n for to have
A wyfe that is full of prudence and wysdome.
Alas, for love nygh I am in poynte to rave.
These cursed olde men have an yll custome
Women for to blame, both all and some;
For that they can not theyr myndes full fyll,
Therfore they speke of them but all yll.

"Now, syth that I have my tyme used
For to follow my folyshe pleasaunces,
And have my selfe oftentimes sore abused
At plaies and sportes, pompes and daunces,
Spendynge golde and sylver and grete fynaunces,
For faut of a wyfe the cause is all:
To late maryed men may me call."

Hence he proceeds to narrate his early courses, especially his amours
with "mercenary beauties." He says:--

"Yf I withhelde ony praty one,
Swetely ynough she made me chere,
Sayenge that she loved no persone
But me, and therto she dyde swere.
But whan I wente fro that place there,
Unto another she dyde as moche;
For they love none but for theyr poche."

His male companions were about upon a par with his female, and upon both
he wasted his substance; but having at last married, he imagined that he
had only to enjoy tranquillity and happiness, and exclaimed:--

"Now am I out of this daunger so alenge,
Wherfore I am gladde it for to persever.
Longe about have I ben me for to renge;
But it is better to late than to be never.
Certes I was not in my lyfe tyll hyther
So full of joye, that doth in my herte inspyre:
Wedded folke have tyme at theyr desyre."

On trying the experiment, he by no means finds it answer his
expectation. Besides other evils, he says, "constrayned I am to be full
of jalousy;" and he admits in plain terms that his young wife has no
great reason to be satisfied with her old husband. He observes:--

"It is sayd that a man in servytude
Hym putteth, whan he doth to woman bende:
He ne hath but only habytude
Unto her the whiche well doth hym tende.
Who wyll to householde comprehende,
And there a bout studyeth in youth alwayes,
He shall have honoure in his olde dayes.

"Some chyldren unto the courtes hauntes,
And ben purvayed of benefyces;
Some haunteth markettes and be marchauntes,
Byenge and sellynge theyr marchaundyses;
Or elles constytuted in offyces.
Theyr faders and moders have grete solace,
That to late maryed by no waye hase.

"I be wayll the tyme that is so spent,
That I n