〈…〉  
She should not go/ this make I go avow  
Ha my good son she saith by heaven king  
That made this world/ and every other thing  
Ye may as surely and withouten dread  
Suffer her to go as for to say your creed  
Thus they depart and on their way be gone  
And as they go/ these words than saith one  
Unto an other he hath some jealousy  
It seemeth weal he dreadeth jeopardy  
Thus is he mocked by these women's art  
For now come gallants forth on every part  
Which at the feast afore by adventure  
This foresaid work have made and put in ure  
And there awaiting been upon their need  
For to conclude and so forth to proceed  
But how this wife now feasted is & served  
For love of her good man all undeserved  
And god wot how she doth herself apply  
To revel dauncé/ and for to sing on high  
Also she maketh good and merry cheer  
But god wot how she praiseth her bedfere  
The husband left at home while she is out  
And seeth herself so praised amongs the rout  
Certes these gallants than her do advise  
And see she is appareled in such wise  
Perceiving well her cheer and countenance  
Shortly to her each one him doth advance  
One profreth moche/ an other offereth more  
Hard is to me the cause to tell wherefore  
The jolly cheer the pretty trot and pace  
With the demeaning of a woman's face  
Will give these lovers cause & hardiness  
To sew for grace unto their worthiness  
One to her words gracious doth say  
An other cometh as nigh her as he may  
And setteth his foot a loft on hers plain  
Eke by the hand quickly he doth her strain  
Also an other his look casteth a side  
Full piteously and sharply for a tide  
An other than unto her doth present  
A diamond right fair and orient  
Or else a rich ruby with a ring  
Which she receiveth with some other thing  
By which things may she well understand  
Of their intent/ and feel it with her hand  
If she have any reason brain or wit  
And other whiles by fortune happeth it  
That from her chair alight will she adown  
To do some works of devotion  
Or unto Venus to do sacrifice  
But how can I not say ne in what wise  
This silly man at home in poor degree  
Is made and brought unto necessity  
For thilk estate that his wife doth pretend  
The matter thus hath driven to an end  
And made her go to gatherings & feasts  
amongs a wicked company of gests  
For unto her they yolden be in trust  
To have their pleasures appetites and lust  
Upon none other thing do they aweyte  
But how they may do this poor man deceit  
The stroke whereof he hath without escape  
Which commonly is called but a jape  
So he is causer of his proper shame  
None other wight thereof is for to blame  
And thus it happeth by continuance  
That what by signs speech or countenance  
Troth of the thing whereof he was in doubt  
All openly reported is about  
Whereby he falleth jealous in a rage  
Out of the which there is no wight so sage  
That him can move/ for who that fervently  
Of woman feieth the cruel malady  
There is no medicine that may him cure  
The sickness is so sharp without measure  
Than will he beat her bitterly and curse  
Whereby the works maketh he much worse  
For chastise can he not by day ne night  
His wife but by his beating maketh light  
And hot the love between her & her friend  
Thus driveth he the matter to an end  
And son he other whiles fortune may  
One of her limbs break or cut away  
Whereby his castle or his pile he loseth  
Than as a mazed be'st he him disposeth  
Withouten care and all he setteth at nought  
Thus hath he found the pain which he hath sought  
And never after will she love him more  
Because that he hath beaten her so sore  
But for to pass the time and make a show  
And of fair words speaketh she but few  
There this poor man in torment pain & woe  
liveth and yet he thinketh not so  
And all these sorrows/ he for joys doth take  
So in the leap he is I undertake  
Enclosed deep/ and if he were without  
Yet shortly would he in withouten doubt  
There useth he his life in pain always  
And wretchedly/ thus endeth he his days  
¶ Thus endeth the second joy of marriage   

¶ Here beginneth the third joy of marriage.  

〈…〉   
AN other joy which named is the third  
Of marriage in no wise may be hid  
The which I purpose shortly to declare  
According to mine author and not spare  
The which is when a man in youth doth wed  
A young maid/ and when they both in bed  
Have had their pleasures largely and desire  
And well assuaged is the brenning fire  
The hoot harvest is well overblow  
As it with me and other is I trow  
Soon after this her belly doth arise  
〈…〉