Ballad Xvi Poem by Christine de Pizan

What are we going to with this jealous
husband? I pray to God that we could just
skin him. He keeps such watch over us
that we cannot come near each other. If
we could only tie him with a filthy rope,
the dirty, vile, villainous man,
disfigured by gout, who angers and annoys
us so much!

If only his body could be strangled by
wolves for what good is he, except to
be a hindrance! What is he good for, this
old man with his cough, except to argue,
grimace, and to spit? Not even the devil
could hold him dear, I hate him, broken,
old and coming apart, who angers and
annoys us so much!

Ha, he deserves to be beaten, the baboon,
who does nothing but spy around his
house! And what a house! Shake him down a
little so that he will go to bed, or make
him go down the stairs without walking!
Give it to him, this villain who lies in
wait for us, who angers and annoys us so
much!