The Tua Mariit Wemen and the Wedo

Apon the Midsumer ewin, mirriest of nichtis,
I muvit furth allane, neir as midnicht wes past,
Besyd ane gudlie grene garth, full of gay flouris,
Hegeit, of ane huge hicht, with hawthorne treis ;
Quhairon ane bird, on ane bransche, so birst out hir notis
That neuer ane blythfullar bird was on the beuche harde :
Quhat throw the sugarat sound of hir sang glaid,
And throw the sauar sanatiue of the sueit flouris,
I drew in derne to the dyk to dirkin eftir myrthis ;
The dew donkit the daill, and dynarit the foulis.
I hard, vnder ane holyn hewinlie grein hewit,
Ane hie speiche, at my hand, with hautand wourdis ;
With that in haist to the hege so hard I inthrang
That I was heildit with hawthorne, and with heynd leveis :
Throw pykis of the plet thorne I presandlie luikit,
Gif ony persoun wald approche within that plesand garding.
I saw thre gay ladeis sit in ane grene arbeir,
All grathit in to garlandis of fresche gudelie flouris ;
So glitterit as the gold wer thair glorius gilt tressis,
Quhill all the gressis did gleme of the glaid hewis ;
Kemmit was thair cleir hair, and curiouslie sched
Attour thair schulderis doun schyre, schyning full bricht ;
With curches, cassin thame abone, of kirsp cleir and thin :
Thair mantillis grein war as the gress that grew in May sessoun,
Fetrit with thair quhyt fingaris about thair fair sydis :
Off ferliful fyne favour war thair faceis meik,
All full of flurist fairheid, as flouris in June ;
Quhyt, seimlie, and soft, as the sweit lillies ;
New vpspred vpon spray, as new spynist rose,
Arrayit ryallie about with mony rich wardour,
That nature, full nobillie, annamalit fine with flouris
Off alkin hewis under hewin, that ony heynd knew ;
Fragrant, all full of fresche odour fynest of smell,
Ane marbre tabile coverit wes befoir thai thre ladeis,
With ryale cowpis apon rawys full of ryche wynys :
And of thir fair wlonkes, with tua that weddit war with lordis,
Ane wes ane wedow, I wist, wantoun of laitis.
And, as thai talkit at the tabill of mony taill funde,
Thay wauchtit at the wicht wyne, and waris out wourdis ;
And syne thai spak more spedelie, and sparit no materis.

Bewrie, said the Wedo, ȝe weddit wemen ȝing,
Quhat mirth ȝe fand in maryage, sen ȝe war menis wyffis ;
Reueill gif ȝe rewit that rakles conditioun ?
Or gif that ever ȝe luffit leyd vpone lyf mair
Nor thame that ȝe ȝour fayth hes festinit for euir ?
Or gif ȝe think, had ȝe chois, that ȝe wald cheis better ?
Think ȝe it nocht ane blist band that bindis so fast,
That none vnto it adew may say bot the deithe alane ?
Than spak ane lusty bely with lusty effeiris ;
It, that ȝe call the blist band that bindis so fast,
Is bair of blis, and bailfull, and greit barrat wirkis.
Ȝe speir, had I fre chois, gif I wald cheis better ?
Chenȝeis ay ar to eschew ; and changeis ar sueit :
Sic cursit chance till eschew, had I my chois anis,
Out of the chenȝeis of ane churle I chaip suld for euir.
God gif matrimony were made to mell for ane ȝeir !
It war bot monstrous to be mair, bot gif our myndis pleisit :
It is agane the law of luif, of kynd, and of nature,
Togiddir hairtis to streine, that stryveis with vther :
Birdis hes ane better law na bernis be meikill,
That ilk ȝeir, with new ioy, ioyis ane maik ;
And fangis thame ane fresche feyr, vnfulȝeit, and constant ;
And lattis thair fulȝeit feiris flie quhair thai pleis.
Chryst gif sic ane consuetude war in this erth holdin !
Than weill war vs wemen, that euir we may be fre ;
We suld haue feiris as fresche to fang quhen we wald,
And gif all larbaris thair leveis, quhan thai lak curage.
My self suld be full semlie with silkis arrayit
Gymp, jolie, and gent, richt joyus, and gentryce,
I suld at fairis be found, new faceis to spy ;
At playis, and preichingis, and pilgrimages greit,
To schaw my renoun, royaly, quhair preis was of folk ;
To manifest my makdome to multitude of pepill,
And blaw my bewtie on breid, quhair bernis war mony ;
That I micht cheis, and be chosin, and change quhen me lykit :
Than suld I waill ane full weill, our all the wyd realme,
That suld my womanheid weild the lang winter nicht ;
And when I gottin had ane grume, ganest of vther,
Ȝaip, and ȝing, in the ȝok ane ȝeir for to draw ;
Fra I had preveit his pitht the first plesand moneth,
Than suld I cast me to keik in kirk, and in markat,
And all the cuntre about, kyngis court, and vther,
Quhair I ane galland micht get aganis the nixt ȝeir,
For to perfurneis furth the werk quhen failȝeit the tother ;
A forky fure, ay furthwart, and forsy in draucht ;
Nothir febill, nor fant, nor fulȝeit in labour ;
Bot als fresche of his forme, as flouris in May ;
For all the fruit suld I fang thocht he the flour burgeoun.

I haue ane wallidrag, ane worme, ane auld wobat carle,
A waistit wolroun, na worth bot wourdis to clatter ;
Ane bumbart, ane dron bee, ane bag full of flewme,
Ane skabbit skarth, ane scorpioun, ane scutarde behind ;
To see him scart his awin skyn grit scunner I think.
Quhen kissis me that carybald, than kyndillis all my sorow ;
As birss of ane brym bair, his berd is als stif,
Bot soft and soupill as the silk is his sary Iwme :
He may weill to the syn assent, bot sakles is his deidis.
And gory is his tua grym ene gladderrit all about,
And gorgeit lyk twa gutaris that wer with glar stoppit ;
Bot quhen that glourand gaist grippis me about,
Than think I hiddowus Mahoune hes me in armes ;
Than ma na sanyne me save fra that auld Sathane ;
For, thocht I cros me all cleine, fra the croun doun,
He wil my corse all beclip, et clap me to his breist
Quhen schaiffyn is that ald schalk with a scharp rasiour,
He schowis on me his schewill mouth, and schedis my lippis ;
And with his hard hurcheone skyn sa heklis he my chekis,
That as a glemand gleyd glowis my chaftis ;
I schrenk for the scharp stound, bot schout dar I nought,
For schore of that auld schrew, schame him betide !
The luf-blenkis of that bogill, fra his blerde ene,
As Belȝebub had on me blent, abasit my spreit ;
And quhen the smy on me smyrkis, with his smake smolet,
He feppillis like a farcy aver, that flyrit on a gillot.
Quhen that the sound of his saw sinkis in my eris,
Than ay renewis my noy, or he be neir cumand :
Quhen I heir nemmyt his name, than mak I nyne crocis,
To keip me fra the cummerans of that carll mangit,
That full of eldnyng is, et anger, et all euill thewis.
I dar nought luk to my luf for that lene gib,
He is sa full of ielusy, and engyne fals ;
Euer ymagynyng in mynd materis of evill,
Compasand et castand cacis a thousand
How he sall tak me, with a trawe, at trist of ane othir :
I dar nought keik to the knaip that the cop fillis,
For eldnyng of that ald schrew that euer on euill thynkis ;
For he is waistit, et worne fra Venus werkis,
And may nought beit worth a bene in bed of my mystirs.
He trowis that pung folk I ȝerne ȝeild, for he gane is,
Bot I may ȝuke all this ȝer, or his ȝerd help.
Ay quhen that caribald carll wald clym on my wambe,
Than am I dangerus, et dane, and dour of my will ;
Ȝit leit I neuer that larbar my leggis ga betueene,
To fyle my flesche, na fumyll me, without a fee gret ;
And thoght his pen purly me payis in bed,
His purse pays richely in recompense efter :
For, or he clym on my corse, that carybald forlane,
I haue conditioun of a curche of kersp allther fynest ;
A govn of engranyt claith, right gaily furrit;
A ring with a ryall stane, or other riche iowell,
Or rest of his rousty raid, thoght he wer rede wod :
For all the buddis of Iohne Blunt, quhen he abone clymis,
Me think the baid deir aboucht sa bawch ar his werkis ;
And thus I sell him solace, thoght I it sour think :
Fra sic a syre, God ȝow saif, my sueit sisteris deir !
Quhen that the semely had said her sentence to end,
Than all thai leuch apon loft, with laitis full mery ;
And raucht the cop round about full off riche wynis,
And ralȝest lang, or thai wald rest, with ryatus speche.

The wedo to the tothir wlonk warpit ther wordis ;
Now, fair sister, fallis ȝow but fenȝeing to tell,
Sen man ferst with matrimony ȝow menkit in kirk,
How haif ȝe farne be ȝour faith ? confese ws the treuth :
That band to blise, or to ban, quhilk ȝow best thinkis ?
Or how ȝe like lif to leid in to leill spousage ?
And syne my self ȝe exeme on the samyn wise,
And I sall say furth the south, dissymyland no word.
The plesand said, I protest, the treuth gif I schaw,
That of ȝour toungis ȝe be traist : The tothir twa grantit ;
With that sprang vp hir spreit be a span hecher.
To speik, quoth scho, I sall nought spar ; ther is no spy neir :
I sall a ragment reveil fra the rute of my hert,
A roust that is sa rankild quhill risis my stomok ;
Now sall the byle all out brist, that beild has bein so lang;
For it to beir on my brist wes berdin our hevy :
I sall the venome devoid with a vent large,
And me assuage of the swalme, that suellit wes gret
My husband wes a hur maister, the hugeast in erd,
Tharfor, I hait him with my hert, sa help me our Lord !
He is a ȝoung man ryght ȝaip, bot nought in ȝouthis flouris ;
For he is fadit full far, and feblit of strenth :
He wes as flurising fresche within this few ȝeris,
Bot he is falȝeid full far, and falȝeid in labour;
He has bene lychour so lang quhill lost is his natur,
His Iwme is vaxit larbar, and lyis into swonne :
Wes neuer sugeorne wer set na on that snaill tyrit,
For efter seven oulkis rest, it will nought rap anys ;
He has bene waistit apon wemen, or he me wif chesit,
And in adultre, in my tyme, I haif him tane oft :
And ȝit, he is als brankand with bonet on syde,
And blenkand to the brichtest that in the burgh duellis,
Alse curtly of his clething, and kemmyng of his hair,
As he that is mair valȝeand in Venus chalmer ;
He semys to be sumthing worth, that syphyr in bour,
He lukis as he wald luffit be, thocht he be litill of valour ;
He dois as dotit dog that damys on all bussis,
And liftis his leg apon loft, thoght he nought list pische ;
He has a luke without lust, et lif without curage ;
He has a forme without force, and fessoun but vertu,
And fair wordis but effect, all fruster of dedis ;
He is for ladyis in luf a right lusty schadow,
Bot into derne, at the deid, he salbe drup fundin;
He ralis, and makis repet with ryatus wordis,
Ay rusing him of his radis, and rageing in chalmer ;
Bot God wait quhat I think quhen he so thra spekis :
And how it settis him so syde to sege of sic materis.
Bot gif him self, of sum evin, myght ane say amang thaim,
Bot he nought ane is, bot nane of naturis possessoris.
Scho that has ane auld man nought all is begylit ;
He is at Venus werkis na war na he semys :
I wend I iosit a gem, and I haif ane geit gottin ;
He had the glemyng of gold, and wes bot glase fundin :
Thought men be ferse, wele I fynd, fra falȝe ther curage,
Thar is bot eldnyng, or anger ther hertis within.
Ȝe speik of berdis on bewch : of blise may thai sing,
That, on sanct Valentynis day, ar vacandis ilk ȝer ;
Hed I that plesand prevelege to part quhen me likit,
To change, et ay to cheise agane, than, chastite, adew !
Than suld I haif a fresch feir to fang in mynn armes :
To hald a freke, quhill he faynt, may foly be callit.
Apone sic materis I muse, at mydnyght, full oft,
And murnys so in my mynd, I murdris my selfin ;
Than ly I walkand for wa, and walteris about
Wariand off my weckit kyn, that me away cast,
To sic a craudoune, but curage, that knyt my cler bewte;
And ther so mony kene knyghtis this kenrik within :
Than think I on a semelyar, the suth for to tell,
Na is our syre be sic sevin ; with that I sych oft :
Than he ful tenderly dois turne to me his twme person,
And with a ȝoldin ȝerd, dois ȝok me in armys;
And sais, " My souerane sueit thing, quhy sleip ȝe no betir?
Me think ther haldin ȝow a hete, as ȝe sum harme alyt."
Quoth I, " My hony, hald abak, and handill me nought sair ;
A hathe is happinit hastely at my hert rut"
With that I seme for to swoune, thought I na swerf tak ;
And thus beswik I that swane, with my sueit wordis :
I cast on him a crabbit E, quhen cleir day is cummyn,
And lettis it is a luf-blenk, quhen he about glemys,
I turne it in a tender luke, that I in tene warit,
And him behaldis hamely, with hertly smyling.
I wald a tender peronall, that myght na put thole,
That hatit men with hard geir, for hurting of flesch,
Had my gud man to hir gest ; for I dar God suer,
Scho suld not stert for his straik a stray breid of erd.
And syne, I wald that ilk band, that ȝe so blist call,
Had bund him so to that bryght, quhill his bak werkit ;
And I wer in a beid broght with berne that me likit,
I trow, that bird of my blis suld a bourd want.
Onone quhen this amyable had endit hir speche,
Loudly lauchand the laif allowit hir mekle :
Thir gay Wiffis maid game amang the grene leiffis ;
Thai drank, and did away dule, vnder derne bewis ;
Thai swapit of the sueit wyne, thai swan-quhit of hewis,
Bot all the pertlyar in plane thai put out ther vocis.

Than said the Weido, I vis ther is no way othir ;
Now tydis me for to talk ; my taill it is nixt :
God my spreit now inspir, et my speche quykkin,
And send me sentence to say, substantious, et noble ;
Sa, that my preching may pers your perverst hertis,
And mak yow mekar to men in manneris and conditiounis.
I schaw ȝow, Sisteris in schrift, I wes a schrew euir,
Bot I wes schene in my schrowd, et schew me innocent ;
And thought I dour wes, et dane, dispitois, et bald,
I wes dissymblit suttelly in a Sanctis liknes :
I semyt sober, and sueit, et sempill without fraud,
Bot I couth sexty dissaif that suttillar wer haldin.
Wnto my lesson ȝe lyth, and leir at me wit,
Gif yov nought list be forleit with losingeris vntrew :
Be constant in ȝour gouernance, and counterfeit gud maneris,
Thought ȝe be kene, inconstant, et cruell of mynd ;
Thought ȝe as tygris be terne, be tretable in luf ;
And be as turtoris in your talk, thought ȝe haif talis brukill ;
Be dragonis baitht and dowis, ay in double forme,
And quhen it nedis ȝow, onone, note baith ther stranthis ;
Be amyable with humble face, as angellis apperand,
And with a terrebill tail be stangand as edderis ;
Be of ȝour luke like innocentis, thoght ȝe haif euill myndis ;
Be courtly ay in clething, et costly arrayit,
That hurtis ȝow nought worth a hen ; ȝowr husband pays for all.
Twa husbandis haif I had, thai held me baith deir,
Thought I dispytit thaim agane, thai spyit it na thing :
Ane wes ane hair hogeart, that hostit out flewme ;
I hatit him like a hund, thought I it hid preue :
With kissing, et with clapping, I gert the carill fon ;
Weil couth I claw his cruke bak, and kemm his cowit noddill,
And with a bukky in my cheik bo on him behind ;
And with a bek gang about, et bler his ald E ;
And with a kyind contynance kys his crynd chekis ;
In to my mynd makand mokis at that mad fader,
Trovand me with trew lufe to treit him so fair :
This cought I do without dule, et na discs tak,
Bot ay be mery in my mynd, and myrthfull of cher.
I had a lufsummar leid, my lust for to slokyn,
That couth be secrete and sure, and ay saif my honour,
And sew bot at certayne tymes, et in sicir placis ;
Ay when the ald did me anger, with akword wordis,
Apon the galland for to goif it gladit me agane.
I had sic wit that for wo weipit I bot litill ;
Bot leit the sueit ay the sour to gud sesone bring.
Quhen that the chuf wald me chid, with girnand chaftis,
I vald him chuk, cheik et chyn, et cheris him so mekill;
That his cheif chymys he had chevist to my sone,
Suppos the churll wes gane chaist, or the child wes gottin :
As wis woman ay I wrought, et not as wod fule,
For mar with wylis I wan na wichtnes of handis.
Syne maryit I a marchand, myghti of gudis :
He was a man of myd eld, et of mene statur ;
Bot we na fallowis wer in frendschip and blud,
In fredome, na furth bering, na fairnes of persoune ;
Quhilk ay the fule did forȝet, for febilnes of knawlege ;
Bot I sa oft thoght him on quhill angrit his hert,
And quhilum I put furth my voce, et Pedder him callit :
I wald ryght tuichand in talk be, I wes tuyse maryit,
For endit wes my innocence with my ald husband :
I wes apperand to be pert within perfit eild ;
Sa sais the curat of our kirk, that knew me full ȝing :
He is our famous to be fals, that fair worthy prelot ;
I salbe laith to lat him le, quhill I may luke furth.
I gert the buthman obey, ther wes no bute ellis ;
He maid me ryght hie reverens, fra he my rycht knew :
For, thocht I say it my self, the seuerance wes mekle,
Betuix his bastard blude, et my birth noble.
That page wes neuer of sic price for to presome anys
Wnto my persone to be peir, had pete nought grantit
Bot mercy in to womanheid is a mekle vertu :
For neuer bot in a gentill hert is generit ony ruth.
I held ay grene in to his mynd that I of grace tuk him,
And for he couth ken him self I curtasly him lerit :
He durst not sit anys my summondis ; for, or the secund charge,
He wes ay redy for to ryn ; so rad he wes for blame.
Bot ay my will wes the war of womanly natur ;
The mair he loutit for my luf, the les of him I rakit ;
And eik, this is a ferly thing, or I him faith gaif,
I had sic favour to that freke, and feid syne for euer.
Quhen I the cure had all clene, et him ourcummyn haill,
I crew abone that craudone, as cok that wer wictour ;
Quhen I him saw subiect, and sett at myn bydding,
Than I him lichtlyit as a lowne, et lathit his maneris.
Than woxe I sa vnmerciable to martir him I thought,
For, as a best, I broddit him to all boyis laubour :
I wald haif ridden him to Rome, with ane raip in his heid,
Wer not ruffill of my renovne, et rumour of pepill.
And ȝit hatrent I hid within my hert all ;
Bot quhilis it hepit so huge, quhill it behud out :
Ȝit tuk I neuir the wosp clene out of my wyde throte,
Quhill I oucht wantit of my will, or quhat I wald desir.
Bot quhen I seuerit had that syre of substance in erd ;
And gottin his biggingis to my barne, et hie burrow landis ;
Than with a stew stert out the stoppell of my hals,
That he all stwnyst throu the stound, as of a stele wappin.
Than wald I, efter lang, first sa fane haif bene wrokin,
That I to flyte wes als fers as a fell dragoun.
I had for flattering of that fule fenȝeit so lang,
Mi euidentis of heritagis or thai wer all selit ;
My breist that wes gret beild, bowdyn wes sa huge,
That neir my baret out brist or the band makin ;
Bot quhen my billis, and my bauthles wes all braid selit,
I wald na langar beir on bridill, bot braid vp my heid ;
Thar myght na molet mak me moy, na hald my mouth in :
I gert the renȝeis rak, et rif into sondir ;
I maid that wif carll to werk all womenis werkis,
And laid all manly materis, and mensk in this eird.
Than said I, to my cumaris, in counsall about,
" Se how I cabeld ȝone cout with a kene brydill !
The cappill, that the crelis kest in the caf mydding,
Sa curtasly the cart drawis, and kennis na plungeing,
He is nought skeich, na ȝit sker, na scippis nought on syd : "
And thus the scorne and the scaith scapit he nothir.
He wes no glaidsum gest for a gay lady,
Tharfor, I gat him a game that ganyt him bettir ;
He wes a gret goldit man, et of gudis riche ;
I leit him be my lumbart to lous me all misteris,
And he wes fane for to fang fra me that fair office,
And thoght my favoris to fynd through his feill giftis.
He grathit me in a gay silk, et gudly arrayis ;
In gownis of engranyt claight, et gret goldin chenȝeis ;
In ringis ryally set with riche ruby stonis,
Quhill hely raise my renovne amang the rude peple ;
Bot I full craftely did keip thai courtly wedis,
Quhill eftir dede of that drupe, that docht nought in chalmir :
Thought he of all my clathis maid cost et expense,
Ane othir sall the worschip haif, that weildis me eftir ;
And thoght I likit him bot litill, ȝit for the luf of otheris,
I wald me prunȝa plesandly in precius wedis,
That luffaris myght apon me luke, and ȝing lusty gallandis,
That I held more in daynte, et derer be ful mekill,
Ne him that dressit me so dink : full dotit wes his heyd.
Quhen he wes heryit out of hand, to hie vp my honoris,
And payntit me as pako, proudest of fedderis,
I him miskennyt, be Crist ; et cukkald him maid ;
I him forleit as a lad, and lathlyit him mekle :
I thoght my self a papingay, et him a plukit herle ;
All thus enforsit he his fa, et fortifyit in strenth,
And maid a stalwart staff to strik him selfe doune.
Bot of ane bowrd in to bed I sall ȝow breif ȝit :
Quhen he ane hail ȝear wes hanyt, and him behuffit rage,
And I wes laith to be loppin with sic a lob avoir,
Alse lang as he wes on loft, I lukit on him neuer ;
Na leit neuer enter in my thoght that he my thing persit
Bot ay in mynd ane other man ymagynit that I haid ;
Or ellis had I neuer mery bene at that myrthles raid.
Quhen I that grome geldit had of gudis, and of natur,
Me thought him gracelese on to goif, sa me God help :
Quhen he had warit all on me his welth, et his substance,
Me thoght his wit wes all went away with the laif ;
And so I did him despise, I spittit quhen I saw
That super spendit euill spreit, spulȝeit of all vertu.
For, Weill ȝe wait, wiffis, that he that wantes riches,
And valȝeandnes in Venus play, is ful vile haldin :
Full fruster is his fresch array, et fairnes of persoune,
All is bot frutlese his effeir, and falȝeis at the vp-with.
I buskit vp my barnis like baronis sonnis,
And maid bot fulis of the fry of his first wif :
I banyst fra my boundis his brethir ilkane ;
His frendis as my fais I held at feid evir ;
Be this, ȝe belief may, I luffit nought him self,
For neuer I likit a leid that langit till his blude :
And ȝit thir wisemen, thai wait that all wiffis euill
Ar kend with ther conditionis, et knawin with the samin.
Deid is now that dyvour, et dollin in erd :
With him deit all my dule, et my drery thoghtis ;
Now done is my dolly nyght, my day is vpsprungin,
Adew dolour, adew ! my daynte now begynis :
Now am I a wedow, I wise, and weill am at ese ;
I weip as I wer woful, bot wel is me for euer ;
I busk as I wer bailfull, bot blith is my hert ;
My mouth it makis murnyng, et my mynd lauchis;
My clokis thai ar caerfull in colour of sabill ;
Bot courtly and ryght curyus my corse is ther vndir :
I drup with a ded luke, in my dule habit,
As with manis daill I had done for dayis of my lif.
Quhen that I go to the kirk, cled in cair weid,
As foxe in a lambis fleise fenȝe I my cheir;
Than lay I furtgh my bright buke on breid on my kne,
With mony lusty letter ellummynit with gold ;
And drawis my clok forthwart our my face quhit,
That I may spy, vnaspyit, a space me beside :
Full oft I blenk by my buke, et blynis of deuotioun,
To se quhat berne is best brand, or bredest in schulderis,
Or forgeit is maist forcely, to furnyse a bancat
In Venus chalmer, valȝeandly, withoutin vane ruse :
And, as the new mone, all pale, oppressit with change,
Kythis quhilis her cleir face, through cluddis of sable,
So keik I through my clokis, and castis kynd lukis
To knychtis, and to cleirkis, and courtly personis.
Quhen frendis of my husbandis behaldis me on fer,
I haif a water spunge for wa, within my wyde clokis,
Than wring I it full wylely, et wetis my chekis ;
With that wateris myn ene, and welteris doune teris.
Than say thai all, that sittis about, " Se ȝe nought, allace !
Ȝone lustlese led so lelely scho luffit hir husband :
Ȝone is a pete to enprent in a princis hert,
That sic a perle of plesance suld ȝone pane dre ! "
I sane me as I war ane sanct, et semys ane angell ;
At langage of lichory I leit as I war crabit :
I sich, without sair hert, or seiknes in body ;
According to my sable weid I mon haif sad maneris,
Or thai will se all the suth ; for certis, we wemen
We set us all fra the syght to syle men of treuth :
We dule for na euill deid, sa it be derne haldin.
Wise women has wayis, and wonderfull gydingis
With gret engyne to beiaip ther ielyus husbandis ;
And quyetly, with sic craft, convoyis our materis
That, vnder Crist, no creatur kennis of our doingis.
Bot folk a cury may miscuke, that knawledge wantis,
And has na colouris for to cover thair awne kindly favtis ;
As dois thir damysellis, for derne dotit lufe,
That dogonis haldis in dainte, et delis with thaim so lang,
Quhill all the cuntre knaw ther kyndnes, et faith :
Faith has a fair name, bot falsheid faris bettir :
Fy on hir that can nought feyne her fame for to saif !
Ȝit am I wise in sic werk, et wes all my tyme ;
Thoght I want wit in warldlynes, I wylis haif in luf,
As ony happy woman has that is of hie blude :
Hutit be the halok lase a hunder ȝeir of eild !
I have ane secrete serwand, rycht sobir of his toung,
That me supportis of sic nedis, quhen I a syne mak :
Thoght he be sympill to the sicht, he has a tong sickir ;
Full mony semelyar sege wer service dois mak :
Thought I haif cair, vnder cloke, the cleir day quhill nyght,
Ȝit haif I solace, vnder serk, quhill the sone ryse.
Ȝit, am I haldin a haly wif our all the haill schyre,
I am sa peteouse to the pur, quhen ther is personis mony
In passing of pilgrymage I pride me full mekle,
Mair for the prese of peple, na ony perdoun wynyng.
Bot ȝit, me think, the best bourd, quhen baronis and knychtis,
And othir bachilleris, blyth blwmyng in ȝouth.
And all my luffaris lele, my lugeing persewis,
And fillis me wyne wantonly, with weilfair et ioy :
Sum rownis ; and sum ralȝeis ; and sum redis ballatis ;
Sum raiffis furght rudly with riatus speche ;
Sum plenis, and sum prayis ; sum prasis mi bewte,
Sum kissis me ; sum clappis me ; sum kyndnes me proferis ;
Sum kerffis to me curtasli ; sum me the cop giffis ;
Sum stalwardly steppis ben, with a stout curage,
And a stif standand thing staiffis in my neiff ;
And mony blenkis ben our, that but full fer sittis,
That mai nought, for the thik thrang, thrif as thai wald
Bot, with my fair calling, I comfort thaim all :
For he that sittis me nixt, I nip on his finger ;
I serf him on the tothir syde on the samin fasson ;
And he that behind me sittis, I hard on him lene ;
And him befor, with my fut fast on his I stramp ;
And to the bemis far but sueit blenkis I cast :
To euery man in speciall speke I sum wordis,
So wisly, and so womanly, quhill warmys ther hertis.
Thar is no liffand leid so law of degre
That sall me luf vnluffit, I am so loik hertit ;
And gif his lust so be lent, into my lyre quhit,
That he be lost or with me lig, his lif sall nocht haif danger ;
I am so mercifull in mynd, et menys all wichtis,
My sely saull salbe saif, quhen sa bot all iugis.
Ladyis leir thir lessonis, et be no lassis fundin :
This is the legeand of my lif, thought Latyne it be nane.
Quhen endit had her ornat speche this eloquent wedow,
Lowd thai lewch all the laif, and loffit hir mekle ;
And said, thai suld exampill tak of her souerane teching,
And wirk efter hir wordis, that woman wes so prudent.
Than culit thai thair mouthis with confortable drinkis ;
And carpit full cummerlik, with cop going round.
Thus draif thai our that deir night, with danceis full noble,
Quhill that the day did vp daw, et dew donkit the flouris ;
The morow myld wes et meik, the mavis did sing,
And all remuffit the myst, et the meid smellit ;
Siluer schouris doune schuke, as the schene cristall,
And berdis schoutit in schaw, with thair schill notis ;
The goldin glitterand gleme, so gladit ther hertis,
Thai maid a glorius gle amang the grene bewis.
The soft souch of the swyr, et sovne of the stremys,
The sueit sawour of the sward, and singing of foulis,
Myght confort ony creatur of the kyn of Adam ;
And kindill agane his curage thocht it wer cald sloknyt.
Than rais thir ryall roisis, in ther riche wedis,
And rakit hame to ther rest, through the rise blwmys ;
And I all prevely past to a plesand arber,
And with my pen did report thair pastance most mery.

Ȝe Auditoris, most honorable, that eris has gevin
Onto this vncouth aventur, quhilk airly me happinnit ;
Of ther thre wantoun wiffis, that I haif writtin heir,
Quhilk wald ȝe vvaill to ȝour vvif, gif ȝe suld vved one ?

Quod Dunbar.