The gospelles of dystaues

¶The ordynaunce of the fyrst daye / & of the descryp∣cyon of dame Isengryne of Glaye & what she was.

[illustration]

Isengryne. dame Abūde Gamberde

THe mondaye at night bytwene seuen & eyght of the clocke after souper assembled y^e forsayd syxe ladyes togyder and all the neyghbours that were accustomed to come theder / & dy∣uers other that were somoned theder for to here the mystery that sholde be done there. Dame Isen∣gryne of glay came theder accompanyed with dyuers of her knowlege the whiche brought with them theyr dysta¦ues and standardes / with theyr spyndels and wherles & all that apperteyned to theyr arte. And to make it shorte it semed a ryght market where as is but solde wordes & reasons and dyuers purposes of small effecte and lytell valour. The syege of dame Isengryne was prepared at one syde / a lytell hyer than the other / and myn was euen besyde her / and afore me was a lampe full of oyle for to caste lyght vpon my werke / and all the assystentes had tourned theyr vysages towarde dame Isengryne / the whiche after scylence obteyned spake in this maner. But or that I begynne for to wryte her chapytres I wyll re∣herse to you the estate & genealogye of her. Dame Isen∣gryne was of the aege of .lxv. yere or there aboute / she had ben a fayre wyfe in her tyme / but she was becomen gretely wydred / her eyen were holowe / & her eye lyddes somwhat reuersed & reed alwaye watrynge she had had fyue husbandes besyde her acquayntaunce aparte. She medled in her olde aege to receyue yonge chyldren / but in her yonge aege she receyued grete chyldren / she was moche experte in dyues artes. Her husbande was yonge of whome she was ryght Ialous / and made many com∣playntes of hym to her neyghbours / neuerthelesse scy∣lence obteyned she began her gospell and toke her sub∣staunce of her husbande and sayd.

¶Here begynneth the fyrst chapytre of the gospell of dame Isengryne of Glay for the mondaye.

MI good neyghbours there is none of you but ye knowe that I toke my husbande Iosselyn more for his beaute than for his rychesse / for a poore felowe he was / & loo I sawe hym not to daye nor yesterdaye / wherfore I haue gre¦te sorowe at my herte. And certaynly he hath grete chepe of the goodes that my husbandes his predecessours had assembled togyder with grete labour & payne / wherfore I thynke it wyll be my deth. Now to this purpose and for the fyrst chapytre I tell you for as true as the gospell that the man that spendeth the goodes vnduely that co∣meth to hym by his wyfe w^touten leue shall gyue accoun¦tes before god as of thynges stolen. Glose. Upon this cha¦pytre sayth an auncyent matrone named Grayll Iohan bybebecked wyfe. Truly that husband that dooth ayenst this chapytre is put after his deth in a caudron in purga¦tory full of brymstone / yf he haue not done his penaunce in this worlde vpon the hospytalles.

¶The seconde chapytre.

¶There is no thȳge more certayne than the husbande y^t dooth cōtrary to y^e whiche his wyfe coūseyleth hȳ to do / & who y^t gaynsayeth ony thynge that she sayth he is false & dysloyall forsworne. Glose. Certaynly sayd Gonbande of the dytche I haue sene dyuers myracles of them y^t haue trāsgressed this chapytre / for my stepfad broke his legge bycause he wolde not byleue the counseyle of my moder.

¶The thyrde chapytre.

¶He y^t beteth his wyfe shall neuer haue grace of our lady tyl he haue pardon of his wyfe. glo. Maroye sayth it is as

grete synne as yf he wolde dyspayre hymselfe / for after that whiche I houe herde our vycare saye it is but one bo¦dy man and woman coupled by maryage.

¶The .iiii. chapytre.

¶The man that dooth ony thynge without that he doo his wyfe to vnderstande it. I saye to you as the gospell that he is worse in cōscyence than a thefe / who durst well saye it. Glose. The auncyent matrones hathe mayntay∣ned for a trouth that the chyldren that come of suche ma¦ryage shall neuer be ryche in this worlde / and yet they shall be lyghtly grete lyers

¶The .v. chapytre.

¶My frendes I saye to you for a trouth that there is no dolour nor anguysshe lyke to y^e whiche a woman bereth / whan her husbande bereth elles where his substaūce and in especyall whan y^e goodes cometh by her. Glose. For cer¦tayne sayd a matrone that was named florette the blacke He that breketh his maryage by aduoutrye is lesse to be praysed than a Iewe or a sarasyn / for he is forsworne.

¶The .vi. chapytre.

¶A mayden that wyll knowe y^e name of her to comynge husbande / ought to hange before her dore the fyrst threde that she spynneth that daye / and the fyrst man that pas∣seth therby aske his name / and knowe for certayne that the same name shall her husbande haue. Glose. At the sa∣me wordes rose vp one of the assystētes named Geffryne Iohan blewes wyfe / and sayd that she had proued that thynge and that it had happened so to her / wherfore she cursed the houre that she had mette w^t suche a man that had lost all colour and beaute / and yet he was so euyll a werke man that he dyde no thynge but slepe.

¶The .vii. chapytre.

Whan a womā bereth a chylde & yf they wyl knowe yf it be a sone or a doughter ye must lye salte vpon her heed so softely that she knowe not of it and after in deuysynge w^t her yf that she name a man knowe that it shal be a sone / & yf that she name a woman it shall be a doughter. Glose. That same thynge happened vnto me whan I bare my doughter. Lyle tempremeur sayd Grelle of the shoo / and myn aunte dyde it to me & lerned me it the whiche was ryght auncyent and gretely renomed in dyuers artes.

¶The .viii. chapytre.

Ye sholde not gyue to yonge maydens to ete the heed of a hare to the ende that they sholde mary / and in especyall to them that be with chylde / for certaynly theyr chyldren might haue clouen lyppes. Glose. Then sayd anone Mar get of the whete / euen so it happened to one of my cosyns for bycause y^t she had eten of the heed of a hare her dough¦ter that was in her wombe brought forth foure lyppes.

¶The .ix. chapytre.

Ye ought not to let yonge maydens ete no shepes hedes nor cockescomes / nor eles / to y^e ende that they haue not y^e fallynge of saynt lupe behȳde. Glose. Certaynly sayd Be lette the shorte nose / it is a ryght grete daūger / for bycau¦se that my moder ete of them I haue thre taches the whi∣che I thynke wyll neuer fayle me. The one is that often∣tymes I let myselfe fall backewarde / the seconde that I can not ryse agayne lyghtly / and the thyrde is that my husbande sayth that I crye to hye whan he blameth me wherof I haue grete shame.

¶The .x. chapytre.

I swere to you as the gospell that whan a yonge mayde eteth customably boyled mylke in y^e panne / or in a pot of

erth / that it raynes comynly at theyr weddynge / & also they haue comynly husbādes melancolyous & grutchers And also she shall not fayle oftentymes to haue a dyrtye tayle and to be euylly cladde. Glose. Sayd dame Abūde to this texte nedeth none exposycyon / for the rule is all co¦myn & there is neuer faute / as it appered at my weddȳge where dyuers of you was.

¶The .xi. chapytre.

¶For certayne & for also true as the gospell whan a man lyeth with his wyfe / or w^t his loue hauynge his fete foule and stynkynge / & it happen that he engendre a sone / he shall haue an euyll & a stynkynge brethe / & yf it be a dou∣ghter she shall haue it stynkynge behynde. Glose. Mar∣roye ployarde sayth vpon this chapytre that of her cosyn germayne happened euen soo / for all aboute where she wente she rendred suche a stynkynge odour behȳde that all the assystentes were fayne to stoppe theyr noses / but she knewe not what was the cause therof.

¶The .xii. chapytre.

For also true as the gospell I tell you that whan a yonge man mayden weddeth a yonge woman virgyn the fyrst chylde comynly that they gete is a fole. Glose. Berte the strayte vpon this chapytre sayth that it was not longe a gone syth it happened so to one of her doughters that she had maryed to the swyneherde of her hous / for the fyrst nyght she dyde teche them / & theyr fyrst sone was a fole.

¶The .xiii. chapytre.

I saye to you as the gospell y^t whan a chylde is newly bor¦ne yf ye gyue hȳ a rosted apple to ete or he souke y^t he shall be no gloton but serue ladyes demurely. Glose. Marroye morel sayth vpon this texte y^t whan a childe is borne who that bereth the lytell bowell to his heed he shal haue longe lyfe / swete brethe / good voyce / & gracyous eloquence.

¶The .xiiii. chapytre.

I waraūt you for also true as the gospell yf that ye wyll make yonge chyldrens heedes curled / also soone as they ben borne wasshe theyr hedes with whyte wyne / & put in theyr bayne the rote of a whyte vyne. Glose. Dame Her∣mofrode sayth on this passage in corrumpȳge the texte y^t who wolde make to drye by two chyldren yonge & fayre the aubete of a lytell chylde vpon the poynt of a sharpe & a bryght swerde sholde make the chylde all his lyfe fayre hardy / and welcome amonge the noble men.

¶The .xv. chapytre

Now vnderstande you all the whiche ben here present I aduertyse you y^t ye neuer drawe swerde afore a woman with chylde but yf that ye lye your swerde fyrst vpon her heed all softely to the ende that she abyde stedfast / & her fruyte shall be the hardyer all his lyf. Glose. Peronne Be¦uette sayd y^t bycause they dyde not so to her moder whan she dyde bere her she was and is so ferde that she dare not go to bedde without the company of men.

¶The .xvi. chapytre.

I tell you for as true as the gospell that yonge maydens sholde neuer ete cheryes with theyr louer who shold haue the last / for oftentymes it happeneth so that they whiche haue the last chery is the last maryed of all. Glose Dame Sebyll of mates sayth vpon this passage that yonge wo¦men shold not ete potage with theyr louer for by custome it happeneth often that theyr husbandes haue acqueyn∣taunce aparte and not the women.

¶The .xvii. chapytre.

Systers and neyghbours yet I tell you that god and rea¦son defendeth euery man & woman that they sholde not speke afore a woman maryed or able to bere chyldren / or

afore a woman grete with chylde of ony maner of mete / that for the present and at a nede may not be founde / to the ende that the fruyte that she bereth haue not a marke vpon his body. Glose. Dame Abunde of the ouen sayth that by castynge on a womans vysage that is with chyl∣de cheryes or rede wyne that the chylde shall bere a mar¦ke or some token vpon hym.

¶ The .xviii. chapytre.

Knowe that the man y^t doubleth in maryage is vnable to come to ony dignyte & yf his wyfe do to hym the same w^t outen faute he shall be cause of y^e one euyll & of the other / and she ought to be Iuged quyte w^tout punycyon. Glose. Dame Ysoree the shorte sayth vpon this pase that the wo¦man that wyll not haue her husbande medle with other wyues that she make to synge masse of saynt Auoye thre mondayes togyder / & I saye to you for certayne that the women beyonde the see do so to theyr husbandes.

¶The .xix. chapytre.

Whan ony childe is baptysed be it a sone or a doughter yf the doughter haue two godfaders / she shal haue two hus¦bandes or moo / & also yf the sone haue two godmoders he shall haue two wyues. Glose. Certaȳly sayd Ampelu∣ne huket I ought well to curse y^e houre that Wyllymyne my husbande had euer so many / for he hath thre wyues besyde his acqueyntaunce that I knowe not.

¶The .xx. chapytre.

Whan ye se lytell children renne thrugh the stretes rydyn¦ge vpō horses of wood with speres & dysguysed in maner of men of warre / it is a true signe of warre nere hande or dyscencyon in y^e coūtree. Glose. Perrine Hulortore sayth vpon this paas that whan lytell chyldren go in y^e stretes with baners syngynge it is a sygne of mortalyte.

¶The .xxi. chapytre.

¶Yf a woman wyll knowe certaynly yf her husbande do double / let her take heede yf that he touche her not in y^e ful of the mone / and yf he haue not ado with her there is noo suspeccyon w^tout a cause. Glose. This gospell is very true sayd maroye ployarde: for it is more than thre mones syth Iohan ployarde my husbande smote stroke nor halfe stro¦ke / and yet I am a woman for to endure it well.

¶The .xxii· chapytre.

¶One ought not to gyue to a woman with chylde no hee∣des of fysshe to ete / to the ende that by theyr ymagynacyō theyr fruyte brynge not forth theyr mouthes more greter & more sharper than it is of custome. Glose. Paret fatoys mydwyf sayd that she had receyued dyuers chyldren that had theyr mouthes more greter out of mesure than other had.

¶The .xxiii. chapytre.

¶If by aduenture a man bete his wyf / or defyle her with his fete / she shall be delyuered with grete payne / & often∣tymes they deye in the payne. Glose. Dame Hermofrode sayth that there is no remedye in this / saue that she muste drynke in the shoo that dyde defyle her / and knowe yf she do so she shall be delyuered quyckely.

¶The .xxiiii. chapytre.

¶If it happen that some body stryde ouer a lytell chylde / knowe ye for certayne that he shall neuer growe more but yf they stryde backewarde ouer it agayne. Glose. Certayn¦ly sayd Sebylle of suche thynge cometh dwerfes and lytel women.

¶The .xxv. chapytre.

¶Knowe ye for as true as the gospell that yf the hose of a woman or of a mayden vnbyndeth in the strete & that she

lese it / it is sygne & fayleth neuer that her husbande or her loue gothe elles where. Glose. At these wordes lefte spyn∣nynge one named Transye of loue yonge of the aege of .lx and seuen yere / and sayd that there was nothynge more truer than y^t gospell / for syth wednesday last paste I sawe not my loue Iolyet / bycause that the same daye I lost my garter.

¶ The .xxvi. chapytre.

¶ And for conclusyon my frendes and neyghboures / and for to make an ende of my chapytres I tell you that whan there cometh to a wyfe the sekenes in her pappes / she ne∣dethe none other thynge but that her husbande make her with his instrument naturall thre sercles aboute the sore / & without ony doubte she shall be hole. Glose. Sayntefoute ne tempremure sayth that it ought to be vnderstande that those thre sercles sholde be made at the ende of the bely / a lytell vnder the gyrdell. ¶ All the assystentes began for to laughe a pase of that Ioyous conclusyon / and dyde prayse ryght strongely the wysdome of dame Ysengryne that soo hyghely had conteyned her gospell and departed it in .xxvi artycles that were all of grete auctoryte and importaun∣ce / and promysed that they wolde take payne for to lerne them by rote / for to publysshe them to them that had not ben at that lecture. ¶ Full gladde was I whan dame Isē¦gryne made an ende of her speche / for bothe paper and can¦dell dyde fayle me / with slombre that dyd strongly assayle me / for it was almoost mydnyght / wherfore I wolde ha∣ue taken leue of them: but they made me abyde tyl another was electe to rede on the morowe. So they toke counsayll and of a comyn accorde dyde chese Transelyne of the cro∣ke which was an auncyent damoysell the whiche toke on her the charge ryght gladly / and requyred me instauntlye

before them all that at her nede I wolde serue her / and I promysed her to do it / but of one thynge I requyred her / y^t was that she sholde come a lytell sooner than they had do∣ne vpon mondaye / to the ende to eschewe the trauaylle of the nyght.