Part 8

Housewifely thou shalt go on the working day, For pride, rest, and idleness take thrift away; But when the Holy Day is come, well clothéd shalt thou be, The Holy Day to honour, and God will cherish thee. Have in mind to worship God alway, For much pride comes of the evil day, My lief child.

When thou art a wife, a neighbour for to be, Love then well thy neighbours as God hath commanded thee. It behoveth thee so for to do, And to do to them as thou would’st be done to. If any discord happen, night or day, Make it no worse, mend it if thou may, My lief child.

And if thou art a rich wife, be not then too hard, But welcome fair thy neighbours that come to-thee-ward With meat, drink, and honest cheer, such as thou mayest bid, To each man after his degree, and help the poor at need. And also for hap that may betide, Please well thy neighbours that dwell thee beside, My lief child.

Daughter, look that thou beware, whatsoever thee betide, Make not thy husband poor with spending or with pride. A man must spend as he may that hath but easy good, For as a wren hath veins, men must let her blood. His thrift waxeth thin That spendeth ere he win, My lief child.

Borrow not too busily, nor take thine hire first, This may make the more need, and end by being worst. Nor make thee not to seem rich with other men’s store, Therefore spend thou never a farthing more. For though thou borrow fast, It must home again at last, My lief child.

And if thy children be rebel and will not bow them low, If any of them misdo, neither curse them nor blow; But take a smart rod and beat them in a row, Till they cry mercy and their guilt well know. Dear child, by this lore They will love thee ever more, My lief child.

And look to thy daughters that none of them be lorn; From the very time that they are of thee born, Busy thyself and gather fast for their marriage, And give them to spousing as soon as they be of age. Maidens be fair and amiable, But in their love full unstable, My lief child.

Now have I taught thee, daughter, as my mother did me; Think thereon night and day, that forgotten it not be. Have measure and lowness, as I have thee taught, Then whatever man shall wed thee will regret it naught. Better you were a child unbore Than untaught in this wise lore, My lief child.

Now thrift and speed be thine, my sweet bairn [near or far]! Of all our former fathers that ever were or are, Of all patriarchs and prophets that ever were alive,— Their blessing may’st thou have, and well may’st thou thrive! For well it is with that child That with sin is not defiled, My lief child.

The blessing of God may’st thou have, and of His mother bright, Of all angels and archangels and every holy wight! And may’st thou have grace to wend thy way full right, To the bliss of heaven, where God sits in His might!” Amen.

HOW THE WISE MAN TAUGHT HIS SON

LISTEN, lordlings, and ye shall hear how the wise man taught his son. Take good heed to this matter and learn it if ye can, for this song was made with good intent to make men true and steadfast, and a thing well begun makes often a good ending.

There was a wise man taught his son while he was yet a child of tender years, meek and fair to look upon, very eager for learning and with a great desire to all goodness; and his father taught him well and featly by good example and fair words.

He said: “My son, take good heed every morning, ere ye do worldly thing, lift up your heart to God, and pray as devoutly as you can for grace to lead a good life, and to escape sin both night and day, and that heaven’s bliss may be your meed.

“And, my son, wherever you go, be not full of tales; beware what you say, for your own tongue may be your foe. If you say aught, take good heed where and to whom, for a word spoken to-day may be repented seven years after.

“And, son, whatever manner of man ye be, give yourself not to idleness, but busy yourself every day according to your estate. Beware of rest and ease, which things nourish sloth. Ever to be busy, more or less, is a full good sign of honesty.

“And, son, I warn you also not to desire to bear office, for then can it be no other than that you must either displease and hurt your neighbours, or else forswear yourself and not do as your office demands; and get yourself, maugré, here and there, an hundredfold more than thanks.

“And, son, as far as you may, go on no evil quests, nor bear false witness in any man’s matter. It were better for you to be deaf and dumb than to enter wrongfully into a quest. Think, son, on the dreadful doom that God shall deem us at the last!

“And, son, of another thing I warn you, on my blessing take good heed of tavern-haunting, and of the dice, and flee all lechery, lest you come to an evil end, for it will lead astray all your wits and bring you into great mischief.

“And, son, sit not up too long at even, or have late suppers, though ye be strong and hale, for with such outrage your health shall worsen. And of late walking comes debate, and of sitting and drinking out of time, therefore beware and go to bed betimes and wink.

“And, son, if ye would have a wife, take her not for her money, but inquire wisely of all her life, and give good heed that she be meek, courteous and prudent, even though she be poor; and such an one will do you more good service in time of need, than a richer.

“And if your wife be meek and good, and serve you well and pleasantly, look ye be not so mad as to charge her too grievously, but rule her with a fair hand and easy, and cherish her for her good deeds. For a thing unskilfully overdone makes needless grief to grow, and it is better to have a meal’s meat of homely fare with peace and quiet, than an hundred dishes with grudging and much care. And therefore learn this well that if you want a wife to your ease, take her never the more for the riches she may have, though she might endow you with lands.

“And ye shall not displease your wife, nor call her by no villainous names, for it is a shame to you to miscall a woman; and in so doing, ye are not wise, for if ye defame your own wife, no wonder that another should do so! Soft and fair will tame alike hart and hind, buck and doe.

“On the other hand, be not too hasty to fight or chide, if thy wife come to you at any time with complaint of man or child; and be not avenged till you know the truth, for you might make a stir in the dark, and afterwards it should rue you both.

“And, son, if you be well at ease, and sit warm among your neighbours, do not get new-fangled ideas, or be hasty to change, or to flit; for if ye do, ye lack wit and are unstable, and men will speak of it and say: ‘This fool can bide nowhere!’

“And, son, the more goods you have, the rather bear you meekly, and be humble, and boast not overmuch; it is wasted, for by their boasting men know fools.

“And look you pay well what you owe, and set no great store by other riches, for death takes both high and low, and then—farewell, all that there is! And therefore do by my counsel, and take example from other men, how little their goods avail them when they be dolven in their dens; and one that was not of his kin hath his wife, and all that there is.

“Son, keep you from deadly sin, and assay to enter Paradise. Make amends for your trespasses and deal out of your goods to poor men, make friends of your foes, and strive to gain salvation for your soul, for the world is false and frail, and every day doth worsen. Son, set nought by this world’s weal, for it fares as a ripe cherry. And death is ever, I trow, the most certain thing that is; and nothing is so uncertain as to know the time thereof. Therefore, my son, think on this, on all that I have said, and may Jesus, who for us bare the crown of thorns, bring us to His bliss.”