DCCXCVIII.
Vxorem̛ non expedit ducere.
Ieronimus [Harl. MS. Ieronimus. Fertur Auriolus Theofrasti 'Libro de Nupcijs.'] tellis in 'Libro de Nupcijs' of ane Aureolus Theophrasti, & in þis buke he axkis if a wise man̛ sulde wed a wyfe, and he says þuf sho war nevur so fayre, nor so wele taght, nor had nevur so honest fadur nor moder, yit nevur-þe-les, he says, a wyse man̛ sulde not wed hur, for þis Aurelious sais it is not possible to a man̛ to please bothe his wife & his childer; ffor wommen̛, he says, burd̛ hafe gold̛ & syluer & gay clothyng, & a servand̛ and mayny oþer thyngis, & yit aƚƚ þe nyght sho wiƚƚ lyg chaterrand̛ & say [Arund. MS. "Illa ornatior procedit in publicum et honoratur ab omnibus, ego autem in conuentu feminarum despicior." Aitque; "Cur aspiciebas vicinam?" &c.] þat þer [þer omitted and added above the line.] is oder & þat hase bettur curchus & er fressher arayed̛ þan̛ sho is, and if sho be wele arayed̛ hur lykis . . . . to com̛ emang no pepuƚƚ and sho wiƚƚ say, "Lo! I am̛ þe baddeste in aƚƚ þis town̛!" Also sho wiƚƚ say vnto hur husbond̛; "Whi beheld̛ þou þi neghbur wyfe, & whi spak þou with þi neghbur mayden̛?" And when̛ he commys fro þe markett sho wiƚƚ say; "What hase þou boght? I may not hafe a frend̛ nor a felow for þe, nor luf of a noder man̛ bod if I be suspecte." And þerfor̛ þer sulde no man̛ make chesyng of his wyfe long befor̛, bod take sucℏ one as hym̛ happend̛ whedur sho be fayre or fowle, or prowde or angry, & þerfor̛ þai sulde not be provid̛ or þai war wed̛. A hors or ane ass, ane ox or a cow or a servand̛ aƚƚ þies sulde be provid̛ or þai wer boght or hyrid̛, bod a womman̛ sulde not a man̛ se or he wed hur, þat he war not displesid̛ after þai war wed̛. And if þou giff hur