Page:Disciplina Clericalis (English translation) from the fifteenth century Worcester Cathedral Manuscript F. 172.djvu/37

    with me at all. I pray thee, therefore, instruct me further, if thou wih, concerning the resourcefulness of women." The master replied :

"It is saide that suche oon had a wif of a noble kynred, inly faire, beautevous, and chast. So haply it fil that [he] with busynes of Reason wold go to Rome. But he wold nat make non other depute keper of his wif but hirsilf, he trusted so moche in hir chast maners and of worshipful proef. Forsoth this man redy went furth with felawship. The wif forsoth lived chastly and in al thynges prudently doyng remayned. So it fil that of necessite compulsed out of hir owne house [she] went out to hir neyghburgh in felawship. That neede and busynes don [she] went hir hom to hir owne house. That suche a yong man bihielde and with brennyng love bigan to love hir and many messangiers (f. 124) sent vnto hir coveityng of hir whom he so brennyngly loved; Eft to whom with contemptis [she] hym vttirly dispised. The yongman whan he felt hymsilf so dispised, was made so moche sorowyng and over moche kynde of sikenes hevied and greved. Oftentymes here and ther wher he sigh that faire womman goyng out desiryng with hir to meete and felawship, but in no wise it myght availe. To whom for sorowe weepyng he mette with an old wif clenly clad in Religious habite askyng of hym what was the cause that compelled hym so to sorowe. But. the yongman so avexed and troubled in his conscience wold nat discovere. To whom thold wif saide: 'How moche that a sike man hidith and takith awey the knowlache of his infirmyte from his leche, so moche more grevous and sharp shal his grevaunce and sikenes be.' Whiche so heryng [he] told hir bi order and shewid hir al his secrete counsail of this that hym bifil. To whom thold wif: 'Of this whiche now thow hast saide with goddis help I shal fynde a Remedie.' And so left hym and went hir hom to hir house. And a litel whelp that she had at hom [she] made it to fast two daies without mete; and the thrid day to the fastyng hound yaf brede jnowogh with an oynoun froted. Whiche whan the hound had tasted and eten for the bitternes the eyen bigan to teare. After this that old wif went hir to the house of the shamefast womman whom the yongman loved so moche; whiche worshipfully