not fede them ne may not ete of the good pasture That is to saye that ye be lord of the parysshe in whiche ye dwelle And ye haue distourbled and lette the good peple and parisshens for to lere the seruyse of god which is good pasture refresshyng of the spyrituel lyf of the sowle by cause of youre latchesse and youre long reste And the hornes that ye haue ben the braunches of youre synnes whiche ben moche grete And in especiall of the grete synnes that ye haue done in lettyng other fro the benefete and the seruyce of god whiche ye may not amende but by greete penauÌ„ce and tormente And therfore the vengeauÌ„ce of the wrong that ye haue done is shewed to yow that ye shall be tormentyd and huÌ„nted of the fendes of helle And at the last ye shalle be taken and slayn by the very huntyng of deuyls lyke as it was shewed to yow by youre aduysyon And I say you certaynly that it hadde ben lasse synne an honderd ageynst one that ye had herde no masse than for to take fro the good peple ne fro the preest their deuocion for when he abode ouer long he was angry synned in the synne of wrathe and the good peple also of whome somme wente to tauerne And other lost their deuocion and alle good charyte And all the synnes and euyls comen of yow by youre slouthe wherof ye shall gyue a rekenyng perauenter hasâ—lyer than ye wene For ye shalle be hunted and put to doth lyke as ye haue sene in youre aduysyon That is to say that ye ben in the wey to be dampned yf ye put not therto remedye Thenne the knyght was moche abasshed and demaunded of hym couÌ„ceil how he myght doo Thenne the hooly man said that he shold thre sondayes kneâ—e to fore his parisshens and crye them mercy and praye them to pardone hym And that they wold praye to god for hym and his wyf also And from thenne forthon they wold be the first to fore other at the Chirche and there he confessid hym to the heremyte And he gafe to hym that penaunce and other And fro than forthon he chastysed hym self And he and his wyf thanked oure lord that he vouchesauf to shewe to them this demonstrauÌ„ce And I saye yow that fro than forthon they were the first that cam to the chirche And also the hooly heremyte said to the preest and declared to hym his vision and tolde hym that god ought to be more drad and serued than the world And therfore my faire doughters take herby a good ensample that for your plaisire ye cause none to lese their masse ne theyr deuocion for your slouthe and neclygence For it were better that ye herd none And I wolde wel that ye shold knowe and lerne thensample of a lady that spended the fourthe parte of the daye for to araye her Of a lady that dispended the fourthe parte of the day for to araye her capitulo xxx tHer was a lady whiche had her lodgyng by the chirche And she was alweye acustomed for to be long to araye her And to make her fresshe and gay in so moche that it annoyed and greued moche the parson of the Chirche and the parysshens And it happed on a sonday that she was so long that she sente to the preest that he shold tarye for her lyke as she had ben acustomed And it was thenne ferforthe on the day And it annoyed the peple And there were somme that said how is â—it shall not this lady this day be pynned ne wel besene in a Myrroure And somme said softely god sende to her an euyll syght in her myrroure that causeth vs this day â— and so oftymes to muse to abyde for her theÌ„ne as it plesyd god for an ensample as she loked in the Myrroure she sawe therin the fende whiche shewed to her his hynder parte so fowle and horryble that the lady wente oute of her wytte and was al ceâ—onyak a long tyme and after god sente to her helthe And after she was not so long in arayeng but thanked god that had so suffred her to be chastysed And therfore this is a good ensample how me ought not to be so long for to apparayle ne to make her gaye as for to lese the seruyse of the masse ne to make other to lese the seruyce of god How god sprange in to the mouthe of a hooly lady capo. xxxjo. nOw I shalle telle yow vpon this matere of a good lady whiche was hooly of lyf and moche loued god his seruyse And that day that she herd no masse she ere neither flesshe ne fysshe so euyll at ease was she at her herte So it happed on a tyme that her chappellayn was in suche wyse seke that he myght not synge masse The good lady was not wel at ease att her herte by cause she had lost her seruyse And walked out of her Castel sayenge O good lorde forgete vs not but plese hit the to pourueye to vs that we may here the holy seruyce and in sayeng these wordes she sawe two freres of relygyon comyng of whom she had grete ioye And anone she demauÌ„ded yf they had said masse And they said nay And she desyred them to synge And they saide gladly yf it please god And when the good lady herd that she thanked god And the yonger songe first And thenne whan he had made thre pyeces of the sacrament the olde frere beheld it And sawe one of the partes spryng in to the mouthe of the good lady in maner of a lytel bryght clerenes The yonge frere loked all aboute where hit was become And that other trembled for fere and sorowe of his felawe And cam to hym and sayd that he sholde not be dismayed For that he sought was in the mouthe of the good lady· Thenne was he wel assured and thanked god of the myracle that thus happed to this good lady that so moche louyd the seruyse of god Loo my faire doughters· this is a good ensample for you certayn They that loue god in his seruyse god loueth them as it is shewed appertely by this good lady whiche had so grete desyre to see hym and here his seruyse as afore is said Of a Countesse that euery day herd thre masses capitulo xxxij I Wolde that ye sholde wel reteyne an ensample of a good lady a Countesse whiche euery day wolde here thre masses And on a tyme she wente a pylgremage· And hit happed of her Chappellayns to falle of an hors to therthe so that he was so hurte that he myght not saye masse The lady was at ouer a grete meschyef for to lose one of her masses And she complayned deuoutely to god And anone god sente to her an Angel in stede of a preest whiche songe the third masse but when he had songen and was vnreuested it was not knowen where he bicam for ony serche that they couthe make
Thenne thought the good lady that god hadde sente hym to her And thanked hym moche humbly and this is a faire Ensample how god purueyeth to them that haue deuocion in hym and in his seruyce But I trowe that ther ben many ladyes at this day that passe wel with lasse than thre masses For it suffyseth them ynowe of one masse only soo lyteâ—l loue and deuocion haue they in god in his seruyce Foâ— in herynge of his seruyse his propte persone fonde hym For who someuer loueth and dredeth hym he wyl oft see hym and here his hooly word And in lyke wyse the contrary For he that hath not wel set his hert to hym ward he passeth lyghtely as many doo in thise dayes whiche haue their herte more set on the world and on the delyte of the flesshe than on god Of a yong amorouse lady and of an esquyer Capitulo xxxiij I Shalle telle to yow an Ensample of a yong lady whiche had sette her hert on the world And vnto her repayred a squyer whiche was Ioly and amourous on her And she ne hated hym not And more for to haue ease and delyte for to speke and bourde to geder she made her lord and husbond to bileue that she had auowed to go a pylgremage her husbond whiche was a good man suffred her by cause he wold not displease her and so it happed on a tyme that she and this squyer went a pylgremage vnto a monastery of oure lady And they were in grete plaisire on the way for to speke to geder For they entended wel other thynges than to saye theyr matyns And they had grete playsyre and delyte on the wey wherof it happed that when they were comen in to the chirche and were in the myddel of the masse the fowle fende whiche is alwey in a wayte tenflamme tempte man and woman helde them so subget in this temptacion and fowle plaisire that they had theyr eyen and plesaunces more to beholde eche other and to make smale signes and tokenes of loue than they bad in the dyuyne seruyse or for to saye deuoutely theyr prayers And soo it happed by open myracle that soo grete a maladye tooke the said lady that sodenly she swouned And they knewe not whether she was dede or a lyue And so she was born thennes in mennes armes in to the towne as a dede body And her husbonde and frendes were sente fore whiche were moche sorowfull of this aduenture And they beheld hyr and wisâ— not whether she wold dye or lyue Thenne it happed that the lady whiche was in grete payne sawe a merueylous aduysyon for her semed that she sawe her fader and moder whiche had ben dede long to fore her moder shewed to her her brest sayeng Fayre doughter loo here thy noreture loue and honoure thy husbond and lord as thou dydest this brest that gaf the to sowke Sythe that the Chirche hath gyuen hym to the· And after her fader sayd to her Fair doughter why hast thou more plesaunce and gretter loue to other than to thyn owne lord and husbond Beholde this pytte that is beside the And know thou for certayn yf thou falle in this fire of euyll hete that thou shalt abyde therin And thenne she loked and sawe a pytte ful of fyre so nyghe to her that almoost she had fallen therin And she was thenne all effrayed And after this her fader and moder shewed to her wel an honderd preestes reuested al in whyte And the fader and moder said to her Fair doughter we thanke the by cause that thou hast reuested this folke here And after that her semed that she sawe thymage of oure lady holdyng a Cote and a sherte and sayd to her This Cote and this sherte kepe the fro fallyng in this pytte Thou hast defowled my how 's and mocked it And in this effraye she awoke and gaf a grete syghe· And thenne had her lord her frendes grete ioye and sawe well that she was not deed And this lady felt her self al wery and feble of the aduysyon drede of the fyre and of the flamme of the pytte in whiche she was almoost falle And she demaunded to haue a preest And anon was fette to her an hooly man a relygyous whiche was a grete Clerke and ware the hayre and lyued an hooly lyf And to hym she confessid her and tolde to hym all her aduysyons and the grete drede that she had to falle in to the pyt And there she tolde to hym all her synnes her yong wantoun lyf And the holy man declared to her hir aduysyon said to her in this wyse Yet of the same Capitulo xxxxiiij dAme ye ben moche beholdynge to god and to his swete moder whiche wylle not haue yow dampned ne the perdicion of youre sowle But they shewe to yow youre perylle and youre saluacion First they haue shewed to yow youre fader and moder And youre moder said to yow Fayre doughter see the breestes of whiche thou hast taken thyn noreture loue honoure thy husbond lyke as thou hast done these brestes That is to vnderstonde ye ought to loue fere hym like as ye loued the pappes of youre moder ther ye took youre norysshynge And like as the childe leueth alle thynges for loue of the 〈◊〉 for the swetenes of the mylke wherof he taketh his foode ryght so ought euery good woman next god and his hooly lawe loue her husbond aboue al other and leue all other loues for hym In lyke wyse as oure lord saith with his hooly mouthe that a man shold leue fader moder suster broder abyde with his wyf with wyf her husbonde that they be not tweyne but one flessh that god hath ioyned man may not departe also where he said that youre moder saide ye tooke youre noreture in her pappes your welthe that is to say yf ye loue youre husbond aboue al other thenne shall your noreture growe encrece from day to day like as the child groweth by his noreture of the pappe by the sâ—ettenes of the mylke which signyfyeth the grete swetenes the 〈◊〉 the loue that ouÈt to be in trewe mariage the grace of god duâ—lleth in them After your fader said faire douÈter why hast thou more gretter loue plaisauÌ„ce to other than to thyn husbond beholde the pitte that is beside the knowe thou verily yf thou fall in the pitte with grete hete that thou shalt be lost therin that is to saye that if thou loue more another than thy lord thou shalt fall in to the pyt where ye shal be brent broiled for the delyte of euil plaisauÌ„ce euyll hete And therfore he shewed to yow the pytte of fire of hete And the vengeauÌ„ce the pugnycion that behoueth to ensue for this delite the hete of the folissh plaisauÌ„ce After he shewed to you the prestes in white said that ye
he fonde not that tale whiche his men had told hym of her trewe And so her pryde and ouermoche langage was cause of her dethe â— And therfor this ensample is very good to euery woman to see how she ought to be meke and humble and curtois in gyuyng ony answere ageynst the yre and wrathe of her lord For the wyse Salamon sayth that by curtosye and by swete langage ought the good wymmen to refreyne the yre wrathe of their lord For the lord of right ought to haue aboue his wyf the hyghe talkyng be it ryÈt or wrong specially in his yre wrath bifore ony folk but as his wrath is gone she may wel shewe to hym that he had no cause so to do so she shal euer hold the loue and pees of her lord and of all her how 's neyther she shalle not make her self to be blamed ne to be bete ne slayne by her lord as dyd the wyf of kynge Herodes Of the quene Vastis Capitulo lxiiij I Shal telle you another ensample of a quene that was named vastys She was wyf to the kynge Assuerus It befelle that the kynge held a feste with his barons and there were alle the grete lordes of his londe They satte att dyner in a hall and the quene in another And whanne the barons had dyned they prayd the kynge that he wold vouchesauf to shewe them the quene whiche was merueyllously fayr The kynge sente for her ones twyes and thryes but neuer she daygned to come wherof the kynge had grete shame and demaunded of his barons counceylle what therof he myght best do And suche was the counceylle gyuen that is to wete that he shold put her fro hym and made her to be lockked shette bitwene two wallys that euery other shold take therby ensample to be better obedyent to theyr lord than she was And so after theyr counceyll dyde the kyng his wyf to be mured and herof he made a lawe that fro thens forthon al wymmen that shold of ony thyng wythsaye be disobebedyent to her lord seynge that it be resonable that she shold be a yere within two wallys and with litil mete and drynke for her defaute And as yet they kepe and hold that custome in that londe The quene that sawe her put in mewe was sore ashamed wepte and sorowed moche but it was to late For notwithstondynge her mournynge and lamentacion she was putte in pryson as aboue is sayd where she was a yere Therfore wel ye ought to take here good ensample For specially before folke ye ought to doo the commaundment of your lord and obeysshe and bere hym honour and euer shewe hym semblauÌ„t of loue yf ye wylle haue the loue of hym and of the world But I saye not as ye shalle be pryuely and allone one by other but that ye may eslargysshe your self to say or do your wylle after the best wyse that ye maye and after ye knowe his maners I shall telle yow thensample of the lyon of his propryete As the lyonesse that is to vnderstond the female of the lyon hath done the lyon ony faute or despyte he shalle not go with her but fro her shalle kepe hym self one daye and a nyght And soo sheweth he his lordship and seygnorye that he hath ouer the lyonesse This ensample is fair prouffitable to all wymmen consyderynge how a sauage and wyld beest and withoute reason and that dothe but as nature enclyneth her maketh her self to be drawe and doubted of felawe Of a man and of his wyf capitulo lxv aNd yet I shalle telle yow another ensample vpon this matere There was one Amon whiche was the kynges Seneschal and came of nought and lowe degree He bicame thorugh his seruyse moche ryche and bought londes and possessions and gouerned and had as vnder hym almost the half of the reame And whanne he sawe hym so ryche And that he was bicome so grete a lord he wexyd bicame ouer proude and felon and presumptuous· and wold that men sholde knele bifore hym and that euery one shold bere vnto hym honour and reuerence It befelle that one Mardocheus that was a noble man which had nourysshed the noble quene Hester whiche was a good lady and trewe was aboue al other displeasyd of the pryde and presumpcion of the sayd Amon whiche come of nought therfor she daygned not to bere hym ony reuerence ne knele bifore hym as other dyd wherfor he bicame as a fole and almost oute of his wytte for angre and therof dyd complayne hym self to his wyf And his wyf that of so hyhe courage was and as proude was as he counceylled hym that he shold make a gallowes to be sette dressyd bifore his place and that he shold make hym and his wyf to be taken and honged theron to grete meschyef And that he shold accuse them of some grete treason and falshede And whanne he was take and the gallowes dressyd the frendes of mardocheus wente anone rennynge to the quene Hester and tolde her how Aaman wold make hym to be hanged that had nourysshed her And anone the quene made to be sent for Aaman he came and she had hym tofore the kynge Where as trouthe of the fayte or dede was dylygently Inquyred and knowen In so moche that it was fouÌ„de that Mardocheus was accused by the accusacion of Aaman was nothynge gylty And that suche treason he had putte on hym was by enuy theÌ„ne the good and noble quene Hester kneled bifore her lord the kynge and requyred and prayd hym that suche Iustyce shold be made of Aaman the Seneschalle as he wolde it had be done of Mardocheus and of his wyf And that he shold be hanged at the yate of his place to shewe that falsly by enuy he had accused Mardocheus of treson And as the good quene dyde requyre her lord so was hit done Thus was hanged Aaman by his grete pryde and surâ—uedrye And by the counceylle of his wyf Wherfore grete folye is to a man come fro lowe degree to Worship and grete estate to become and wexe prowde and surquydous for erthely good that he hath gadred amassed and to myspryse ony other but yf he be wyse he ought hym self shewe to euery one meke and humble to th ende he may falle in the grace and welwyllynge of alle folke and that none may haue enuye ouer hym For comynly men haue more enuye ouer them that ben come of nought to grete worship than of them that ben come of ryche and noble folke and of Auncestrye The wyf of Aaman was not wyse whanne she sawe the yre wrathe of her lorde to susteyne hym in his folye for euery good woman wyse ought by fayr and curtoys spekynge put aweye yf she may the yre and Wrathe of her lorde specially Whan she seeth hym meued and be Wyllynge to do somme euylle or somme shameful dede Wherof
his fals tongue she saued hym also And thus this good lady amended euer his folye wherof she may be wel preysed Therfore ye haue here good ensample how euery good woman must suffre of her lord and ought to answere for hym ouer al al be he neuer so yrous ne cruel to her and saue and kepe hym fro all peryls I wolde ye wyst thexample of a good lady wyf vnto a Senatour of Rome as it is conteyned in the cronykles of the Romayns This Senatour was Ialous of his wyf withoute ony cause and was euylle and cruell to her Hit befelle that he accused one of treason the whiche anone casted his gage of bataylle vnto hym sayenge that wrongly he accused hym The day cam that they shold Iouste that one ageynst the other The Senatour was aferd and durst not come and sent word to the Senate how he was seke and that he shold sende one to Iouste for hym but he coude none fynde Wherfore the valyaunt lady his wyf that sawe the cowardnesse of her lord and the shame comynge to hym wente and armed her self cam to the felde And by cause god sawe her bounte and that she dyd her deuoyr he gaf her force and strengthe in soo moche that she obteyned the vyctory And whanne the Ioustynge was fynysshed themperour wold knowe who was the champyon of the Senatour wherfor the good ladyes helme was vnlocked and soo she was knowen wherfor themperour and alle they of the toune bare vnto her fro thens forthon gretter honour than they were wont to doo And therfor is here good ensample how euery good woman must humbly suffre of her lord that whiche she maye not amende For she that more suffreth of her lord withoute makynge therof no resemblaunt receyueth therof more worship x tymes than she that hath no cause to suffre of hym or that wyll not suffre nothyng of hym As Salamon sayth whiche moche wel spake of wymmen preysyng the one and blamynge the other How the good woman ought to pease the yre of her husbond whanne she seeth hym wrothe Capitulo lxxxxij aNother ensample I wylle reherce and shewe vnto you of one of the wyues of kynge dauyd how she peased the yre of her lord Ye haue well herd telle how amon despuceled his suster And how Absalon venged this shame and made hym to be put to dethe wherfor he fledde oute of the lÌ„and by cause the kynge dauyd wold haue hym to be slayne but this good lady gate hym his pees For so many good reasons she shewed to her lord that he graunted his grace and pardon and yet she was not his moder but only wyf of his fader but she kepte her lord in loue and his childâ—â—n also as a good lady that she was And so ought to doo euery good woman For gretter semblaunt of loue she may not shewe to her lord than to loue his children whiche ben goten of other wymmâ—n And soo doynge she worshippeth her self And atte last may come therof but good to her as dyd to this good lady For whanne the kyng was dede somme wold haue taken her ryght fro her but Absalon wold not suffre hit And sayd before them alle how be it that she be not my moder yet euer she loued me and many tyme she hath Impetred my pees toward the kynge my fader wherfor I shalle not suffre that she ony thynge lese of her ryght And therfore here is a good ensample how euery good woman ought to bere worship and loue her lordis children and his parentes Thexample of the Quene Saba and of the kynge Salamon Capitulo lxxxxiij I Shalle telle yow another ensample of the quene Saba whiche was a moche good lady and wyse the whiche cam fro oryent in to Ierusalem for to demaunde aske counceylle of the kynge Salamon and she loste not her waye For she had of hym good counceylle of the whiche wel it happed to her Therfore ye ought to take here good ensample For euery good lady oughte to châ—se a good and trewe man and also wyse of her lygnage or els of other and hold and kepe hym in loue and frendship of whome she may take counceylle of that she hath to doo And yf she falle in plâ—e or in ony contempte the good and wyse man shalle amodere hit And shalle make her to haue her ryght withoute grete costes and expenses And euer therof cometh somme good As did to the good quene Sa ba that fro so ferre came to haue counceylle of the kynge Salamon Yet wold I ye wyst thexample of an Emperour of Rome This emperour was seke and lay in the bedde of dethe Euery one of the lordes and Senatours for to please hym sayd to hym that he shold soone be hole yf he coude swette But ony frend that he had spake to hym noothyng of the prouffyte and saluacion of his sowle There was there with hym one his chamberlayne whiche he had nourysshed and brought vp of his yongthe This chamberlayne sawe wel that his lord couthe not scape fro dethe And how all they that were there sayd nought but for to please hym wherfor he cam to hym and sayd Syre how fele yow your herte And themperour ansuerd to hym Sore and feble is my hert Thenne beganne the chamberlayn to saye moche humbly Syre god hath gyuen to yow in this world alle worship honour And also grete quantite of worldly goodes wherfor ye must thanke hym and ye shal doo wel And of suche goodes as god hath sente to yow ye must ordeyne and departe to the poure folke a parte of them In suche wyse that he haue no cause to repreue yow therof whanne themperour had herd hym He was wel pleased with hym that he had so sayd and sayd two wordes More worthe is the frend whiche prycketh than the flaterynge frend whiche enoynteth Thus he spak by cause that his other frendes had spoken to hym of bodyly helthe only for to please hym but the same spake to hym of the saluacion of his sowle for who that loueth the body of very loue ought in especiall to loue the sowle And none oughte to cele or hyde nothynge fro his frend yf it be his prouffyte and honour And for loue ne for hate of ony body he ought not to counceylle hym but trewely after his power as a good and trewe frend shold doo and not flatere hym ne make the placebo As dyd the frendes of themperour whiche knewe wel that he coude not scape fro dethe and durste not saye ne shewe vnto hym the prouffyte of his soule the which his trewe frend and pouer chamberlayne putte in the waye of saluacion For themperour byleuyd hym and gaf and departed largely of his goodes to the poure for the loue of god How it is good to aqueynte hym self with holy men Capitulo lxxxxiiij aNother ensample I shalle telle yow of a moche good and trewe woman the whiche had
a trewe man to her lord and moche symple This good lady was moche charytable and loued moche holy men In the partyes of Iherusalem was that tyme a prophete whiche was named Helyseus This good lady had grete deuocion toward this hooly man and proâ—hete and prayd hym to come and be herberowed with her lord in her how 's They dyde anone make a chaÌ„bre redy for hym there as the sayd hooly prophete wered the hayre and made his prayers and had his afflyctions solytayrly and secretely This good lady thenne myght haue no children of her lord wherof she made her complaynt to the prophete but this holy man at her request prayd god soo longe that they had a sone merueyllously fayre whiche lyued wel xv yere and deyde in the chambre of this holy prophete And whanne this good lady sawe her sone dede she was fulle of sorowe and wente so ferre aboute the countrey that she fonde and mette with the forsayd Helyseus And whanne she had founde hym she had hym to the chambre and shewed to hym the child whiche was dede sayeng to hym in this manere Ha a holy prophete and good man this is the child whiche god sente me thurgh your prayer the whiche was al my ioye and my sustenaunce I pray yow that to hym ye wylle make your prayer and oryson that it please hym to restore hym his lyf ageyne or els to take me with hym For I wylle not abyde after hym Helyseus thenne whiche had pyte of the woman prayd god for the child and god gaf hym his lyf ageyne and lyued longe tyme after that and was an holy man by the whiche ensample my fayr doughters ye may see and knowe how good hit is to be knowen and aqueynted with holy men As this good lady was whiche myght haue no children but at the prayer of the holy man Helyseus of whome she was aqueynted she had a fayr sone whiche god resuscited at his prayer also And for certayne god is yet at this daye as myghty and debonayre as he was at that tyme to them that deseruen it These be they whiche put them in payne â—o haue an humble and meke herte Therfor men ought to kepe the felauship of the good and holy men whiche vsen holy lyf byleue them For al good may therof come as dyd to the sayd lady How no woman ought to chyden or brawle with folk whiche ben braynles Capitulo lxxxxv I Shalle reherâ—e and telle vnto yow another ensample of a lady whiche was named Sarra of the whiche ye haue wel herd to fore how she had seuen husbondes the whiche al seuen the deuylle slewe by cause they wold haue vsed her in vntrewe maryage And also how her godsep repreued her of that none of her husbondes myght abyde with her But the good lady that sawe that this foole wold chyde with her sayd moche humbly and as sage and wyse Fayre frend to the neyther to me apperteyneth not to speke of the Iugementes of god and nothynge more she sayd to her She resembled not to the doughter of a Senatour of Rome whiche was so felon so hyghe of herte that she dyd chyde in playn strete with one of her neyghbours And so moche grewe went vp her wordes that the other sayd to her that she was not hole ne clene of body wherof befelle that this word wente so fer were it trouthe or lesynge that she therby lost her maryage Therfor it is grete folye to euery woman to chyde ne ansuere folkes 〈…〉 fooles and cruels of theyr tongue wherof I shalle 〈…〉 an ensample that I sawe of a gentyll womaÌ„ that braâ—◠〈…〉 a man that had an euylle heed I sayd vnto her 〈…〉 I praye yow that ye answere not this foole For he 〈…〉 shapen to saye more euylle than good She wold not byleu◠〈◊〉 but chyd more than she dyd to fore sayenge to hym that he was nought And he ansuerd to her that he was as good for a man as she was for a woman And so ferforth wente theyr wordes that he sayd for certayne he wyste and knewe wel a man that dyd kysse her bothe daye and nyght whanne that he wold And thenne I called her a syde and told her that it was but folye to take hedâ— to the wordes of a foole and to answere and speke with hym The wordes were foule and dishonest and herd of many one wherfore she was diffamed And by her brawlyng she dyd do knowe to many one that whiche they wyst ne knewe not She resembled not to the wyse Sarra whiche made no grete ansuere to the wordes of her godsep For otherwhyle one put hym self fro his good ryght by his owne wordes in to grete wronge And also dishonest thynge is to ony gentylle womaÌ„ to braule with ony man wherfor I shalle telle yow thexample of the propriete of certayne beestes Loke and behold these grete dogges that men calle mastyns they shalle barke and shewe theyr tethe but a gentylle dogge shalle not do so And also in lyke wyse shold be of the gentylle men and wymmen wherfore I shalle reherce to yow thexample of themperour of Constantynople whiche was a man moche felon and cruel but neuer he chydde to no body It byfell ones that he founde his two doughters chydynge and brawlynge to gyder wherfore he wold bete them but the quene wente bytwene hym them And thenne sayd themperour that none gentyll herte shold neuer chyde ne say ony vylony For by the courage and herte ben the gentylmen knowen fro the other For he is a chorle and a vylayne that of his mouthe sayth ony vylonye And therfore they that haue pacyence and saye no vylonye shewen theyr gentyll courage and noblesse And for certayne oftyme hit befelle that one fowle word spoken engendreth other suche wordes whiche afterward bereth shame and dishonour And therfore my fayre doughters take ye here good ensample For the foole whiche is of hyghe courage shalle saye moche euylle and thynges that neuer were thouÈt for to auenge his grete yre And also ought wel euery good woman to kepe her self that she nothynge ansuere to her lord before the folke for many causes For in holdynge her pees she may haue and receyue but grete worship And yf she answere hym she shalle haue the euylle wylle of her husbond wherof no goood may come to her but grete shame and dishonour How no good woman ought to ansuere to her husbond whanne he is wrothe Capitulo lxxxxvj geteth his seruauntes socoured and helped her And maade danyel the prophete whiche as tho was but of fyue yere of age to come forth the whiche cryed with a hyghe voyce sayeng thus ye Iuges of Israel that is to say the peple of god lette not the trewe blood and ignoraunt of this faytte or dede be shadde but enquere yow of eche of them allone vnder what maner and forme they fonde her Thenne was the peple gretely
enseygnement capitulo Cxxxviij The thyrd enseygnement capitulo Cxxxix How Cathonet after that he had done ageynst the two commaundements of his fader essayed the thyrd on his wyf capitulo Cxl How Cathonet shold haue ben hanged capitulo Cxlj How themperours sone came to saue his mayster Cathonet capitulo Cxlij How Cathonet escaped Capitulo Cxliij How Cathonet exposed his aduenture capitulo Cxliiij Explicit Here begynneth the book whiche the knyght of the toure made And speketh of many fayre ensamples and thensygnementys and techyng of his doughters Prologue IN the yere of oure lord a· M thre honderd 〈◊〉 as I was in a gardyn vnder a shadowe as it were in thyssue of Aprylle all moornyng and pensyf But a lytel I reioysed me in the sowne and songe of the fowles sauuage whiche songe in theyr langage as the Merle the Manys the thrustell and the nyghtyngale whiche were gay and lusty This swete songe enlustyed me and made myn herte all temâ—ye So that thenne I wente remembryng of the tyme passed in 〈◊〉 youthe How loue hadde holde me in that tyme in his seâ—uyeâ— bâ— grete distresse In whiche I was many an houre gladde and ioyeful and many another tyme sorowful lyke as it 〈◊〉 to many a louer But alle myn euylles â—aue rewarded me Sythe that the fayre and good hath gyuen to me whiche hath knowleche of alle honoure alle good and fayre mayntenyng And of alle good she semed me the best and the floure· In whomâ— I so moche me delytâ—d For in that tyme I made songes layes Roundels balades Vyrelayes and newe songes in the mooste best wyse I coude But the deth whiche spareth none hath taken her For whome I haue receyued many sorowes and heuynesses In suche wyse that I haue passed my lyf more than twenty yere heuy and sorowfull For the very herte of a trewe louer shall neuer in ony tyme ne day forgete good loue but euermore shal remembre it And thus in that tyme as I was in a grete pensyfnes and thought I beholde in the way and sawe my doughters comyng Of whome I hadde grete desyre that they shold torne to honoure aboue alle other thyng For they ben yong â—itil dysgarnysshed of al wytte reson wherfor they ought at begynnyng to be taught chastysed curtoisly by good ensamples docerynes as dide a quene I suppose she was quene of hongry whiche fayre and swetely chastysed hel doughters and them endoctryned as is conteyned in her book And therfor when I saw them come toward me I remembryd me of the tyme when I was yoÌ„g and roode with my felauship and companyes in poytou and in other places And I remembre me moche wel of the fayttes and sayenges that they told of suche thynges as they fond with the ladyes and damoyselles that they requyred and prayd of loue And yf one wold not entende to theyr prayer yet another wold requyre withoute abydyng And though so were that they had good or euyll answers of al that they rought not For they had neyther dirde ne shame so moche were they endurate and acustomed And were moche wel bespoken and had fayre langage For many tymes they wold haue oueral deduyte And thus they 〈◊〉 no thyng but deceyue good ladyes and damoysellys and beâ—â— ouerall the tydynges somme trewe and somme lesynges Wherof there happed many tymes iniuryes and many vylaynoâ—â— diffames withoute cause and withoute reason And in alle the world is no gretter treson than for to deceyue gentyll wymmen ne to encrece ony vylaynous blame For many ben deceyued by the grete othes· that they vse wherof I debate me oftyme with them And saye to them ye ouer false men how may the god 〈◊〉 suffre yow to lyue that soo oftymes ye periure and forswere 〈◊〉 selâ— For ye hold no feythe But none putt hit in araye by 〈◊〉 they be so moche and so ful of disaraye And by cause I 〈◊〉 that tyme soo ledde and disposed yet I doute me that somme 〈◊〉 suche in this tyme present Therfore I concluded that I wold 〈◊〉 make a lytel booke wherin I wold doo be wreton the good maners and good dedes of good ladyes and wymmen and of theyr lyues soo that for theyr vertues and bountees they ben honoured And that after theyr dethe ben renommed and preysed and shal be vnto the ende of the worlde for to take of them good ensample and contenaunce And also by the contrarye I shall doo wryte and set in a book the myshappe and vyces of euylle wymmen whiche haue vsyd theyr lyf and now haue blame To the ende that the euylle maye bee eschewed by whiche they myght erre Whiche yet ben blamed shamed and dyffamed And for this cause that I haue here sayd I haue thought on my wel bylouyd doughâ—ers· whome I see so lytel to make to them a litil book for to lerne to rede to th ende that they maye lerne and studye vnderstode the good and euylle that is passyd for to kepe them fro hym whiche is yet to come For suche ther be that lawgheth to fore yow whiche after youre back goo mockyng and lyeng Wherfor it is an hard thyng to knowe the world that is now present And for these resons as I haue sayd I went oute of the gardyn and fond in my weye two 〈◊〉 and two clerkes that I hadde and tolde to them· that I wolde make a book and an examplayre for my doughters to 〈…〉 and vnderstonde how they ought to gouerne them 〈…〉 kepe them from euylle And thenne I made them to 〈…〉 before me the book of the byble the gestes of the kyng 〈…〉 of fraunce and of Englond and many other 〈◊〉 historyes and made them to rede euery book And dyde doo makâ— of them this book whiche I wold not set in ryme but al 〈◊〉 in prose for to abredge and also for the better to be vnderstondeâ— And also for the grete loue that I haue to my doughters 〈◊〉 I loue as a fader ought to loue them And thenne myn 〈◊〉 shal haue parfyte ioye yf they torne to good and to honoure 〈◊〉 is to serue and loue god and to haue the loue and the grace 〈…〉 neyghbours and of the world And by cause euery 〈…〉 moder after god and nature ought to teche enforme their children and to distourne them fro the euyll waye and te shewe 〈◊〉 them the right weye and true pathe as wel for the saâ—aâ—cion of theyr sowles as for thonoure of the body 〈…〉 haue made two bookes that one for my sonnes and that â—ther for my doughters for to lerne to rede And thus in lernynge 〈◊〉 shalle not be but that they shalle reteyne somme good ensample or for to flee the euylle and reteyne the good For it may not be but in somtyme they shal remembre somme good ensample or som good lore after that hit shalle falle and come to theyr mynde in spekyng vpon this matere Thus
endeth the prologue Here foloweth the book of thensygnemens and techynges of the knyght of the Toure And first how god ought to be honoured aboue all thynges Capitulo primo IT is moche fayre and ryght a noble thyng for to see and beholde thauncyent hystoryes whiche haue ben wreton of oure predecessours for to shewe to vs good ensamples and to aduertyse vs how we may see the good dedes· that they foâ—owed and teschewe the euyll as may be sent that they eschewed Thenne I shalle speke and saye to them thus My ryght dere doughters for as moche as I am old and 〈◊〉 I haue sene the world more lenger than ye haue I shall 〈◊〉 to yow a partye of the world after my seyence whiche is nâ—t 〈◊〉 grete Bâ—t the grete loue that I haue to yow And the 〈…〉 I haue that ye torne youre hertes and youre thoughâ—◠〈◊〉 god and to serue hym by whiche ye may gete wele and 〈…〉 in this world and in that other For certeynly al the 〈…〉 honoure and al thoneste of man and of woman 〈…〉 and of the grace of his hooly spyryte And also gyueâ—◠〈◊〉 and shorte in worldly and erthely thynges suche as 〈…〉 hym For alle thyng falleth at his playsyre and 〈◊〉 And also gyueth for all suche we le and seruyce as is 〈…〉 an honderd fold double And therfore my right dere 〈…〉 is good to serue suche a lord whiche rewarded an honderd 〈…〉 How the matyns and houres ought to be said Capitulo 〈◊〉 aNd by cause that the fyrst werke labour that man or woman ought to doo is for to adâ—ure and worshipe oure lord and saye his seruyse That is to vnderstaÌ„de that as soone as he awaketh he ought to know leâ—â—che hym for his lord and maker and hym self to be his creature That is to wete· to saye his matyns houres and his orysâ—ns â–ª yf he be a clerk and to rendre and yelde to hym thankynges and â—â—â—synges As to say laudate dominuÌ„ omnes gencâ—s Benedicamus patrem et filium cum sancto spiritu or suche oâ—â—er thynges as yelde gyue thankynges preysynges vnto god For it is a gretter thyng to thanke and blysse oure lord god than to reâ—uyâ—â—e demaunde hym For requeste demaunde yefte of guerdon thâ—nkynges and to yelde preysynges is thâ—ffyce of angels â–ª which alwey gyue thankynges honoure and preysyng vnto god for it is better to thanke god than to requyre hym by cause he knoweth better what is good for a man or a woman than they wote them self After we ought to praye for them that ben dede to fore we goo to slepe And also the dede men praye for them that praye for hem And also forgete not the blessid and swete Vyrgyne Marye whiche nyght and day prayeth for vs And also to recommaunde yow to the hooly sayntes of heuen And when this is done thenne maye ye well goo slepe For this ought to be done as ofte as ye awake Of twoo doughters of the Emperoure that one synfull And that other deuoute Capitulo Tercio IT is conteyned in thystorye of Constantynople that an Emperour hadde two doughters Of whome the yongest was of good maners and loued god and honoured prayd to hym alwey when she awoke and moche deuoutely praâ—â— for the sowles of them that were dede And these two yong 〈…〉 lay bothe in one bedde And whan the oldest awoke and 〈◊〉 her suster saye her prayers she mocked and scorned her 〈◊〉 said to her that she letred her to slepe Thenne it happed that youthe and the grete ease that they hadde ben norysshed in 〈◊〉 them to loue two knyghtes bretheren whiche were twoo goodly men and moche gentyll And so long endured theyr playsyre and loue that they discouered eche to her loue the secrete of their amerous desyre in soo moche that they sett a certeyne houre to these knyghtes for to come to them pryuely by nyght And when he that shold come to the yonger supposyd to haue entryd within the Courteyns hym semed that he sawe moo than a thousand men in sudaryes lyke dede men whiche were aboute the damoysell he hadde so grete fere and hydoure that he was al affrayed Wherof he tooke the feures and was seke in his bedde But to that other knyght if happed no thyng so for he gate the oldest doughter of the emperoure with child And whan the Emperoure knewe that she was grete with child he made her to be drowned in a nyÈt dyd do the knyÈt to be flayn al quyck Thus for this false delyte they deyde both tweâ—n But that other doughter was saued lyke as I haue said shall saye when it cam on the morn it was said oueral that the knyght was seke in his bedde TheÌ„ne she for whome he tooke his maladye wente for to see hym And he told to her all the trouthe how when he supposid to haue entrid within the courteyns he sawe a merueylous grete nombre of dede men in sudaryes aboute her Of whome he said I had so grete drede and hydoure that I was taken with thaccesse or feures and also was al moost oute of my wytte for fere and yet am all affrayed And when the damoysel herd the trouthe she was merâ—â—ueylously ioyeful and thanked god moche humbly whiche 〈◊〉 saued her fro perisshyng and dishonoure And from than 〈◊〉 on she worshyped and prayed god alwey when she a 〈◊〉 And praid moche deuoutely for all Crysten sowles more 〈◊〉 fore and kepte her chastly and clene And it was 〈…〉 that a grete kyng of grece desyred and demaunded her 〈…〉 to haue her in maryage And her fader gafe her to 〈…〉 was after a good lady and deuoute and of moche 〈…〉 Thus was she saued for prayeng to god and 〈…〉 hym and also for prayeng for them that ben dede And 〈…〉 suster that scorned and mocked her was drâ—wned and â—â—â—â—â—noured And therfore my dere doughters remembre yow 〈◊〉 this example alwey whan ye awake And slepe not ageyne 〈◊〉 that ye haue praid for them that ben departed oute of this 〈◊〉 lyke as dyde the doughter of the emperour And yet 〈◊〉 wolde wel that ye shold knowe thensample of a Damoyselle whiche a greete lord wold haue for fayre or fowle for to accomâ—plysshe his fowle playsyr and delyte How we ought to praye for them that ben dede Capitulo quarto IT happed in suche wyse that this lord dyd do espye where as this Damoyselle was entred in to an hoole where as she entrid rested there for drede of hym that was in a busshe And she sayd vygylles for the dede men And this grete lord entryd in to the hoole â— And sawe her there And wende anone to haue accomplyssâ—yd his fowle delyte But when he supposed to haue taken her hym semed that he sawe more than ten thousand prysonners buryed that kepte her And had of them so grete fere and drede that anon he torned and fled
whiche had fader and moder· And my lord my fader ladde me â—hâ—der for to see her whan we were there there was made to 〈◊〉 grete chere ioyous And I beheld her of whome I was spoken to And I set my self in coÌ„mynycacyon with her of many thyngâ—â—â— for to know the better her mayntenyng gouernauÌ„ce so we 〈◊〉 in spekyng of prysoners And thenne I said to her damoysâ—â—â— I wold wel and had leuer be youre prysoner than ony others I thenke that youre pryson shold not be so hard ne cruell as is â—â—e pryson of englissh men And she ansuerd me that she had laâ—e sene such one that she wold wel that he were her prysoner I demaÌ„ded her yf she wold yeue hym euyl pryson she answerd me nay but that she wold kepe hym as derworthely as her owne body I said to her that he who someuer he was he was wel happy curous for to haue so swete noble a pryson Shall I saye to yow She louyd hym ynough And had her eye quyck lyght she was ful of wordes when we shold departe she was aâ—erte for she praid me two or thre tymes that I shold not leue but come see her how soÌ„euer it went but I helde me al styll for I had neuer sene her to fore she wist wel that there was spoken of maryage of her and of me And when we were departed my lord my fader demauÌ„ded me what me semed of her that I had sene bad me to telle hym myn aduys I answerd to hym said that she was good faire but I shall neuer be more nerre her than I am yf it please you told to hym how me semed of her of her estate and thenne he said that he wold not also that I shold haue her therfor the ouer grete malepertnes the lyght manere that me semed to see in her discouraged me so that I maryed not with her wher of I haue thaÌ„ked god sith many tymes for it was not after a yere an half that she was blamed but I wote neither it were with wrong or right soone after she deyde therfor my fair 〈◊〉 al gentyl wymmen and noble maydens of good lygnage ought to be softe humble Rype stedfast of estate and of manere of lytel speche to answere curtoisly· and not to be ouer wyld to sprynge ne le pe ne cast her syght ouer lyghtely For in lytel doyng ne cometh but good For many haue lost their maryage for to shewe them ouer moche and to make ouer grete semblaunce wher of oftymes were supposed other thynges in them than euer were done or thought How the doughter of Aragon lost her maryage Capitulo xiij I Wold that ye shold knowe how the doughter of the kynge of Aragon lost the kyng of spayne by her folye It is conteyned in the gestys of spayne that a kyng of Aragon hadde two doughters of whome the kyng of spayne wolde haue one And for to chese her that best plesyd hym he disguysed hym self in the fourme of a seruaunt And wente with his embassatours that is to saye· his Messagyers and with a bisshop and with two barons And it is not to be demaunded but that the kyng made to them grete honoure and ioye The doughters of the kyng arrayed and attoured them the best wyse that they myght And in especial the oldest whiche thought that theyr comynge was for her And so they were there in the Courte thre dayes for to see and behold the countenaunces wherof it happed that in the mornyng whan they salewed them the oldest answerd no thyng but bitwene her teeth as she that was fyers and of grete porte But her suster was humble and ful of grete curtosye and salewed humbly the grete and smale After he beâ—â—ld on a tyme that these two susters playd at tables with two knyghtes but tholdest chyd with one of the knyghtes And demened strongly foule chere But the yonger suster which had also lost made no semblaÌ„t of her losse but made as good chere as she had wonne The kyng of spayne sawe and beheld al this and drewe hym a part and called his counceylle and said to them ye knowe wel that the kynges of fraunce ne of spayne ought not to marye them for couetyse but nobly· and a woman of good maners wel born and disposed to come to honoure and to bere fruyte And for as moche as I haue sene these two damoyselles· And haue byholden their maners and theyr guyses me semeth that the yongest is moost humble and moost curtois and is not of so haultayn courage as is the oldest And they answerd to hym Syre tholdest is more fayre And he answerd to them none honoure ne beaulte ne none erthely good may compare to bounte ne to good maners And in especial to humylyte And by cause I haue sene her the more humble and the more curtoys I wylle haue her And thus chaas her And thenne the bisshop and the baroÌ„s cam to the kyng of Aragon and demaunded of hym the yonger doughter Thenne the kyng and alle his peple were moche esmerueyled that they took not the oldest whiche was moost fayre But thus it happed that the yonger was quene of spayne by cause she was humble and softe of speche to greete and smale 〈◊〉 her grete curtosye wherof the oldest doughter had so grete desdayn so grete despit that she bycaÌ„ al fraÌ„tyke froÌ„ her self therfore this is a fayre ensample how by curtosye and humylyte is goten the sone of god and of the world For there is no thyng so playsaunt as Humblesse curtosye· and to salewe fayre the peple grete and smale and to make no chere of losse ne of wynnyng For no gentyl wymmen ought to make none effrayes in them but ought to haue gentyl hertes and softe answers And to be humble For as god sayth in the gospel he that is moost worthe and moosâ—â— knoweth moost humbleth hym lyke as dyde the yonger doughter of Aaragon whiche for hir humylyte and curtosye conâ—uerd to be quene of spayne and took it fro hir older suster Of them that ben chydars or scoldes capo. xiiii fAyre doughters see that ye begynne no strif to no foole ne to them that ben hasty and hoote For it is grete perill Wherof I shal shewe to you an Ensample whiche I sawe happen in a Castel wherin many ladyes damoysâ—ls duelle den And ther was a damoysell douÈter of a right gentyl knyÈt And she waxe angry in playeng atte tables with a gentylman whiche was hoote and hasty and moost Ryotous And was not right wyse And the debate was of a dyes whiche she saide was not truly made And soo moche it encreaced that wordes were enhaunced and that she saide he was a coward and a foole And so they lefte theyr playe by chydynge and strif Thenne said I to the damoyselle My fayre Cosyn
she sayd to gentyll wymmen where as she arayed her My loues loo see here the vengeaunce of god And tolde to them alle the fayt And saide to them I was woned to haue a faire body and gente And so sayd euery man of me And for the preysyng the bobaunce and the glorye that I took I clad me with ryche clothes and fyn wel pourfyld and furryd And shewed them att festes and Iustes For somtyme the fruyte that was in me· was nouÈt folye alle that I dyde was for the glorye and loos of the world And whan I herde saye of the companye that sayde for to please me loo there is a wel bodyed woman â— which is wel worthy to be bilouyd of somme knyght Thenne al my herte reioysed in me Now maye ye see what I am For I am now gretter than a pype And am not like as I was ne the gownes ne robes that I loued had so dere that I wold not were them on soÌ„dayes ne on the feestes for thonoure of god shall now neuer serue me And therfor my fair loues frendes god hath shewed to me my folye that spared myn araye on holy dayes for to shewe me fresshe Ioly to fore men of astate for to haue preysyng beholdyng of them wherfore I pray yow my frendes that ye take ensample here at me Thus coÌ„playned this good lady al seke and swollen vij yere And after when god had sene her contricion her repentaunce he sente to her helthe was hoole after her lyf was euer after moche humble· towarde god And gafe the moste parte of her goodes for goddes sake helde her afterward symply and had not her herte set toward the world as she was woned therfor my fair doughters this is a goode ensample hou ye ought to apparayle yow· were youre good clothes on the sondayes the good feestes for thonoure and the loue of god which gyueth all And for thonoure of his swete moder of the hooly sayntes more than for worldly people whiche ben no thyng but fylthe erthe And for theyr regard and preysyng For they that soo done for their plaisaunce displese god And he shal take vengeaunce on them in this world or in that other like as he dyd of the lady of whiche ye haue herd And therfore this is a good Ensample to all good ladyes and to alle good wymmen Of the suster of seynt Bernard whiche cam to see hym in grete araye Capitulo xxvj oNe Ensample wylle I telle yow after this matere It happed that seynt bernard whiche was an hooly man and of hyhe lygnage lefte all his grete possessions and noblesse for to serue god in an Abbaye and to lede the better his lyf he was chosen Abbot· and ware hayer and dyd grete abscynence was a grete almes man to the poure And he had a suâ—ter whiche was a grete lady and she cam for to see hym with grete foyson of peple nobly arrayed with ryche robes set with perles precious stones in this grete estate she cam to fore her broder whiche was a good and holy man And whan saynt Bernard sawe her in this araye he blessid hym and torned to her his back And the lady was gretely abasshed by cause he deyned not to speke to her he sente her worde that he was aferd to see her in so grete pryde so desguysed deffaited Thenne she dide of her ryche atours ryche robes arayed her moche symply theÌ„ne he cam to her said fair suster yf I loue your body I owe by reson moch more to loue youre sowle Wene ye not that it displesyth god hys sayntes to all the Courte of heuen to see suche pryde and bobauÌ„ce set vp· And to araye karoyn that within a day after the sowle shal departe shalle so rote and stynke that no creature may feele ne see it withoute errour and abhomynacion Faire suster why thynke not ye ones a day how the poure dye for cold and for hongre ther withoute where as the tenthe parte of youre queynteryes and noblesses myght refresshe and clothe moo than xl persones ageynst the cold Thenne this hooly man declared to her hou she shold leue the folye of the world· and the bobaunce therof and shewed to her how she shold saue her sowle soo moche that the good lady wepte And after she dyde doo selle the moost parte of her ryche Roobes and ryche araye And ledde soo hooly a lyf that she had the grace of god and of the world that is to say of good and wyse men whiche ben better than fooles· And therfor my fayr doughters this is a fair Ensample that ye ought not haue youre herte set toward the world ne to fynde and set these newe gyses and queyntyses to please with the world but that ye departe so with god whiche all sendeth And soo may ye gete youre sauacion For it is better to haue lasse gownes and robes that the poure may haue theyr parte For who someuer lette all his entent for to haue the playsyr of the world I am certayne that it is folye and temptacion of the fende onre enemye And ye ought more better to araye yow for the loue and honoure of god than for the folysshe thought of the world whiche is but a shadowe vnto the regard of hym that all maye and al gyueth and alwey endureth his glorye Of them that playe and iape at the masse capitulo xxvij I Shalle telle yow another Ensample of them that Iangle at the masse· when they ought to here the seruyse of god It is conteyned in the gestys of Athenes that ther was an heremyte a moche hooly man and of blessid lyf And he had a Chappel in his hermytage of saynt Iohan And thyder cam many knyghtes squyers ladyes and damoysels of the Countre as wel for the feste as for the holynes of hym And this hooly heremyte songe the masse And when he torned hym after the gospel he behelde the ladyes and damoisels knyÈtes and squyers that bourded iangled in the tyme of the masse and ronned one with another And he beheld moche theyr contenaunce And he sawe that at eche ere of man and woman was a fende moche black and horryble whiche also laughed and Iangled amonge them and wrote the wordes that were said These fendes wenten spryngyng vppon theyr queynt arayement and nyce araye lyke as the smale byrdes that lepe fro brauÌ„che to brauÌ„che And this hooly man blessid hym and merueyled And when he was in his canon aboute th ende he herde them speke and laughe And thenne he smote the booke for to make them be stylle but somme there were that wold not Thenne said he fayre lord god make thou them to hold their pees and be styll and that they maye knowe their folye Thenne they that soo laughed bigan to crye and braye bothe men and wymmen as demonyakes and
lost all that is before rehercyd only for the synne of Inobedyence Loke ye wel thenne that ye kepe yow fro it as I trust in god ye shall remembrynge this Ensample And knowe ye that the synne of oure first moder Eue cam by euylle and shrewed aqueyntaunce by cause she helde parlement with the serpente whiche as the Hystorye sayth· hadde a face ryght fayre lyke the face of a woman And spack ryght mekely she herde hym with alle her wylle and pryuely where Inne she dyde lyke a foole For yf at the begynnynge she hadde not herde hym But hadde come to her lord she hadde dyscomfyted and ouercome hym to grete shame And soo the foole herynge of hym tourned her in to grete losse damage And therfore my fayre doughters It is not good to here folke that ben in theyr speche blandysshynge and castynge many flaterynge wordes For they benefulle of decepcion The Serpente found Eue ferre froo her lord and allone Wherfore atte his beste leyser he shewed her his deceyuable purpos and false langage For the whiche cause it is not good to be alone with ony other withoute he be of his next parente or kynrede Not withstandynge I saye not but men may wel bere honoure to euery one after he is worthy but men put more his honoure and worship in Ieopardy and daunger by answere to moche than by fewe and short answere For one word bryngeth in another Of the second folye of Eue Capitulo xlo. tHe seconde folye of Eue oure firste moder is that she to lyghtely answerd withoute remembryng her ne thynkyng to no harme as lucifer demaunded and asked of her why she and her husbonde ete not of the fruyte of the tree of lyf as they dyd of other she withoute takyng ony counceylle of her husbond answerd and helde with hym talkyng wherof she dide lyke a foole and myshapped her For the answere was not conuenyent to her but it longed and apperteyned to her lord Adam by cause god had gyuen to her lord the kepyng of her and of the fruyte And to hym hadde deuysed and tolde whiche fruytes they sholde ete And therfore she myghte haue answerd that he shold speke to her lord and not to her And therfore my faire doughters herin maye ye take good Ensample that yf one requyre yow of foly or of ony thyng that toucheth youre honoure and worship· ye may wel couer and hyde it sayeng that ye therof shal speke therof to youre lord Wherfore my fayr doughters I wolde that ye wel withheld within youre hert thexsample of a good lady of Acquyllee whiche the prynce of that Countre praid of foule loue And whan he had ynough prayd and spoken to her she answerd that she sholde therof speke to her lord And when the prynce sawe this· he lefte her in pees and neuer syth spack to her therof and said to many one that she was one of the moost parfyte best lady that was in his laÌ„d in this manere the good lady receyued grete preysyng and louyng of many one And soo ought euery goode woman doo and not answere after her owne wylle The thyrdde folye of Eue capitulo xlj tHe thyrd folye of Eue was that she was not remeÌ„bryng the defence of god whiche he made to her to her lord For god tolde them that yf they ete of that fruyte they shold deye of it And therfore when she answerd to thenemy lucifer she told hym not playnly the trouthe but said yf we ete of it it myght fortune soo that by aduenture we shold dye She â—yâ—e put condicion in her answere as many folysshe women doo when men speke to them of foly but oure lord god spak to them with oute ony condicion and withoute auenture Her symple and folysshe answer gaf to the serpent lucifer gretter boldenesse to spâ—â—â— to her more largely and to tempte her more playnly She did as they that herkene and that lyghtely answer to them that requyre them of fowle loue For by theyr symple and wyse answere and by the herkynge of the fowle talkynge of them that praye them of soo fowle loue they gyue to them place and leue to speke ferthermore as it happed to eue oure fyrst moder whiche herd thenemy that tempted her and said to her ye may wel take of the fruyte and ete of it and so shalle ye knowe bothe good and euil as wel as he that suche deffence hath made vnto yow Ye knowe not why he hath forbede that ye shold ete none of it It is bycause that ye shold ete of it ye sholde be as fayre as bryght shynyng and as myghty as he hym self is And soo the foole and 〈◊〉 wende he had told trouthe and byleued hym by couetyse and by his faire spekynge as done the folysshe wymmen thaâ— ben of lyght byleue as they here the faire semely wordes and blandysshynge wordes of the Ianglours that gyue them counceylle to playe and take the worldly disportes ageynst their worship and honoure and by their flaterynge wordes and promysses whiche they hold not they deceyue them soo that the poure and vnwyse wymmen byleue them in so moche that they consent graunte to the fowle delyte of whiche they be by them so tempted wheâ—â—f afterwarde they hold them self deceyued ashamed For when they haue done with them their fowle delyte and accomplysshed their wylle they leue hem as shamefully defamed Of the fourth folye of Eue capo. xlijo. He fourthe foly of Eue was the foolyssh beholdynge when she loked and behelde the tree the fruyte forbeden that god had to them defended This tree was to her eyen so fayre and so delectable that she only by the sight of hit desyred of the fruyte to th ende she shold ete it And soo by her foolysshe lokynge she felle in a foule thought Therfor by a foule beholdynge and lokynge come oftymes many peryls for as the sage saith The worst enuye that men hath is the eye Many haue be deceyued thorugh fals beholdynge For there be many men that by their grete arte make a fals samblauÌ„t or behauyng of a fals beholdynge as many one that behold and loke stedfastly shewyng by their loke to be debonaire and gracious wherof many a woman is by suche fals beholdyng deceyued for they wene thynk that they make suche lokyng haue suche byhauyng only by the destresse of loue· But they doo it for no thynge els than for to deceyue them And therfore this is a good Ensample to a warraunt and kepe hym self of fals beholdynge Neuertheles oftyme many one is by them deceyued for when thenemye fyndeth them in suche foole lokynge delyte he pryketh and enflammeth them by suche temptacion wherin he holdeth them fast bounden in soo moche that he maketh them to fall in the fylthe or ordure of that they desire to doo wherfore they lose bothe body sowle theÌ„ne all this euylle come only by fowle beholdynge And therfore I wold
hewen in smal pyeces And thenne before all he said that wel right it was that she sholde be so detrenchid by whome so many had ben hewen and slayn Of thamar that hadde companye with hir husbondes fadre Capitulo lvij I Wylle that ye here thexample of Thamar whiche was wyf to Henam that was sone of Iuda sone of Iacob broder to Ioseph This Henam was yrous and felon and of euyl lyf of whiche I wylle not say moche nor al by cause god wold that he deyd sodenly and pytously And as Thamar sawe that of her lord she myht haue no lygnage she bethought her that the fader of her lord shold yet engendre gete children wel and that she was not barayn And coueyted and desyred to haue his flesshely cōpanye whiche was ageynst the lawe Neuertheles so moche she dide that she cam by nyght in his Chambre and leid her with hym And as I wene she conceyued of hym two Children of whiche the one was named phares And the other had to name Zaram wherfor many tribulacions and euylls befelle afterward For the children that ben not of trewe maryage they be they by whome the grete herytages and Auncestri ben loste wherof I shalle telle you an Ensample of a kynge of Naples as it is conteyned in the Cronycles of that lond There was somtyme a quene of that lōd whiche clenly ne truly kepte her body toward her lord in so moche she gate a sone by another than her lord It befelle afterward that this sone was made kynge of the lond after the dethe of the kynge This newe kynge was passynge prowde and loued not his lordis ne barons but was to them full hard and felon also to al his comyns he was vnresonable For he took fro them all that he couthe And enforced their wyues and vyoled their doughters And vsed all euyl dedes whiche he couthe ymagyne to doo He bigan werre to his neyghbours and to his Barons in so moche that alle the reame was put in exyle and brought to grete pouerte whiche longe tyme lasted In that tyme was ther a Baron a good man and a right good knyght whiche went vnto an Heremytage where as was an hooly heremyte moche relygious And that many thynges knewe· The knyght demaunded and asked of hym how and wherfore they had so long warre in the lond And yf it shold yet last long tyme And the hooly Here myte answerd hym Sire it is cōuenyent that the tyme haue his cours that is to saye that as long as this kynge and one his sone shalle be on lyue the tribulacion shalle not cesse And I shall telle yow why trouthe it is that this kyng that now regneth is not trewe heyr to the Crowne but is borne in aduoultrye And therfore he may not be peasyble to the reame ne haue the Ioysaūce of it wherfore he and his reame must haue sorowe and tribulacion as long as a fals heyr shall possesse it But his sone shal haue none heyr And so shalle fynysshe the fals lygnee and shall the reame come ageyne to the right heyre And thenne shalle lasse the pestylence and pees shalle be And al haboundaunce of goodes shalle come to the reame Ryght so as the good Heremyte had saide so it befelle He said more ouer For he spak of the fals quene and said she shold be punysshed in this world that the wyf of the kynge her sone shold accuse her toward her lord And hou she shold lye with one of her preestes and that the kynge her sone sholde fynde hem to geder and how both he shold do to be brent in a grete fornais And all this befelle afterwarde as he said For in certeyne the quene was destroyed and brente by the commaundement of the kyng her sone And therfore my good doughters a noble thyng is to kepe hym self clenly in his maryage And for a fals heyre ofte cometh in a lond many euyls and tribulacions For by the fals heyres ben lost the grete lordshipes the moders of them dampned perpetuelly in helle as longe as their sones shalle possesse ony groūd of theyr parastre that is to say of their moders husbond Of Ioseph that wold not haue the companye of the quene Capitulo lviij fAyre doughters I shalle telle yow an Ensample of a grete euylle that came by lokynge and folysshe plaisaunce It is of Ioseph the sone of Iacob he that was sold by his bretheren to the kyng Pharaon This Ioseph was of merueylous beaute wyse and right humble And for his good seruyse the kyng loued hym moche and gafe hym baundon ouer all the goodes that were in his reame The quene that sawe hym so faire gentyll meke and curteys was soone merueylously enamoured of hym And shewed hym many signes and tokenes of loue in beholdynge and lokynge on hym And when the quene sawe that for ony thyng that she couthe doo he wolde not consent to her euyll wyll she was sore troubled and nyghe oute of her wit At the last she called hym and hadde hym alone with her in a chambre and ther she preid hym of loue But he that was good and honest answerd to her that he neuer sholde be suche a traitoure to his lorde And thenne she with hir fyst tooke hym fast by the mantell and bigan to crye as lowde and hyghe as she myght in so moche alle came thyder She saide to the lord that he wolde haue haue forced her And forthwith the lord made hym to be take put in a pryson whiche was right derke obscure where he was a long space of tyme But afterward god that wold not forgete hym for his vertue and goodnes delyuerd hym oute of pryson And was gretter mayster than he was before in the reame and more better loued and honoured And therfore is here a good ensample For god enhaunceth euer the Iuste and trewe And the fals quene was punysshed for within a lytell tyme after she deide vylaynsly and sodenly of an euylle deth so god rewarded eche of them after their deserte and meryte Therfore is here a faire ensample to doo wel For of good delyng and of good guydynge cam neuer but worship and honoure And as saith theuāgelyst there is no good dede done but it shalle be remembryd rewarded Ne also none euylle dede done but that it shalle be punysshed Therfore getynge of fals heyres is grete sorowe and tribulacion to come in a land where as they become lordes of wherfore the moders of them shalle be delyuerd to the dolorous deth of helle wheroute they shalle neuer yssue as long as their children bastardys shall hold ony of the lond and goodes of their husbondes And alle this is very trouth as wytnesseth many that ben suscited ageyne and so doth the hooly scripture also Of the doughters of Moab of whom the euyll lygnee yssued Capitulo lix aNother ensample I shalle telle yow of the euylle
hostesse they wold not leue her but had her wyth them And as the mornynge cam she that sawe her dishonoured and so vylaynsly shamed toke in her self suche shame suche a sorowe that she thenne deyde at her lordes feet wherfore the good man was nyghe dede also as he was come to hym self ageyne he toke bare her body vnto his how 's thenne be made xij pyeces of her body vpon euery pyece he setâ—e a paper leef wherin was wreton al the maner how it befelle to her sent these xij pyeces to xij persones her parentes most nyhe of her kyn to th ende they shold among them take vengeaunce of it wherof it befelle that all her frendes her husbondes frendes also toke therof so grete yre wrath had so grete abhomynacion of it that they gadred assembled them to gyder wyth grete noÌ„bre of men of armes came to galga slewe thâ—r wel xxxiijM persones men wymmen This is to yow a good ensample how a woman ought not to leue her husbond lord for none yre ne maltalent that may be bitwene them a wyse good woman ouÈt to bere suffre the yre and wrath of her husbondes in the most fayr huÌ„ble wyse that she can to put her self in payne to appease hym by curtoys fayr wordes not leue go fro hym as dyd the said damoysel whiche lefte her lord wente fro hym her husbond must fetche her ageyn By the whiche her goynge she deyd and soo dyd many one as aboue is sayd And yf she had be in pees and styll with her lord al this grete euylle and sorowe had not fallen And therfore it is somtyme good to refreyne hir yre and amolysshe hir herte For this is the vsage of the wyse woman whiche tendeth to lyue peasybly and louyngly with her husbond and lord How a woman ought to obeye her husbond in alle thynge honest Capitulo lxxij I Wold ye knewe wel the tale and example of the lady whiche daygned not to come to her dyner for ony commaundement that her lord coude make to her and so many tyme he sent for her that at the last whanne he sawe she wold not come at his commaundement he made to come before hym his swyneherd he that kepte his swynes whiche was foule and ouermoche hydous and bad hym fetche the clowte of the kechyn wherwith men wype dysshes and platers And thenne he made a table or bord to be dressyd before hys wyf and made it to be couerd with the sayd cloute and commaunded to his swyneherd to sytte besyde her And thenne he sayd thus to her Lady yf ye ne wylle ete with me ne come at me ne come at my commaundement ye shalle haue the kepar of my swyne to hold yow company and good felauship And this cloute to wype your handes with al And whanne she that thenne was sore ashamed and more wrothe than she was tofore sawe and knewe that her lord mocked her refreyned her proude herte and knewe her foly Therfore a woman ought not in no wyse to refuse to come at the commaundement of her lord yf she wylle haue and kepe his loue and pees And also by good reason humylyte ought to come fyrste to the woman For euer she ought to shewe her self meke and humble toward her lord How men ought to kepe hem self fro flaterers Ca lxxiij hEre shall I telle yow an ensaÌ„ple of a grete lady named Susanna that had a sone a grete lord whiche was gone in to a feld or batayllâ— where he waâ— slayne The moder was in grete thought and sorowe what tydynges she shold here of hym In her companye she had a woman a flateresse a grete lyer whiche ofte sayd to her Madame be not in no wyse desmayed ne sorowful â—o my lord your sone hath victory vpon his enemyes therfor he must tary abyde there a whyle for to ordeyne of his affaryreâ— so this fals flateresse appeased her lady of fayre wordes nought For she ne sayd neuer to her lady ony word that myght displease her as done many flaterers and many flateresses whiche shal neuer saâ—e thynge that may displease theyr ladyes or lordes and sâ—alle hyde the trouthe and theyr wele and make them to haue ioâ—e of nought As dyd this fals woman to that good lady Whiche made her to vnderstonde that her sone had obteyned vyctory and brought With hym his prysoners And wel hit was the contrary For he deyde there wherfor it befell that whan the lady his moder knewe it she deyde nyghe for sorowe therfor is an euylle thyng to a man to haue aboute hym ony flaterers For they dare not gyue trewe counceylle but ofte they make theyr lordes to do grete folye They be lyke to the Iouglours whiche wylle make of a cole seme and shewe a fayr thynge For they preyse a thyng before the folk and behynde them they blame hit wherfor one ought not to byleue that what they sayen For they retche not what they say but that they may please yow to haue youre loue And yf ye be wyse ye ought to knowe them better than they shalle you put them fro yow take suche one that shall telle yow the trouthe your we le Suche flaterers deceyue the ryche men as dyd a flaterer to a woman that sold cheses whiche was fowle of vysage he made her to vnderstonde that she was fayr praty And the woman was so folyssh that she wende he had sayd trouthe Somtyme she gaf hym a chese and as he hadde it and was behynd her bak he mocked her of it I wold ye wyst thexample whiche I sawe in the toun of Angolosme as the duk of normaÌ„dy cam before Aguyllon ther were knyÈtes which for to take their dispâ—rte shotte at a marke And whanne the duke cam in to the wherin was the holy brede of the manna whiche cam and descended fro heuen wherof the holy faders were refresshâ— and fylled that for to worshipe god and the feste the kyng went and putte hym self among the prestes for to synge and harpe with them and made the grettest ioye that he coude for the loue and worship of god and of his chirche His wyf loked on hym that so dede and had of it grete desdayne and shame and mocked hym sayenge that he was bicome a mynystrelle And the good kynge answerd that one may not to moche meke ne humble hym self toward god ne do to moche worshyp and reuerence to his chirche For of god cometh alle the good and honour that man and woman may haue And therfore god was displeased of that she had spoken of it and made her barayn and seke by cause he wold shewe to her her folye For euery goode woman ought to Incyte and mene her lorde to worship god and the chirche and not mocke hym of that he dothe in the worship
of god For as the sage sayth in the boke of sapyence whanne the man seeth hym mocked scorned specially before ony folke of his wyf his herte swelleth whiche causeth hym to answere outrageously And therfor it is good to a woman to be of fayre and swete spekynge in repreuynge her lord of ony thynge How a woman ought not to requyre of her husbond ony thynge but it be honeste and prouffitable to them bothe Capitulo lxxvj aN ensample shall I telle yow of Bersabee the wyf of Vrye whiche duellyd before the palais of kyng dauid This Bersabee ones kembed wesshed her heer at a wyndowe where as kyng dauid myght well see her She had ouer fayr here 's wherfor the kynge was tempted and sente for her and so moche he dyde that he laye with her and by cause of the folyssh plesaunce and delyte that he toke with her He dyde sende his lettres to Ioab whiche was Chyuetayne and capitayn of his hoost that he sholde put Vrye in suche place that he myght be slayne Vrye bare hym self the lettres of his dethe For in certayne it was done as the kynge had wreton And thus kynge dauyd made double synne for an homycyde he was and hadde accomplysshed and done the synne of lecherye wherfor god was displeased and sente to hym and to his reame many euyls wherof the nombre were to longe to reherce And all this meschyef cam by the pryde that bersabee had of her herte Therfore a woman ought not to be proude of ony beaute that she hath shewe her self only to please the world The demaunde or askyng that the moder of Salamon made Capitulo lxxvij tHe moder of kynge Salamon whiche was a good lady dyd requyre of Salamon her sone that he wold graunte and feaunce her to a man whiche was a paynym and theyr enemye Salamon ansuerd that this enemy shold neuer haue the wyf of his lord his fader She held her thenne for nyce and ashamed of that she had be warned of her demaunde and requeste Therfor euery woman ought to thynke or she requyre her lord of ony thynge yf her requeste be resonable or not I wold ye knewe the folysshe requeste which the duchesse of Athenes made to the duke her lord She had a bastard sone And therfor she made her requeste to her lord that he myght haue to his wyf his owne suster And the duk that sawe her symplenes beganne to lawghe and dyssymyled her requeste and sayd that he shold speke with his Frendes of it She thenne that wold fayn haue sene this maryage to be couenaunted and graunted rested not to speke to her lord of it tylle at the laste he sayd to her that it shold not be done wherfore she tooke suche a sorowe in her herte that she laye seke therof the duk prayd her and also made her to be prayd by other to come lye with hym but she wold not wherfore the duke was wrothe he sware and sayd that neuer she shold lye in his bedde and made her to be conueyed in a castel Here is thenne a good ensample how a woman ought to beware her self that she requyre not her lord of nothyng vnresonable or dishonest hou that she must obeye hym not do lyke as the duchesse of Athenes did wherfor her lord exyled put her fro hym The Iugement of the kynge Salamon capitulo lxxviij I Wylle telle yow an Ensample of a fals woman two wymmen were somtyme whiche bothe were lodged in one hows· and eche of them had a sone whiche children were bothe seke and bothe borne vpon one daye It befell on a nyght that one of them was by auenture smouldred His moder that sawe hym dede went anone as a fals woman and toke the other child whiche lyued in hir cradell leyd her sone whiche was dede And he that lyued she leyd in her cradel And thenne whanne the other woman cam to see and take heed to her child and sawe hym that was dede she anon knewe that it was not her sone wherof sourded a grete content and stryf bytwene these two wymmen In so moche that the cause and matere was brought to fore Salamon And after he had herd their debate and stryf he sayd lete a swerd be brought hyder And I shalle parte this child in two and gyue to eche of them one half She to whome the child apperteyned not answerd and sayd she was content And she that was moder of the child sayd Rather than it shold be done I haue leuer to quytte yow and gyue yow my parte soo that his lyf may be saued Thenne the kynge Iuged that the child shold be gyuen to her that wold haue hym to be saued And soo was the treason of the fals woman approuued and knowen How the synne of the fader is noyus to his Children Capitulo lxxix aNother ensample was of the wyf of kynge Roboam She had a child whiche was seke wherfor the kyng sente the quene to a holy prophete to praye hym that he wold Impetre to god the helthe of theyr child The quene wente to hym And as she was come to fore the dore of his how 's And or euer he sawe her by the grace of the holy ghost he knewe what she was and also what she wold and sayd to her with a hyghe voys Quene wyf to Roboam your sone deyd this nyght of a good dethe But alle thyne other children shalle deye of euylle dethe by cause of the synne of theyr fader thyn husbond whiche is a tyraunt ouer his peple lecherous of euylle conscyence The quene wente ageyne homeward and fonde her sone cold and dede and told her lord what he hadde sayd but therfor he amended hym not wherfor perysshed alle his children And thus is here a good ensample to vse and kepe honeste lyf and to loue and kepâ— in ryght his peple and not greue them as Roboam dyd For the synne of the fadâ—r and moder is noyous to the children as ye haue herd tofore How none ought to repreue other of his meschyef Capitulo lxxx I Shall telle you another ensample how Anna the wyf of Thobye spake folysshly to her lord whiche was a good and a hooly man and buryed the dede bodyes whiche a paynym made to be slayn in the despyte of god and of his lawe the whiche was callyd Senacherib It fortâ—â—â—d that the swalowe dyd foule within the eyen of Thobye and a long tyme he was blynd wherfor his wyf sayd to hym as â—n grete despyte I am merueyled how the god for whoo 's loue ye take so grete payne to burye these dede bodyes gyueth not your syght ageyne The good man had pacyence and ansuerd that of al thynge he may doo his pleasyr wherfor it fortuned to her that she was sore punysshed by sekenesse whicâ—e god sente her And as the pleasyr of god was Thobye â—aâ—de his syght restored ageyne And thus by this ensample
glory of the world and the worldly Ioye and ranne to hyde her secretely fro parys vnto Poytyers And there she rendryd her self in to thabbeye and bycame a Nonne and lefte the world to th ende she myght the better serue god withoute drede of ony man wherfore afterward god shewed for her sake a myracle For a tree whiche stode in the myddes of theyr cloystre the whiche was al drye god made hym to bycome and wexe fayr and grene And sprange oute of hit newe braunches and leues ageynste the cours of nature But no thynge is Impossible to god And many other grete myracles he dyd for the loue of her And therfore is here a good ensample to be charytable as aboue ye haue herd of these two holy ladyes and of this good lady Raab as they dyd and how at the last god gwerdoned and rewarded them for theyr good seruyse How he that wyll praye god must do abstynence ca lxxxviij aNother ensample shalle be reherced to yow of the Fader and moder of Sampson whiche were hooly folk in theyr maryage but they myght haue no Children and yet many clamours orysons they hadde therfore made vnto god This good lady was thenne vpon a day at a chirche whiche at that tyme was called temple And as she was there wepynge and prayenge god god toke pyte on her and sente vnto her an Angel whiche told her that she shold haue a sone that shold be the strongest man that euer was that by his strengthe the lawe sholÌ„d be enhaunced The good lady came soone to her lord and told hym this tydynge Her lord thenne kneled and prayd god that he wold shewe to hym this thynge by his angel And thenne god sente to them his aungel whiche sayd vnto them that they shold faste and doo abstynence and also that they shold kepe this child fro moch mete and drynke And yet sayd the aungel For ouermoche â—tynge and drynkyng fyghten ageynst the body and ageynst the sowle And whanne thus he had sayd to them he departed fro them They â—obeyed the commaundement of the Aungel fasted and made abstynence And soone after they had a chilÌ„de whiche whanne he was ful growen he fought ageynst the paynyms and kepte and mayntened the lawe of god ayensâ— them of whome he made grete occisyons and many grete merueylles as god susteyned and helped hym For he allone discomfyted and ouercame thre thousand persones Therfor ye haue here good ensample how ye shalle fast and do abstynence yf ye wylle requyre of god ony thynge For confession and fastynge done the request to be graunted of god as the Aungel told vnto them And yet after he sayd to them that they shold kepe theyr sone fro ouermoche mete specially of drynk Thenne syth the holy Aungel of god whiche al thyng knoweth defended to them this two vyces Hit is thenne good to euery man and woman to kepe them ther fro For by this synne of glotonye men falle in alle the other sixe dedely synnes as ye shalle more playnly knowe in the booke of your bretheren where as it is reherced how an heremyte chose his synne of glotonye and made it in so moche he bycame dronke And soone after by this synne he fylle and made alle the seuen And neuertheles he had supposed to haue chosen the most best of them alle Wherof I shall telle yow what Salamon therof seyth in the book of thenseygnements first he saith that wyn taken as they dyd cutte it they sawe a whyte doune that yssued oute of hit wherfor some of them by this ensample were conuertyd to the feythe of god And therfor after this ensample it is good to put his children to scole whanne they be yonge and make them to lerne the bookes of sapyence that is to saye the bookes of good techynge and enseygnementes where as men see the sauement of bothe the body and sowle And not putte them to lerne in the bookes of the fallaces and vanytres of the world For better thyng is and more noble to here speke of the good enseygnementes and techynges that may prouffyte bothe to the body and sowle than rede and studye the fables and lesynges wherof no good ne prouffyte may come And by cause somme folke sayen that they wold not that theyr wyues ne also theyr doughters wyst ony thynge of clergye ne of wrytynge therfor I say answerynge to them that as for wrytyng it is no force yf a woman can nought of hit but as for redynge I saye that good and prouffytable is to al wyâ—en For a woman that can rede may better knowe the peryls of the sowle and her sauement than she that can nouÈt of it for it hath be preued Thexample of the noble lady Ruth Capitulo lxxxx aNother ensample I shalle reherce vnto yow of a good lady whiche was named Ruth of the whiche yssued and cam kynge Dauyd The holy scrypture preyseth moche this good lady whiche merueyllously loued god and honoured and obeyed her lord And for the loue of hym she bare honour and loued his frendes and made to them better chere than she dyd to her owne frendes wherof hit befelle that after that her lord was dede his sone whiche he had of another wyf wold leue to her nothynge neyther land ne meuable good but wold haue al for hym self by cause he thoughte she was of ferre countrey and ferre fro her frendes but the parentes and frendes of her lord that loued her moche for her grete bounte and for the grete seruyce that she had done to them whyles that her lord was a lyue dyd helpe her ageynst theyr frendes and parentes In soo moche that they made her to haue al that of ryght apperteyned to her And soo this good lady saued her good thurgh the frendship and good companye that she had done the frendes and parentes of her lord And therfore is here good ensample how alle good wymmen ought to serue and bere worship to the frendes and parentes of they re lordes For gretter semblaunt of loue may they not shewe vnto them and alle good may therof come to her as dyd to the good lady Ruthe the whiche by cause she had loued and worshipped the parentes and frendes of her lord recouered and hadde her herytage as ye haue herd to fore How euery good woman ought to answere for her lord Capitulo lxxxxj I Wylle telle yow another Ensample of a good lady the whiche ought wel to be preysed It was the good lady Abygal whiche had a lord that was ful of yre dyuerse and ryotous to al his neyghbours He forfayted somme thynge toward the kynge dauyd wherfore he wold haue had hym to be destroyed and putte to dethe but the good lady whiche was sage and wyse wente toward the kyng and so moche humbled her self that by her swete and fayre wordes she made the pees of her lord Of many other peryls wherin he fylle and putte hym self thurgh
merueylled as they sawe and herd this lytell child so speke wherfor they perceyued well that it was by myracle of god The Iuges theÌ„ne lete thenquest to be made of the two prestes eche one by hym self The one sayd that they had founde her with a man vnder a figge tree And the other sayd vnder a pynappel tree And therfore were they reproued and bothe Iuged to dye And at the last whanne they sawe that no remedye was but that they must dye they told the trouthe of hit before alle the peple that were there And sayd that they were well worthy to receyue deth and not she And therfore here may ye see and take axample how god kepeth them that haue their trust and confidence in hym as had the good lady the whiche wold rather suffre deth than to be fals to the lawe For she doubted more the perdycion or losse of her sowle and the perdurable or euerlastynge dethe than she dyd the pouere lyf of this world And thus by cause of her bounte god saued bothe her body and sowle And therfor euery good lady ought to haue her trust in god and for his loue to kepe trewely her maryage and also absteyne her of synne How the good lady ought to loue and drede and also to bere feythe vnto her lord Capitulo lxxxxviij I Shalle telle yow another Ensample of the newe testament It is of saynt Elysabeth moder vnto Saynte Iohan This Elysabeth theÌ„ne serued fyrste god and afterward her lord and aboue al wymmen he drad and doubted hym And as he came oute of the Town and that by aduenture somme thynge was befalle amys in her how 's she kepte it and made it to be kepte secrete vnto the tyme that she sawe her poynt Thenne wente she and told it to hym by soo fayre and attemperate langage that in no wyse he myght neuer be wroth She euer câ—ueyted the pees and loue of her lord And also ought to doo euery good woman This holy lady loued and dradde god and bare feythe to her lord and therfor god gaf her saynt Iohan Baptist to her sone whiche was a good guerdon For a woman that loueth god and holdeth her clenely god rewardeth her on lyue And after her dethe he guerdonneâ—h and rewardeth her with C double mo As he dyd to this holy lady to whome he gaf celestyals and erthely goodes to suffysaunce as he dothe to his frendes whiâ—he kepeth and holdeth them clenely in theyr maryage and that haue good hope in hym as had this good Susanne How men â—ught bewaylle and wepe for his synnes and mysdedes Capitulo lxxxxix aNother Ensample I shalle telle yow of Mary Magdalene whiche dyd wasshe and spurge awey her synnes and mysdedes by the water of her eyen as she wasshed the feet of oure lord Ihesu Cryste and wyped them with her here She wepte for her synnes for the loue of god and drede of her mysdede And thus at thexample of her we ought to do as she dyd For we ought to wepe for our synnes and mysdedes and haue pyte and be shamefull of that that we haue done and humbly goo to Confession and there to the preeste we ought to telle our synnes as we haue done them without hydyng or coueryng nothyng therof for the boldnes that men vndertake to say theyr mysdede synne also the shame that meÌ„ haue to telle them is to them a grete parte of their indulgeÌ„ces god whiche seeth the huÌ„ylyte the repentaunce moueth hym self to pyte eâ—largyssheth his misericorde as he did to Mary Magdalene to whome he pardonned her synnes and mysdedes for the grete contricion and repentaâ—nce that she had Another reason is wherof the holy magdalene ought to be preysed It is by cause that she loued and wonderly â—rad god And for certayne the grete myracle that she sawe whiche god made and that he had reysed her owne broder the whiche hadde told her tydynges of the other world and the paynes of hell And that she sawe wel that she must dye be punysshed there for her synnes and mysdedes made her al ferdfull sore abasshed And therfor she was thyrtty yere and more in a deserte makyng there her penaunce sorowynge and sore wepyng for her synnes and mysdedes And whanne she had ben there long tyme fastynge and withoute mete our lord beheld her and had on her pyte and sente her euery day the brede of heuen wherof she was rassasyed and fylde vnto her ende that god toke her And therfore is here good ensample how good is to wepe for his synnes and ofte to confesse hym self and to fasâ— and make abstynences and also to loue drede god as dyd this holy and good Magdaleyne that soo moche loued god that she wepte for her synnes vpon his feet And after fasted and suffred soo moche euylle and meschyef in the buscage desertes where as god comforted her by his aungels whiche euery day dyd brynge to her the brede of heuen And in suche wyse shal god doo to alle good wymmen and to alle them whiche with a contryte and good herte shalle wepe for theire synnes and that shalle loue god and doo abstynences as he dyd to this good woman The next chappytre sheweth how be it that a woman haue an euylle and felon husbond neuertheles she ought not therby to lene the seruyse of god Capitulo C aFter this ensample I shalle telle yow another of ij good wymen wyues of two paynyms The onewas wyf to the seneschall of Herode This goâ—d woman serued our lord at the time that he preched administred made his mete and drynke the best wyse they couthe Here iâ— good ensample how euery good woman al be it so that she haue neuer so peruers and euylle husbond yet this notwithstondyng she ne oughte to leue the seruyse of god and be obeysshynge to hym or els atte leste she ought to be more â—umble and deuoute for to Impetre and gete the grace of god for her and for her husbond For the good that she dothe appeaseth the yre of god and is cause of the sauement of they re temporall rychesse and goodes For the good that she dothe suporteth the euylle and mysdedes of her husbond as it is reherced in the lyf of the Auncyent faders where as he spekâ—th of an euylle man and a tyraunt the whiche was thre tâ—mes saued fro euylle dethe for goodnes and bounte of his wyf Wherfore hit befelle whanne she was dede and that he had no body more that prayd for hym he was for his grete synnes mysdedes brought in to a shamefull dethe by the kyng of that lond And therfor it is good and necessary to an euyl man to haue a good wyf and of holy lyf And the more that the good wyf knoweth her husbond more felon and cruel and grete synuar the more she ought to make gretter abstynences and good dedes for the loue of
after two bestes Therfore Impossyble is that she myght loue her peramour of trewe loue and her lord also withoute faute or deceyuaunce But god and Reson naturell constrayneth her For as the clerkes say and the predycatours god beganne the world by maryage of man and woman And god hym self whanne he came in to this world he spake and treated at a sermon that he made of maryage sayeng that maryage is a sacrament Ioyned and annexed of god to the man and the woman how they be but one body and that they oughte to loue eche other more than fader ne moder ne other creature And therfore syth that god hath assembled them no man mortal ouÈt not to separe them ne take fro them the loue whiche is bytwene them This sayd god of his owne mouthe And therfore at the dore where as the preest maketh them to swe re that they shalle loue and kepe eche other bothe seke and hole And that they shalle not gwerpysshe or leue eche other for none other better or worse And therfore I saye syth the creatour of al the creatures sayd so it is but one thynge and one body that men ought to gwerpysshe and leue al other worldly loue for to take the loue whiche oughte to be in maryage how thenne shold the wedded woman gyue her loue ne do ony oth to some other withoute consent of her lord I trowe that after the wylle of god and the commaundementes of holy chirche thâ—t this may not dewely be done withoute feythe be broken of one syde or of ther and many horryble dedes done For in good feythe I doubte not but that they whiche ben amerous gyuen theyr feythe to other men louen but lytel or nought they re husbondes and that they be cursed of god How a woman whiche wylle kepe her honour must doo ne shewe no maner of semblaunt to none Capitulo Cxxx tHere ben yet other Reasons for to kepe the loue of her lord clenely withoute daunger or parylle that is to wete ageynst enuyous folke that haue euylle and cursed tongues whiche maken the fals reportes that is to saye that yf ony woman maketh somme semblaunt of loue to some man And yf that somme other her seruaunt or ony other body perceyueth it As they shalle be departed fro her they anone shalle talke and speke therof before the folke And thus shal the wordes soo ferre goo that at the laste men shalle saye that she hath fawted in dede by this maner is a good trewe woman blamed and dishonoured And yf hit befalle that by somme aduenture her lord haue ony knowlechynge of hit he shalle take her in hate and of hertely loue he shalle neuer loue her And euer he shalle saye euylle of her And thus is the trewe loue of maryage lost and go fro them and neuer parfyght Ioye ne loue shalle they haue to gyder And therfore grete parylle is to euery wedded woman to put her lord and his estate the welthe Ioye of her maryage in this balauÌ„ce in suche peryllous aueÌ„ture wherfor I couÌ„ceyll not to no good woman to haue ony peramour ne to be amerous in so moch that she be subget to other than to her lord for by suche a cause many good maryages haue ben left forgoten for one word that is come therof an C euyls ben comen therfor I shal telle yow therof one example of them whiche ben dede haue fynysshed theyr lyues by the peryls whiche ben in folysshe loue The lady of Coussy her peramoure deide therof also dyd the Castellayne of the verger And after her the Duchesse And also many other deyde therof only for the loue and the most parte withoute Confessyon or shryfte wherfore I wote not how they doo in the other world But I doubte not but that the delytes and playsaunces whiche they tooke therof in this world shalle be to them derely sold And the delytes of them that ben amerous ben suche that for one Ioye that they receyue of hit they suffre and haue therfore an C dolours And for one worship honderd shames And euer I haue herd saye that a woman amerous shalle neuer after loue her lord with good herte but that she shalle euer be in Melancolye and in smalle thoughtes How a knyght loued the lady of the toure Ca Cxxxj lAdy ye make me to be merueylled how that ye so sore discounceylle them to loue Wene ye to doo me to by leue that ye be so trewe in your spekynge that ye neuer were amerous certaynly I haue wel herd the complaynte of some of whome ye hold wel your pees Syre sayd the lady I trowe that ye wold not byleue me yf I told to you the very trouthe therof but as for to saye I haue ben prayd of loue I haue many tymes perceyued how somme men were aboute to speke to me therof but euer I brake theyr wordes called to me somme other wherby I dyd breke theyr faytte wherof ones hit befelle as many knyghtes and ladyes were playenge with me that a knyght sayd to me how that he loue all the ladyes that ben in this world And I dyd demauÌ„de and asked hym yf hit was long syn that sekenes euylle had taken him he ansuerd that it was wel ij yere gone past and that neuer he durst telle it to me I thenne ansuerd to hym that it was nothynge of that space of tyme that he hasted hym to moche and that it was but a temptacion that he shold goo to the chirche for to cast vpon hym holy water and that he shold saye his Aue maria that his temptacion shold sone after go fro hym For the loue was newe And he demaunded of me why And thenne I sayd to hym that none peramoure or louer ought not to saye to his lady that he loueth her tyll the tyme of seuen yere and an half be passyd gone and that it was but a lytell temâ—tacion Thenne he wende to haue argued and put many reasons vnto me whanne I sayd al on hyghe Behold ye all what sayth this knyght whiche is but two yere syn he loued fyrst one lady and theÌ„ne he â—rayd that I shold kepe my pees therof and that in good feyâ—he he shold neuer speke to me therof But at the last he sayd to me Lâ—dy of the Towre ye be moche euylle and straunge and also after your wordes ouer prowd in loue I doubte that ye haue not be euer so straunge Ye be lyke the lady of the â—ualle whiche said to me thus that she wold neuer here ne vnderstaÌ„d the noote and wordes of none sauf one tyme that a knyghte praâ—d her but she had an vncle whiche she made to hyde hym self behynd her for to here and vnderstande what that the knyght shold seye wherin she dyd grete treason For he wende wel secretely to saye his rayson and wend not that ony one had
curtosye comen of a fre and a curtoys hert And the lytell or poure maÌ„ or woman to whome it is done thynketh that he is happy to receyue it and hath therin agrete playsyre And gyueth ageyne grete honoure to hym or her that hath done to hym suche curtosye and honoure And by this maner of the smal peple to whome is done suche curtosye or honoure cometh the grete loos and renomme whiche groweth fro day to day It hapned that I was in a companye of knyghtes and ladyes And a grete lady tooke of her hood and humbled her self curtoysly vnto a tayloure And ther was a knyght that said to her Madame why haue ye taken of youre hoode vnto a taylloure And she answerd that she had leuer to take it of to· hym than to haue lefte it vnto a gentyll man And that was reputed for ryght wel done and as for the best tauÈt of all the other How yonge maydens ought not to torne their heedes lyghtely here ne there Capitulo xj aFter this in sayeng to them le ye not like ne semblable the tortuse ne to the Crane whiche torne their visage and the heede aboue their sholders and wynde their hede here and there as a vane But haue youre regard and manere stedfast lyke as the hare hath which is a beest that seeth alwey to fore hym euen right forth withoute tornyng of his heede here· ne there Alwey see that ye be stedfast in lokyng playnly to fore you And yf ye wylle loke a syde torne youre vysage youre body to geder And so shalle ye hold you in youre estate more ferme sure· For they be mocqued that so lyghtely cast their sight and hede and torne their vysage here and there How the doughters of the kyng of denmarke lost their husbonde by cause of theyr maners Capitulo xijo. tHenne I wold wel that ye had vnderstonden thensample of the doughters of the kyng of denmarke whiche I shall acompte to yow Ther ben foure kynges on this side the see that auncyently maryed for honoure withoute couetyse of lond with doughters of kynges and hyghe prynces that were wel born and had good renomme of good maners of good mayntene and stedfast And they shold be sene yf they were wel sâ—apen and lyke to bere children and that they had suche thynges as wymmen ought to haue And these ben the foure kynges the kyng of FrauÌ„ce whiche is the moost grettest and noble the next is the kyng of Englond the thyrd is the kyng of spayne and the fourth is the kyngÌ„ of hongarye whiche is by right Marchal of Cristen men in werres ageynst the hethen men and sarasyns So it happed that the kyng of Englond was for to marye And he herd saye that the kynge of denmarke had thre fayre doughters and moche wel born And by cause this kyng was a moche wyse man And the quene a blessid woman and of good lyf be sente certayne knyghtes and ladyes of the mooste suffisaunt of his royamme for to see these doughters And so passed the see and camen in to denmark when the kyng the quene saw the messagers they had grete ioye honoured fested them foure dayes none knewe the trouthe whiche of them shold be chosen And they affayted arayed the doughters the best wyse they myÈt And ther was in this companye a knyght and a lady rigÌ„ht connyng and moche subtyl whiche took good heede and set their ententes for to see the manere of these thre yong ladyes their contenaunces otherwhyle spaken and had comynycacyon with hem And them semed that the oldest was the fayrest but she had not the mooste sure manere in her beholdyng but ofte loked here and there· And torned ofte her heede on her sholders had her sight ventillous lyke a vane The second doughter had moche talkyng and spacke ofte tofore she vnderstood that whiche was said to her The third was not the fayrest of them but she was moost agreable mayntened her manere more sure and sadly spak but litil that was wel demeurly her regard sight was more ferme huÌ„ble than of that other two and thembassatours took their aduys couÌ„ceil that they wold retorne vnto the kyng their lord saye to hym suche thyng as they had fouÌ„den theÌ„ne he myÈt take her that plesid hym Thenne they cam to the kyng quene for to take their lâ—ue thanked them moche of their good coÌ„panye of thonour that they had done to them that they wold wel reporte to their lorde suche thynges as they had sene of their douÈters vpon whiche he myght do his plaisir The kyng theÌ„ne lycencyd them gaf to them fair gyftes so they departed cam in to englond And recouÌ„ted to their lord thonoure that the kyng quene had done to them after they reported the beaultes of the doughters their maners mayntenes thus ther was ynough spoken of eche of them there were ynough that susteyned to take tholdest or the seconde for thonour that hit were best to take tholdest when all this mater had ben wel beten discussed the kyng whiche was wyse of naturell wytte spak of the yongest said thus Myn auncetours maryed them but for worship without couetyse for bounte of the woman not for plaisaunce but I haue herd ofter myshappe for to take a wyf for beaulte or for plaisauÌ„ce than to take her whiche is of stedfast manere that hath fair mayntene And there is not in the world so grete ease as to haue a wyfe sure stedfast ne none so grete fair noblesse therfor I chose the thyrd doughter For I wylle haue none of the other theÌ„ne he sent for to fetche her wherof the two older doughters had grete despyte grete desdayne And thus she that badde the better and the more sure manere was made quene of Englond and tholdest was refused for her wylde lokynge whiche was ouer ventyllous And that other suster by cause she spak ouermoche Now fayre doughters take ye ensample by the doughters of the kyng of denmarke And late not your eyen ben ouer ventyllous ne tourne not youre hede hyder ne thyder But when ye wille see ony thyng on ony syde torne your vysage and youre body to geder And be not ouer full of wordes For who that speketh ouermoche is not reputed for wyse And ye ought wel at leyser vnderstande to fore that ye answere· And yf ye make a lytell pause bytwene ye shall answere the better and the more wysely For the prouerbe sayth that as moche auayleth to hym that hereth and no thyng vnderstondeth as to hym that hunteth and no thyng taketh as is sayd to fore And yet my fayre doughters I shall saye to yow of a fayt that happed me of this mater It happed me ones that I was spoken to of maryage for to marye with a noble woman
Angre you with no thyng that he saith For ye knowe wel he is of hauÌ„tayn wordes of folissh answers wherfor I praye yow for your honour that ye take no debate ageynst hym I told her couÌ„ceiled feithfully as I wold haue said to my suster but she wold not bileue me but yet did chide more after this than to fore And she sayd to hym that he was nought worth· and many other wordes And he answerd to her that he was better for a man than she was for a woman she said that he said not trouth soo the wordes aroos that he said yf she had ben wyse and good she shold not come by nyght in to the mennes chambres and kysse them and embrace them without Candell And she supposed well to haue auenged her and sayd to hym that he lyed And he said he dyde not and that suche one suche one had sene it And there was moche peple that herd hit whiche knewe no thyng therof to fore And many of them sayd that a good stylle and not so to haue chyden had ben better for her that she was beten with her owne staf that is to saye by her tonge and by hir hasty spekyng And after these wordes she wepte and said that he had diffamed her and that it shold not be left so And she reassayled hym to fore them alle in suche wyse that he said yet more fowle and shameful wordes to the dishonoure of hyr that she shall neuer recouer for socoure that she can make And thus was she shamed by the haultesse of her herte And therfore this a good ensample how no woman ought to chyde nestryne ageynst a foole ne with peple that haue haultayn courage but they ought teschewe them For whan they see that they wil speke grossely and hyghe they sholde lete them alone· and holde them al styll and saye to them Fayr frende I see wel that ye speke hyhe and wylle ryotte Now wylle I leue yow and so departe and goo fro hym lyke as a knyght dyd to a lady that I knowe whiche had an euylle heede and saide many oultrages to the knyght to fore all the peple· To whome the knyght said Madame yf it plesyth yow saye ye as many merueyles as ye wylle And yf I here yow I doo yow no wrong I see well ye be maryed wherof I am sory But now for al that she wolde not be stylle but chode more than to fore And when the knyght sawe that she wolde not leue ne be stylle for no thyng he took a lytell wyspe of strawe that he fond And set it to fore her And saide to her Madame yf ye chyde more so chyde to this wyspe of strawe For I leue it here for me And wente his way and lefte hyr there and it was reputed for wâ—l done of the knyght that soo lefte her And she was holden for more foole than to fore For when she fonde not to whome she myght chyde she restreyned her yf she wolde· And thus ought hit to be done For hit is not honest ne good folke to stryue with fooles ne to chydars· ne to suche as haue euylle heedes and ben hasty and hoote but teschewe them lyke as the knyght dyd this lady of whome ye haue herd Of her that ete the Eele and plumed her pye Capitulo xv I Shall telle to yow an Ensample herof vpon the fayt of wymmen that ete the good morsels behynde theyr husbondes There was a damoyselle that had a pye in a cagâ— whiche spak and said all that she sawe And it happed that the lord of the how 's made to kepe a grete Ele in a tronke in a 〈◊〉 And he kepte it moche derworthely for to gyue it to som good lord of his or to somme frende yf they come to see hym And it 〈◊〉 that the lady saide to the Chamberere that it were good to ete the grete ele And they thought that they wold saye to theyr lord that theues had eten hym And when the lord cam home 〈…〉 began to telle and saye to hym My lady hath eten the Ele 〈◊〉 when the lord herd this he wente to his ponde and fonde not 〈◊〉 ele And cam home to his wyf and demaunded her what 〈◊〉 befallen of his ele And she supposed to haue excused her Aâ—â— he said that he was acerteyned therof And that the pye had 〈◊〉 hym And in the hous therfore was grete soâ—owe and noyse But when the lord was gone oute the lady and the chambereâ—e cam to the pye and plucked of alle the fethers of his hede· saâ—eng Thou hast discouered vs of the ele and thus was the pâ—ure pâ—eplumed and lost the fethers of his hede But fro than foâ—thâ—n yf ony man cam in to that howe that was balled or pylled or had an hyhe forhede the pye wolde saye to them ye haue told my lord of the ele And therfore this is a good ensample that no good woman sholde not ete for hir lycorousnes the swete or deyâ—â—â— morsels withoute the wytyng of her husboÌ„d but yf she emplâ—â—d it well with honoure This damoysell was after moâ—â—e scorned mocked for that ele by cause of the pye that so ofte remembryd 〈◊〉 to suche as cam thyder so ballyd or pylled How wymmen ought not to be Ielous Capitulo xvj I Shall saye to yow an ensample of this euyl thyng Ialousye There was a damoyselle maryed to a sâ—uyer whiche loued so wel her husbond that she was Ielouse of all them that he spak to wherfor her husbond blamed and repreuyd her ofte but it auayled no thynge· And among al other she was Ielouse of a damoyselle of the Countrey whiche was of haultayn courage And so it happed on a tyme that she dyd chyde ageynst this damoyselle And reproched her of her husbond· And that other said that by her fayth sÌ„he said not wel ne trouthe And that other said that she lyed And thus began they to fyght and smyte eche other fyersly And she that was accused tooke a staf and smote that other on the nose suche a stroke that she brack the bone wherof she had euer after a croked nose whiche is the moost syttyng membre that a man or woman may haue as it that stondeth in the myddes of the vysage So was this woman al blemysshed and blamed of her husband and oftymes reproched so that it had ben moche better for her not to haue ben Ielouse and to haue kept her vysage hoole withoute blemysshe And thus by the dysfyguryng of her nose and myschaunce her husbond myght not loue her soo parfytely after as he dyde to fore as he was woned to doo And other whyle took other And thus lost she the loue and thonoure of her husbond by her Ielousye and her folye This is a right good ensample for al good ladyes and gentyl wymmen how they ought to make semblaunt of suche thynges and to suffre fayre and curtoisly their
〈◊〉 lytel aduysement is moche worth at nede be it to man or woman Thenne I leue to speke more of this matere And come agâ—â—ne to speke of them that haue their herte all on the world as to be 〈◊〉 feestes Ioustes and carolles to goo on pilgremages more for disporte than for deuocion Of them that gladly go to festes and Ioustes capitulo xxiiij I Shall saye to yow an Ensample of a good lady that gaâ— a grete blame at a grete feste of a round table atte Ioustes· This good lady was yonge And her herte was set to the world for to daunce and synge well whefore the lordes and knyghtes loued her wel· Not withstondyng hir lord her husbond was no thyng plesid that she went so gladly but she ofte pâ—â—ide and requyred hym to gyue her leue And her husbonde dyde soo for fere to stande oute of the grace of other lordes And by cause they sholde not saye that he were not Ielouse And he hym self also spente largely for to acqueynte hym att the feestes And for the honoure of them bothe But she myght wel apperceyue that yf she had wold don the playsirâ— and wylle of her husbond that she shold not haue gone thyder Hit happed on a tyme as she was acustomed to daunce in a feste all nyght tyl hit was daye that sodenly the torches and lyghtes were al quenchid And there was made grete hues and cryes when the lyght was brought ageyne· the broder of the husbond of this lady sawe that a lord a knyght helde this lady and had put her a lytel a parte or a syde And in good feithe I thynke veryly that there was done thenne none harme ne vylonye But neuertheles the broder said so moche that her husbond knewe ther of And he had so grete sorowe in his herte therof that he mystruste her all his lyf after· ne neuer had syth that tyme to her soo grete loue ne playsaunce as he was woned to haue For he was a foole and so was she also And euer after eche arred at other lyke houndes And they lost all their goodes and housholde And all for a lytell occasion I knowe wel also another fayr lady that moche gladly wold be ledde to the feestes And was therfor blamed and sklaundred with a grete lord wherfore she took a thought bycam seke a long tyme of soo grete a sekenes that she she was all deffeted And had no thyng on her but skyn bone And began to drawe toward her deth wherfore the sacrament was brought to her Thenne said she to fore all that were there My lordes my frendes behold see In what poynt I am I was wonte to be whyte Rody fatte and the world preysed my beaute Now maye ye see what I am I am not lyke as I was wâ—ned to be I was acustomed to loue festes Ioustes torneyes but the tyme is passid me behoueth to goo to therthe that I cam fro And also my right dere frendes it is said and moch spoken of me and of my lord of Craon But by that god that I owe to receyue and on the dampnacion of my sowle he neuer requyred me of vylonye ne neuer did to me more than the fader that engendryd me I say not but that he lay in my bed but that was with oute vylonye or thynkyng of ony euyll Thenne were there moche peple abasshed that supposed wel it had ben all otherwyse Not withstondynge yet had she be sklaundred and blamed therfore a fore tyme and her honoure hurte And for these thynges it is grete perylle to alle good ladyes that haue their hertes ouermoche set on the world· ne be ouer desyrous to goo to suche feestes that they may kepe them honourably The feestes and reuelles ben cause of whiche many good ladyes and gentyl women gete moche blame and noyse withoute cause And neuertheles I say not but that they must somtyme obeye their husbondes and their frendes go thyder Bâ—t my doughters yf it happen that ye goo And that ye maye not refuse it goodly whan it cometh to nyght that they shal daunce and synge so kepe yow that for the speche of the world ye haue alwey by you somme of youre frendes or of youre â—eruâ—untes For yf it so happed that the torches or lyght were auenchyd and put oute that they myght abyde by yow nâ—t for â—â—â—tyng of ony euyl but for the perylle of euyll eyen and of 〈◊〉 tonges that alweye espye and seye more harme than ther is And also for more surely to kepe youre honoure youre name and youre good fame ageynst lyers that wylle alwey saye the euylle and leue the good Of them that wylle not were theyr good clothes on hyghe â—estes and holy dayes capitulo xxv aN other ensample I shalle telle you of them· that wylle not were theyr gounes ne clothes on hyhe festâ—s and on sondayes for the honoure of oure lord Thenne I wâ—â—lâ— that ye sholde take ensample how a damoyselle repreuyd her lâ—dy There was a lady whiche had good gounes ryche but she wolde not were them on sondayes ne on feâ—tful dayes but yf she supposed to fynde there noble men of estate So it happed at a feâ—te of oure lady whiche was on a sonday that her damoysell said to her Madame why clothe ye not with youre good gowne this day for the loue of oure lady and of the sonday I sayd she for I se no men of estate here a ha said the damoysell god and his moder ben more grete than ony other And they ought to be honoured more than ony worldly thyng For he may gyue and take awey alle thynges at his plaisire For all good and all honoure cometh of hym and of his blessid dere moder and on theyr hooly daâ—es we ought to arraye vs the better holde youre pees said the lady God and the preest and the peple see me al day but folke of estate see me not al wey therfor it is gretter honour to me to araâ— make me fresshe for them Madame said the damoisel that is euâ—l sayd It is not sayd the lady late come al that may come therof Anone with that worde there cam a wynde all hoote and smote her in suche wyse that she myght not stxre ne remeue more than a stone And thenne she confessid her and repentyd and auowed to many pylgremages And was caryed in a lytyer And she told to al men of worship that she fonde the cause of this maladye that had so taken her And that it was the vengeaunce of god And she said that she had more grete ioye and gretter playsyre for to make her queynt and gaye for peple of estate that cam from without forth in to suche a place where as she was for to playse them· and to haue parte of their beholdynges than she dyde for ony deuocion at the hyhe festes of oure lord ne of his sayntes And sithe
suffryng so grete peyne that it was a pytous thyng to see and here And when the masse was songen the hooly heremyte said hou 〈◊〉 hadde sene the fendes of helle laugh vpon them with euyl contenaunces when he was at the masse And after he told them that they fylle in grete perylle when they spak and bourded and of the grete synne that they dide in the tyme of the masse when they shold haue ben in the seruyse of god To whiche none ought to come but for to gyue laude praye humbly and deuoutely to worshippe god And after this he said how he sawe the fendes lepe sprynge vpon the hornes other nyce apparaylle of many wymmen And they were tho that talked and Iangled with company And they that thought more to complaire and plese their amorettes delytes of the world than to plese god to haue the regardes beholdynges of the musardes on them he saw on these the fendes pynne their keuerchyefs but vpon them that sayd their prayers were in deuocioÌ„ they were not on them ne touched theÌ„ how well there were ynough of them that were wel arayed curyously But it holdeth more in the hert than in thabyte And after he said that soo arayed them for to ben the beter sene and take heede of· done grete synne And they that take playsir in the seruyse of god angre sore and gyuen grete debate to the fende oure enemy After that he had said thus many thynges the wymmen and they that cryed and were so tormented threwe awey their gaye arraye as peple oute of theyr wyt And alweye abode they there in suche manere nyne dayes And on the tenthe day they were brought ageyne to their right mynde by the prayer of the hooly heremyte· And thus were they chastised that fro than forthon they kepte them from spekyng and Ianglyng in thetyme of the seruyce of god wherfore we may wel vnderstonde by this ensample that no persone ought not talk in the chirche ne distourble the seruyse of god An Ensample that happed at the masse of seynt Martyn capitulo xxviij aNd yet I shalle saye to yow what befelle att the masse of seynt Martyn of Tours The hooly man songe the masse And his godsone seynt Bryce helpe hym to synge which was after hym Archebisshop of Tours This saynt Bryce began to laughe And saynt Martyn apperceyued it And when the masse was done seynt Martyn callyd hym And demaunded of hym why he laughed And he answerd hym that he had sene the deuyll whiche put in wrytynge alle that the men and wymmen talked to geder as longe as he sayd the masse Thenne it happed that the parchemyn in whiche the fende wrote was ouer shorte And he began to drawe it oute a long with his teeth for to make it larger And when he so drewhe with his teeth the perchemyn escaped fro hym in suche wyse that he smote his heede ayenst the stone walle And for that cause I lough And whan saynt Martyn hadde herd that seynt Bryce had sene this he preched vp on this mater to the peple how it was grete perylle to speke talke in the masse tyme and in the tyme of the seruyce of god And yet susteyne the grete clerkes that me ought not saye no prayers in the masse tyme And in especial whyle the gospell is red and per omnia with the preface And for these causes aforsaid my fair doughters ye haue herby a fayre ensample how that ye ouÈt to mayntene you humbly and deuoutely in the Chirche and not to talke ne iangle for no thyng that may happen Of a knyght that causid all a towne to lese theyr masse where as he dwellyd capitulo xxixo. aNother Ensample I shalle telle yow of them that lose their masse and also to make other to lese it I haue herd told of a knyght and of a lady that fro theyr youth took grete plaisire to slepe to fore none And this they vsed in suche manere that oftymes they lost theyr masse And causid alle they parysshe to lose it also in whiche they dwellyd For he was lord and patron of the parysshe And the parson durst not with saye hym So it happed on a sonday that they sente to the parson that he shold tarye for them And whan they cam it was passed mydday And they of the parysshe told the preest that it was past none And therfor he durst not synge masse And so they hadde no masse that daye wherfore the peple of the parysshe were moche angry but they must nedes suffre And it happed in the same nyght that the preest had a vysyon that hym semed that he kept a grete flock of sheep in a felde where as was no grasse And he wolÌ„d haue brought them in a pasture for to haue fedde them where to was but one path and in that path was a black swyn and a sowe whiche lay ouerthwert the way And these hoggâ—s were horned And he had soo grete drede and fere bothe he and his shepe that he durst not entre in to his pasture And anon they torned back to their feld withoute pasture And soo they had no mete And thenne hym thought one saide to hym leuest thou to gyue pasture to thy sheep for fere of these horned beestes there with al he awoke And in lyke wyse this vysion happed the same nyght to the knyght and to the lady his wyfe· for them semed that they become a bore and a sowe and were also horned And that they wold not suffre the sheep to passe and goo to their pasture And sith them semed ther cam a grete chace of black hunters syttyng vpon grete black horses which had with them grete quaÌ„tyte of grehoundes and black dogges whome them semed they vncoupled and dide set them on hem and made them all to drawe hem and byte them by the ere 's armes and thyes And blewe their hornes halowed and cryed And this chace or hutyng endured on them so longe that them semed that they were taken slayn ther with all they awoke beyng sore agast effrayed this aduysion happed and cam to them two tymes Now it happed that the preest cam vnto the place where this knyght lady were And they tolde to hym their vysyon And in lyke wyse the preest told to them his wherof they were sore admerueyled and abasshed by cause they were lyke Thenne the preest aduysed hym and sayde to the knyght Syre there is an hooly hermyte here by in suche a foreste whiche shalle make vs wyse and vnder stonde of this thynge Thenne they wente to this hooly man and recounted to hym theyr aduysyon fro poynt to poynt And thys hooly man which was wyse and of a blessid lyf declared to them all their fait And said to the knyght his wyf· ye be the black swyne whiche kepe the pathe and the entre of the pasture that the sheepe may
monkes cam thyder or they were losed And when the poure Monke sawe his vncle and al the other monkes with hym he had grete shame and grete sorowe in his herte And for this cause and mesehyef lefte he that Abbeye and wente in another somwhere Here may be taken grete EnsaÌ„ple how men ought wel to kepe them self fro synne doyng in hooly places specially to flesshely delyte or lecherye both in spekyng or in ony other maner For it is not conuenient that a man in suche places loke nor beholde maide ne woman but by thought and weye of maryage· For as god sayth in the Euangely as telleth and recounteth one Euangelyste sayng that the swete Ihesu Cryst entred or went in a chirche whiche at that tyme was called the Temple where as men sold Mercery and other ware And as oure lord god sawe this he put them oute euerychone And sayd that his how 's sholde be kepte clene And that it ought to be the how 's of hooly orysons and prayers and not how 's of Marchaundyse nor pytte or spelonke for theues And for to conferme these reasons oure lord god hath wel shewed to vs appert or knowen myracles whiche of late he hath made in the forsayd Chirches as ye haue herd And how that moche displesyth hym that men defowle his hooly how 's and his hooly Chirche Of the vyces that renne ben in many one Capitulo xxxvij mY faire doughters he that the best or good seeth and taketh the bad or euylle it is good right that after therof he hym repente I say so by cause that we haue thorugh this world many euylle and badde Ensamples and mo ther be that rather and soner taken the bad than the best or good They that soo doo ben fooles For they put them self oute of the ryght way that is oute of the commaundements of god whiche all good and also oure saluacion techeth vs And he gyueth vs it both by writynges and by lawe the whiche we hold and sette but litil by For we see that the moost parte of the world rewleth and guydeth them self after the carnal or flesshely delyte and wylle And ben ful of veyne glorye and dampnable worship The one is prowde for his scyence the other for his Rychesse Somme for their gentylnesse Other be that ben enuyous of the goodes and worship that they see in other folk more than in them self Other be that ben yrous and kepe euylle wylle in their hertes to the folk Other be that ben so esprysed and brennynge in the hete and stynkyng fyre of lecherye that they be wors than wylde beestes Other ben glotouns lecherous whiche taken ouer moche good wynes and of delycate metes Other also that ben couetous to baue other mennes goode Other be that ben theues vsurers Rauynours traytours and backbyters This maner of folk thenne sheweth wel that they be sones and disciples of the deuylle For wel they ensyewe and folowe the doctryne and faites of hym their mayster by whoo 's coâ—eunylle nad temptacion they be ioyned with synne and lyeng in the way of dampnacion· And therin the deuyll holdeth them faste bounden vnto the tyme of shewynges of very and pure confession And of this manere the moost parte of the world is entatched and ouercome Of the good condycions· that ben in dyuerse and many maners amonge folke Capitulo xxxviij aLso ther he other that ben sage and wyse whiche haue al their herte and truste in god And for the loue and drede that they haue toward hym they hold them clenly and fro synne alwey fyghtynge ageynste the fire of lecherye Also they hold them sobirly fro etynge of delycious metes and wynes kepyng good dyete For suche delycates ben but the bronde that lyghteth and sparkleth the fire of lecherye Other ther ben that haue grace wytte and suffisaunce ageynste couetyse And other that haue a fre hert and pyteous vpon other mens peynes And ben trewe and rightful toward their neyghbours And also ben peasyble And therfor oure lord god maketh them to lyue in pees and peasybly For who that the euyll and the Ryote seketh anguysshe and doloure shal soone folowe hym Many men by their grete Ire and angre beten them self with their owne staf And euery day ben aboute to purchace to them self grete peyne and sorowe And therfore oure lord God in the Euangely blesseth alle them that ben debonaire and peasyble of herte Alle suche folke that so clerly and feruently byhauen and mayntene them self in the loue and drede of god and of theyr neighbours shewe wel that they be wel lyke theyr mayster that is god the fader of whome they holden and kepe the hooly commaundementes as hooly chirche techeth them they haue a fre herte to witholde them after thexamplayre of his sone whiche is thexemplaire of life and of ioye perdurable And is the swete welle or fountayn wherynne men maye fynde alle goodnesse and sauement And therfore fayr doughters haue ye euer youre herte in hym and loue and drede hym And he shalle saue yow fro alle peryls and fro all euylle temptacions Wherfore my faire doughters I wylle shewe and declare vnto yow by this book the trewe women and good ladyes that oure lord god preyse so moche in his byble by whoo 's hooly dedes and operacions were and shalle be euermore preysed Wherby ye may take good Ensample of honest and clenly lyuynge And also I shalle shewe yow somme euyl wymmen that were furyous and replenysshed of alle malyce the whiche fynysshed theyr lyf in grete sorowe and heuynesse to th ende ye take of them goode Ensample to kepe yow fro all euylle and fro the perdycyon wher as they fallen in Thensample of Eue oure first moder capitulo xxxix tHe first ensample of euyll and of synne wherby the deth is come and entred in to this world cam by Eue our first moder that lytell kepte the commaundement of god and the worship wherin he had enhaunced and put her for he hadde made her lady of alle thynges lyuyng that were vnder the heuen whiche al were obeyeng to her And yf she had not falle in to the synne of inobedyence there had be no fysshe in the see ne beest on therthe ne byrde in thayer but that they had al be vâ—der her obeisaunce at her will myght haue take them and dyuyse haue them where someuer she wold Also she shold haue had children without ony dolour or peyne neuer she shold haue had honger ne thurst nother cold ne hete trauaylle ne sekenesse tristesse or heuynesse of herte ne erthely deth No water myght haue drouned her ne fyre myght haue conbusced or brente her ne glauye or wepen myght haue hurte her· no thyng myght ennoye her Thenne loke we and thynke how a synne alone withoute ony more was cause to putt her fro thys grete honoure and worshyp and make her falle so lowe and in suche secuage For she
her loue the most fowle and lothly wolf And soo dothe the folysshe wyf by the temptacion of the fende that euer incessauntly is aboute the synnar bet man or wyf to make them to falle in dedely synne Aind as the synne is gretter the more he hath myght and puyssaunce ouer the synnars And by cause he was a man of Relygyon and the woman wedded was the synne gretter And for certayne by the holy scrypture and wrytynge and as men may al aboute see yf a woman accomplysshe or doo that synne of lechery with one her kynne nygh of her blood she shall be the more temptyd shal be more brennyng to it shal haue more folyssh appetyte euyl plesauÌ„ce therfor it is trewe that so ofte is the pot borne to fetche water that atte laste it breketh in pyeces For this folysshe wyf whiche hadde a husbond ten tymes fayrer than the Monke was and more curteys and gracious And that soo ofte hadde escaped thorugh her fals Godseps delynge And that vpon the defence of her husbond wente ageyne to the pryours how 's as ye herd to fore And ouermore as the grete anguysshe and dolour that she had suffred of her legges was past yet she ne wold chastyse ne kepe her self clene of that fowle synne of lechery Thenne is it thyng trewe and approuued that al this is but temptacion of the deuylle whiche holdeth and kepeth the synnars with brennynge and enflammed hertes to th ende he may doo them to falle within his grynnes or nettes as he dyd the sayd foole woman and to the sayd pryour and made them bothe to receyue deth vylaynysly Now haue I shewed vnto yow by many ensamples of the byble and of the kynges gestes also by other wrytynge How the synne of lechery the desguysynge and werynge rayments and clothes of newe facion is moche displeasynge to god And how the deluge and assemblyng of waters cam therof and alle the world perysshed sauf only eyght persones And how Sodome and Gomorre with fyue other cytees were also brente and conbusted vnto thabismes by fyre of sulphur and of fouldre And how so many euylles werres famyns and pestylences and other trybulacions ben therof come and be comynge daye by daye in this world And how the stenche of hit is so gretely displeasynge to the angels of heuen And how the holy vyrgyns that ben in heuen in ioye and glorye gaf them self to martyrdome rather than they shold consente to hit ne goo fro they re good holy and pure wylle for ony yeftes ne for promesses as it is conteyned in theyr legendes as of saynt katheryn saynt Margaryte of saynte Crystyn the enleuen thowsand vyrgyns and of many other of whiche the grete constaunce and feruente courage of them were to longe to be recounted For they surmouÌ„ted many grete temptacions and vaynquysshed many tyrauÌ„ts wherby they gate conquered the grete reame of blysse and glorye where as they shalle euer be in perdurable ioye Now my fayr doughters I telle yow that no thynge or lytyll is to kepe hym self clenly It is drede and be of hertely louynge toward her lord and thynke what euylle what shame and what dolour and sorowe cometh therof vnto the world and how hit displeaseth god And how therof men lese bothe body sowle the loue of god and the loue of his parentes and frendes of the world wherfor moche affectuelly I praye yow as my ryght dere doughters that ye daye and nyght wyl thynke on it For many grete and euylle temptacions shall befyght and assaylle yow Be ye thenne stronge and valyaunt to resiste ouercome them And loke and behold the place wheroute ye be come of and what dishonour and shame myght come to yow therof Of Apomena quene of Surye Capitulo lxiij nOw shalle I telle yow of somme wymmen the whiche ben ouermoche proude of theyr grete worship and goodes· whiche god hath gyuen them As reherced is in the bylle ther was a woman whiche Was named Apomena doughter of a symple knyght named Bernard This Apomena was fayre and yonge in so moche that the kynge of Surye Whiche was a myghty kynge was enamoured of her and so moche that he loued her that by his grete folye he toke her in maryage and made her quene And whanne she sawe her self soo hyghe and so myghty and in so grete honour and worship brought she sette nought syn of her frendes and parentes and had shame and desdayne to see or mete with hem And became ouer proude and so moche grete of courage that also to the kynge her lord she bare not so grete reuerence as she ought to haue doo by cause she sawe hym symple and debonayr And also she by her grete pryde dayned not bere reuerence ne worship to none of the kynges parents And soo moche she dyd that of euery one she was hated and that the kynge was wrothe with her and chaced and sente her in exyle And so by grete pryde she lost the grete honour and worship where in of lowe degree she had fortunatly be brouÈt for many wymmen be that may not suffre ease worship to gyder can not reste tyl by their pryde enuy they falle in grete pouerte fro hyhe to lowe as dyd the folysshe quene whâ—che was come fro lowe degree vnto so hyghe and myghty estate and myght not suffre it And euery woman whan she seeth and knoweth her bord symple and debonayr to her she ought the more to bere hym honoure and worship for soo doynge she worshippeth and bereth honour to her self and hath the loue of them that seeth her soo doo And also therfore she ought to hold her the more cloos and symplya nd to force her self to kepe his loue and his pees For al hertes be not euer in one estate A stone slyteth And a hors falleth Men wene somtyme that suche one be symple whiche hath a malycious herte And therfor a woman may not bere to moche worship and honour to beâ— lord ne to moche be obeyssaunt to hym of what someuer condicion he be wherof I wylle telle yow an ensample of the wyf of the grete Herodes He hadde a wyf whiche he ouermoche loued He wente to Rome And in the mene whyle hit befelle that his men that were with hym the whiche in no wyse loued theyr lady his wyf by cause she was toward them to proude felon told hym how she had a prynce to her loue wherof Herodes was wrothe and at his retourne fro Rome he reprouued her of this grete faulte and vylonye whiche she had done to hym She answerd thenne to proudely and to lyghtly And had not her lord in honour by fayre wordes ne by curtosye neyther humbly she spake to hym as she oughte to haue do And therfor her lord that was felon and despytous and wrothe of her proud and hyghe spekynge toke a knyf and slewe her wherof he was after sory For
other maner and dede And bete them as they deserued hit For better hit were to bete an honderd tyme his children than to curse them ones wherof I shall telle yow an Ensample of a woman whiche was yrous and euylle And lyghtly she was angry And also was her husbond And by theyr grete yre they were euer chydyng brawlyng to gyder they had a sone the whiche had done to them somme faulte wherfor the fader and moder beganne sore to curse hym And the child whiche was wrothe answerd to them folysshly And thenne the fader and the moder that for his answere were ful of yre and wrathe wente and gaf hym to the deuyl And the fende cam that seased and toke hym by the one hand and lyfte hym vp fro the ground And where as he touched hym the fyre sprang oute and loste his hand For whiche â—ause he was al his lyf in daunger and parylle And therfor there is grete daunger in cursynge of his owne children And wysshyng to them ony euylle and yet gretter perylle is to gyue them by ony yre or wrathe to the deuyll And therfor haue ye this ensample in your memorye and see how ye ought to wysshe euer alle good for your children pray god for them as dyd Iacob and his wyf for theyr children whiche god enhaunced ouer all the lygnees and generacions And doo not lyke as dyd the man and his wyf the whiche thurgh theyr yre cursed theyr child and after gaf hym to the deuyll wherfor the child was in perylle alle his lyf durynge How men ought to sette and put theyr children in the wylle of god Capitulo lxxxv aNother ensampsâ— I shalle telle yow of Rachel the second wyf of Iacob whiche was moder to Ioseph whiche his bretheren sold in egypte Of her speketh to be nourysshed in her wardrobbe more derely And as in Iape she called hym her sone of the whiche cam afterward so moche good For god chose and stablysshed hym mayster and gouernour ouer alle his people And also dyd shewe to hym many of his secretes And toke hym the rodde wherwith he departed the see and made drye waye to passe it· and made also with that same rodde to yssue and come oute of the stone lÌ„yuynge and swete water And also he toke hym the tables of the lawe and many other signes and tokens of loue he dyd shewe vnto hym as of his nourysshynge wherof the good lady was well rewarded For god forgeteth neuer the seruyce done to hym by charyte as to nourysshe the orphanes or faderles whiche is an operacion of Mysericorde that God moche loued as hit is conteyned in â—he lyf of saynte Elysabeth whiche nourisshed the poure Orphanes And maad them to lerne somme crafte to gete theyr lyuynge with Wherfor it befelle that a good woman whiche had but one chilÌ„d the whiche was wont to bathe hym self in the ryuer fyll within a pytte where he was eyght dayes And his moder whiche was charitable to god and to saynt Elysabeth hadde therfore grete dolour and sorowe It befelle that at the laste daye of eyght she dremed that her sone was in a pytte ful of water And that saynte Elysabeth kepte hym there on lyue and tolde her by cause that ye haue euer nourysshed and susteyned the orphans and faderles oure lord wylle not that your sone deye ne perysshe in this pytte And therfore make ye redy to haue hym oute And thenne the moder awoke and made her sone to be had oute of the pytte and fonde hym of fayr colour alyue And the child recounted to his moder how a fayre lady had euer kepte hym And had sayd to hym It is goddes wylle that thow be saued for the charyte and myserycorde of thy moder whiche with good wylle had susteyned the orphanes and them nourysshed Therfor here is a good ensample how men ought to nourysshe the orphanes and the smal children that haue mystier or nede for it is grete almesse grete charyte that moche pleseth god to this is shewed to vs exaÌ„ple of many other bestes also that whan men haue slayn the moder and that the faons ben loste withoute noreture another beest cometh and nouryssheth them vnto the tyme that they may purueye them self How the benefaytte whiche is done for the loue of god is rendred of god an C tyme gretter than it is Capitulo lxxxxvij aNother ensample I shall reherce vnto yow vpon this faytte It befelle that in the Towne of Iherico was a woman whiche was named Raab and the which was blamed but charytable she was wherfor it befelle that certayne good men whiche were come there for to preche to the peple of that toune euylle cruell there duellyng wherfore they lefte and wente and hyded them in the sayd womans how 's She casted ouer them beddes and fardels of lynen cloâ—â— In so moche that the peple coude not fynde them for they wold haue put them to dethe And at nyght the sayd woman had them oute of her how 's with a cord oute of a wyndowe and saued them wherfor it befell that she therfore was wel guerdâ—ned after the deserte For the towne was soone after take and alle the men and womâ—n put to dethe sauf this Raab and her meyny whiche god wold haue saued by cause she had saued his mynystres and sergeans And therfore sayth the holy Euangely where god sayth that the good and seruyce that one shal doo to hym or to his seruaunts for the loue of hym be shalle rendre it a C double wherfor I wold ye wyst thexample of saynte Anastasye whiche was putte in pryson But god made her to be delyuerd oute And made her to wete that hit was by cause that she susteyned of her owne good the prysoners whiche were in the prysons and chartres where as she wyst that ony were putte in wrongly and by enuye or for somme debte And she gaf so moche of her good that she had them oute And therfor god guerdoned her to double And also the swete Ihesu Cryste sayd in theuangely that at the daye of his grete Iugement he shalle haue mercy on them whiche shalle haue vysyted and comforted them that were emprysoned and the seke and also the poure wymmen that lay pourely in theyr childbedde For at that ferdful and dredefull day god shalle therof aske a rekenynge and nedes men must rendre hym reason therof And wel I wene that many one haue be repreued therof whiche shalle be in grete charge and payne to gyue a good ansuere And therfore my fayr doughters thynke now on hit whyles ye lyue as dyd saynt Arragone whiche was quene of FrauÌ„ce and whiche comforted and vysyted the poure enchartered and emprysoned and nourysshed the orphanes and vysyted them that were seke And by cause she myghte not entende to hit as ofte as she wold for doubte to disobeye her lord she lefte her lord alle the worship and vayne
god And yf the one suffre not the other that is to vnderstonde yf the good dyd suffre supported not the euylle allÌ„ shold go to perdicion And yet I saye that the obeyssaunce and drede of god was stablysshed before maryage For men ought fyrst obeye to the creatour whiche hath made them to his blessyd forme and semblaunce and that maye gyue them grace to be saued And also the lawe commaundeth that men ought not to obeye to the body tylle that they haue purueyed fyrst for the prouffyte of the sowle whiche is perdurable wherupon sayth the glose that alle good and dewe seruyse of the body is to the sauement of the sowle For the good of the sowle hath none lyke hit And therfor it is good to dresse meue his lord to doo somme good And after his poure to kepe hym fro euylle dede And thus oughte to doo euery good woman How it is good to herberowe and receyue in his how 's the gentylle wymmen that were of good renommee she enhaunced and maryed them She maade to seche and enquere the poure housholders and somme of her good she gaf to them She had grete pyte of wymmen whiche were at they re childbedde and vysyted and foustred them She had of her owne phisicienâ— and Cyrurgyens to helpe and he le for goddes loue al maner of folke And in especiaâ—â—e the poure whiche had nought to paye And as men saye god shewed and made oftyme myracle for her sake For whanne men took her her booke and her paternoster they stode before her allone by them self in the ayeâ— And also many other tokens and signes were sene whiche for her loue god dyd shewe And therfore here ought euery good woman to take good ensample and haue pyte one of other and thynke how god gyueth the goodes to be therof thaÌ„ked and knowen and to helpe and haue pyte on the poure Here I leue the tale of these good ladyes and of thys matere But soone I shalle comâ— to hit ageyne and shalle speke of another ensample Of the Burgeys whiche wold neuer pardonne her euylle wylle to one her neyghbour wherfore she was dampned Capitulo Cij mY fayre doughters beware ye well that the synne of yre ouercome yow not For god sayth in his holy euaÌ„gely that men ouÈt to pardonne to them that haue mysprysed and mysdone And yf one be smeton of his neyghbour or of his broder crysten vpon one cheke he oughte to lâ—ye forth the other for to receyue on it as moche For takynge vengeaunce is none meryte but is contrary to â—he sowlâ— And yet sayth oure lord that yf one haue ony hate or wrathe with ony other he ought to goo and aske hym mercy to fore he make or doo his oryson offrynge or prayer that it may be of ony valewe and playsaunt to god For of no maneâ— of man ne woman whiche in the synne of yre god receyueth not they re offrynge how grete that it be For as god that maad the pater noster whiche sayth that god shold pardonne to them as they pardonned to other therfore we ought to pardonne eche one to other And thus they that ben euer in wrathe and hate yf they saye the pater noster theyr prayer is more ageynst them than with them And vpon thys I shalle telle yow an ensample of a grete Burgeyse as I herd saye at a pâ—edycacion or prechynge This Burgeyse was moche ryche charytable and moche preysed and had on her many signes and tokens to be a good câ—ysten It befelle that she was brought thorugh a grete sekenes to the bedde of dethe ther cam to her her curate or parson whiche was a hooly man and trewe He herd her in confessyon And as he came to speke to her of the synne of yre sayenge to her that she must pardonne to alle them that had mysprysed or mysdone vnto her And whanne she herde of that artycle she ansuerd that a woman whiche was her neyghboure had soo moche mesprysed and mysdone vnto her that she myght neuer pardonne ne forgyue her with her good wyll Thenne the holy man began to put forâ—he shewe vnto her by fayr wordes ensaÌ„ples how Ihesu Cryst forgaaf pardonned his dethe Also he reherced to her thexample of a knyghtes sone whos fader had be slayne This knyghtes sone came to an heremyte and confessyd hym And as he came to the synne of yre he sayd that he myght neuer pardonâ—e ne Forgyue to hym that had slayne his fader And the holy heremyte shewed hym how god forgaf his dethe and many other ensamples he dyd shewe vnto hym And so moche he sayd that by his swete and fayr wordes the child pardonned and forgaf his faders dethe with good wylle In suche wyse that whanne the child cam to knele before the crucyfyxe he enclyned his heed toward hym And a voys was herd whiche sayd by cause that thow hast pardonned humbly for the loue of me I pardonne and forgyue to the al thy synnes and mysdedes and thow shalt haue grace to come to me in to the celestyal ioye This parson or curate thenne shewed and told this ensample with many other to the sayd Burgeis But for none ensample ne for no thynge that he couthe saye or doo she wold neuer forgyue her euylle wylle but in that estate she deyde wherof hit befelle that atte nyght a vysyon came to the sayd curate or parson by the whiche vysion he sawe how the in suche poynt and estate as I was whanne I herd yow I am come to see yow therfore please it yow to pardonne me for the grete Ioye whiche I haue of youre comynge maade me to doo hit The knyght theÌ„ne beheld and sawe the manere of his nyece wherof he was full glad and loued and preysed her moche more than his other nyece He gaf her the two gownes whiche he had bought for her and for her suster And thus she that cam gladly in thestate wherynne she was to welcome her vncle she wanne bothe gownes and she whiche taryed for to make her ioly and gay lost her parte of them She thenne that forthwith came to welcome her vncle as she had brought hym in her chamber she wente and propyrly arayed her self And thenne sayd to hym My lord and myn vncle I haue arayed and coynted me for to serue yow more honestly And thus she gate the loue of her vncle and the other lost it Here is good ensample how men ought to come ioyously in thestate where one is in to welcome his frendes whiche be come to see hym And yf ye wyst thexample of a baronnesse or wyf of a baron whiche Was a good lady and whiche wold in no manere were ne doo on euery day hir best gownes wherfore her seruauntes sayd to her Madame why go ye not better arayed and more coynted than ye doo And she answerd to them yf euery day I went in my best rayments and helde
me coynte and Ioly how shold I doo on the hyghe feestes and holydayes And also as the lordes my parentes shalle come to see me For thenne as I shold araye me the best wyse I couthe yet men shold saye that al the day byfore I was fayrer and better besene wherof no thanke I shold haue of them whiche were come to see me And therfor I preyse her nothyng that can not amende her self in tyme and place as nede is For a thynge whiche is comyn and dayly sene is nothynge preysed ne sette by Of the good knyght whiche fought ageynst the fals knyghte for the pyte of a mayde Capitulo Ciiij I Wold ye wyst thexample of a knyght whiche fought for a mayde There was at the Courte of a grete lord a fals knyght whiche requyred and prayd a mayde of folyssh loue but she wold nought doo for hym for yeste ne for promesse but wold kepe her body clenely And whan the knyght sawe this he sayd that she shold repente her He tooke an Appel and poysonned it and fewe dayes after that he toke the appel to her for to gyue it to the yonge sone of her lord She toke the appel and gaf it to the child And soone after that he had eten it he deyde wherfor this mayde was take and shortly to say redy for to be brente She wepte and complayned her self to god sayenge that she had no culpe of this dede but that the fals knyght whiche took her thapple was therof gylty and none other And he deffended it ageynst her sayd he was redy to preue the contrary ageynst ony knyght in champ of batayll But she couthe fynde none that for her wolde fyght ageynst hym by cause he was so strong and so moche doubted in armes wherfor it befelle that oure lord god whiche forgeteth not the clamour and prayer of the trewe and Iuste had pyte of her And as it pleased hym a good knyght whiche had to name patrydes that was free and pyteous as men were aboute for to haue cast the mayd in to the fyre and beheld the mayde whiche wepte sore and made grete sorowe He had pyte of her and demaunded of her the trouthe of the fayt And fro the begynyynge vnto the ende she told hym how hit was And also the most parte of them that were there presente wytnessyd as she sayd Thenne the good knyght meued of pyte casted his gage ageynst this fals knyght The bataylle was bytwene them hard and cruel to see in so moche that aâ— the laste this fals knyght was disconfyted and openly dyd shewe his treason And thus was the mayde saued But the good knyght patryde receyued at that sorowe v mortall wouÌ„des wherfor as his armes were of he sente his sherâ—e whiche was broken in fyue places to the sayd mayde whiche kepte hit all her lyf and euery day she prayd for the knyght that suche dolour had suffred for her And thus for pyte and Fraunchyse fought the gentyll knyght and receyued v mortalle woundes As the swete Ihesu Cryst dyd whiche faught for the pyte of that they shold haue none by cause they were come to late wherfor I doubte after the purpos of this ensample that many one is a slepe and sorowfulle to the seruyse of god And as of them that ben not garnysshed of that whiche is apperteynynge to theyr sauement that is to wete to doo good and holy operacions and haue the grace of god doubte ye not but yf they tary longe to amende them before theyr ende Hit shall be sayd to them as it was seyd to the v vnwyse virgyns and shalle fynde the yate of the castell shette before them Thenne shalle not be tyme to repente them but sore abasshed they shall be as they shalle see them departed fro God and fro the good sowles and be cast and had in to the cruell pytte of helle where as they shalle be in contynuell payne and dolour whiche neuer shal take none ende Allas how dere shalle be sold the coyntyses and folysshe playsaunces and delytes wherof men shall haue vsed for to obeye to his careyn and to the world This way shal goo alle euylle wymmen And the good women to the contrary For they shalle goo with the espouse that is with god theyr creatour shalle fynde the grete yate open where thorugh they shalle goo in to the blysse and Ioye of paradys by cause they haue ben curyous and awaked wyth theyr lampes and lumynary abydynge the comynge of the spouse that is to saye that they haue made good and hooly operacions and haue watched for to abyde the houre of they re dethe and haue not be slepynge in synne but haue hold them self clene and haue confessyd them ofte and kepte them selfe clene fro synne to theyr poure And whiche loued and drad god These shalle be the good wymmen of whome god spake in his euangely as yâ— haue herd to fore Of the gloryous and blessyd vyrgyne Marye Capitulo Cvij aFter this I shalle speke of one vyrgyne whiche hath no pere It is of the holy and blessyd vyrgyne Marye moder to the sauyour of alle the world This blessyd vyrgyne is of soo hyghe exemplary that none maye wryte the good the bounte and the hyghenesse wherin her swete and blessyd sone enhaunceth her daye by daye This swete vyrgyne worshipped and drad her sone more than euer dyd ony other moder his by cause she knewe wel fro whens he came She was chamberere and Temple of God where as the weddynge of the deyte and of the humylyte was maade the whiche humanyte broughte the lyf and sauement of alle the world God wold that she shold take to her spouse the hooly man Ioseph whiche was a good old man and trewe For god wold be borne vnder the shadowe of maryage for to obeye to the lawe and for to eschewe the euylle talkynge of the world And also for to gyue her companye and gouerne lede her in to Egypte Wherof it befelle whanne Ioseph perceyued and sawe her grete with child he wold leue her and told her how he wel wyste and knewe that hit was not of hym but that same nyght oure lord sente hym vysybly his angel whiche sayd vnto hym that he shold not be desmayed ne abasshed And â—hat she was grete wyth the hooly ghoost for the sauemente of alle the world Ioseph hadde thenne therof grete Ioye and payned hym self to bere vnto her worship and honour more than he dyd before For he wyst well by the sayenge and wrytynge of the proâ—hetes that the sone of god shold be borne of a vyrgyn whiche shold haue to name Marye wherfore he thanked God moche humbly of the grete grace that he had done to hym in gyuyng to hym the kepynge and gouernaunce of his swete and blessyd moder And also the good moder and vyrgyne bare to hym honour and reuerence wherof in the holy scrypture she is moche preysed
Also she is moche preysed of that the Angel founde her alone wiâ—hin the Temple knelynge sayenge her prayers and orysons And thus ought euery good woman to be in deuocion and in the seruyse of god And yet the holy scrypture preyseth her by cause she dradde was aferd as the Aungel salewed her Of whome she demauÌ„ded how it myght be that she shold conceyue a child that hadde neuer knowen man thauÌ„gel ansuerd her said to her that she shold haue no fere that she shold not be merueylled for she shold be replenysshed with the holy ghost that nothyng was inpossyble as to god that was to saye that god myght do all thynge after his wylle and playsyre And that her Cosyn saynt Elyzabeth was grete with child and had as thenne born her fruyte the space of six monethes the whiche was barayne and was oute of the age to bere ony children And thenne as the Aungel had thus sayd to her she assewred her self sayd in this manere Here is the auncylle or chambrere of god Be done to me after thy wordes She wold fyrst knowe how it myght be But thus dyd not Eue she dyd byleue to lyÈtely As this day done many symple wymmen whiche lyghtely byleue the fooles wherfore afterward they be broughte to doo folye They enquere not ne behold not the ende to the whiche they shall come as dyd the gloryous and blessyd vyrgyn Marye whiche enquyred of the Aungel the ende of the faytte or dede the whiche he dyd announce to her Thus theÌ„ne ought the good wymmen to doo as men speketh to them of yongthe or of ony other thynge wherof dyshonoure and blame may come to them How euery good woman ought to be meke and humble at thexemplary of the blessyd vyrgyne Mary Capitulo Cxviij aLso the hooly wrytynge preyseth her for her greete humylyte For as the Aungel told her that she shold be the moder of the sone of God of whome the regne shold haue none ende She took no pryde therfore within he r self but sayd that she was his chamberere or seruaunt· And that hyt shold be done after his playsyre This word was ryght agreable vnto god in soo moche that he came doune fro heuen and daygned to take humanyte and the fourme of a child within her wombe virgynal Therfore is here good Ensample how euery good woman oughte to humble her self toward god toward her lord and toward the world For god sayd who that shalle mo re humble hym self and shalle kepe hym self mekely the more shalle he be ones enhaunced and worshipped And for certayne god and his Angels louen better humylyte than ony other vertue For humylyte fight ageynst pryde whiche god hateth more than ony other synne And thorugh the whiche the Aungels felle in to helle And therfore ought euery noble woman to humble her self and be curtoys to the leste as to the moost takynge exemplary to our blessyd lady moder and vyrgyne Mary whiche named her self chamberere of god Also she is preysed of the holy scrypture for her good kynde and nature of her curtosye whanne she wente and vysyted her cosyn saynte Elysabeth whiche wold serue her And the child of Elysabeth that was saynte Iohan baptist maade thenne Ioye within his moders bely In so moche that by the grace of the holy ghost saynte Elysabeth cryed sayd that blessid shold be the fruyt of her woÌ„be that she was blessyd aboue al wymmen that hit was not reson that the moder of god shold come to see and vysyte so poure a woman as she was And than bothe Cosyns humbled them self one toward the other wherfore good exemplary is here how that parentes and Frendes ought to see and vysyte eche other in theyr childbedde and in theyr dysease and sekenesse And humble them self the one ageynst the other as dyd these two holy and blessyd ladyes as ye haue herd and not say as doo some whiche of theyr prowde and folysshe herte saye thus I am the more noble the more gentylle eyther the more hyghe maystresse And therfor I ought to go before that other Ha a god how lytell they thynke to the curtosye and humylyte of these two hooly ladyes And also to that that god sayth in his euangely as ye haue herd that the mooste humble shalle be the moost hyghely enhaunced Allas how this folyssh enuye that they haue to be fyrst and before other and the preysynge of them self shalle to them be dere sold wherof the good quene Hester speketh and sayth ryght well sayeng that in as moche as a woman is of gretter lygnage or gretter maystresse the more ought she to be humble and debonayr And the more that she bereth her self curtoysly the more she receyueth worship and praysynge of other folke for the small folke holdeth them to be worshipped whanne the grete make to them ony chere and speke fayre to them wherfore the grete be preysed of them in euery place And therfore no better vertue maye be in a woman than the vertue of humylyte be curtoys bothe to grete and small And goo and vysyte the poure theyr Frendes and parentes as dyd the quene of heuen whiche wente and vysyted her Cosyn and how they huÌ„bled them self one toward the other How euery good woman oughte to be pyteous at the exemplary of the blessyd vyrgyne Marye Capitulo Cix aLso the hooly scrypture preyseth her in that she wente in to galylee to the weddynge and had pyte of that the wyn lacked there And in complaynyng her selfe of that the wyn wanted there requyred her sone that he wolde gyue remedye to it The swete Ihesu Criste had pyte of his moder And therfore is here good ensample how euery good woman oughte to haue pyte of her parentes and poure neyÈbours and to helpe and socoure them of that she may For hit is grete charyte and fredome comyng of kynde Also the swete vyrgyne Marye had and suffred dolour for her sone whiche was gone to dyspute ageynste the maystres of the lawe For she wend that he was ascended and gone in to heuen She sought hym al aboute and so moche she dyd that she found hym to whome she sayd Fayre sone your parentes and I haue be in grete fere for yow For we wend to haue lost yow And he ansuerd that his parentes were tho that dyd the commaundementes of god his fader The Iewes thenne and the maysters of the lawe were woÌ„derly abasshed of the grete wyt that they founde in hym whiche was of soo lytell age After this dolour theÌ„ne that she had wenyng her self to haue lost her sone she had another riÈt grete sorowe for as she offred hym in to the temple saynt Symeon receyued hym whiche before desyred moch to see hym hadde praid to god long tyme before that he myght not deye vnto the tyme that he first had sene the sone of god with his eyen Thenne thorugh the grace of god
that they herd saye talke of the other they doubted drad ony thynge to do that was amys of whiche they myght be blamed as the other were But certaynly now vppn this daye men bere as grete worship to them that ben blamed as to the good and trewe wherof many one taketh euylle ensample and saye I see that men bere as grete honoure to them whiche shold be blamed and dyffamed as they do to the honest and trewe it is no force to doo euylle al thynge passeth forth awey but neuertheles it is euylle sayd For in good feythe how be it that they wene to â—â—â—eyue honour and worship of them that be wyth them whanâ—e they be departed they mocke and scorne with them sayenge one to other Suche one is full curtoys of her body suche a man taketh his disporte with her And thus somme maken good chere and beren honour before them and behynd theyr backes they pulle oute theyr tongues in scornynge of them But the folysshe wymmen perceyue them not but Ioyen them self in theyr folye and wene that none knowe theyr fawte shame Thus is the tyme chaunged otherwyse than hit was wonte to be wherfore hit is damage and grete pyte For hit were best that of theyr fawte and blame they were reproued before al as they were at that tyme Yet more I shalle telle yow as I haue herd reherced of many knyghtes whiche saw and knewe the sayd Syre Geffroy de lyege how that as he rode thorugh the Countrey and as he aspyed and sawe some place or manoyr he demaunded and asked the place and yf he vnderstode by ony maner that the lady of the manoyr or place were blamed of her honour and worship he shold haue gone oute of his ryght way Rather than he had not gone to the yate of the same place and make there a faytte and put and sette his signes ageynste the yate And thenne rode ageyne in to his ryght way And contrary to this dede yf hit happed to hym to passe before the place of a good and Renommed lady or damoyselle al had he neuer so grete haste he wente to see her And sayd to her my good Frende other my lady or els damoysell I praye to god that in this welthe and honoure he wylle euer hold and mayntene yow in to the nombre of the good wymmen For wel ye oughte to be preysed and worshipped And thus by this maner and way the good wymmen drad and held them more sure fro doynge ony thynge wherby they myght lese theyr worship and honoure wherfore I wold that tyme were come ageyne For as I wene many one shold not be blamed and diffamed as they be now How before this tyme men punysshed them that were diffamed Capitulo Cxvij wHerfore yf the wymmen recorded and thought the tyme past before the comynge of Cryst whiche lasted more than fyue thousand yere And how the badde and euylle wymmen specially they that were wedded were punysshed as they mysgyded them For yf it myght be proued only by two men that they had had companye or carnal felauship with ony other than to theyr lord she was brente eyther stoned with stones And for no gold ne syluer she myghte be saued al were she neuer so noble after the lawe of god and of Moyses And yet I ne knowe but fewe Reames this day sanf the Reame of Fraunce and of Englond and in the lowe or basse Almayne but that men doo Iustyse of them when the trouthe and certaynte of the dede may be openly knowen That is to wete in Romayne In Spayne In Aragon and in many other Reames In somme plares men kytte of theire throtes And in somme they be heded before the peple And in other places they be mewred or put bytwene two walles And therfore this Example is good and prouffytable to euery good woman For how be hit that in this Royamme Iustyce is not done of them as in other Reames Neuertheles they lese therfore theyr worship and they re estate the loue of god and of they re lordes and of they re frendes and world also For they ben separed and putte oute of the book of them that ben good and trewe as more playnly is reherced in the booke of the holy faders lyf wherof the tale shold be longe to reherce wherof I shalle telle yow a moche fayr-example the hyghest of alle other examples as hit is whiche god told of his mouthe as telleth the holy scrypture How god compared the good woman to the precious Margaryte Capitulo Cxviij gOd preyseth the good woman whiche is clene and pure And sayth how it is a noble thynge of a hooly and good woman And syth god of his owne mouthe preyseth her so by good reason the world and al the folk ought to loue and preyse her well It is conteyned in the Euangely of the vyrgyns how the swete Ihesu Cryst preched and taught the peple and spake vpon the matere of the good and clene wymmen where as he sayth Vna Margarita preciosa comparauit eam I telle yow sayd our lord that a woman whiche is pure and clene ouÈt to be compared to the preciouse Margaryte This was merueyllously spoken For a Margaryte is a grete perle and round bryght and whyte and clene without ony spotte or tatche This perle is named Margaryte preciouse And dyd god shewe the valour and worthe of the woman For she that is clene and withoute tatche that is to saye she that is not wedded that kepeth her vyrgynyte chastyte And also she that is wedded whiche kepeth and holdeth her self clenely in the holy sacramente of maryage and not suffreth her self to be shamed of her spouse the whiche god hath destyned and gyuen to her Also she that kepeth wel and clenely her wydowhede These be tho as the glose seyth of whome god spake in his holy euuangely These be lykened and compared as sayd our lord to the precious margaryte whiche is euer bryght and clene withoute ony macule or tatche For as sayth the holy scrypture nothynge is so agreable to god and to his Angels as a good woman and in a parte god preyseth more her than the man And by reason she ought to haue more meryte by cause she is of lyghter courage than the man is that is to saye that the woman was fourmed and made out of the mans body And in so moche that she is more feble than the man is And yf she resisteth ageynste the temptacions of the deuylle of the world and of the flesshe the more she is worthy to haue gretter meryte than the man And therfor god compareth her to the precious margaryte whiche is bryght and clene Also saith the glose in another place that as it is a foul thynge to spylle droppes of ynke in to a dysshe ful of mylke Ryght so is of her that ought to be a good mayd whanne she spylleth and gyueth her maydenhede to another
goodes than they Also by glotonye wherin the body delyteth hym self and maketh hym to falle in to the synne of dronkeship whiche synne taketh fro them reason and entendement and maketh them to fall in to carnal delyte Eyther also by lecherye makyng them to haue their peramours with them and to loue them wyth folysshe loue and playsaunce As dyd the folysshe galoys and galoyses and amonge them suche a folysshe and brennynge loue that he brought them to an euylle ende and to deye of dyuerse dethe But notwithstondyng al this I saye not but that there is a trewe loue without blame and dishonoure And wherof moche worship cometh These ben trewe the whiche requyre nothyng wherout may come ony falshed or abusion For he that loueth not trewely thynketh for to haue dishonoured his loue and her estate And suche loue is not trewe but is fals dyssymylynge and trecherye Therfore to grete Iustyse may not be made of them but so moche I telle yow well that ther be of suche folke whiche ben of dyuerse maners that is to wete some trewe somme fals and deceyuable and gyue no force at al but to haue theyr fowle delyte and wylle And many suche folk is as now in this world wherfore the world is hard to knowe and moche merueyllous And suche wene wel to knowe them self but wors they knowe them self than done ony other The Argument of the knyght of the Towre and of his wyf Capitulo Cxxiâ— mY dere doughters as for to loue peramours I shal tell yow alle the debate and stryf of me and of your moder I wold susteyne ageynste her that a lady or damoyselle myght loue peramours in certayne caas For in loue is but good worship withoute ony euyll be thought in it In this thenne wherin is thought ony euylle is not loue but rather it is grete falshede and mauuastye wherfore take ye â—â—de And here ye the grete debate and stryf whiche was bytwene her and me Thus thenne I sayd to your moder Lady wâ—y shalle not the ladyes and damoysels loue peramours For in certayne me semeth that in good loue and trewe maye be but welthe and honour and also the louer is the better therfore more gay and Ioly and also the more encouraged to excercyse hym self more ofte in armes And taketh therfore better maner in al estates for to please vnto his lady or lâ—ue And in lyke wyse dothe she of whome he is enamoured for to please hym the better as ferre as she loueth hym And also I tell yow that grete almesse it is whanne a lady or damoysell maketh a good knyght eyther a good squyer These ben my reasons The answere whiche the lady of the towre maad vnto her lord Capitulo Cxxij tHenne ansuerd to me your moder Syre I merueyll me not yf amonge yow men susteyne and holde this reason that al women oughte to loue peramours But sith this debate and stryf is come before our owne doughters I wylle answere after myn aduys and Intencion For vnto our children we must hyde nothynge Ye say and so done all other men that a lady or damoysell is the better worth whan she loueth peramours And that she shalle be the more gay of fayr maner and countenaunce And how she shalle do grete almesse to make a good knyght These wordes are but sport and esbatement of lordes and of felawes in a langage moche comyn For they that saye that alle the honour and worshyppe whiche they gete and haue is comynge to them by they re peramours And that theyr loue encourageth them to goo in vyages And for to plese to them by state of armes but these wordes coste to them but lytyll to say for to gete the better and sooner the grace and good wylle of theyr peramours For of suche wordes and other moche merueyllous many one vseth full ofte but how be hit that they saye that for them and for theyr loue they done hit In good feyth they done it only for to enhaunce them self and for to drawe vnto them the grace and vayne glory of the world Therfore I charge yow my fayre doughters that in this mater ye byleue not your fader But I pray yow that ye hold your self clenly and without blame and that ye be not amerous for many reasons whiche I shalle reherce vnto yow Fyrste I saye not but that euery good woman of age maye loue well and better the one than the other that is to wete folke of worship and honour And them also that shalle counceylle her for her owne helthe worship And thus men oughte to loue by this manere the one more than the other But as for to be so ferforth enamoured in soo moche that this loue be mayster of her and maketh them to falle in somme fowle and shamefull delyte somtyme with ryght and somtyme with wronge for the watche whiche men haue vpon this shameful dede or feate and also suche dishonour and escry whiche soone is not put oute And by the false watches bacbyters whiche ben neuer cessyng to talke of som euylle rather than of somme good wherby they take away dyffamen the good Renomme of the good wymmen and of many a good lady And therfore alle wymmen whiche ben not wedded may kepe and hold them self fro hit And that for many Reasons The fyrste Reason is by cause that a woman whiche is enamoured of a man maye not serue god of no good herte ne trewe as she dyd before For many one I haue herd saye the whiche haue ben amerous in theyr yongâ—â—e that when they were in the chirche they re thought and Melancolye made them ofte to thynke vnto theyr delytes and to theyr peramours more than they dyd to the seruyse of God And also the arte of loue is of suche kynde that whanne one is in the Chirche to here masse and the dyuyne seruyse and as the preest holdeth the body of oure lord bytwene his handes than cometh most to his mynde euylle and fowle thoughtes This is the arte or crafte of the goddesse that men calle Venus the whiche had the name of a planete as I herd saye of a good and trewe man whiche preched and sayd how ones the deuylle entred in to the body of a dampned woman whiche was Ioly and gaye and moche amerous The deuylle that was within her body made her to doo many fals myracles wherfor the paynyms helde her for a goddesse and worshipped her as a god And this Venus was she that gaf counâ—â—ylle to the Troians that they shold sende Parys the sone of kyng Priamus in to grece and that she shold make hym rauysshe and haue with hym the fayrest lady of al grece wherof she sayd trouthe For parys dyd rauysshe the fayr Helayne the wyf of the kynge Menelaus for the whiche faytte or dede were slayne afterward more than xl kynges and xiiCM other persones and mo wherof this Venus was of al thys grete meschyef
herd hym but her self alone wherfore I dare almost say that bothe yow and she be but grete spekers and lytell pyteous of them that requyre mercy and grace And she is of your oppynyon that no ladyes or damoysels may not disporte them with none other thaÌ„ with theyr lord for the resons which ye haue sayd before but syre sayd theÌ„ne the lady of the tour to her lord as for your doughters ye may saye to them and charge them of that what shalle befalle yow but after the faytte or dede ryght shall be done Syre I pray to god that to worship and honour they may come as I desyre For myn entencion and wyll is not to ordeyne vpon none ladyes ne damoysels but yf hit be vpon myn owne doughters of whome I haue the chastysement and charge For euery good lady or damoyselle yf god be pleased shalle gouerne and kepe hem self well to theyr worship and honour withoute I that am of lytell wytte and lytell knowynge entremete me therof Yet speketh the knyght of the Toure Capitulo Cxxxij aT the lest my lady I wylle yet argue to yow sayeng that yf she may seme to come vnto worship and valour the whiche had neuer ne also shold haue courage ne hardynes to put hym self in payn to haue hit but it were for the loue and playsyr of his lady and by good trust to be a good knyght and Renommed amonge the valyaunt and hardy for to gete worship and the grace of his peramour And for a lytell chere a man comynge of lowe degree may be enhaunced by his loue and be compted amonge the worthy and valyaunt How one must be wyly and subtyll for to discouere his loue Capitulo Cxxxiij sIre hit semeth me that there be many maners of loue And as men saye the one is better than the other for yf hit be so that a knyght or squyer loueth somme lady or damoyselle by worshyp and honoure only And for to kepe her worship and the curtosye of her and for the good that she shalle do to hym suche loue is good whiche is wythout prayer or request What lady yf he requyreth her to kysse or embrace hym it is no force the wyndes blowen it awey Ha a Syre I answere vnto yow that as wel to my doughters as to other· that me semeth And therto I consente that they maye make to them good chere and that they kysse them before all to th ende that they lose not theyr valour but as for my doughters whiche ben here present I defende and withsaye to them the kyssyng and alle suche maners of disportes For the wyse lady Rebecca whiche was ryght gentylle and noble sayth the kyssynge is nyghe parente and Cosyn vnto the fowle faytte or dede And Sybylle sayth that the fyrst signe or token of loue is the loke or beholdyng And after the amerous loke they come to the kyssynge and thenne the dede or faytte Thâ— whiche dede taketh awey the loue worship of god of the world thus they come from one dede to another I lete you know that me semeth that assone as they suffre them to be kyssed they put them self in the subiection of the deuyll whiche is to subtyll For suche one weneth wel at the begynnyng to kepe hym fermely and be stronge the whiche he deceyueth by his subtyll arte and crafte and by suche kyssynges And thus as one kyssynge draweth to hym another And as the fyre kyndeleth a strawe and fro that strawe it cometh and kyndeleth another thus atte last the bedde is a fyre the how 's also In lyke wyse is it of suche loue And yet I charge yow my fayre doughters that ye be no players For suche playeng causeth oftyme many a folysshe loke and beholdynge by the whiche may perauentur come blame and euylle renomme I herd ones reherce and saye a tale of the duchesse of bauyere how that she had wel twenty subgettes as men sayd the whiche loued her and to eche of them she gaf signe and token of loue She playd wiâ—h them at the tables and wan of them coursers and hakneys and dere and ryche furrynges and also rynges and precious stones and many other Iewels and grete prouffyte she had by them But for certayne she coude neuer kepe her self so wel but that at the last sÌ„he was blamed and dyffamed And better it had be for her worshyp that she had bought and payed alle that she had of them half derer more than it was worthe Therfore grete perylle is to euery lady or damoysell and to all other good and worshipfull wymmen to vse suche playenge and be of suche lyf For the most appertyse and wyse fynd them self at the last by suche delynge mocked and blamed and fowle dyffamed And therfore my fayre doughters take ye here good ensample and be ye not to curyous to ony playe for to wynne suche ouches or ferâ—aylles For by the couetousnes to gete and haue suche Iewels for nought many a woman put her self in subiection and oftyme it befalleth therfor that they be deceyued And thus is it good to aduyse and beware hym self before the comynge of the stroke How the holy lady approuued the Heremyte Ca Cxxxv fAyr doughters I wylle telle yow one of the last ensamples of this book It is of a full good lady whiche is moche to be preysed And this ensample is reherced in the booke of Vitas Patrum how the wyf of the prouost of Acquylee approued an holy Heremyte by his bounte Ther was thenne an holy Heremyte in an heremytage the whiche had ben there by the space of xxv yere where as he ete but breed and herbes and Rotes And ofte he fasted and was of good and holy lyuynge This good and holy Here myte beganne ones vpon a tyme to saye A good lord my creatour and my maker yf ageynst the I haue ony thyng mysprysed I demaunde and crye to the mercy And yf I haue this xxv yere done ony good dwellyng stylle in this Heremytage what meryte shalle I haue therfore A vysyon came sone to hym by the whiche hym thought that he sawe oure lord whiche sayd to hym thow shalt haue the meryte of the prouost of Acquylee and of his wyf And thenne whanne he hed sene this vysyon he sayd that he shold neuer reste tylle he come in to Acquyllee for to enquere of the lyf and condycions of the prouost and of his wyf He wente thyder And as god wold thurgh the grace of the holy ghoost the prouost and his wyf knewe wel the comynge of this Heremyte and the cause also why he came thyder It befelle thenne as the Heremyte was nyghe by the Towne he sawe the prouost whiche yssued oute of hit with a grete companye of men and wente to make Iustyse of a Squyer whiche had slayne another Squyer And was the prouost rydynge vpon a fayr courser And had on hym a fayre gowne of sylke rychely
furred And all his men that were aboute hym wel clothed arayed And as sone as the prouoste sawe the Heremyte he knewe hym as the wylle of god was and callyd hym and sayd good and trewe man goo ye home to my wyf and take her this rynge And telle her that she doo to yow as she wold doo to me The Heremyte demaunded of hym what he was And he answerd to hym that he was the prouost of Acquyllee The Heremyte thenne that sawe hym in suche estate and soo Rychely clothed was abasshed and ryght sore merueylled that he was so coyntely arayed and that he wente for to make a maÌ„ to be hanged He wyst not what he shold thynke or saye and was al troubled and abasshed And hym thought that he had nothynge deserued of god But neuertheles he wente to the prouostes place and founde there the lady his wyf to whome he toke the rynge and said vnto her that her lord sent hym thyder And that she shold doo to hym as she wold doo to hym self The good lady receyued hym and made the table to be couerd prayd hym to sytte before her She made hym to be serued of grete plente of good and delycate metes and of good wynes And the Heremyte whiche was not wont to haue before hym suche metes Neuertheles he ete and dranke there And sawe how the good lady toke the good metes that were put before her and how she brake and dressed the good capons and other metes And thenne she dyd put it al to gyder in a grete dysshe and sente it to the poure folke And toke only for her refection brede and water And thus she dyd euery day bothe at souper and at dyner And as the euen caâ—e she had the Heremyte in to her chambre whiche was rychely hanged with cloth of sylke and nobly dressed and arayed and sayd to hym good and trewe man ye shall lye in the bedde of my lord and in his chambre The Heremyte wold haue reffused it but the lady sayd that she wold do the comaundement of her lord And that for certayne he shold lye there There sâ—e made to be brought to hym good spyces and stronge and good wynes wherto the good Heremyte tooke soo good a sauoure that he ete and dranke soo moche that he was dronke and ful Ioyous in his spekynge For the good wyn had soone ouercomen hym by cause he was not wonte to drynke of hit He wente to bedde and the lady vndyd her cloâ—â—es â— and leyde her self by hym and beganne to embrace and taâ—â—e hym And the Heremyte that moche hadde taken of metes and drynkes awaked and his flesshe beganne sore to be meuyd And wold haue accomplysshed the faytte or dede of fornycacion with the lady Thenne sayd she to hym Swete Frende whanne my lord wyl haue to doo with me of suche thyng he goeth fyrste to bathe and wassheth hym selfe in that Tubbe whiche ye see yonder full of water for to be the more clene and fayre And theremyte whiche thoughte to nothyng than to fulfylle and accomplysshe his wyll sterte in the tubbe full of water and bathed and wasshed hym in the water whiche was cold as ony yse and anone he was as half dede of cold Thenne the lady called hym to her And he came alle shakynge For his hete was gone and also his euylle wylle And the lady embraced hym ageyne so moche that he gate hete and was so chauffed that he wold haue done his folysshe delyte And as she sawe hym soo chauffed and so brennyng in that fowle delyte of lecherye she prayd hym that he wold for the loue of her goo and wasshe hym ageyne in the tubbe for to be the clener And he that yet had not slepte and was full of myghty and stronge wynes as a man oute of his wytte rose vp oute of the bedde and wente and bathed hym ageyn in to the tubbe And anone the cold water made hym feble hard for cold Thenne the lady called hym to her ageyne And shakynge he came to her as he dyd before his teeth shoke and bete eche other for cold And alle his grete here was passed and gone The lady roose vp and couered hym well with warme clothes and lefte hym alone to th ende he shold take his reste And soone after as he was a lytyll warme he fylle in to a slepe for his hede was ryght pesaunt and heuy And he awoke not tylle the morowe was come To his rysynge cam an old preest or chappellayne whiche demaunded hym how he dede And whanne he perceyued that he laye in so fayr a bedde and that he was so taken and surprysed he was full of shame and moche merueylled how in that dronkeship and folysshe wylle he was falle He thenne sawe wel that they were of gretter meryte than he was And demaunded of the Chappellayne of the lyf and gouernaunce of the Prouost and of his wyf And he told hym that the most parte of the dayes of the yere they wered the hayre And that the good metes whiche were brought at the table before them they sente to poure folke and ete black brede and metes of lytyll sauoure and dranke but water And how they fasted the most parte of the weke He after demaunded of hym why that tubbe full of cold water Was sette by theyr bedde And he answerd that it was put there for to kepe them fro the brennynge wylle of lecherye for as soone as she or he is chauffed and their flesshe mouyng to that fowle delyte they ryse out of the bed wasshe and bathe them self in this tubbe whiche is ful of water excepte one daye of the weke Thenne as theremyte had this examyned the old Chappellayne vpon the faytte of the prouost and of the lady his wyf and that he was well certayne how they ledde theyr lyf he thought that the prouost how be it that he were nobly and Rychely arayed withoute and to the sight of the folke whiche secretely vnknowynge to no man bare and had on his flesshe the hayre and made good Iustyce and the execucion of the mysdoers to be done and executed bifore hym was worthy to haue and also his wyf seuen tymes more meryte For he remembryd hym of the fowle dede whiche he wold haue commysed or done with the good lady And how she essayed wherof he was moche vergoynous and shamefullâ— and within his herte he cursed hym self that euer he departed oute of his heremytage and that in trouthe he was not worthy 〈◊〉 pulle of theyr shone and hosen fro theyr legges wherfore fro thens he departed shameful and wepynge sayenge with a hyghe voys Fayre god and good lord I knowe no gretter tresour more noble ne more precious than is the good lady whiche hath essayed me sene my foly and approuued my fallace and decepcion And veryly she is wel worthy to be called and named the precious Margaryte as ye sayd in the Euangely Thus spake the
not breke ne do ageynst the thyrd wherfore he wente to his wyf and sayd thus to her My good frende and my wyf I wold telle yow a grete counceylle whiche toucheth my persone and myghte be the cause of my dethe yf I wyst that ye shold kepe it secretely Ha a my lord sayd she on my feythe I hadde leuer be dede than to discouere to ony body youre counceylle Ha a my frend thenne shalle ye knowe hit sayd he Trouth it is that themperour toke to me his sone as ye wel knowe for to lerne and teche hym but certaynly hit is not longe tyme gone for somme wordes whiche he sayd to me that I as a dronken man and as he that was wrothe of other thynge hastely toke the Child and slewe hym and more I dyd for I tooke and arrached oute of his bely his herte the whiche I made to be confyte in sugre and other spyces and sente it to themperour his fader and to his moder And they ete hit And thus I auenged me of hym but I knowe wel now that it is an euyll and abhomynable dede done wherof I me repente but it is to late Therfore my good Frend and my wyf I praye yow as affectuelly as I can that ye kepe this counceyll secrete withyn your herte as I trust me to yow But the morowe after she beganne to wepe and maake grete sorowe And a woman whiche was with her demaunded of her Madame what haue ye that ye make suche sorowe Haue ye ony heuynesse wythin your herte Veryly sayd she thenne ye my Frend and that a grete but rather I shold deye er it shold be knowen Ha a madame she were wel oute of her wytte that shold telle and dyscouere suchâ— a counceylle yf ye had sayd hit And as for me rather I shold lete me drawe than I shold telle it ageyn Ye sayd the wyf of Cathonet maye I truste in yow Ye by feyth saith the other woman She tooke her feythe and her othe And thenne to her she told and discouered her secrete how her lord had slayne themperours sone and his herte confyted in spyces had sente to themperour his fader and to his moder how they had ete of hit This woman maade a Crosse as she were sore merueylled and sayd that she shold kepe hit secretely But certaynly her taryenge there after that she knewe hit thought her longe for to haue go and telle it to other For as soone as she was departed fro Cathons how 's she wente forthwith where themperours wyf was and came and kneled before her and sayd Madame to your good grace I wyll speke secretely of a grete counceylle And thenne themperesse commaunded her ladyes to go a parte And the sayd woman beganne thus to speke Madame the grete loue whiche I bere vnto yow and for the grete good that ye haue done to me And as I truste that ye yet wylle doo maketh me to come hyder for to telle yow a grete counceylle the whiche I wold not telle but to youre persone For I myght not suffix ne see your dishonour for none erthely good Madame it is so that ye loue and haue dere Cathonet more than ony other as it appyereth wel For ye haue made hym gouernour of the Cyte of Rome And ye shewed hym gretter loue whanne ye gaf to hym the kepynge of your sone to whome he hath hold such felauship that he hath slayne hym And hath take his hert out of his bely And wel dressyd and confyted in sugre and spyces and hath made yow to ete it What saye ye sayd themperours wyf Madame sayd she I telle yow trewe for certayn For I knowe this by the mouthe of Cathonets wyf whiche sorowful and wepynge told it to me in grete counceylle And whanne themperesse herd her to speke she with a hyghe voys beganne to crye and made suche a sorowe that it was pyte to see In soo moche that the tydynges came to themperour how the Emperesse made so grete sorowe Themperour was sore abasshed And came there as themperesse was and demaunded of her why she maade suche sorowe And she with hyghe pleynt ansuerd and reherced to hym al that the damoysell had told her of theyr sone And whan themperour wyst that they had eten the herte of theyr child he bicame ryght angre and sorowfull And commaunded that Cathonet shold forthwith be tâ—ke and hanged in the myddes of Rome there as the folke myght loke on hym as vpon a fals murderer and traytour His Sergeaunts wente and toke hym anone and told hym the commaundement of themperour and that it was for his sone whiche he had slayne Cathonet thenne sayd to them It is no nede that al that men sayn be trouthe ye shalle put me in pryson and shalle say that it is to late to make ony execucion of Iustyse And that to morowe I shalle be hanged beforâ— the peple The Sergeaunts loued hym moche and soo dyd alle manere of folke they dyd as he badde them to doo And thenne wente and sayd to the Emperoure and themperesse that hit were for the beste to make Iustyse of hym on the morowe nexte comynge and that hir was to late and how more people shold thenne be gadered and assembled for to see hym And the Emperour whiche made grete sorowe for his sone graunted hit And not withstondyne this in the meane whyle that Cathonet was conueyed to pryson he callyd to hym a Squyer of his And seyd to hym goo to suche a knyght that kepeth themperours sone and telle hym how the Emperour weneth that I haue put hym to dethe And that he faylle not to be here to morowe with hym before the houre of pryme or els I shalle be in grete perylle to receyue a shameful dethe This Squyer departed and soo faste rode and waloped that that nyght he came aboute one of the cloke after mydnyght there as Cathonet hadde take to kepe the sone of the Emperoure as to his trewe and good Frende whiche was a trewe man and moche wyse And merueyllously they loued eche other The Squyr beganne to calle wyth an hyghe voys And dyd soo moche that he came to fore the bedde there as the trewe and noble Baron laye And told hym how somme had done byleâ—e to the Emperour that Cathoneâ— hadde slayne his sone And how hit was ordeyned that he shold be on that next morowe hanged And as the Baron herd this he was sore abasshed moche merueylled of this auenture forthwith he rose oute of his bedde and made his men to be redy and came to the bedde where the sone of themperour laye and told to hym the merueyll And whanne the child vnderstood it he had grete sorowe in his herte For ouermoche he loued Cathonet his maystre Here I leue to speke of the Baron and of themperours sone and tourne ageyne to speke of Cathonet whiche was in pryson How they wold hange Cathonet Capitulo Cxli
cAthonet was merueyllously loued in Rome of al maner of folke as he that was wyse humble trewe and curtoys And whan the morow was come he sayd to one his grete frend that at all auenture he shold make the hangmen of the towne to hyde them self secretely somwher tyâ—l it were about the houre of tierce And he dyd as he had prayd hym to doo Cathonet thenne aboute the houre of pryme was conueyed to the galhows of alle the peple of Rome whiche made grete sorowe for hym And yet gretter sorowe had they made but they wened veryly that he had done the dede of whiche he was accused wherof they had grete merueylle And sayd emonge them how may suche a wyse man haue be so sore temâ—ted of the deuylle that he hath slayne themperours sone how may this be Of this faytte was grete talkynge amonge theâ— Somme byleued hit And somme sayd it was not so â— Neuertheles he was had to the galhows and was asked after 〈◊〉 hang man but he coude not be found there wherof hit befelle a grete merueylle for he whiche Cathonet had respyted saued fro dethe as men led hym to be hanged came forthe sayd â— Lordes the dede is fowle dishonest and vylaynous and for the loue of themperour I offre my self to doo thoffyce yf there be none other that wylle doo hit Euery man loked thenne on hym sayd Is not that he to whome Cathonet graunted his lyf whanne he was newe putte in thoffyce of gouernour Certaynly sayd the other hit is he none other withoute fawte wherfore in token and signe of a grete meâ—ueyll they blessyd them with theyr handes sayeng He is wel a foole that saueth and respyteth ony theef fro the galhows Cathon thenne loked on hym and sayd thou arte wel passyng redy Remembryst not thow the tyme passed but thus gone the merueylles of the world And as soone as he had sayd these wordes there was a grete nombre of men al on horsback whiche made grete clamour and cryed put not to dethe the trewe man Cathonet How themperours sone came to saue his mayster Cathonet and of his escape Capitulo Cxlij aNd whan the people perceyued and sawe the horses rennynge toward them and sawe anone the sone of themperour whiche cryed touche not neyther ley hand on my maysters body for I am alyue they were gretely merueylled The child anone lyght of his hors and wente and vnbonde his mayster sore wepyng kyssed hym ful tendirly said Ha a my swete frend maister who hath this purchaced so grete a lesyng fouÌ„de contryued vpon you the which my lord my fader hath so lyghtely byleued And thenne he embraced kyssed hym ageyne al the people whiche was gretely merueylled as they sawe the pyte good nature of the child thaÌ„ked mercyed god with al theyr hertes of the delyuerauÌ„ce of Cathonet The child made his mayster to be sette on horsbak ledde hym thurgh the stretes of Rome by the raynes of his brydell tyll they came in to the palais where themperour his fader was And whanne themperour and his wyf knewe for certayne the comynge of theyr sone they wente and met hym with grete Ioye And as they sawe hym ledynge his mayster Cathonet by the raynes they were gretely merueylled held them ashamed and vergoynous toward Cathonet and cam to hym and eche of them kyssed hym and made to hym the grettest ioye and chere and the grettest honoure that they couthe And excused them toward hym of this dede Thenne sayd the child to his fader themperour Ha my lord wylle ye vse of so hasty Iustyce withoute makynge of none enqueste vpon the dede or faytte For a man of so hyghe estate as ye be shold ouÈt to be more blamed therfore than another of lower degre or estate For ye hadde maade hym to be dampned and destroyed withoute cause it had be grete pyte and grete dommage And certaynly neuer after I shold haue had Ioye in my herte For yf I can ony good it cometh of hym Themperour ansuerd Fayr sone hit was euylle done of vs and in this we haue gretely offended and gete shame but the loue that we haue in the and the trust that we haue in thyn preferrement toke reason fro vs and bestourned our wytte Thenne spake Cathonet and sayd to themperour Syre merueylle yow not of this thynge I shalle now telle vnto yow why al this was sayd My fader whiche in his tyme was a ryght wyse man and a trewe and borne in this land shewed to me many good enseygnementes yf I had be so Wyse to haue had them euer stylle in memorye And yet as he was 〈◊〉 his bedde and nyghe at his last ende he callyd me to 〈…〉 he whiche moche desyred that I myght lerne and know 〈◊〉 good and prayd me that I wold wel kepe in my 〈…〉 thre enseygnements emonge al other that he before that 〈◊〉 taught to me the whiche I wylle now recorde and 〈◊〉 them to th ende that they may be ensample in tyme to come to euery man as to hym to whome they haue happed and 〈◊〉 done the contrarye How Cathonet told themperour of the lore of his fader and of his escape Capitulo Cxâ—â—â—â— He fyrst enseygnement that he taught me was 〈◊〉 that yf euer god gaf me chaunce and good ynough that I shold thanke hym moche of hit and haue 〈◊〉 me suffysaunce and not coueyte ne aske more of god And by cause I shold haue suffysaunce he commaunded and chaâ—ged me that neuer I shold put my self in subiection of none offyce vnder my souerayne lord For yf I dyd so by coueâ—yse of more good somme enuyous by somme fals repporte shold make me to lese my good and my self also And that hit was a peryllous thynge to serue ony prynce or grete lord of lyght and hasty wylle For many one ther ben whiche enquereth them not yf the repporte to them made is trewe or not wherfor the commaundements of suche hasty lordes ben straunge and peryllous as ye now haue sene how this ensample is to me whiche alÌ„ most hath be shamefulle greuable And yf I had byleuyd the counceyll of my fader I had neuer falle in suche perylle For thanked be god I had of erthely goodes ynough and more than I haue deseruyd to god and myght wel haue deported my self of takynge of thoffyce The second enseygnement was that I neuer shold respyte ne saue to no man his lyf whiche had deserued to deye and in especiall a theef or an homycyde whiche were custommed to theftes and murdre of folke And that yf I dyd I shold euer be partener of alle suche euylle dedes that they myght doo afterward And this commaundement I haue enfrayned and broken For this daye haue I sene hym whiche I haue respyted hym fro the shamefulle dethe that offred and presented hym self for to be the hangman of my body lytell