Alphabet of tales : an English 15th century translation of the Alphabetum narrationum of Etienne de Besançon, from Additional MS. 25,719 of the British Museum / by Etienne de Besançon

DXXXVIII.
Mulier difficile custoditur.

Petrus Alphonsis [MS. Alphensis.] tellis how som̛ tyme þer was a yong wed man̛, and þurgh conseƚƚ of ane olde wyse man̛ he closid̛ his wyfe in a hye chawmer þat had no dure butt one, and a wyndow, & evur as he come owder in or oute, he sparrid̛ þe dure faste. And on̛ þe night he wolde hyde þe keyis at his bed head̛. And þus he did a long tyme. So on̛ a tyme when̛ hur husband̛ was away, sho lukid̛ furtℏ at þe wyndow, and sho was war of a fressℏ yong man̛, & onone sho wex iolious on̛ hym̛. And to þe entent at sho mott gett oute vnto hym̛, iij nyghtis or iiij, by & by sho made hur̛ husband̛ dronken̛. And on̛ a nyght privalie when̛ he was on̛ slepe, sho stale þe keyis fro his head & oppynd þe durys. And privalie sho went vnto þis yong man̛. So hur husband̛ wakynd̛ & myssid̛ hur, & compasid̛ þat with-owten̛ a cauce sho wolde not hafe desyrid̛ [hym] to drynk so faste on̛ evyns as sho did̛, & said̛ no þing bod lay stiƚƚ & slepte. So when̛ sho had had hur luste, sho come in agayn̛, and he lete as he myssid̛ hur nogℏt. So on̛ a night afterward̛, he fenyd̛ hym̛ selfe dronken̛, and þe same night sho rase vp̛ as sho did afor̛, and went vnto hur luff. And onone as sho was gone, he rase privalie & folowid̛ hur & come vnto þe dure & sparrid̛ it faste, & went vp agayn̛ & stude in þe wyndow wachand̛. And at þe laste he was war of hur command in hur sark̘. And sho knokkid̛, & he axkid who was þer? And sho besoght hym̛ forgyff hur at sho went furtℏ, & to latt hur com̛ in. And he said̛ sho suld̛ not com̛ in, bod sho sulde stand̛ stiƚƚ þer & he suld̛ shew hur vnto hur fadur & hur moder in þe aray at sho was in. And þe vse was þat þai þat wer fon̛ þer-oute at mydnyght, wachemen̛ sulde take þaim & on̛ þe morn̛ sett þaim on̛ þe pyllorie, þat aƚƚ men̛ myght wonder on̛ þaim. And when̛ sho saw þat on̛ na wyse he wolde lat hur in, sho said̛ sho sulde lepe into a draw-weƚƚ at was bod a litle fro þe dure, & drown̛ hur selfe, rather or sho war takyn̛ & shamyd̛. And when̛ sho saw for aƚƚ þis at he wold̛ not lat hur in, sho tuke

vp̛ a grete stone & keste in-to þe draw weƚƚ, and bad fare-wele for evurmor̛. And when̛ he herd̛ it faƚƚ in-to þe weƚƚ, he went it had bene sho had loppyn̛ in-to þe weƚƚ, and he was somwhat asstonyd̛, and he oppyn̛ þe dure faste, & ran̛ vnto þe weƚƚ at luke if he mott gett hur oute. And sho had hid hur be þe waƚƚ & saw þe dure was oppyn̛, & whippid̛ in & lokkid̛ þe dure faste, & gatt hur vp in-to þe wyndow. And when̛ he hard̛ sho was getten̛ in, he said̛; "O, þou fals womman̛, and fuƚƚ of þe devuls crafte! Lat me com̛ in!" And sho said̛, nay, he sulde nott. And þer sho held̛ hym̛ oute vnto wache-men̛ come & tuke hym̛, & had hym̛ vnto prison̛. And on̛ þe morn̛ sho went vnto hur fadur & hur modir, and told̛ þaim how þat he went oute on̛ þe nyght to his strompettis & forsuke hur, & þer þai come vnto þe prison̛ aƚƚ samen & made playnt on̛ hym̛. And þer in his sarke & his breke he was sett on̛ þe pellorye, at aƚƚ folk wonderd̛ on̛ hym̛, & þus maliciouslie sho put hur blame opon̛ hym̛.