¶ He beginneth an interlocution/ with an argument/ betwixt man and woman/ & which of them could prove to be most excellent. WHen Phebus reluysant/ most ardent was & sheen In the hot summer season/ for my solace Under the umbre of a tree/ both fair & green I lay down to rest me/ where in this case. ¶ As after ye shall here/ a strife there began Which long did endure/ with great argument betwixt the woman/ and also the man Which of them could prove/ to be most excellent. The man. ¶ The first which I heard: was the man that said Adam our forefather/ by woman's shrewd council To eat of an apple/ was piteously betrayed Well happy is he/ that with you doth not mell. The woman. ¶ Ihesu of a maiden/ and virgin his mother Was incarnated/ to redeem that man had lost Set thou this one/ now against the other And woman is more excellent/ in every cost. The man. ¶ No women in to angels/ never was transformed But women in to devils/ full oft hath been fygurate For their pride in hell/ cruelly to be burned Unhappy is he/ that hath one to his make. The woman. ¶ Many angels to women/ have been transported More than to men/ for their chastity first our dear lady/ thangel exhorted saying the son of god/ in her conceived should be. The man. ¶ joseph by woman/ was put in prison And Vrye was slain/ by treason cruel david an adulterer/ with woman was become Well happy is he/ that with them doth not mell. The woman. Mankind to deliver/ out of this worldly pain And bring him to the joy/ of the celestial place God in his mother/ took nature human Who dispraiseth women/ god send him no grace. The man. For woman was slain/ the worthy prince Amon The love of them causeth moche displeasure By women was deceived/ the sage Solomon Which by the mean of them/ false idols did adore The woman. That woman/ is most replete with grace By good reason/ I shall prove plain For god in woman/ first took his place When into this world/ he came certain. The man. Vyrgyll the sage clerk/ of great intelligence Betrayed was by woman/ as written ye may find trusting in her grace/ in every man's presence Was tied at a window/ till men did him unbind The woman. God to us by woman/ paradise hath restored That before was lost/ by our great negligence And above all saints/ highly hath honoured Mary his mother/ woman of most excellence. The man. Towns have be destroyed/ and cities many one divers men for women/ be dampened deep in hell More joyful unto man/ than woman hath be none Well happy is he/ that with them doth not mell. The woman. ¶ By the mean of Hester/ the judgement was despited Of Assuerus her husband/ for the jews all Which should have died/ had not he delighted In her high beauty/ and words peticyonall. The man. ¶ Priam/ Paris and Deiphobus first by th'occasion/ of women was slain Also Troilus/ Hector and Helenus And all Troy/ hath been confounded plain. The woman. ¶ Judith. C. M. men and more Made for to fly/ and yield in confusion After that Holefernus heed/ she had cut in two Which would have destroyed all the region. The man. ¶ Women their face/ and foreheed doth paint For to deceive/ both young and old The strong Samson/ Dalyda did attaint And him betrayed/ his heed when she had polled. The woman. ¶ Woman is honoured/ in every place For queen of earth/ and of heaven high Which is petycioner/ for man's trespass To good on their souls to have mercy. The man. Some women can flatter/ and most can lie To obtain man's love/ they can fain well They will never leave it/ until they die Well happy is he/ that with them doth not mell. The woman. ¶ Woman is called/ treasure of grace In heaven our lady/ it is full sure For she for man's soul/ doth so purchase That thousands/ she saved by her prayer. The man. ¶ Some that hath be taken/ for very sage By woman's love/ did so him endeavour That for it he sold/ all his heritage And after hath he died/ a miserable beggar. The woman. ¶ Many hath offices/ and good wages By women to live/ right prosperately benefices/ and advantages To maintain men/ accordingly. The man. ¶ When a young pegeon/ a woman hath gotten She will make him/ at length as strong as a crane For surely/ she will never forsake him Till that his croper bone wax very lame The woman. ¶ Then look a cawdell/ you do gyt And soon ye look you/ a better norce For I hard say/ god gave man wit To know the better/ from the worse. The man ¶ Women will speak/ and contrary say They will not shame/ a lie to tell To scold and brawl/ is all their play Well happy is he/ that with them doth not mell. The woman. ¶ The coming/ of our lord Ihesu Many devout woman/ did prophecy Sybellys they were/ that it best knew For to dispraise women/ ye do now unwyslye. The man. ¶ One must them give/ that they desire To beat or correct them/ they waxed worse They never will stint/ for to require As long as a penny/ is in ones purse. The woman. ¶ When all thappostles/ from our lord flyed Women till his death/ still did him ensue Never woman/ our lord denied As Peter did/ but ever was true. The man. ¶ When ye of any man/ know the intention Which could be secret/ ye publish it by and by Unto your gosseppies/ ye make thereof mention As soon as ye together byb/ charring like a pie. The woman. ¶ christ after his death/ for our consolation first showed/ unto woman personally To Mary magdalen/ after his resurrection Which for his death/ be wailed grievously. The man. ¶ A Wife of her husband/ Will have the audience As chief master/ her tale to tell She will cry & weep/ except she have the pemynence Will happy is he/ that with them doth not mell. ¶ The woman. ¶ That a man should a woman/ or his wife believe By Abraham/ is signified plain For god unto Sara/ first knowledge did give That a child should be procreate: betwixt them twain The man. ¶ Many cauteloustrastes/ now women they have To make them proper/ and coynte to seem For proud apparel/ ever still they crave Yet be they most stinking/ and filthy within. The woman. ¶ Of good women/ have be found many one Which have been chaste/ and holy virgins pure And that out of god's laws/ never hath gone Wherefore in heaven/ now saints be they sure. The man. ¶ But now of evil/ there be so many Their kind increaseth/ still every day From evil in to worse/ so fast they multiply That would the devil: had one to carry tother away The woman. One virgin another for God's love hath martyred By compulsion of man/ as scripture hath expressed That in a day xi thousand died Wherefore to dispraise women/ ye do not best. The man. ¶ considering the evil/ which of women have come How false they be/ how cursed and cruel One ought to fly them/ and from them to run For well happy is he/ that with them doth not mell The woman. ¶ All the nobles/ of cyme passed And all the saints/ of paradise first all from women/ they have proceeded For to dispraise women/ in faith ye be not wise. The man. ¶ Do weigh your blame/ and laud in balance To see of them/ which twain weigh moste And when that ye see/ there the dyfferaunce I trow of your laud/ ye will make small boast. The woman. ¶ For all the blames/ and offence That against us women/ ye can lay Consider the bounty/ of our ladies excellence And all our evils/ her goodness doth delay. La femme replique. ¶ Now the conclusion/ the woman thus began These infamous men/ with all their policy All noble women/ would gladly defame Were not our goodness/ exceeding their glory. ¶ For Cain killed Abel/ his gentle brother And judas/ Reuben his father did slay Nero made open/ his own mother To see the place/ where that he lay ¶ The men of jury/ made god to die judas scaryot him sold/ by false treason And after himself hanged/ this is no lie Wherefore still in pain/ his soul it doth won. ¶ Christ'S Apostles/ did him deny Men did him crucify/ by great violence And tyrants enraged/ despite fully Ten thousand/ slew of Innocence. ¶ Also in a day/ they did confound A xi thousand virgins/ unto their death Some they heeded/ and some they drowned Some they smouldered/ and stopped their breath. ¶ Men they had/ perverse courage As ye may see/ now evidently To do unto saints/ such outrage Without offence/ and no cause why. ¶ Men make wars/ and dissensions In every place/ as ye may see Thefts/ mordres/ and traysons Replete with all/ iniquity. ¶ Moore men/ there be in prison In chains bound/ for their offence More women/ come unto sermon To learn God's laws/ with diligence. ¶ Of every man/ in all degree Mother and norces/ women hath been Of all that are/ and ever shallbe Women have first th'authority clen. ¶ Wherefore of us/ ye ought say well For to myssay/ ye can not win And ye that hath no grace/ goodness to tell To hold his peace/ is best for him. ¶ Do ye say/ of us the best sins we ye kept/ When ye were small For of little meddling/ cometh moche rest And god amend/ the worst of us all. ¶ The auctor. ¶ Of this argument/ the hold intent I marked it/ effectually And after I had heard/ them at this descent I pressed towards them/ incontinently But when they saw me/ approach them to Lest I would reprove/ their argument Full fast they fled/ then both me fro That I ne wist/ whither they went Wherefore now to judge/ which is most excellent I admit it/ unto this readers prudence Whither to man or woman/ is more convenient The laud to be given/ and worldly magnificence. ¶ Finis. winkin de word