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EBBA 36299

Society of Antiquaries of London - Broadsides
Ballad XSLT Template
A New balet entituled howe to Wyve Well,

WHer wyving some mislike
and women muche dysprease.
The women frowarde be:
and fewe men cane them please
And thoughe the maried life:
the wyse muste nedes comende.
yet chifeste carke and care:
dothe therin full depende,
For though thye lusting eyes:
thou fedeste with pleasant sighte.
And from thy hart do nothing kepe
whiche maye gyve it delyght.
And thoughe thou treasure have,
reputed with the beste
yet yf thou have a frowarde wyf
then what prevaelith the reste.
And syth unto a shrowe,
none yll comparde maye be.
Then make no hast lest after wast
but faythfull loke she bee
One Erupis philosopher:
doth tell us daungers sore.
Which be in seas & eke one earth:
but none then women more.
For yf she frowarde be;
as moste doe growe from kynde,
That thee delights shall her displease:
such is her frowarde mynde.
Thy woes dothe her rejoes:
thy sorwes joeth her harte.
When fortune frowne that then will cause
her from thee to departe.
In thee delights she not:
thy presence maketh her lowere.
When thou gevest her thy homcom kis
her countenance then is sowre,
That whiche doth thee myslyke:
to her it doeth contente
And things to do agenste thy will
full frowarde is she bente
The frutefulnes of her:
is scowlding daye and nyghte
And when thou angerste her:
then with thy bratts she fights
yf sickenes sores or paynes:
doe happe thee to oppresse.
she coursing spendthe the tedyous nyght:
prayng deth it to redresse

Then wyll she send thy slave:
to helpe to holde thy hedde.
When that full carles she:
will (after meate) to bedde.
But when she heres thee deade:
she shifteth thee to grave.
Thee bringes one byre to churche,
thy silye symple slave.
And for she canenot weepe,
with clothe she hydes her face.
And shakes her head as thoughe
she weepte forsuthe apace.
The wanting of due tears:
that ought her eyes fall fro.
And fained wringing of her hands
shewe furth no inwarde wo.
No joye cane her but gladde:
all myrth she doth pretende.
And wisheth straight that in thi stede
god wolde anothere sende.
Wher is ther suche a ffoe:
in other kynde of lyf.
No ffoe mai doutelesse be comparde
unto the wicked wyf.
And though somes hape have bin
full faythfull wyves to fynde.
yet let the bade styll bere the blame
that so growe out of kynd.
At this good wyves have no disden
for them it doth comende.
The worsere sort most be content:
[T]herfore you shrowsse amende.
you maydens al that wives do mind
in tyme to come to be.
Endever yourselfe that eche of you
a faythfull wyfe maye be.


Finis.
quod Lewys Evans.
Imprinted at
London by Owen Rogers at
the spread Egle betwyxte
both the Saynct Bar-
tholomews.

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