Fifteenth Century Prose and Verse Part 6

Malice of women! What is it to dread?

They slay no man, destroyen no cities, Ne oppress people, ne them overlead, Betray Empires, Realmes, or Duchies, Nor bereaven men their landis, ne their mees, Empoison folk, ne houses set on fire, Ne false contractis maken for no hire.

Trust, Perfect Love, and Entire Charity, Fervent Will, and Entalented Courage, All thewis good, as sitteth well to be, Have women ay, of custom and usage.

And well they can a manis ire a.s.suage, With softe wordis, discreet and benign.

What they be inward, they show outward by sign.

Womanis heart unto no cruelty Inclined is; but they be Charitable, Piteous, Devout, Full of Humility, Shamefaste, Debonaire, and Amiable, Dread full, and of their wordis measurable: What women, these have not, peradventure; Followeth not the way of her nature.

Men sayen that our First Mother na'theless Made all mankinde lose his liberty, And nakid it of joye, doubteless, For G.o.dis hestes disobeyed she, When she presumed to taste of the tree, That G.o.d forbade that she eat thereof should.

And ne had the Devil be, no more she would!

The envious swelling, that the Fiend our foe Had unto man in hearte, for his wealth, Sent a serpent, and made her for to go To deceive EVE; and thus was manis health Bereft him by the Fiend, right in a stealth, The woman not knowing of the deceit, G.o.d wot! Full far was it from her conceit!

Wherefore I say, that this good woman EVE Our father ADAM, ne deceived nought.

There may no man for a deceit it preve Properly, but if that she, in heart and thought, Had it compa.s.sed first, ere she it wrought.

And for such was not her impression, Men may it call no Deceit, by reason.

Ne no wight deceiveth, but he purpose!

The fiend this deceit cast, and nothing she.

Then it is wrong to deemen or suppose That of this harm she should the cause be.

Wyt.i.th the Fiend, and his be the maugree!

And all excused have her innocence, Save only, that she brake obedience!

And touching this, full fewe men there be, Unnethis any, dare I safely say!

From day to day, as men may all day see, But that the hest of G.o.d they disobey.

Have this in minde, siris! I you pray.

If that ye be discreet and reasonable; Ye will her holde the more excusable!

And where men say, "In man is stedfastness; And woman is of her courage unstable."

Who may of ADAM bear such a witness?

Tellith me this! Was he not changeable?

They bothe werin in one case semblable.

Save that willing the Fiend deceived EVE; And so did she not ADAM, by your leave!

Yet was this sinne happy to mankind, The Fiend deceived was, for all his sleight; For aught he could him in his sleightis wind, G.o.d, to discharge man of the heavy weight Of his trespa.s.s, came down from heaven on height And flesh and blood he took of a Virgine, And suffered death, him to deliver of pine.

And G.o.d, to whom there may nothing hid be, If He in woman knowen had such malice, As men record of them in generalty; Of our Lady, of Life Reparatrice Nold have been born: but for that she of vice Was void, and full of virtue, well He wist, Endowid! of her to be born Him list.

Her heaped virtue hath such excellence That all too lean is manis faculty To declare it; and therefore in suspense Her due praising put must needis be.

But this we witen, verily, that she, Next G.o.d, the best friend is that to Man 'longeth.

The Key of Mercy by her girdle hangeth!

And of mercy hath every man such need, That razing that, farewel the joy of man!

And of her power, now takith right good heed!

She mercy may well and purchasen can.

Depleasith her not! Honoureth that woman!

And other women honour for her sake!

And but ye do, your sorrow shall awake!

In any book also, where can ye find That of the workis, or the death or life, Of JESU spelleth or maketh any mind, That women Him forsook, for woe or strife?

Where was there any wight so ententife Abouten Him as woman? Proved none!

The Apostles him forsooken everichone.

Woman forsook him not! For all the faith Of holy church in woman left only!

These are no lies, for Holy Writ thus saith, Look! and ye shall so find it hardily!

And therefore I may well proven thereby That in woman reigneth stable constancy; And in men is change and variancy.

Thou Precious Gem of martyrs, Margarite!

That of thy blood dreadest none effusion!

Thou Lover true! Thou Maiden mansuete!

Thou, constant Woman! in thy pa.s.sion Overcame the Fiendis temptation!

And many a wight convertid thy doctrine, Unto the faith of G.o.d, holy Virgin!

But, understandeth this! I commend her nought, By encheson of her virginity.

Trusteth, it came never into thought!

For ever werry against Chast.i.ty.

And ever shall. But, lo, this moveth me, Her loving heart and constant to her lay Drove out of my remembrance I ne may.

Now holdith this for firm, and for no lie!

That this true and just commendation Of women tell I for no flattery; Nor because of pride or elation: But only, lo! for this intention To give them courage of perseverance In virtue, and their honour to advance.

The more the virtue, the less is the pride.

Virtue so digne is, and so n.o.ble in kind, That Vice and he will not in fere abide.

He putteth vices clean out of his mind, He flyeth from them, he leaveth them behind.

O, Woman! that of Virtue, art hostess; Great is thy honour, and thy worthiness!

Then will I thus concluden and define.

We, you command! our ministers each one That ready ye be our hestes to incline!

That of these false men, our rebell foon, Ye do punishement! and that, anon!

Void them our Court! and banish them for ever!

So that therein more comen may they never!

Fulfilled be it! Ceasing all delay, Look that there be none excusation!

Written in the air, the l.u.s.ty month of May, In our Palace, where many a million Of lovers true, have habitation; In the year of grace, joyful and jocond, A thousand and four hundred and second.

_Thus endeth

The letter of CUPID._

_The Ballad of ROBIN HOOD._ The first printed edition by WYNKYN DE WORDE, about 1510.