The Heptameron (Machen)/Day 4: Prologue

​
DAY THE FOURTH.
On the Fourth Day relation is made for the most part of the virtuous patience and long-suffering of women to win theie husbands; and of the prudence used of men towards theie wives for the preserving of the honour of theie houses and lineage.
PROLOGUE.

Oisille, according to her good custom, rose on the morrow a long while before the rest, and meditating on the Holy Scripture, awaited the company, who one by one assembled together. And the slug-a-beds excused thenselves in the words of the Parable, saying: "I have a wife, and therefore I could not come." So Hircan and his wife found the lesson well begun. But Oisille had the wit to search out that place of Scripture reproving them that are negligent to hear the word, and not only read it but made such a goodly and fructifying discourse thereon that it was impossible to weary at the listening to it. The lesson ended, Parlamente said to her: "I was sorry, when I came, to have been so lazy, but since my fault has been the occasion of your speaking to me to such good purpose, my laziness hath profited me double, for I have both given rest to my body and keenness to my mind, the better to hear your godly conversation." "Then for penance," said Oisille, "let us go to mass and pray Our Lord to give us the will and the means to keep His law; and then let Him command us according to His pleasure." As they said these words they came into the church and heard mass with due devotion; and afterwards, when they were at table, Hircan did not forget to laugh at his wife and her laziness. When dinner was finished they went to rest and to study their parts, and at the appointed hour they found themselves at the accustomed place. Oisille asked Hircan to whom he would give his vote to begin the day. "If my wife," said he, "had not begun yesterday's entertainment, I would have given her my vote; for though I have always thought she loved me above all other men, this morning she plainly manifested her love for me that it was greater than that she had for God and his word, inasmuch as she despised your good lesson to the end that she might keep ​me company. So, since I cannot give my vote to the wisest of the whole company, I will give it to the wisest among us men, who is Geburon. But I pray you show the monks no mercy." "It skills not praying," said he, "for they are set so fast in my head that I cannot forget them. And no long while ago I heard a tale told by my lord de St. Vincent, ambassador from the Emperor, which by no means deserves forgetfulness, and therefore I will tell it again."

This article is issued from Wikisource. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.