The second tome of homilies of such matters as were promised, and entitled in…The second tome of homilees of such matters as were promised, and intituled in…

Now as concerning the wives duty. What shall become her? shall she abuse the gentleness and humanity of her husband? and at her pleasure, turn all things upside down? No surely. For that is far repugnant against gods commandment. For thus doth Saint Peter preach to them: Ye wives, be ¹ye in subjection to obey your own husband. To obey, is another thing then to control or command. Which yet they may do to their children, and to their family. But as for their husbands, them must they obey, and cease from commanding, and perform subjection. For this surely doth nourish concord very much, when the wife is ready at hand, at her husbands commandment, when she will apply her self to his will, when she endeavoureth her self to seek his contentation, and to do him pleasure, when she will eschew we all things that might offend him. For thus will most truly be verified the saying of the Poet: A good wife by obeying her husband, shall bear the rule, so that he shall have a delight and a gladness, the sooner at all times to return ⟨p. 483⟩home to her. But on the contrary part, when the wives be stubborn, froward, and malapert, their husbands are compelled thereby to abhor and flee from their own houses, even as they should have battle with their enemies. Howbeit, it can scantly be, but that some offences shall sometime chance betwixt them: For no man doth live without fault, specially for that the woman is the more frail party. Therefore let them beware that they stand not in their faults and wilfulness: but rather let them acknowledge their follies, and say: My husband, so it is, that by my anger I was compelled to do this or that, forgive it me, and hereafter I will take better heed. Thus ought the women the more readily to do, the more they be ready to offend. And they shall not do this only to avoid strife and debate: but rather in the respect of the commandment of God, as Saint Paul expresseth it in this form of words: Let women be subject to their husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband ²is the head of the woman, as Christ is the head of the Church. Here you understand, that God hath commanded that ye should acknowledge the authority of the husband, and refer to him the honour of obedience.

Nowe as concernyng the wyues duetie. What shall become her? shall she abuse the gentlenes and humanitie of her husbande? and at her pleasure, turne all thynges vpsyde downe? No surely. For that is farre repugnaunt agaynst gods commaundement. For thus doth Saint Peter preache to them: Ye wyues, be