oublesom trauell: and had gotten a custome when his wife was a
sleepe to rise from her side, and not to returne vntill it was
very nere morning. The gentlewoman misliking this maner of life,
became very ielous of her husband, and yet made as though she
mistrusted nothing: but that spitefull passion entred her
stomacke so farre, as in thende shee forgot thaffayres of her
house, the diligence of her person, and good gouernment of her
familie, like vnto one that verely supposed that (do what shee
could) she had lost the fruite of her paine and labour, which
was the great loue of her husband, for continuance whereof shee
spared no trauaile or toile: but losinge altogether as shee
manifestly perceiued, shee grew to be so carelesse of her
housholde state and houswiferie, as speedelie appeared the
fruites of slouth and negligence: for her husband for his part
spent without order, and she staied her trauell from matters of
houshold: in such wise as the same was growen to so great
penurie, as the high and stately woodes were felled downe to the
stubbe, and the goodly maners deliuered into the handes of sir
Mathewe Morgage. One of the gentlewoman's frendes and kinsemen
which knew her disease, tolde her of her fault, and rebuked her
for that carelesse life: sayinge, that if loue of husband could
not make her to haue respecte of housholde profite: zeale and
regarde of poore children's state ought to moue her thereunto.
This good councell of her frende touched her very nere, and the
pitie of her children at lengthe made her to recouer her
spirits, and to assaie by all meanes possible to wynne againe
her husbande's loue. See here the nature of honestie, and
condicion of well disposed life: this gentlewoman was infected
with the plague of Ielousie (an ordinarie disease in women,) and
not without iust cause: for what Grisilde could suffre her
wedded husband, assembled in bedde, in depthe of slepe, to rise
and runne a straie like a wylde horse, neying after the straied
female kinde of that sorte? This good Gentlewoman, I saye,
almoste besides her wittes for alienation of her deserued loue,
now growen careles of worldly thinges, as you haue heard, is
vpon the louing admonicion of her nerest frend, pricked with
naturall regarde of Infantes: launching forth that festred sore
of Ialousie, serched meanes by policie to wynne that which
Ialousie could not get, whiche was her husbande's loue, whom
with curteouse wiuely shame not before assemb