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A Woman of power and verite / if a man coulde fynde: y• valew of hir were farre* 1.1 a boue perlee. The harte of hir husbād trusteth in hir / y• he nedeth not spoyles. She rendereth him good & not euell all y• dayes of hir lyfe. She sought woll & flax & did as hir handes serued hir. She is lyk a marchaūtes ship y• bryngeth hir vitayles from farre. She ryseth yer daye and geueth meate to hir hous∣hold / & fode to hir maydens. She consydred a
grounde ond bought yt / and of the frute of hir handes planted a vyne. She gyrde hir loynes with strength & couraged hir armes. She per ceaued that hir huswyfrye was proffitable / & therfore dyd not put oute hir candle by nyght She set hir fyngers to the spyndle / and hir handes caught holde on the dystaffe. She ope¦ned hir hand to the poore / and strethed oute hir handes to the nedye. She feared not least the colde of snowe shuld hurt hir house / for all hir housholde were doble clothed. She ma¦de hir gaye ornamentes / of byce and purple was hir apparell. Hir husband was had in ho¦noure in the gates / as he sat with the elders of the lande. She made linen and solde it / and delyuered agyrdell to the merchaunt. Strēgth and glorye were hir rayment / and she laughed in the later dayes. She opened hir mouth with wysdome / and the lawe of ryghte ousnes was on hir tonge. She had an eye to hir housholde and eate not breed ydlye. Hir children arose and blessed hir / and hir husband commended hir. Manye daughters have done excellentlye but thou hast passed them all. Fauoure is a de ceauable thynge / and bewtie is vanytie. But a woman that feareth God / she shalbe pray∣sed. Geue hir of the frute of hir handes / and let hir workes prayse hir in the gates.
prouerbi. xxxi.