The Booke of Thenseygnementes and Techynge that the Knyght of the Towre made to his Doughters/Chapter 17
HOW A WOMAN SPRANGE VPON THE TABLE.
N a tyme it happed that Marchauntes of Fraunce cam from certayn Fayres where as they sought Draperye, and as they cam with Marchaundyse fro Roan, that one of them said, “It is a moche fayre thynge a man to haue a wif obeysaunt in alle thynges to her husbond. Verayly," sayde that one, “my wyf obeyeth me well.” And the second said, “I trowe that my wyf obeve me better.” “Ye” sayd the third, “lete laye a wager, that whiche wvf of vs thre that obeyeth best her husbond and doeth sonnest his commaundement, that he wynne the wager.” Wherupon they waged a jewele, and accorded al thre to,the same,.& sworen that none shold aduertyse his wyf of this bargayn, sauf only to saye to her, “ Doo that whiche I shall commaunde what soever it be.” After, when they cam to the first man's hows, he sayd to “Sprynge in to this bacyne And she answerd, “Wherfore? or what nede is it ? And he said, “By cause it playsyth me so, and I wyll that thou do so.” “Truly,” said she, “I shall knowe fyrst wherfor I shal sprynge" and soo she.wold not doo it. And her husbond waxe moche angry and felle and gafe her a buffet. After thys they cam to the second marchauntes hows, and he saide to his wyf lyke as that other saide, that she wold doo his commaundement. And it was not long after that he said to her, “Sprynge in to the basyn." And she demaunded hym wherfore. And at the last ende for ought that he dyde she dyd it not, wherfore she was beten as that other was. Thenne cam, they to the third man's hous, and there was the table couered and mete set theron. And the marchaunt said to thother marchauntes in theyr eres, that after dyner he wold commaunde her to sprynge in to the bacyn. And the husbond said to his wyf, that what someuer he commaunded her she shold do it. His wyf, whiche that moche louyd hym and dred hym, herd wel the word. And it was so that they bygan to ete, and there was no salt vpon the table. And the goode man sayd to his wyf, “Sail sur table.”[1] And the good wyf, which hadde fere to disobey hym, sprang vpon the table and ouerthrewe table, mete, wyn, and plater to the ground. "How!” said the good man, “Is this the manere? Cone ye none other playe but this? Are ye mad, oute of youre wyt?” “Syre,” said she, “I haue done youre coma?dement; haue ye not said youre comaudement shold be done, what somever it was? Certaynly I haue it done to my power, how be it that it is youre harme and hurte as moche as myn. For ye said to me that I shold sprynge on the table.” “I?” said he, “I sayd ther lacked salt vpon the table.” “In good feyth, I vnderstode,” said she, “for to spryng.” Thene was ther laughter ynous, and al was taken for a bourd and a mocquerye. Thenne the other two Marchauntes said it was nonede to late her sprynge in the basyn, for she had done ynough, and that her husbond had wonne the wager. And she was more preised than the other two that wold not do the commaundement of theyr husbondes. For moyen peple chastysen theyr wyues by buffetys and strokes, but gentyls wymmen ought to be chastised by fayre semblaunt and by curtosye that she obeyeth and hath euer doubte to disobeye, leste ony harme come or might happen or falle to her. For the other two wyues obeyed not thir husbondes lyke as the good wyf dyde to the thyrdde marchaunt, whiche for fere of disobeysaunce to her husbond sprange vpon the table and threwe doune alle. And thus ought euery good woman to fere and obeye her lord & husbonde, and to doo his commaundement is hit right or wrong, yf the commaundement be not ouer outrageous. And yf ther be vyce therein she is not to blame, but the blame abydeth vppon her lord and husbonde. And also that she ought not tansuere to euery word of euery husbond ne of other, and that therein is perylle, lyke as was of the knyghtes doughter, that sette her honoure in grete balauncie for to stryue and answere to the hasty squyer that sayd to her vylonye as a foole. For many ben so haultayn and of soo euyll courage, that they saye in hastynesse and hete alle that they knowe & cometh to mouthe. Therfore it is grete peryll to begynne strif, to suche peple, for who soo doth, he set his honoure in grete aduenture, for. many saye in theyr angre more than they knowe, for to auenge them.
- ↑ Sail sur table, Old French for "Salt on the table", but the wife mistook this sentence for "Style sur table", i.e., "Leap onto the table".