The Metropolitan Posies

[ppfuf]

The Metropolitan Posies are named for a lovely set in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (64.101.1566-1577). Their excellent website has readable color pictures. This grouping of posies is also used on sets of trenchers in the Museum of London (A7382), British Museum (1888,1110.45.b-l and BM 1921,0216.35.b-m), and the Victoria and Albert (6896-1860). Another unlocated set is described and pictured in Domestic Utensils of Wood by Owen Evan-Thomas.

8 of the posies are male-voiced, 2 are female-voiced and the remaining 2 are neutral.  6 posies are anti-woman accusing her of the various sins of dominance, inconstancy, lust, outspokenness, shrewishness, and martial violence. 1 posy is anti-man; his sin is over-spending. 8 posies advise against marriage, and 0 are for marriage

A wife that marries husbands three,
Was never wished for by me;
I would my wife should rather die,
Than for my death to weep or cry.
---
And he that reads this verse even now
May happen to have a lowering sow, --
Those looks are nothing liked so bad,
As is her tongue to make him mad.
---
Ask you your wife if she can tell
Together you in marriage have spent well
And let her speak as she does know
For [twenty] pounds she will say no.
---
I curse his heart that married me,
My wife and I can never agree
A knavish queen, by this I swear
The husband's breeches she thinks to wear.
---
If that a bachelor you be,
Keep you so, still be ruled by me,
Lest that repentance all too late,
Reward you with a broken head.
---
If you are young then marry not yet;
If you are old you have more wit;
For young men's wives will not be taught,
And old men's wives are good for naught.
---
Receive your luck as fortune sends,
For God it is that fortune lends;
Wherefore if you a shrew have got,
Your wife, yourself, it is your lot.
---
Take up your fortune with cheerfulness,
With riches you do fill your lap;
Yet less were better for your store,
Your quiet [mind] should be the more [valuable].
---
This woman may have husbands five,
But never while she is alive;
Yet does she hope so well for to wed;
Give up your hope, it won’t be necessary.
---
You are the most fortunate man alive
Everything does make you thrive
Yet may your wife your master be,
Therefore take thrift and all for me.
---
You have a shrew for your good man,
Perhaps an unthrift, to what then?
Keep him as long as he can live
And at his end his passport give.
---
You might be poor, and what for that?
How if you had neither jacket nor hat?
Your mind may yet so quiet be,
That you may win as much as three.

Comments

I feel that we modernly would name the poesys;

[learnteach.livejournal.com]

If at first you don't succeed
Try try again is stated creed
But if you're eating dainties rare,
It's greedy to gobble without a care.

Matt and Crystal, Crystal and Matt--
One a dog, and one a cat
Taking turns to snap, bite, and chew--
Get a room is what they'll do!

Let Luscious Ysabella's meats between your lips
Or just touch them with your fingertips;
She is an expert at oral meaty pleasure--
And can bring it to all beyond any measure!

MadBaker Chuckslayer Nosepicker no more;
The early period ages to the Rennasaince bore--
His life of turgid drama is often quite naughty
Meaty, in the way of a master of Salumniati.

etc.

[wufmew.livejournal.com]

Awesome