ore disposed to otherwhat than to her. Becoming, in process of time,
aware of this and seeing herself fair and fresh and feeling herself
buxom and lusty, she began by being sore incensed thereat and came
once and again to unseemly words thereof with her husband, with whom
she was well nigh always at variance. Then, seeing that this might
result rather in her own exhaustion than in the amendment of her
husband's depravity, she said in herself, 'Yonder caitiff forsaketh me
to go of his ribaldries on pattens through the dry, and I will study
to carry others on shipboard through the wet. I took him to husband
and brought him a fine great dowry, knowing him to be a man and
supposing him desireful of that whereunto men are and should be fain;
and had I not believed that he would play the part of a man, I had
never taken him. He knew that I was a woman; why, then, did he take me
to wife, if women were not to his mind? This is not to be suffered.
Were I minded to renounce the world, I should have made myself a nun;
but, if, choosing to live in the world, as I do, I look for delight or
pleasure from yonder fellow, I may belike grow old, expecting in vain,
and whenas I shall be old, I shall in vain repent and bemoan myself of
having wasted my youth, which latter he himself is a very good teacher
and demonstrator how I should solace, showing me by example how I
should delect myself with that wherein he delighteth, more by token
that this were commendable in me, whereas in him it is exceeding
blameworthy, seeing that I should offend against the laws alone,
whereas he offendeth against both law and nature.'

Accordingly, the good lady, having thus bethought herself and belike
more than once, to give effect privily to these considerations,
clapped up an acquaintance with an old woman who showed like Saint
Verdiana, that giveth the serpents to eat, and still went to every
pardoning, beads in hand, nor ever talked of aught but the lives of
the Holy Fathers or of the wounds of St. Francis and was of well nigh
all reputed a saint, and whenas it seemed to her time, frankly
discovered to her her intent. 'Daughter mine,' replied the beldam,
'God who knoweth all knoweth that thou wilt do exceeding well, and if
for nought else, yet shouldst thou do it, thou and every other young
woman, not to lose the time of your youth, for that to whoso hath
understanding, there is no grief like that of having lost one's time.
And what a devil are we women