The good Wife said to her Daughter, 'If you will be a wife, [ Page 103.] love God and go to church; don't let the rain stop you. How the Good Wijf tanzte Hir Douztir. [Lambeth MS. 853, ab. 1430 A.D., page 102; written without breaks. The various readings are from one of the MS. volumes of Lydgate's Works in Trin. Coll. Camb. Library, R. 3.19. I owe the readings to the kindness of Mr W. Aldis Wright.] 1 Gladli zeue pi tipis & pin offrynge bope; he poore & pe beedered, loke pou not 3 lope; 20 3eue of pin owne good, and be not to hard, For seelden is pat hous poore pere god is steward. 6 Weel he proueþ Pay tithe, care for the poor, give freely. Whanne7 pou sittist in pe chirche, pi beedis pou At Church, pray, 9 Make pou no iangelynge To freende ncr to don't chatter. sibbe;9 11 lauze pou 10 to scorne nouper 1 oolde bodi ne zonge, 28 But be of fair beerynge & of good tunge; poruz þi fair beerynge bi worschip hap encresynge, Mi leue child. Be courteous to all. 32¶ If ony man biddip12 pe worschip, and wolde Despise no offer 36 wedde pee, Loke pat pou scorne him not, 13 what-so-euere he be, 14 of marriage, but [Page 104.] But schewe it to pi freendis, & for-hile pou1 it consult your nouzt; Sitte not 13 bi him, neiper stoonde, 15 pere synne myzte be wrouzt, 1 Gladly thow For a sclaundre reisid ille9 Is yuel for to stille, Mi leue childe. 2 offrynges 3 bedered þat þey be thee nat 4 zeue thow hem of thy good and be pou 5 seldom ys the 6-6 Welle he tresoreth that the poore honowreth 7 And when 8 bedys to 9-9 Omitted. 10 lawe pou nat 12 Yef any man bid 13 nat. (Throughout, nat is 14 forhele 11 neyther written for not.) 15 stand friends; and don't go where your lover might get you into trouble. Love your husband above all earthly things. Answer him meekly and he'll love you. Be cheerful and true, and keep free from blame. Be wellmannered, [* Page 105.] not a romp or rude. That man pat schal þe wedde bifor god wip a ryng, 40 Loue pou1 him & honoure moost of erpeli þing; Meekely pou him answere, And not3 as an attirling, 44 And so maist þou slake his mood, And ben his dere derlynge: A fair worde 5and a meeke doop wrappe slake, Mi leue child. 5 Fair of speche schalt pou be, gladde, & of mylde mood, Trewe in worde & in dede, and in conscience 6 good; 48 Kepe pee from synne, fro vilonye, & fro blame, And loke pat1 pou beere pee so pat men seie pee 52 8 no schame; 7 For he þat in good lijf rennep, Ful ofte weel he wynnep,7 Mi leue child. "Be of semeli semblaunt, wijs, and opere good maner, * Chaunge not pi contynaunce for nouzt pat pou may heere ; Fare not3 as a gigge, for nouzt þat may bitide, 56 Lauze pou1 not to loude,' ne zane pou not to9 wide, 5-5 to by make oft wrethe doth stake 7-7 Good lyfe reneweth and welle wynneth 8-8 Of fayre semblant shalt thow be, wys, and of good manere 9-9 long, ne yane nat 10-10 Yet lawgh thow may & mery wordys say 60 And whan pou goist in þe way, go pou1 not to In walking, 64 faste, Braundische not with pin heed, pi schuldris pou don't toss your ne caste; head and wriggle your shoulders. Haue pou not to manye wordis; to swere be pou Don't swear. not leefe, For alle such maners comen to an yuel preef: 2 For he pat cacchip to him an yuel name, It is to him a foule fame,2 Mi leue childe. Go pou not into pe toun as it were a gase 68 From oon hous to anoper for to seke pe mase; Ne wende pou not to pe1 market þi borel3 for to selle, 72 And panne1 to pe tauerne pi worschip to felle,5 My leue child. In town, don't gad about, or get drunk on your cloth-money. And if pou be in place where good ale is on Where good ale lofte, Wheper pat pou serue *perof, or þat þou sitte softe, 76 Mesurabli pou take per-of pat pou falle in no 80 blame, is going, [* Page 106.] drink moderately. For if pou be ofte drunke, it falle pee to If you get drunk schame; 1 Omitted. 3 borelle 7 þere often, you'll be disgraced. Don't go to public shows like a strumpet, but stay at home. When any man speaks to you, greet him only, and then let him go on, as he might tempt you to wrong. [* Page 107.] Take no gifts; they're the ruin of many a true woman. 1 Go not to pe1 wrastelinge, ne to schotynge at 2 cok, As it were a strumpet or a gigggelot : wone3 at hom, dou3tir, and loue þi werk myche, 84 And so pou schalt, my leue child, wexe soone riche. 4 It is euermore a myrie ping, A man to be serued of his owne ping,4 Mi leue child. 88 Aqweynte pee not with eche man pat goop bi 92 þe strete; houz ony man speke to pee, Swiftli pou him grete; Lete him go bi pe wey; bi him þat þou ne 6 stonde, bat he' bi no vilonye pin herte myzte fonde, pat kunne fair her wordis schewe,7 Also, for no coueitise, ziftis pat pou *noon take; 96 But pou wite rizt weel whi ellis,1 soone pou hem forsake, 100 For with ziftis men may wommen 9 ouer goon pouz pei were as trewe as steel eiper stoon. 10 Bounden forsope sche is þat of ony man takip ziftis," Mi leue childe. 10 4-4 Mery[er] ys owne thyng on to loke pan any oper mannys on |