyte] vyrgynye 1535

And wyll in chastyte be lyuynge

Therfore I wyll put now in wrytynge

In what sorowe these men lede theyr lyues

That to soone be coupled to cursed wyues

NOw am I in grete myschefe and sorowe

To soone I put my body in gage

I lyue in care / nyght / euen / and morowe

Lytell lacketh that I ne enrage

To be to soone maryed I layde my gage

Cursed be the tyme that I it euer knewe

The deuyll haue his parte of maryage

And of hym that me fyrste therto drewe

My herte ryght yll dyd me counsell

To a yonge woman me for to same same ='join'; see OED s.v. sam, v1.

To soone wedde there they dyd me compell

Wherfore I holde my-selfe in_fame

By god I swere and by his name

I wyll all louers clene dyscourage

That wolde not with there wyll take them a dame

And put them-selfe in suche domage

Better it were to be a man sauage

Than to be take in that ylke lase

Gentell galauntes flee that passage

Besyde that waye loke that ye passe

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Go out of that waye that wyll the chase

Go out of that waye or ye be loste

Go ye therfro / tourne ye your face

Go frome that waye to another coste

Go ye thense my frendes I you [desire] desire] praye 1535'praye' is corrected in ink in the Huntington copy to 'desire'.

Go ye therfro I you do praye

Go ye frome that hote flambe of fyre

Go ye therfro as I you saye

Or ye wyll repente an-other daye

Go ye therfro full loude I crye

Go ye fro the bonde of welawaye

Whiche is the arke of all folye

Fle I praye you for goddes sake

Fle this passage that is ryght daungerous

Fle ye frome that peryllous lake

Of muddy myre so clam and comberous clam ='sticky'

Fle that darke place so myrke and tenebrous

Fle fro that ylke cursed temptacy[o]n temptacyon] temptacyn 1535

I fynde it nothynge auauntagyous

But it all tourneth into perdycyon

Alas my bretherne ye crysten men

For god take ye in pacyence

To heare the sorowe that I in ren

For to acquyte my consyence

I requyre you in the reuerence

Of the swete vyrgyn mary

For to eschewe all vnpacyence

Loke to soone that ye not mary

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The wyse-man vs ensygneth and saythe

That none shulde other repreue

Of any vyce / hurte / yll / or scathe

That they se of hym morne or eue

I saye it for I dyd my-selfe meue

To lerne to make playes Ioyous

Kepe hym that wyll and me byleue

For there maye be many enuyous

Outragyous alas I dyde not thynke

Thre tymes of that that I wolde do

But hastely I dyde me clynke clynke ='assent'? Not recorded in this sense in OED.

Unto my wyl and wente therto

Symple I was and humble also

Euyll thought was not myne entent

Now haue I for my laboure lo

Anoye / thought / payne / and torment

Thynke thou now what it is of seruyce

Thynke also what it is of franchyse

The seruytude of maryage

Afore all other seruage lyse

All wyse-men dothe it despyse

Let none take it nor other make

For it is the moost fole enterpryse

That ony man maye vndertake

Take ye hede where that ye go

Poore whystelers folysshe and sturdy

Be not assoted nor peuysshe also

So outragyus nor so hardy

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That for one dede ne for a crye

Ye caste your-selfe in suche a snare

For ye shall not bewrynge nor wrye bewrynge ='twist away, struggle free': not recorded in OED or MED; but see OED s.v. wring v, 19.

Come out therof therfore beware

Better ye were withouten harme

For to become a celestyne

A grey-frere Iacopyn or a carme

An hermyte or a frere Austyne

Fle ye therfro / ye seke your fyne

And the abregmente of your dayes

Wherfore do not your-selfe enclyne

To entre with ryght and other wayes

Man the wiche hathe no tytell

Nor seruytude by ony sent

He is in his owne frewyll

And at his good commaundemente

100

Man maketh his auowe and talente

For all that god hathe hym gyue

By no maner for to consente

For to bynde hym in seruytude to lyue

Yf thou knowe what charge it is

105

To take a wyfe and her to kepe

So preest thou wolde not be ywys

At suche a snare in for to crepe

Nor let thy-selfe so to be yclepe

To be engloted in suche a clyfte engloted ='swallowed up'; see OED s.v. englut v.

110

Out of whiche thou mayste not pepe

Tyll that she be broke and ryfte

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These relygyous maundiens maundiens ='mendicants, beggars': not recorded in OED, but see OED s.v. maunder n1

May well an-other order take

So many chanons and dekenes

115

Offycers theyr offyces may forsake

None maye ayenste them noyse make

But we the whiche ben maryed

May nether mount nor yet downe slake

So ben we in this poynt alyed

120

It is well knyte that is so bounde

That no man can it vndo

In weddynge-knote I haue me founde

That I cou[l]de not from it go coulde] counde 1535

Yf I were lous no more ther-to

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Wolde I retourne forsothe certayne

I rede them that hathe ben so

Beware and go not to it agayne

Certaynly I wyll not blame

Maryage that god Instytued

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But honour it withouten grame

For the order sholde be worshypped

And I haue me auaunced

Than I ought for to speke more

The charge to yll wyues be deled

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For I se euer eche daye wherfore

And for to gyue you for to wyt

The pouerte that therin is founde

I ought well to dysprayse it

For there I haue be bounde

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Alas my werke dyde lytell rebounde

And lytell befell to me than

Than to lerne I dyd recounde recounde: =recount, 'consider, reflect on'? See OED s.v. recount v1, 2.

By my-selfe or by some good man

I_nought I wende that I had lerned

145

I thought that I was full sage

But for all that I was clyked clyked ='seized'; see OED s.v. click v2.

As a byrde is in a cage

That hath nothynge auauntage

But as longe as the cage maye dure

150

In lyke wyse I am in maryage

Enclosed nedes I must endure

Endure I must who that nay saythe

For to endure I a[m] constraynt am] and 1535

For I swere to you on my faythe

155

The Ioye that I make it is but faynte

I am so holden in fere and in craynt

That I am worse than dyseased

I am not come to that attaynt

That I thought in tyme passed

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Whan that I was newely maryed

I had good tyme aboute thre dayes

I was not chydde ne haryed

I was fulfylled with loue-rayes loue-rayes: unrecorded in OED, if a compound.

I made gambandes / lepes / and playes

165

I helde me neyther nere ne ferre

But soone ynoughe I had assayes

Of sorowe and care that made me bare

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Rynnynge they came me to assayle

On the other syde ryght asprely asprely: =asperly, 'harshly'

170

Full sore they made me to auayle

Were it slepynge or wakyngly

Thought alwaye was present me by

And yet before me made frontere frontere ='attack'; see OED s.v. frontier n, 3

With them in theyr companye

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Greate charge whiche bare the baner

About eyght dayes or soone after

Our maryage the tyme for to passe

My wyfe I toke and dyd set her

Upon my knee for to solace

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And began her for to enbrace

Sayenge syster go get the tyme loste

We must thynke to laboure a_pace

To recompence that it hathe vs coste

Than for despyte she vp arose

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And drewe her faste behynde me

To me sayenge is this the glose

Alas pore caytyfe well I se

That I neuer shall haue quod she

With you more than payne and turmente

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I am in an euyll degre

I haue now loste my sacramente

For me be to longe with you here

Alas I ought well for to thynke

What we sholde do within ten yere

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Whan we shall haue at our hert[h]e-brynke herthe] herte 1535

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Many chyldren on for to thynke

And crye after vs without fayle

For theyr meate and theyr drynke

Than shall it be no meruayle

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Cursed be the houre that I ne was

Made a none in some cloyster

Neuer there for to passe

Or had be made some syster

In seruage with a clousterer

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It is not eyght dayes sythe oure weddynge

That we two togyther were

By god ye speke to soone of werkynge

But syr sythe it dothe you please

It pleaseth me as is reason

210

Your wyll dothe not me dysplease

It pleaseth me at eche ceason

Ye be syr of this mansyon

And I am your chamb[r]ere chambrere] chambere 1535

I wolde fayne fynde some encheso[n] encheson] enchesom 1535

215

That lyenge deed I were on bere

Wolde to god that I were deed

Than sholde ye be quyte of me

In lytell whyle knowe you I dyde

And neyther I perceyue nor se

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Ne knowe how that reason sholde be

That to me ye speke of that wyrke

By my soule I se at the eye

That of you I shall haue but yrke

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For god syr aduyse you well

225

That I dyde neuer besynesse

In the house there-as I dyde dwell

Many there were that put them in prese

Me for to loue aboue excesse

And yet I put them all awaye

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Thoughe they had moche greate rychesse

No man but you was to my paye

Am I of suche lygnage comen

For to haue payne and greate trauayle

I that was so derely holden

235

And neuer loked for none auayle

N[e] that thynge sholde me prouayle Ne] No 1535thynge ='anything'; prouayle: = prevail, 'benefit, profit'?; see OED s.v. prevail v, 4

I was wonte but to go and playe

Daunce and synge at eche spousayle

And ye frome me put all that awaye

240

Thanked be god ye haue had of me

Of ryche cheuaunce good and fayre

Golde and syluer greate plente

Rentes and herytage you to prepayre

In all this countre there is none ayre

245

Be ye neuer so ryche of lynage

But he myght of that affayre

Make ryche all his parentage

I do not saye that ye were dygne

To haue one ten tymes better than I

250

Alas ye shewed vnto me sygne

Of greate grace welth and curteysy

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That whan I herde ony company

That spake of you in ony place

I had my herte rauysshed truely

255

For greate pleasure and solace

Whan she had made her complaynt

Lyke an woman all an_angred

She than seased vnder a faynt

Full of sorowe and all be_weped

260

The daye and houre there she cursed

With a tryste herte wryngynge her hande

That euer she was nourysshed

For to espouse suche an husbande

Whan that I herde and vnderstode

265

That the whiche she me reproched

I was abasshed and styll stode

And durst not to her be approched

Her tonge towarde me was declyned

I wote not where that she had fysshte

270

The wordes that she there dysgorged

That I was fayne to be whysshte

In this sayd dolorous songe

I dyde me put for to haue pease

Force it was in to be thronge

275

Yet wente I not in with myne ease

But my wyfe me to dysplease

Abode not longe for to perceyue

The sorowe that dyde my herte pryse pryse: a possible reading of the copytext here is: peyse.

Where-throughe she dyde deceyue

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280

Than came her mother to hous

That founde her how she was wepynge

And soone she sayd my nowne sone dous

Why maketh she that waymentynge

And sayd it was not her lernynge

285

To haue her doughter so to be chydde

And that she had a perceyuynge

That I had her so an_angred

By my faythe sayd I good mother

Nought haue I done nor her myssayde

290

Serue her I wyll as my syster

With good herte and wyll puruayed

For ayenst her I nothynge sayd

But that wayes we muste fynde

Us for to store and she me nayed

295

Iwys she hath to fyrse a mynde

By god my fayre sone you ne ought

So alwaye for to threten her

For ywys she was neuer taught

For to werke therfore dele softer

300

But she wyll do well here-after

Wherfore speke no more I you praye

Neuer was I in suche daungere

Wherfore I thanke god nyght and daye

Than cometh her cosyns also

305

For to complysshe my passyon

Her gosseps and her neyghboures to

Semblynge lyke a prosessyon

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God knewe what destruccyon destruccyon] desstruccyon 1535

Drynkynge my wyne all at theyr ease

310

All-thynge goeth to perdycyon

Neuertheles I muste holde my pease

To a feest they brought me on a daye

Aboute two or thre myle hense

God knoweth what great Ioye led they

315

Takynge lytell intellygence

Her frendes lede her at myne expence

How that the game goeth they ne care

I saye that by experyence

It wyll make a man all threde-bare

320

Now muste they make a pylgrymage

To saynt Lenarde or saynt Laurence

For good they be for the grete rage

That they haue / as I maye purpence

Who maye than haue ony pacyence

325

For to se suche derysyon

Trottynge alwaye without resystence

And not k[e]pynge theyr mansyon kepynge] kypynge 1535

Than must they haue newe habytes

Gownes and other abyllementes

330

Rynges of golde perles and cresolytes of] of of 1535

Bedes and gyrdelles with longe pendentes

I haue nether hous ne rentes

Wheron that I maye lyue

A man with many suche paymentes

335

Maye lyue longe or euer he may thryue

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Wene ye that they take ony kepe

How that syluer is spente anone

The deuyll brenne them on an hepe

Them and all theyr opynyon

340

We gyue to them suche a bandon bandon ='authority, power of disposal'.

Be they fayre or be they foule

That we haue therfore suche guerdon

That we be caytyfes be my soule

Almyghty god gyue me suffraunce

345

For I am sore passyoned

With payne / sorowe / and dystourbaunce

As moche as ony man hath suffred

But sythe I am therto condempned

I thanke our lorde of paradyse

350

For therto I am ordeyned

I se it is none otherwyse

Consyderynge that I ne maye

Hyte / nor ho auaunte / ne arere Hyte / nor ho ='hope nor think?'

I wysshe my dethe euery daye

355

Hyde me I muste neuer to appere

In donge stynkynge neuer to come here

Desyrynge dethe is my resorte

Chowynge my bytte in this maner

Without bydynge ony comforte

360

You the whiche are clene acquyted

Praye ye for that pore caytyfe

The whiche is all dysheryted

And hathe yspended by his wyfe

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His good that neuer in his lyfe

365

Shall be rendered to hym agayne

Wherfore I maye with herte pensyfe

Crye out alas and thus complayne

I make an ende I lyue in greate martyre

So do they that be to soone maryed

370

The thynge that moost of all I desyre

Is that they be ryght well haryed

For by women men be so [w]aryed waryed] varyed 1535

Eche leseth his vnderstondynge

Wherfore I wyll that they be for-prayde for-prayde: unrecorded in OED, if a compound.

375

That god gyue them sorowe euerlastynge

For suche is my dyffynement

And wyll proue it before our lorde

That women ben abusement

All aboute in playe / stryfe / and borde

380

To soone maryed maye mete accorde

Unto them wolde I or naye

I leue them here at this sayd worde

And no more of them wyll I saye

¶Ryght dere frendes louely I do you submite

385

Of my fyrst werke into correccyon

But myne owne wyll can not as yet

Endewe ony-thynge of myne intencyon

Rather I wyll abyde a lytell season

Than to put my wytte afore intellygence

390

Uentosyte must abyde dygestyon

So I muste do or I come to eloquence

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Cunny[n]ge must I haue fyrste of all

Or that I come to perseueracyon

Put forthe I wyll and than somwhat call

395

Lernynge with good delyberacyon

And than I wyll with good intencyon

Note some werkes of god almyghty

Desyrynge to come vnto his regyon

Euer there for to dwell perdurably

¶Here endeth a full dolefull complaynte

Of many a man of there one concorde

Lokynge with face pale wanne and faynte

Cursynge the tyme of theyr accorde

Fynyss[h]ed and done the yere of our lorde Fynysshed] Fynysssed 1535

A thousande .CCCCC. and .xxxv. at London

Enprynted also by Wynkyn_de_Worde

In fletest[r]ete at the sygne of the son fletestrete] fletestete 1535