He told a frend or two of his 105
What he had in his mynde;
Who went with him into his house,
And when they all had dynde,
"Good wyfe," quoth he, "thes frends of myne
Come hither for your good; 110
There lyes a vayne under your toung,
Must now be letten blood."
Then she began to use hir tearmes,
And rayléd at them fast;
Yet bound they hir for al hir strenth 115
Unto a poaste at laste,
And let hir blood under the toung,
And tho she bled full sore,
Yet did she rayle at them as fast
As ere she raylde before. 120
"Wel then," quoth he, "the faulte I see,
She hath it from her mother;
It is hir teeth infects hir toung,
And it can be noe other;
And since I now doe know the cause, 125
Whatsoever to me befall,
Ile plucke hir teeth out of hir toung,
Perhaps hir toung and all."
And with a payre of pinsers strong
He pluckt a great tooth out, 130
And for to plucke another thence,
He quicklye went about.
But then she held up both her hands,
And did for mercye pray,
Protesting that against his will, 135
She wold not doe nor saye.
Whereat hir husband was right glad,
That she had changde hir mynde,
For from that tyme unto hir death
She proved both good and kynde. 140
Then did he take hir from the poast,
And did unbind hir then;
I wold al shrews were served thus;
Al good wyves say Amen.
[52]. she did or said.
[TITUS ANDRONICUS'S COMPLAINT.]
On the 6th of February, 1593-4, A noble Roman Historye of Tytus Andronicus, was entered in the Stationers' Registers, to John Danter, and also "the ballad thereof." The earliest known edition of Shakespeare's play was in 1600. The differences between this play and the ballad are thus stated by Percy.