Book of the Knight of La Tour-Landry : compiled for the instruction of his daughters : translated from the original French into English in the reign of Henry VI / [by Geoffroy de La Tour Landry] ; edited ... with an introduction and notes by Thomas Wright

[CHAPTER CI.]

[How women should care for their husbands.]

ANother ensaumple y shaƚƚ teƚƚ you of ij women, that were the wyues of ij men that were oute of the beleue and faithe of almighti God. Notwithstonding that her husbondes were wicked, the women were good, and ministred and serued God truly; so by this is good ensaumple [fol/col 43b/1] that euery good woman, how so it be that her husbonde were of wyked condicion, the woman shulde not therfor eschewe to be good, nor to take ensaumple atte his wickednesse, but moche the rather to be pacient and deuoute, and [to] contenu euer in praiers to purchace grace the rather of God for her husbonde. For the goodnesse of the woman makithe [smal &] lessithe the wickednesse of the man [Fr. " amendrist le mal de lui," p. 196, ed 1856.] , and aswagitℏ the wrathe of God, and encresithe hem bothe in good and in worshipe; for the good dede of the woman supportithe the euel dede of the husbonde, as it is conteined in the boke of lyff of the olde faderes, where he spekithe of a wicked man that iij tymes he was saued from velayne dethe bi the praier of his good wyff; and whanne it befeƚƚ that she deyed, and her husbonde had no more the praiers of his goode wyff vnto God for hym, the kynge of the contre made hym forto deye upon eueƚƚ dethe, for his wicked lyff of the tyme passed. And therfor it is necessarie vnto a man that is of wicked lyff to haue a woman of good lyuinge; for in as moche as a woman felithe her husbonde of eueƚƚ conscience and of other eueƚƚ lyff, so moche the more

she is bounde to be good, and do abstinence, and forto praie for hym; for, and the goodnesse of that one supporte not the wickednesse of that other, that is to saie, the goodnesse the wickednesse, aƚƚ shulde perisshe and faƚƚ into perdicion. And yet y saie you that obeysaiance vnto God, and the drede of God, is before mariage; for we owe furste to obeye vnto oure Creatoure that hatℏ [fol/col 43b/2] made us vnto his semblaunce and ymage. For the lawe comaundithe furst obeye vnto God; for no woman aught not to serue her husbonde before God, of whom to serue comithe the proffit of the soule that is euerlastinge. For, as the scripture saithe, that aƚƚ the good seruice of the body is the saluacion vnto the soule, for the welthe of the soule hathe he no parail; and therfor the wyf is bounde furst to obeye and to serue God, and after vnto her husbonde, by the faithe of mariage, and to praye for hym, benignely and paciently to counsaile hym for the welthe of his soule, and so to deturne hym from eueri eueƚƚ dede, in as moche as is in her powere; for therto is bounde euery good woman.