A caricature on the ultimate ineffectualness of chastity belts.  According to information in the scholarly work <i>The Girdle of Chastity</i> by Eric John Dingwall, there were a number of versions, but this specific version of the caricature was published ca. 1590.  The central scene depicts a young wife meekly handing over the key to her chastity belt to her husband, who is about to go on a long journey.  However, the old woman lurking behind the bed has another key, so that the husband is likened to a fool who tries to keep fleas in a basket (shown at right).  The cat and mouse on the floor at lower left are a reminder of the proverb "When the cat's away, the mice will play".  The husband has donkey's ears (ass's ears) on his hat which resemble those of the fool...<br><p>Text above the picture (argument against jealousy in Dutch):<br></p>
<dl><dd>Wie jalours syn wil die siet vry my</dd>
<dd>Want hier meucht ghy sien wat die jaloursheyt sy</dd>
<dd>Daerom vorhaer wilt U wachten ghy</dd>
<dd>Want al hebt ghy een vrouken schoon en gracieux daer by</dd>
<dd>En wilt U daerom in geen jaloursheyt begeuen</dd>
<dd>Want ghy maeckt U selven maer suer het leuen</dd>
<dd>Maer wilt U vroukens het heure gheuen</dd>
<dd>Soo meucht ghy onbevreest met heur in vreuchden leuen</dd></dl><p>Text below the picture (narrative description in German dialect):<br></p>
<dl><dd>Wer Eÿfferen wil der schaw hie an.</dd>
<dd>Wie es geht fast ein jedern Mann.</dd>
<dd>Ich sag für war füer Frawen list.</dd>
<dd>Uff Erden nichts verborgen ist.</dd>
<dd>Es hatt ein Mann ein Fräwlein schon.</dd>
<dd>Der hatt ein reis genommen an.</dd>
<dd>Die weil er aber ein eifferer war.</dd>
<dd>Macht er ein Bruch von eisen gar.</dd></dl><dl><dd>Darmitt er fromm behielt sein Weib.</dd>
<dd>Zog er das ihr an ihren Leÿb.</dd>
<dd>Und heing ein starckes schlos darfür.</dd>
<dd>Das niemand öffnen soltt die theür.</dd>
<dd>Nam aüch den schlüssel und zog hin.</dd>
<dd>Das Weib stach bald und eselt ihm.</dd>
<dd>Diweil ein alt Weÿb hinderm Bett.</dd>
<dd>Zum Schlos ein andern Schlüssell hett.</dd></dl><hr><p>Previously attributed to one of the members of the Wierix family. The print is unsigned (three copies cited by M.-H). An impression in Wolfenbüttel measures 19.4 x 23.7 cm and is signed.
</p><p>This version is possibly a copy.
</p>
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A woman cheating on her husband; a naked woman with a chastity belt sits on a bed with her foot on a chest and offers a key to a finely attired man with fool's ears; two figures observe the scene from the shadows, a man and an older woman, the man kneeling and the woman holding another key; a fool empties a sheet of lice(?) into a basket; a satire
<bdi><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1599335" class="extiw" title="d:Q1599335"><span title="Swiss author, copperplate engraver and woodcutter">Heinrich Wirri</span></a>
</bdi>
circa 1590 <div style="display: none;">date QS:P,+1590-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902</div>
British Museum:  online database:  entry  <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1523832&amp;partId=1">1523832</a>