Xantippa. I graunte you well, that it was better so but I coulde not abyde it.
Eulalya. I wyll tell you a prety story more, and so make an ende One of oure neyghboures, a well disposed and a goddes man, but that he is some what testie, on a day pomeld his wife well and thriftely aboute the pate and so good a woman as euer was borne, she picked her into an inner parler, and there weepynge and sobbynge, eased her heuye harte, anone after, by chaunce her husbande came into the same place, and founde hys wyfe wepyng. What sitest thou heare sayth he seighing & sobbîg like a child Thē she like a wise woman sayde. Is it not more honesty for me to lamente my dolours here in a secret place, thē to make wondering and on oute crye in the strete,
as other womē do. At so wyfely and womanly a saing his hart melted, promysynge her faythfullye and truelie that he woulde neuer laye stroke on her afterwarde, nor neuer did.
Xantippa. No more wil mine god thanke my selfe.
Eulalya. But then ye are alwaies one at a nother, agreinge lyke dogges and cattes.
Xan. What wouldest thou that I should do?
Eu. Fyrst & formest, whatsoeuer thy husbande doeth sayde thou nothinge, for his harte must be wonne by lytell and litel by fayre meanes, gentilnesse and forbearing at the last thou shalte eyther wynne him or at the least waie thou shalt leade a better life thē thou doest now.
Xantippa. He his beyonde goddes forbode, he wil neuer amende.
Eulalia. Eye saye not so, there is no beest so wild but by fayre handling be tamed, neuer mistrust man thē. Assay a moneth or two, blame me and thou findest not that my counsell dooeth ease. There be some fautes wyth you thoughe
thou se them, be wyse of this especyall that thou neuer gyue hym foule wordes in the chambre, or inbed but be sure that all thynges there bee full of pastyme and pleasure. For yf that place which is ordeined to make amēdes for all fautes and so to renew loue, be polluted, eyther with strife or grugynges, then fayre wel al hope of loue daies, or atonementes, yet there be some beastes so wayward and mischeuous, that when theyr husbandes hath them in their arms a bed, they scholde & chyde making yt same plesure their lewd condicions (that expelseth all displeasures oute of their husbandes mynde unpleasaunt and lytell set bi corrupting the medecine that shuld haue cured al deadly greifes, & odible offēces.
xantip. That is no newes to me.
Eula. Though the woman shulde be well ware and wyse that she shulde neuer be disobedient vnto her husbād yet she ought to be most circūspect
that at meting she shew her selfe redy and pleasaunt unto him.
xantyppa. Yea vnto a man, holde well withall but I am combred with a beast.
Eula. No more of those wordes, most commonly our husbādes ar euyll through our owne faute, but to returne againe vnto our taile they that ar sene in the olde fables of Poetes sai that Venus whome they make chiefe lady of wedlocke (hath a girdle made by the handy worke of Vulcan her Lorde, and in that is thrust al that enforceth love and with that she girdeth her whan so ever she lyeth wyth her housbande
xantippa. A tale of a tubbe.
Eulalya. A tayle it is, but herkē what the taile meaneth.
xantippa. Tell me.
Eulalia That techeth us that the wyfe ought to dyspose her selfe all the she maye that lieng by her husbād she shew him al the plesure that she cā; Wherby the honest love of matrimony may reuiue and be renewed, & that there with be clene dispatched al grudges & malice
xant. But how shall we come by the thys gyrdle?
Eula. We nede neyther wytchraft nor enchauntment, ther is non of them al, so sure as honest condiciōs accompayned with good feloshyp.