¶ A merry play between johan johan the husband/ tib his wife/& sir Ihann the priest. ¶ johan johan the husband. ¶ God speed you masters everichone Wo●e ye not whither my wife is gone I pray god the devil take her For all that I do I can not make her But she will go a goddynge very much like an Anthony pig with an old which which feedeth her about hither and thither But by our lady I wote not whither But by gogg{is} blood/ were she come home unto this my house/ by our sady of crome I wolde bete her or that I drink Bete her qd a? yea that she shall stink And at every stroke say her on the ground And train her by the here about the house round I am even mad that I bete her not now But I shall reward her hardly well enough There is never a wife between heaven and hell which was ever beaten half so well ¶ beaten qd a? yea but what and she therof die Than I may chance to be hanged shortly And when I haue beaten her till she smoke And given her many a. ●. stroke think ye that she will amend yet Nay by our lady the devil speed whit Therfore I will not bete her at all ¶ And shall I not bete her/ no shall And keepeth not her house▪ as her duty i● Shall I not bete her if she do so 〈◇〉 by cokk{is} blood that shall I do I shall bete her and ●●w●● her I trow That she shall beshyte the house ●o● very wo ¶ But yet I think what my neybour will say than He will say thus/ whom chydest the johan johan Mary will I say/ I chide my cursed wife The veriest drab that ever bare life which doth nothing but go and come And I can not make her keep her at home Than I think he will say by and̄ by Wa●●e her cote johan johan/ and bete her hardly But than unto him mine answer shalbe The more I bete her the worse is she And wors and wors make her I shall ¶ He will say than/ bete her not at all And why shall I say/ this wolde be wist Is she not mine to chastise as I ●yst ¶ But this is another point/ worst of all The fo●●{is} will mock me/ when they here me brall But for all that shall I set therfore To chastyce my wife ever the more And to make her at home for to tarry Is not that welldone/ yes by saint mary That is a point of an honest man For to bete his wife well now and than ¶ Therfore I shall bete her/ haue ye no dread And I ought to bete her till she be stark dede And why? by god because it is my pleasure And if I should suffer her/ I make you sure Nought shuld̄e {pre}uayle me/ neither staff nor waster Within a while she wolde be my master ¶ Therfore I shall bete her by cokkes mother Both on the tone side and on the tother Before and behind/ nought shall be her boat From the top of the heed/ to the sole of the foot ¶ But masters for godd{is} sake do not entrete For her/ when that she shal be bete But for godd{is} passion set me alone And I shall thwak her that she shall groan wherefore I beseech you and heartily you pray And I beseech you say me not nay But that I may beate her for this ones And I shall beate her by cokkes bones That she shall stink like a pole kat But yet by gogg{is} body that need not For she will stink without any betyng For every night ones she giveth me an hetyng From her issueth such a stinking smoke That the savour therof almost doth me choke But I shall bete her now without fail I shall bete her top and tail Heed/ shoulders/ arms/ legs/ and all I shall bete her I trow that I shall And by gogg{is} body I tell you true I shall bete her till she be black and blewe ¶ But where the devil trow ye she is gon I hold a noble she is with sir johan I fear I am beguiled alway But yet in faith I hope well nay Yet I almost enrage that I ne can Se the behaviour of our gentylwoman And yet I think thither as she doth go Many an honest wife goth thither also For to make some pastime and sport But than my wife so oft doth thither resort That I fear she will make me wear a feather But yet I need not for to fear nether For he is her gossip that is he ¶ But abide a while yet let me se Where the devil hath our gyssypry begon My wife had never child daughter nor son ¶ now if I forbid her that she go no more Yet will she go as she did before Dress will she choose some other place And then the matter is in as ill case ¶ But in faith all these words be in wast For I think the matter is done and past And when she cometh home she will begin to chide But she shall haue her payment styk by her side For I shall order her for all her brawsyng That she shall repent to go a catter wawlyng tib ¶ Why whom wist thou beate I say thou knave Ihann ¶ Who I tib/ none so god me save tib. ¶ ye● I hard the say thou wouldest one bete Ihann. ¶ Mary wife it was stokfysshe in temmes street which will be good meate against sent Why tib what haddest thou thought that I had ment tib. ¶ Mary me thought I hard the bawlyng Wy●● thou never leave this wawlyng now the devil dost thou thyself behave Shall we ever haue this work thou knave Ihann. ¶ What wife/ howe sayest thou. was it well gest of me That thou wouldest be come home in safete as soon as I had kindled a fire Come warm the sweet tib I the require tib. ¶ O johan johan, I am afraid by this light That I shalbe sore syk this night Ihann. ¶ By cokk{is} soul/ now I dare say a swan That she comes now straight fro sir johan For ever when she hath fatched of him a like Than she comes home/ and saith she is syk tib. ¶ what sayest thou. I. Mary I say It is meet for a woman to go play abroad in the town for an hour or two tib. ¶ well gentleman/ go to go to Ihann. ¶ well let ●o haue no more debate tib. ¶ If he do not fight/ chide/ and rate Brause and fa●e/ as one that were frantyke There is nothing that may him like Ihann. ¶ If that the parish priest sir johan did not se her now and than And give her absolution vpon a bed For wo and pain/ she wolde sone be dead tib. ¶ For godd{is} sake Ihann johan/ do thee not displease Many atyme I am ill at ease what thinkest now/ am not I somewhat syk Ihann. ¶ now wolde to god and sweet saint Dyryk That thou part in the water up to the throat Or in a burning oven read hote To se and I wolde puff the out tib. ¶ now johan johan/ to put the out of doubt Imagyn thou where that I was Before I came home. I. My p●ase Thou wast praying in the church of poules Vpon thy knees for all chrysten souls tib. ¶ Nay. I. ¶ Than if thou wast not so holy show me where thou wast/ and make no lie tib. ¶ truly johan johan we made a pie I and my gossip Margery And our gossip the priest sir johan And my neighbours youngest daughter An The priest paid for the stuff and the making And Margery she paid for the bakyng Ihann. ¶ By kokk{is} sylly wound{is} that same is she That is the most bawd hens to Couentre tib. ¶ What say you. I. ¶ Mary answer me to this Is not sir johan a good man/ yes that he is Ihann. ¶ H● tib/ if I should not grieve thee I haue somewhat whereof I wolde ive the tib. 〈◇〉 Well husband/ now I do conject That thou hast me somewhat in suspect But by my soul/ I never go to sir johan But I finde him like an holy man For either he is saying his devotion Or else he is going in {pre}cessyon Ihann. ¶ Yea round about the bed doth he go you two to gether and no mo And for to fynysshe the {pre}cessyon He lepeth up and thou liest down tib. ¶ What sayest thou. I. Mary I say he doth well For so ought a shepherd to do/ as I hard tell For the salvation of all his fold tib. ¶ johan johan. What is it that thou wolde tib. ¶ By my soul I love the too too And I shall tell the or I further go The pie that was made/ I haue it now here And therwith I trust we shall make good cheer Ihann. ¶ By kokk{is} body that is very happy tib. ¶ But wottest who gave it. I. What the devil rek I tib. ¶ By my faith and I shall say true than The devil take me and it were not sir johan Ihann. ¶ O hold the peas wife/ and swear no more But I beshrew both your hartes therfore tib. ¶ Yet {per}aduenture thou hast suspection Of that that was never thought nor done Tusshe wife/ set all such matters be I love the well though thou love not me But this pie doth now catch harm Let us set it vpon the hearth to worm tib. ¶ Than let us eat it as fast as we can But because sir johan is so honest a man I wolde that he should therof eat his part tib. ¶ That were reason I the ensure Ihann. ¶ Than syns that it is thy pleasure I pray the 〈…〉 And pray him come sup with us to ny●●● Ihann. ¶ Shall and 〈◇〉 hither by kokk{is} soul I was a cursed when that I granted to that word first But syns I haue ●ard it I dare not say nay For than my wife and I should make a fray But when he is come. I swear by godd{is} mother I would give the devil y y●●o●● to carry away y● tother. tib. ¶ What sayest. jo. ¶ Mary be ●s my curate I say My confessor and my friend alway Therfore go thou and seek firm by and by And till thou come again I will ●●pe the pie tib. ¶ Shall I go for him? nay I shrew 〈◇〉 than Go thou and seek as fast as thou can And tell him it. I. ¶ Shall I do so In faith it is not meet for me to go tib. ¶ But thou shalt go tell him for all that Ihann. ¶ Than shall I tell him wottest what That thou desirest him to come make some cheer tib. ¶ Nay that thou desirest him to come sup here Ihann. ¶ Nay by the road wife/ thou shal● haue the worship And the thankes of thy geft that is thy gossip tib. ¶ Full oft I se my hushande will me ●ate For this hither coming of our gentle cu●ate Ihann. ¶ what sayest tib let me here that again tib. ¶ Mary I perceive very plain That thou hast sir johan somewhat insuspect But by my soul as far as I conject He is virtuous and full of charity Ihann. ¶ In faith all the town knoweth better that he Is a hore monger/ a haunter of the ●●ewes An hypocrite/ a knave/ that all men refuse A liar/ a wretch/ a maker of strife Better than they know that thou art my good wife tib. ¶ What is that that thou hast said Ihann. ¶ Mary I wolde haue the table set and laid In this place or that I care not whether tib. ¶ Than go to bring the trestels hither Ihann. ¶ abide a while/ let me put of my gown But yet I am afraid to lay it down For I fear it shalbe sone stolen And yet it may lie safe enough vnstolen It may lie well here and I list But by cokk{is} soul here hath a dog pyst And if I should lay it on the hearth bare It might hap to be burned or I were ware Therfore I pray you take ye the pain To keep my gown till I come again Ihann. ¶ But yet he shall not haue it by my say He is so nere the door he might run away But because that ye be trusty and sure Ye shall keep it and it be your pleasure And because it is arayde at the skyrt while ye do nothing skrape of the dyrt tib. ¶ Lo now am I redy to go to sir johan And bid him come as fast as he can Ihann. ¶ We do so without ony tarrying But I say hark/ thou hast forgot one thing Set up the table/ and that by and by now go thy ways I. ¶ I go shortly But se your candesstykk● be not out of the way tib. ¶ Come again and lay the table I lay What me thynk{is} ye haue sone d●n Ihann. ¶ now I pray god that his malediction light on my wife/ and on the baulde priest tib. ¶ now go thy ways and hye the● seest Ihann. ¶ I pray to Christ/ if my wish be no sin That the priest may break his neck when he comes in tib. ¶ Now cum again. I. What a mischief wilt y● fool tib. ¶ Mary I say bring hither yerder s●ole Ihann. ¶ now go to/ a little wolde make me For to say thus/ a vengeance take the tib. ¶ now go to him and tell him plain That till thou bring him/ thou wilt not come again Ihann. ¶ This pie doth born here as it doth stand tib. ¶ Go wash me these two cups in my hand Ihann. ¶ I go with a mischief light on thy face tib. ¶ Go and bid him hye him a place And the while I shall all things amend Ihann. ¶ This pie burneth here at this end understandest thou. T. ¶ Go thy ways I say Ihann. ¶ I will go now as fast as I may tib. ¶ Now come ones again/ I had forgot look and there be ony ale in the pot Ihann. ¶ now a vengeance and a very mischief light on the pylde prcest/ and on my wife On the pot/ the ale/ and on the table The candyll/ the pie/ and all the table On the trystels and on the s●ole 〈◇〉 as much ado to please a cursed fool tib. ¶ Go thy ways now and tarry no more For I am a hundred very sore Ihann. ¶ Mary I go. ¶ T. but come ones again yet bring hither that bread lest I forget it Ihann. ¶ I wys it were time for to torn The pie for ywrs it doth born tib. ¶ lord howe my husband now doth patter And of the pie still doth clatter Go now and bid him come away I haue bid the an hundred times to day Ihann. ¶ I will not give a straw I tell you plain If that the pie ware cold again tib. ¶ What art thou not gone yet out of this place I had went thou hadst ben come again in the space But by cokk{is} soul and I should do the right I should break thy knaves bead to night Ihann. ¶ Nor than if my wife be set a chydyng It is time for me to go at her byddyng There is a proverb/ which true now preueth He must needs go that the devil driveth ¶ Now master curate may I come in At your chamber door without ony syn ¶ sir johan the priest. ¶ Who is there now that wolde haue me What johan johan/ what news with the Ihann. ¶ Mary sir to tell you shortly My wife and I pray you heartily And eke desire you with all our might That ye wolde come and sup with us to night sir. I. ¶ Ye must pardon me/ in faith I ne can Ihann. ¶ Yes I desire you good sir johan Take pain this ones/ and yet at the lest If ye will do nought at my request Yet do somewhat for the love of my wife sir. I. ¶ I will not go for making of fity●e But I shall tell the what thou shalt do Thou shalt tarry and sup with me or thou go Ihann. ¶ will ye not go than/ why so I pray you tell me/ is there any disdain Or ony enmyte between you twain sir. I. ¶ In faith to tell the between thee and me She is as wife a woman as any may be I know it well/ for I haue had the charge Of her soul/ and serchyd her conscyens at large I never knew her/ but honest and wise Without any yuyll/ or any vice save one faut/ I know in her no more And because I rebuk her/ now and then therfore She is anger with me/ and hath me in hate And yet that that I do/ I do it for your wealth Ihann. ¶ Now god yeld it you/ god master curate And as ye do/ so sand you your health Ywys I am bound to you a pleasure sir. I. ¶ Yet thou thynkyst amiss peradventure That of her body she should not be a good woman But I shall tell the what I haue done johan For that matter/ she and I be sometime aloft And I do lie upon her/ many a time and oft To prove her/ yet could I never spy That ever any/ did wors with her than I Ihann. ¶ sir that is the ●est care I haue of nine Thankyd be god/ and your good doctrine But yf it please you/ tell me the matter And the debate between you and her sir. I. ¶ I shall tell the/ but thou must keep secret Ihann. ¶ As for that sir/ I shall not let sir. I. ¶ I shall tell the now/ the matter plain She is angry with me/ and hath me in dysdayn Because that I/ do her oft intyce To do some penance/ after mine advise Because she/ will never leave her wrawsyng But alway with the/ she is chydyng and brawlyng And therfore I know/ she hatyth me presens Ihann. ¶ Nay in good faith/ saving your reuerens sir. I. ¶ I know very well she hath me in hate Ihann. ¶ Nay/ I dare swear for her master curate Out was I not a very knave I thought surely/ so god me save That he had loved my wife/ for to dyseyue me And now he quytyth himself/ and here I se He doth as much/ as he may for his life To stynk the debate/ between me and my wife sir. I. ¶ If ever she did or though me any ill Now I forgive her with me fre will Therfore johan johan/ now get the home And thank thy wife/ and say I will not come Ihann. ¶ yet let me know now good sir johan Where ye will go to supper than sir. I. ¶ I care not greatly/ and I tell thee On saturday last/ I and .ii. or three Of my friends made an appointment And against this night we did assent That in a place we wolde sup together And one of them said he would bring thether Ale and bread/ and for my parte I said that I wolde give them a pie And there I gave them money for the making And an other said she wolde pay for the bakyng And so we purpose to make good cheer For to drive away care and thought Ihann. ¶ Than I pray you sir tell me here whither should all this gear be brought sir. I. ¶ By my faith and I should not lie It should be delivered to thy wife the pie Ihann. ¶ By god it is at my house standing by the fire sir. I. ¶ Who bespoke that pie/ I the require Ihann. ¶ By my ●●yth and I shall not lie It was my wife and her gossip Margerye And your good masshyp called sir johan And my neighbours youngest daughter An Your masshyp paid for the stuff and making And Margery she paid for the bakyng sir. I. ¶ If thou wilt haue me now/ in faith I will go Ihann. ¶ Ye mary I beseech your massbyp do so My wife tarrieth for none but us twain She thinketh long or I come again sir. I. ¶ Well now if she chide me in thy presens I wylbe content and take in pacyens Ihann. ¶ By cokk{is} soul and she ones chide Or frown/ or sour/ or look aside I shall bring you a staff as much as I may heue Than bete her and spare not/ I give you good leave To chastyce her for her shreude ●arpeng tib. ¶ The devil take thee for thy long tarrying Here is not a whit of water by my gown To wash our hand{is}/ that we might sit down Go and hye thee as fast as a snail And with fair water fill me this pail Ihann. ¶ I thank our lord of his good grace That I can not rest long in a place tib. ¶ Go fetch water I say at a word For it is time the pie were on the board And go with a vengeance/& say thou art prayed sir. I. ¶ A good gossip/ is that well said tib. ¶ Welcome mine own sweet heart We shall make some cheer or we depart Ihann. ¶ Cokk{is} soul/ look howe he approacheth here unto my wife/ this abateth my cheer sir. I. ¶ By god I wolde ye had hard the tryfyls The toys/ the mokkes/ the fables/ and the nyfyls That I made thy husband to believe and think Thou mightest as well in to the earth sink As thou coudest forbear laughing any while tib. ¶ I pray the let me here parte of that wyle sir. I. ¶ Mary I shall tell thee as fast as I can But ●●●s no more/ yonder cometh thy good man Ihann. ¶ Cokk{is} soul what haue we here As far as I saw/ he drew very nere unto my wife. T. What art come so sone give us water to wash now/ haue done ¶ Than he bringeth the pail empty Ihann. ¶ By kockes soul it was even now full to the brynk But it was out again or I could think whereof I marveled by god almight And than I looked between me and the light And I spied a clyfte/ both large and wide To wife/ here it is on the ●one side tib. ¶ why dost not st●p it. I. ¶ why howe shall I do it tib. ¶ Take a ly●●e wax. I. ¶ Howe shal I come to it sir. I. ¶ Mary here be .ii. wax candyls I say which my gossip margery gave me yesterday tib. ¶ Tussht let him alone/ for by the road It is pity to help him or do him good sir. I. ¶ what Ihann Ihann/ canst thou make no shyfte Take this wax and stop ther with the clyfte Ihann. ¶ This wax is as hard as any wire tib. ¶ Thou must chafe it a l; ytle at the fire Ihann. ¶ She the brought the these wax candles twain She is a good companion certain tib. ¶ what was it not my gossip margery sir. I. ¶ Yes she is a blessed woman surely tib. ¶ now wolde god I were as good as she For she is virtuous and full of charity Ihann. ¶ now so god help me/ and by my holydome She is the erranst bawd between this and Rome tib. ¶ What sayest. I. ¶ Mary I chafe the wax And I chafe it so hard that my fingers krakk{is} But take up this py/ that I here 〈◇〉 And it stand longer 〈◇〉 will born tib. ¶ ●● but thou must chief the wax I say Ihann. ¶ bid him sit down I the pray sit down good sir johan I you require tib. ¶ Go I say and chafe the wax by the fire while that we sup/ sir Ihann and I Ihann. ¶ And how now/ what will ye do with the py Shall I not eat therof/ a morsel tib. ¶ Go and chafe the wax, while thou art well And let us haue no more pratyng thus s●r. I. ¶ Benedi●●●. I. ¶ Do●●●●s. tib. ¶ Now go chafe the wax with a myschyfe Ihann. ¶ What I come to bliss the board sweet wife It is my custom now and than much good do it you/ master sir Ihann tib. ¶ To chafe the wax and here no longer tarry Ihann. ¶ And is not this a very purgatory To se folk{is} eat/ and may not eat a byt By kokk{is} soul/ I am a very w●●●●k This pail here/ now vengeance take it Now my wife giveth me a proud mok tib. ¶ what dost. I. ¶ Mary I chafe the wax here And I imagine/ to make you good cheer That a vengeance take you/ both as ye sit For I know well/ I shall not eat a byt But yet in faith/ yf I might eat one morsel I would think the matter went very well sir. I. ¶ gossip Ihann Ihann/ now much good do it you What cheer make you/ there by the fire Ihann. ¶ Master {per}son/ I thank you now I fare well mow/ after mine own desire sir. I. ¶ What dost Ihann Ihann/ I the require Ihann. ¶ I chafe the wax here by the fire tib. ¶ Here in good drink/ and here is a good py sir. I. ¶ We f●r? very well/ thankyd be our lady tib. ¶ look how the kokold chafyth the wax that is hard And for his life/ daryth not look hetherward sir. I. ¶ What doth my gossip. I. ¶ I chafe the wax And I chafe it so hard/ that my fingers krakk{is} And eke the smoke/ putteth out my eyes two I hu●he my face/ and ray my clothye also And yet I dare not say one word And they sit laughing/ yender at the board tib. ¶ Now by my trouth/ it is a pretty ●ape For a wife/ to make her husband her ape look of Ihann Ihann/ which maketh hard shift To chafe the wax/ to stop therwith the clyft Ihann. ¶ Ye that a vengeance/ take ye both two Both him and the/ and the and him also And that ye may choke/ with the same meet At the first mursell/ that ye do eat tib. ¶ Of what thing now dost thou clatter Ihann Ihann/ or whereof dost thou patter Ihann. ¶ I chafe the wax/ and make hard shift To stop her with/ of the payll the ryftt sir. I. ¶ So must he do Ihann Ihann/ by my father kin That is bound of wedlok in the yoke Ihann. ¶ look how the py●d priest crammyth in That would to god/ he might therwith choke tib. ¶ Now master {per}son/ pleasyth your goodness To tell us some tale/ of mirth or sadness For our pastime/ in way of communycacyon sir. I. ¶ I am content to do it/ for our recreacyon And of .iii. miracles I shall to you say Ihann. ¶ What/ must I chafe the wax all day And stand here/ rostyng by the fire sir. I. ¶ Thou must do somewhat at thy wives desire ¶ I know a man which weddyd had a wife As fair a woman/ as ever bare life And within a senyght after/ right sone He went and and se/ and left her alone And tarried there/ about a .vii. year And as he cam home ward/ he had a heavy cheer For it was told him/ that she was in heaven But when that he comen home again was He found his wife/ and with her children seven which she had had/ in the mean space Yet had she not had/ so many by three Yf she had not had the help of me Is not this a miracle/ yf ever were any That this good wife/ should haue children so many Here in this town/ while her husband should be Beyand the se/ in a far contre Ihann. ¶ Now in good foth/ this is a wondrous miracle But for your labour I wolde that your ta●le Were in a sh●●d●●g water well s●d tib. ¶ Peace I say▪ thou sette●● the word of god sir. I. ¶ Another miracle eke I shall you say Of a woman which that many a day Did 〈◇〉 wedded and in all that season She and no child/ no●her daughter nor son wherefore to saint Modwin she went on pilg●image And offered there a sy●●● pig▪ as ●s the usage Of the wyn●s that in London dwell And to 〈◇〉 the virtue therof truly to tell Within a month after right shortly She was delivered of a child as much as I How say you is not this miracle wondrous Ihann. ¶ Yes in good foth 〈◇〉 it is marvelous But surely after mine opynyes That child was neither daughter nor son For certainly and I be not begylde She was delivered of a knave child tib. ¶ Peas I say for godd{is} passion Thou ●e●●est sir Iohans co●u●●ation sir. I. ¶ The thyrde miracle also is this I knew another woman eke▪ wys which was wedded&; within .v. monthis after She was delivered of a fair daughter As well formed in every member& joint And as {per}fyte in every point As though she had gone .v. monthis full to thende Lo here is .v. monthis of advantage Ihann. ¶ A wondrous miracle so god me mend I wolde each wife that is bound in marriage And that is wedded here within this place might haue as quick speed in every such case tib. ¶ forsooth sir johan, yet for all that I haue sene the day that pus my cat Hath had in a year kyttyns eyghtene Ihann. ¶ Ye tib my wife/ and that haue I sene But howe say you sir Ihann/ was it good your pie The devil the morsel/ that therof eat I By the good lord this is a piteous work But now I se well the old proverb is treu The parish priest forgetteth that ever he was clerk But sir Ihann doth not remember you Now I was your clerk/& holp you mass to sing And hysde the hasyn alway at the offering Ye never had half so good a cloth as I But not withstankyng all this now out pie Is eaten up/ there is not left a byt And you two together there do sit eating and drinking at your own desire And I am johan Ihann/ which must grind by the fire Chafyng the wax/ and dare none other wise do sir. I. ¶ And shall we alway sit here still we two that were to much. T. ¶ then rise we out of this place sir. I. ¶ And kys me than in the stede of grace And fare well ●eman and my love so dere Ihann. ¶ Cokk{is} body this wax it waxte cold again here But what shall I anon go to bed And eat nothing neither meate nor breed I haue not be wont to haue such for? tib. ¶ Why were ye not served there as ye ore Chafyng the wax/ standing by the fire Ihann. ¶ Why what meet gave ye me/ I you require sir. I. ¶ wast thou not served/ I pray the heartily Both with the breed/ the ale/ and the pie Ihann. ¶ No sir I had none of that fare. tib. ¶ why were ye not served there as ye ore standing by the fire chafyng the wax Ihann. ¶ Lo here be many tryfyls and knakk{is} By kokk{is} soul they ween I am other 〈…〉 tib. ¶ And had ye no meate johan johan no● ◇〉 Ihann. ¶ No tib my wife/ I had not a whit tib. ¶ what not a morsel. I. No not one byt For hunger I trow I shall fall in a ●●wne sir. I. ¶ O that were pity/ I swear by my crown tib. ¶ But is it true. I. Ye for a surety tib. ¶ Dost thou ly. I. No so mo●e I 〈◇〉. tib. ¶ Hast thou had nothing. I. No not a byt tib. ¶ Hast thou not drunk. I. No not a whit tib. ¶ where wast thou. I. By the fire I did s●ande tib. ¶ what dydyst. I. I chafed this wax in my hand where as I knew of wedded men the pain That they haue/ and yet dare not complain For the smoke/ put out my eyes two I burned my face/ and rayde my clothes also Mendyng the pail/ which to so rotten and old That it will not scant together hold And sith it is so/ and syns that yet wain would give me no meate/ for my suffysaunce By kok{is} soul I will take no longer pain Ye shall do all yourself/ With a very vengeance For me and take thou there thy pail now And yf thou canst mend it let me se how tib. ¶ A whoreson knave hast thou broke my payll Thou shall repent/ by kok{is} sylly nayll reach me my dystaf/ or my clyppyng shery● I shall make the blood con about his e●ys Ihann. ¶ Nay stand still drab/ I say and come no n●re For by kokk{is} blood/ yf thou come here Or yf thou once stir/ toward this place I shall throw this shouyll full of colye in thy face tib. ¶ Ye whoreson dryuyll/ get thee out of my door Ihann. ¶ Nay get thy out of my house/ thou pres{is} bore sir. I. ¶ Thou liest whoreson kokold/ even to thy face Ihann. ¶ And thou liest pyld priest/ withh an evil grace tib. ¶ And thou liest. I. ¶& thou liest▪ sir. ¶& thou liest again Ihann. ¶ By kokk{is} soul whoreson priest/ thou shall be slain Thou hast eat our pie/ and give me nought By kokkes blood it shalbe full dearly bought tib. ¶ At him sir johan/ or else god give the sorrow Ihann. ¶& haue at your hore& these/ saint gro●ge to bo●●● ¶ Here they fight by the ●rys a while& than the priest and the wife go out of the place. Ihann. ¶ A sy●s I haue paid some of them even as I list They haue born/ many a blow with my fist I thank god/ I haue walkyd them well And driven them hens/ but yet can ye tell Whether they be go/ for by god I fear me That they be gon together he and she unto his chamber/ and perhaps she will spite of my hart/ tarry there still And peradventure/ there he and she will make me cokold/ even to anger me And then had I a pig/ in the ●oy●s pany●● Therfore by god/ I will hye me thy d●● To se yf they do me any v●l●●y And thus face well this noble company. ¶ Fins. ¶ Impryntyd by Wyllyam Rastell/ the .xii. day of February the year of our lord. M. ccccc. and .xxxiii. ¶ Cum privilegio.