s whoe saieth this
gentill dealynge serueth not for bothe partyes, for
they spyte of theyr berdes muste suffre many thynges in
our demeanor, yet a time ther is, when in a weighty
matter it is laufull that the wyfe tell the good man
his faute, if that it be matter of substaunce, for at
lyght trifles, it is best to play byll under wynge.
xantyp. what tune is that Eula. when he is ydle,
neither angry, pensife, nor ouersen, then betwixt you
two secretly he must be told his faute gently, or
rather intreated, that in this thynge or that he play
the better husbande to loke better to his good name and
fame and to his helth and this tellyng must be myxt
with mery conceites and pleasaunt wordes many times I
make a meane to tel my tale after this fashyon, that he
shall promise me, he shal take no displeasure wyth my
thynge, that I a foolyshe woman shall breake vnto hym,
that pertayneth eyther to hys helthe worshyppe or
welth. When I haue sayde that I woulde, I chop cleane
from that communication and falle into some other
pastime, for this is all our fautes, neyghbour
Xantippa, that when we begyn ones to chat our tounges
neuer lie. Xantip. So men say Eulalia. Thus was I well
ware on, that I neuer tell my husband his fautes
before companie, nor I neuer caried any complaynte
furthe a dores: the mendes is soner made when none
knoweth it but two, and there were anie suche faute
that myght not be wel borne nor amended by ye wyues
tellige, it is more laudable that the wife make
complaynte vnto the Parentes and kynsfolke of her
husband, then vnto her own, and so to moderate her
complaynte that she seme not to hate hym but hys vice
nor let her play all the blabbe, that in some poynt
vnutered, he may know & loue his wiues curteysy.
Xantip. She had nede be aswellerned woman, that would
do all this. Eu. Mary through suche demeanoure, we
shall sterre our husbandes vnto lyke gentylnesse.
Xan: There be some that cannot be amended with all the
gentyll handlynge in the worlde. Eula: In faith I
thyncke nay, but case there be, marke this wel the good
man must be for borne, howe soeuer the game goeth, then
is it better to haue him alwayes at one point or ells
more kinde and louing throw oure gentill handlinge,
then to haue him worse and worse throwe our
cursednesse, what wyll you say and I tell you of
husbandes that hath won theyr wiues by suche
curte