|
55
|
And
certeinly, as sooth
as God is kyng,
|
|
|
To take a wyf it is a glorious thyng,
|
|
|
And namely whan a man is oold and hoor;
|
|
|
Thanne is a wyf the fruyt of his tresor.
|
|
|
Thanne sholde he take a yong wyf and a feir,
|
|
60
|
On which he myghte engendren hym and heir,
|
|
|
And lede his lyf in joye and in solas,
|
|
|
Where as thise bacheleris synge allas,
|
|
|
Whan that they funden any adversitee
|
|
|
In love, which nys but childyssh vanytee.
|
|
65
|
And trewely it sit
wel to be so,
|
|
|
That bacheleris have often peyne and wo;
|
|
|
On brotel ground
they buylde, and brotelnesse
|
|
|
They fynde, whan they wene sikernesse.
|
|
|
They lyve but as a bryd or as a beest,
|
|
70
|
In libertee, and under noon
arreest,
|
|
|
Ther as a wedded man in
his estaat
|
|
|
Lyveth a lyf blisful and ordinaat,
|
|
|
Under this yok of mariage ybounde.
|
|
|
Wel may his herte in joy and
blisse habounde,
|
|
75
|
For who kan
be so buxom
as a wyf?
|
|
|
Who is so trewe, and eek so ententyf
|
|
|
To kepe hym, syk and
hool, as is his make?
|
|
|
For wele or wo she wole hym nat forsake;
|
|
|
She nys nat wery hym to love and serve,
|
|
80
|
Thogh that he lye bedrede, til he sterve.
|
|
|
And yet somme clerkes seyn it nys nat so,
|
|
|
Of whiche he Theofraste is oon of tho.
|
|
|
What force though Theofraste liste lye?
|
|
|
"Ne take no wyf," quod he,
"for housbondrye,
|
|
85
|
As for to spare in houshold thy dispence.
|
|
|
A trewe servant dooth moore
diligence
|
|
|
Thy good to kepe, than thyn
owene wyf,
|
|
|
For she wol clayme half part al hir lyf.
|
|
|
And if that thou be syk, so God me save,
|
|
90
|
Thy verray
freendes, or a trewe
knave,
|
|
|
Wol kepe thee bet than she that waiteth ay
|
|
|
After thy good and hath doon many a day.
|
|
|
And if thou take a wyf unto thyn hoold,
|
|
|
Ful lightly maystow been a cokewold."
|
|
95
|
This sentence, and
an hundred thynges worse,
|
|
|
Writeth this man, ther God his bones corse!
|
|
|
But take no kep of al swich vanytee;
|
|
|
Deffie Theofraste, and herke me.
|
|
|
55
|
And
certainly, as sure as God is King,
|
|
|
To take a wife, it is a glorious thing,
|
|
|
Especially when a man is old and hoary;
|
|
|
Then is a wife the fruit of wealth and glory.
|
|
|
Then should he take a young wife and a fair,
|
|
60
|
On whom he may beget himself an heir,
|
|
|
And lead his life in joy and in solace,
|
|
|
Whereas these bachelors do but sing
"Alas!"'
|
|
|
When they fall into some adversity
|
|
|
In love, which is but
childish vanity.
|
|
65
|
And truly, it is well that it is so
|
|
|
That bachelors have often pain and woe;
|
|
|
On shifting ground they build, and
shiftiness
|
|
|
They find when they suppose they've
certainness.
|
|
|
They live but as a bird does, or a beast,
|
|
70
|
In liberty and under no arrest,
|
|
|
Whereas a wedded man in his high state
|
|
|
Lives a life blissful, ordered, moderate,
|
|
|
Under the yoke of happy marriage bound;
|
|
|
Well may his heart in joy and bliss abound.
|
|
75
|
For who can be so
docile as a wife?
|
|
|
Who is so true as she whose aim in life
|
|
|
Is comfort for him, sick or well, to make?
|
|
|
For weal or woe she will not him forsake.
|
|
|
She's ne'er too tired to love and serve, say
I,
|
|
80
|
Though he may lie bedridden till he die.
|
|
|
And yet some writers say it is not so,
|
|
|
And Theophrastus is one such, I know.
|
|
|
What odds though Theophrastus chose to lie?
|
|
|
"Take not a wife," said he,
"for husbandry,
|
|
85
|
If you would spare in household your
expense;
|
|
|
A faithful servant does more diligence
|
|
|
To keep your goods than your own wedded
wife.
|
|
|
For she will claim a half part all her life;
|
|
|
And if you should be sick, so God me save,
|
|
90
|
Your true friends or an honest serving knave
|
|
|
Will keep you better than she that waits, I
say,
|
|
|
After your wealth, and has done, many a day.
|
|
|
And if you take a wife to have and hold,
|
|
|
Right easily may you become cuckold."
|
|
95
|
This judgment and a hundred such things
worse
|
|
|
Did this man write,
may God his dead bones curse!
|
|
|
But take no heed of all such vanity.
|
|
|
Defy old Theophrastus and hear me.
|
|