Part 2

This noble Prynce, moost royal of estate, Having an eyeghe to this mortal debate, First aduerting of ful hyeghe prudence, Wil vnavysed gyve here no sentence With oute counseylle of haste to procede By sodeyne doome, for he takythe heede 220 To eyther partye as iuge indifferent, Seing the paryll of hasty iugement. Pourposithe him in this contynude stryffe To gif no sentence ther of diffynytyff Til ther beo made examynacyoun Of other partye, and inquysicyoun. He considerethe, and makethe Raysoun his guyde, As egal iuge enclyning to noo syde. Not with standing, he hathe compassyoun Of the poure housbandes trybulacyoun, 230 So afft arrested with theyre wyves rokkes Which of theyre distaves haue so many knokkes, Peysing also in his regallye The lawe tht wymmen allegge for theyre partye, Custume, Nature and eeke prescripcyoun, Statuyt vsed by confirmacyoun, Processe and daate of tyme oute of mynde, Recorde of Cronycles, witnesse of hir kuynde. Wher fore the Kyng wol al this nexst yeere That wyves fraunchyse : stonde hoole and entier, 240 And that no man withstonde it ne withdrawe, Til man may fynde some pcesse oute by lawe That they shoulde by nature in theyre lyves Haue souerayntee on theyre prudent wyves, A thing vnkouthe, which was neuer founde. Let men be ware ther fore, or they beo bounde. The bonde is hard, who soo that lookethe weel. Some man were leuer fetterd beon in steel. Raunsoun might help his peyne to aswaage, But whoo is wedded lyuethe euer in suage. 250 And I knowe neuer, nowher fer ner neer, Man that was gladde to bynde him prysonier, Thoughe that his prysoun, his castell, or his holde Wer depeynted with asure or with golde.

Explicit.

GLOSSARY, STAGE DIRECTIONS, NOTES

line 5 vigyle of this nuwe yeere = this new year's eve 6 froward of ther chere: lacuna made up from Stow 7 fallen on ther kne: lacuna made up from Stow 13 importable = unbearable 16 dotage = feeble-mindedness 20 woodnesse = madness 24 Rebecke = fiddle; ellas = alas! 25 stage direction - demonstrando vj Rusticos 27 traas = course 28 possible lacuna follows here? 37 bolling at the nale = quaffing at the ale-house 39 iowsy nolle = juicy noddle 40 pouped = gulped 42 dolled = mulled 44 cely = silly, i.e. simple, innocent 45 harome = harm 46 growell = gruel 48 cokkrowortes = stale brew-mash 53 to chawf with his bloode = to chafe his blood with 54 metyerde = meteyard or yardstick 55 stage direction - demonstrando pictaciarium 57 preost = priest 60 rigge = back 62 reheete = attack, scold 65 qwytt = requited; ther was no thing to seeche = it was plain to see 67 meen = middle way 68 wan = earned; clowting = mending 71 oonys = once 74 leeve = believe 77 ryveld = shrivelled 78 Wit = with; manase = menace 79 Mabyle = Mary 80 Koude yif hir list = could if it please her 84 wol be wrooke = will wreak revenge 85 thoo men = those men 87 Tendure = to endure 88 meede = reward 90 so = to? 91 stage direction - demonstrando Carnificem 95 holde chaumpartye = divide power, or resist 104 skumour = skimmer; reeche = strike; heued = head 111 qwytt him by and by = repaid him in due time 112 quarter sowde = surrender sued for 113 wt = with 115 stage direction - demonstrando the Tynker 117 styth = anvil 119 bokeller = buckler, shield 121 cleped = called 122 she nad no maner fer = she feared not 123 thakke his pilche = thwack his great-coat; stoundemel = sometimes 124 Thikker = more stoutly 126 wafurer = waferer, i.e. pastry-cook 129 or = ere 130 heres = ears 135 preued = proved 139 fetird = fettered 140 him = them 145 Regallye = regality 147 that yee list = if you please; asselen = authorize 150 medle = mingle 153 thyraunye = tyranny 156 tht = that; stage direction - distaves 157 Seothe = see 162 that gif no force = that are of no consequence 166 darrein = decide; chaumpcloos = tilting-field 167 Iupart = imperil; raathe = soon 169 of = or 171 Maugre the feonde = in spite of the devil 174 assayes = attempts, i.e. attacks 177 longethe = belongs; clappen = clatter or prattle 183 dokked = trimmed 184 herdes = coarse flax, 'hards' 186 fette = fetched 192 hir = our? 193 rent = torn 194 shent = injured 197 lowte lowe = bow, make reverence 205 leese = lose 206 gruchche = grumble; cheese = choose 218 vnavysed = unadvised 220 doome = judgment 222 paryll = peril 223 Pourposithe him = He purposeth 231 rokkes = distaffs, also as rocking, set-backs 233 Peysing = weighing 234 tht = that 239 the Kyng wol = the king wills 242 pcesse = process 248 were leuer fetterd beon = were rather to be fettered 250 suage = s(er)vage, servitude