4P Li gç(' TRANSACTIONS

VOL. 47 PT. 5, 1957] ORESME'S VERSION AND ENGLISH TRANSLATION 827
G. Cc est a dire, contre sa volenté et cc monstre ii apres
par .iii. raisons.
7'. Car elle doit creincire mesmement les paroles des
femmes dehors, qui stint a la corruption de l'ame.
G. Se cue souffroit hommes estranges entrer et converser
a l'ostel, ses voisines en parleroient en inal. Et peut
estre que aussi entent it que femmes estranges ni entrent
pas; car ii pourroieflt corrumpre les bonnes meurs de elle
par leur malvés langage.
T. Item, et afin que elle seule sache les choses qui
aviennent dedens la Inaison.
G. Car it convient que toutes les melleurs faicent ou
seuffrent aucunes choses privees. Et tie appartient
(339c) pas que estranges les voient.
T. Item, se aucune chose senestre ou mal a point est
faicte par ceulz qui entrent en la maisnil, le mari a cause
contre sa femme.
G. Cc est assavoir, de la blastiier. Apres it met une
autre regle ou enseignenielit.
T. Item, cc est bon que elle soit dame des despens
que i'en fait as festes et as convis, lesquclies festes on
clespenses le mari seuffre et veult estre faictes.
C. Car comule souvent est dit, elle doit gander et dispenser
les choses de l'ostel au bon plaisir de son mari et a
ses anus. Ft pource que femme est naturelnient tenante,
elle fait les despens plus modesteiiient et le niari est excuse
se la chose tie est plus grande.
T. Item, que die use de despenses et de vestemens et
die apparat mendre que les lays dc Ia cite ne commandent
on scuff rent.
G. Len seult iiiettre lays es cites que teles choses tie
passent certain teriue ou mesure. Et tine bonne femme tie
doit pas proceder siques a celle mesure; car it scnbieroit
que encor passeroit elk oultrc se tie estoit la lay et que die
nioderast cointise et teles choses par contraireté et non pas
de volenté.
T. Et (bit considerer que curiositC de querir vesteinens
differens des autres en excellence de beauté tie
multitude d'or tie fait pas tant a vertu de femme comme
fait modestie et attrcmpance et desir de vie honeste et
composee on bien ordenee.
C. Ii dit multitude d'or car aucuns paremens de fenmies
estoicnt d'or on dorCs. Et de cc fait mention / (339d)
1'Escripture: Cunt ornata fueris monilli aureo, etc.
T. Car chescun tel aournement est elation de corage
et orgueil et se elle s'en garde, elle sera mout plus certame
ciue justes loenges lui seront retribuees a sa
viellece, et a elle et a ses filz.
G. Car se elk excedoit en cointise, it senil)leroit queue
tie lust pas chaste et despenderoit par quoy ses enfans
seroicnt liloinS riches. Ft donques par ccstC moderation
cIte sera moms suspecte a son mar : Confidit in ea cor yin
sui et a ' autres et plus profectable a ses enfans et seront
loés pour Ic bieii de cue. Mes pour cc nc se dolt cue pits
vestir tie tenir villement et connie serve, ines honestenient
et mojennement, scion son estat.
C. That is, against his will. And he now clarifies this
by three arguments.
T. For she must dread especially the gossip of the
women of the neighborhood, which can very well corrupt
the soul.
C. If she were to permit strange mento enter and live
in the house, her female neighbors would spread a scandal.
Possibly he means also that strange women should not be
admitted either, for they might corrupt her with their
evil speech.
T. And also in order that she alone may know what
is happening inside the house.
C. For in the best home,,; it must happen that very
private matters occur or transpire and strangers // (3390
should not be allowed to witness them.
T. If any untoward incident or any harm should
happen because of those who visit the house, the husband
has reason to blame his wife.
C. That is, to complain against her. Next he states
another rule or precept.
T. It is good that she have control of the expenditures
for festivities and banquets which the husband
may permit and approve.
C. As we have frequently said, she should watch over
and spend the household goods according to her husband's
pleasure and that of his friends. And since woman is
naturally parsimonious, she spends more moderately than
her husband and he is excused if his generosity is no
greater.
T. Her expenditures and her dress and ornaments
should be less than the laws of the city stipulate or allow.
C. It is customary to set regulations in cities limiting
such expenditures. And a good wife should not even
approach this limit, since it would be judged that she
would wish to exceed the limit if there were no law and
that her moderation in dress and adornment was actually
against her will and contrary to her desires.
T. And she should remember that eagerness to surpass
other women in the beauty of her apparel or in the
abundance of gold does not so much enhance feminine
virtue as do modesty, temperance, and the desire for an
upright and orderly life.
G. lie says abundance of gold because certain materials
for 'omens clothing were woven with gold or with gilded
thread. And the Scripture makes mention of this: /
(339d) "Although thou deckest thyself with ornaments of
gold, etc." I Jer. 4: 301.
T For such adornments incline her to arrogance
and pride and if she avoids them, she will be much
more certain to receive in her old age, for herself and
for her children, the praise which is her due.
C. For were she too alluring, it would seem that she
WAS not chaste and that she was spending to the detriment
of her children's inheritance. Moreover, her moderation
will render her less suspect to her husband: "The heart of
her husband doth safely trust in lien" [Prov. 31: 11]. And
less suspect also to other people; and she will seem more
precious to her children and they will be praised for her
excellence. However, she should not dress or behave