Page:Disciplina Clericalis (English translation) from the fifteenth century Worcester Cathedral Manuscript F. 172.djvu/33

   Suche a disciple saide to his Maister: "I have Rad in wordis of Philosophres whiche comaunden a man to kepe hym from the froward wit and engyne of wymmen. And [Salomon] only in the same proverbes amonestith and warneth. If thow therfor any thing above the wiles of hem memoratief holdist I wold with tellyng thow woldist teche and lierne me, outher of fables outher of proverbis." [The Maister]: "That cause shal I do to the gladly. But I am ashamed lest any simple soule redyng oure ditees whiche of the craftis of wymmen to the correccioun of theym and thyn and to instruccioun and liernyng of other seen. That is for to say how, nat knowyng ne wityng their husbondis, [they] callen and clepen their loves and with hem abiden, clippyng and kissyng; and so of theym and in theym accomplisshen and fulfillen their lascivic and foul lustis, trowyng the wikkidnes and cursidnes to Rebounde in vs." The disciple than saide: "Maister, ne dreede nat that forwhi Salamen in the booke of proverbis and many sapient men whiche to correcte suche evil and shrewd maners of theym wrote suche thynges therof they deserved no blame, but laude and praisyng. And thow in like wise writyng theym to our profite shalt deserve no blame but a corowne of glorie; and of this praier or tellyng shewe thow." Than the Maister:

"Suche a man went to cut his vyne. That his wif seeyng than vndirstode hym to dwelle and tarie long aboute it and sent a messangier to cal (f. 123) hir love and lemman, and arraied a feeste. Forsoth it happened and fil so that the lord of the vyne smyten with a braunche in the eye, yeede ageyn anon vnto his house nothyng seeyng with the hurt eye. Comyng to the gate of his [house he] knocked at the doore. That the wif withynfurth [heryng] gretly troubled cald hir love and hid hym, and after that opened the doore vnto hir husbonde. Whiche entryng and gretly sorrowyng for his hurt eye bad array his chamber and make his bedde, as that he myght rest hym. The wif dred lest he entryng the chamber shuld see hir love ther hid, and saide: 'What hastest thow to bedde? First tel me what is the befalle.' And he told hir what was hym befalle. 'O diere sir,' quod she, 'soeffre me that I conferme with