For the wise men say that such folk are no more within the law than kine be,
and may not for their deeds be brought before leet or assize any more
than kine. So that if the master punish her not for her misdoings,
unpunished she needs must go; yea even if her deed be mere murder."
"That is sooth," said a somewhat younger man; "yet whiles it fareth ill
with them at the hands of our women. To wit, my father's brother has
even now come from the war to find his thrall all spoilt by his wife:
and what remedy may he have against his wife? his money is gone,
even as if she had houghed his horse or his best cow."
"Yea," said a third, "we were better without such cattle.
A thrust with a sword and all the tale told, were the better
way of dealing with them."
Said another; "Yet are the queens good websters, and, lacking them,
figured cloth of silk would be far-fetched and dear-bought here."
A young man gaily clad, who had been eyeing the speakers disdainfully,
spake next and said: "Fair sirs, ye are speaking like hypocrites,
and as if your lawful wives were here to hearken to you;
whereas ye know well how goodly these thralls be, and that many
of them can be kind enough withal; and ye would think yourselves
but ill bestead if ye might not cheapen such jewels for your money.
Which of you will go to the Cross next Saturday and there buy him
a fairer wife than he can wed out of our lineages? and a wife
withal of whose humours he need take no more account of than
the dullness of his hound or the skittish temper of his mare,
so long as the thong smarts, and the twigs sting.
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