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
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
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
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
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
sente to her word that for certayne he wolde neuer pursewe her more for suche fayte and that she had ouer grete a companye that kepte her And after he cam and spak to her and demaunded of her what was the grete companye that was with her And she said that she knewe of no thyng at that tyme whan he cam sauf that theÌ„ne she said the Vygylle for them that were deed And thenne thought the lord wel that they were they that kepte her And therfor this is a fayre example to praye for them that ben departed oute of this world at al tymes How we ought to saye oure houres and prayers cao. v o fAyre doughters whan ye ryse oute of youre bedde thenne entre in to the seruyse of the hyhe lord and begyn ye your matyne This ought be youre first werk and your firste labour And when ye shal say them· saye ye them with good herte And thynke ye on none other thyng yf ye may For ye may not goo two weyes at ones For ye must goo that one or that other Thus is it of the seruyce of god For as the wyseman saith in sapyence As moche auayleth it hym that redeth vnderstoÌ„deth not as it doth to hym that hunteth and taketh not And therfore he that thynketh on erthely thynges and seyth his Pater noster· or prayers that toucheth heueÌ„ly thynges· doth a thyng that is contrary And it proufyteth not it is not but for to mocke god And therfore saith the hooly scripture that the short prayer perceth heuen But that is to saye that more auayleth a short prayer and said with good herte and deuoutely than a grete and longe prayer and to thynke on other thynges And when more is said deuoutely than is it more worthe and more deseruyth he meryte And yet seith the hooly scripture that lyke as the swete dewe of Maye and of Aprylle pleseth moche vnto the erthe and attempreth it swetely in makyng to germyne and fructyfye Ryght so ben the heures and prayers deuoutely said playsaunt to fore god Thenne ye shall fynde in many places and specially in the legeÌ„de of hooly confessours· of vyrgyns and of other hooly wymmen whiche made her beddes of hard and roughe thynges and laye theron for to slepe the lasse to haue the lasse reste For to wepe ofte and many tymes to wake· for to entre in to prayers and in the seruyce of god wherin they held hem day and nyght And for that seruyce and laboure haue they goten as it is shewed openly to the world that they ben in the hooly ioye with hym by that that he doth for them euydent myracles For thus god rewardeth the seruyce that is done to hym an honderd fold double as I haue seid to fore And therfore fayre doughters saye your heures and prayers deuoutely· and with good herte· without thyâ—â—kyng on ony other thynge And beware that ye breke not you 〈◊〉 faste till that ye haue said youre matyns and heures For a 〈◊〉 bely shal neuer be humble ne deuoute Also see wel to 〈…〉 alle the masses that ye maye here For grete good shaâ—◠〈◊〉 therof· Wherof I shall saye an ensample of this materâ— How good doughters ought to faste Capitulo sâ—xto tHere was a knyght that hadde two doughters 〈◊〉 was by his first wyf And that other by his second And she that he had by his first wyf was meruaylâ—â—â—ly deuoute ne neuer wold ete till that she bad said all her houreâ— and herd all the masses that she myght here And that other dâ—â—â—â—ter was holden so tendyrly and so moche louyd that she was â—â—â—fred to haue alle her wylle For as soone as she had herd a 〈◊〉 masse and hadde saide twoo or thre pater nostres she wente in to the garderobe and there ete a soupe or somme lycorous thyng 〈◊〉 sayd that her hede oke for fastyng but all this was but an euylle customme And also when her fader and moder were a bedde â–ª thenne must she goo ete somme good morsell· or somme good 〈◊〉 And this lyf ledde she tyl she was maryed vnto a kynÈt whiche was wyse and subtyle Thenne it happed that her lord knewe her manere whiche was euyll̄· bothe for the body the soule and told and shewed this to her moche honestly and swetely many tymes and said she dyd euyll to vse suche a lyf but neuer shewe to leue it for faire spekyng ne for thyng that he couthe say or doo Thenne it happed that on a nyght he had slepte his first slepe And tasted beside hym and found her not wherof he was moch angry And aroos from his bed And cast aboute hym a furryd mantell and entred in to his garderobe where as his wyf was with his clerk and two of his seruauntes· and ete and played so that there was a grete noyse and the men and wymmen â—aped to geder eche with other And the lord that sawe all this arraye was moche wrothe and felle And helde a staf in his honde for to smyte one of his seruauÌ„tes whiche had embracid one of the wymmen of the chambre and smote so sore that seruauÌ„t that a splynt sprange out of the staf in to the one eye of his wyf which was by hym in suche manere that by mysauenture her eye was smeton oute and lost her eye And thus her husbond had her in suche hate that he tooke his herte fro her and set it in another in suche wyse that her houshold and menage wente all to nought and to perdicion This happed by the euyl gouernaunce of his wyf whiche was acustommed to lyue dyssolutely and disordynately bothe on mornynges and on euenynges wherof the grete part of the harme was here 's by cause she lost her eye and the loue of her husbond Thenne was she in an euyll astate moche lassed and lesse sette by of al men that knewe her And therfor it is goode to saye their houres and here al the masses fastyng And accustomme them to lyue sobyrly and honnestly For al cometh by accustommaunce and vsage as it happed to her suster She vsyd fro her youthe to serue god and to goo to the chirche as for to saye her matyns and houres deuoutely and here alle the masses fastyng And therfore it happed that god rewarded and gafe to her a knyght ryche and puyssaunt And she lyued with hym well and honestly and in good and grete pees And thenne it happed that theyr fader whiche was a wyse man wente for to see his two doughters And fonde with tholder grete honours and grete rychesse and was receyued there moche honourably And of that other whiche had her eye oute he fond her all oute of arraye And how she had gouerned her nycely and wantonly Thenne it happed that when he was comen home ageyne he recounted to his wyf And moche cruelly repreued her by cause she had lost her doughter by cause she had kokered her and
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
〈◊〉 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
be they found a passynge fowle wey within a medowe Thenne said the yong lady We shalle wel go thorugh this medowe and leue the hyhe waye The Auncyent and wyse said they shold go the hyhe way For it was the best and more sure goynge and moost drye The yong ladyes that ful were of their wylle wold not folowe them and thought they shold be bifore them at the said place And soo they tooke their weye thorugh the medowe where were old cloddes all roten And as they were vpon them they brake vnder theyr feet And soo they felle in the myere and dyrte vnto the knees And with grete peyne cam they oute ageyne and took the hyghe weye They made clene their hosen and gownes with theyr knyues the best they couthe So long they were in wasshyng of their hoses and gownes that they myght not come to the begynnnyng of the dyner Euery one demaunded asked after them· but no body couth tell of them At the last they cam as the fyrst mes or cours was eten after they had taken their refectioÌ„ wel droÌ„ken they beganne to telle and recounte how they were falle in the myre vnto the knees to Ye said thenne a good auncyent and wyse lady that was come by the hyhe weye Ye wend to take the shortest way to th ende ye myght be the â— sonner fyrst at the place wold not folowe vs hit is wel bestowed For I telle yow for certayne that some wene to auaiâ—â—e them self that hyndreth them And suche one is that weneth to be the first and formest that ofte fyndeth her the last of all She gaf them these two notables to th ende they shold know their faute for as saith the said holy man thus is hit of this worlde they that first may haue noueltees of the world· wene to doo wel and be therfore enhaunced and to fore other ben holden and wysshed but as for one that holdeth hit wel done there ben ten that maken of hit For suche one preyseth their doynge before them that behynde their back putteth out his tonge scornynge and mockyng them Yet of the same capitulo l sHe holdeth her self the best welcome that firste bryngeth vpon her ony noueltees But as the good and hooly man saith they that firste take suche newe raymentis be lyke to the yong ladyes that fylle in the myere wherof they were mocked by the wyse ladyes that took the best and ryght wey for men may not mocke them that kepe suche wey And that vse their lyf after reason and not after theyr owne wylle I say not but that whan that manere of newe raymentis is taken comynly wered of euery one in euery towne it may be thenne worne taken but yet the wyse woman shal leue and forbere it yf she can And suche wymmen shalle not be lyke ne compared to them that fylle in the myere by cause they wold be first in the place they were the last Therfore my faire doughters hit is good that none hast her not but good is to holde the myddel estate The lesse is the moost certayne and seurest but as now is a cursed and shrewed world For yf somme folysshe woman full of her wylle taketh bryngeth vpon her ony noueltee newe estate euery other one shalle soone saye to her lorde Syre it is told to me that suche one hath suche a thynge that ouer faire is and that so wel becometh her I pray yow good syre that I may haue suche one for I am as good and as gentyll of blood And ye as Gentyl a man as she and her lord ben haue as wel for to paye as she hath And thus she shalle fynde soo many reasons that she shalle haue her wylle or els ryote and noyse shalle all day be at home and neuer shalle be ther pees tylle she haue her parte· be it right or wronge She shalle not loke yf ony of hir neyghbours haue that thynge that she wylle haue Also she shalle not abyde till euery one haue it but the hastlyest that she may she shalle doo shape make it And forthwith shalle were it It is merueyle of suche coyntyse and noueltees wherof the grete clerkes say that seynge the men and wymmen so desguysed and takyng euery day newe raiments they doute that the world shalle perysshe as it dyd in tyme of Noe that the wymmen desguysed them and also the men whiche displesid god And herupon I shalle reherce yow merueil whiche a good lady dyde recounte to me in this same yere She tolde and saide to me that she with many other ladyes were come to a feeste of seynt Margrete where as euery yere was grete assemble made There cam a lady moche coynt and Ioly and dyuersly disguysed and arraid more than ony other there And by cause of her strauÌ„ge and newe array euerychone of them cam to beholde and loke on her as it had be a wylde beest For her clothyng and araye was different and no thyng lyke to theyr And therfore she had wel her part beholdyng lokyng Thenne said the good lady esto her My frende telle ye vs yf it please yow how ye name that aray that ye haue on youre heed She answerde and saide the galhows aray God blesse vs said the good lady the name of hit is not faire And I ne wote how suche aray may plese yow The tydyng of this aray and of his name were borne al aboute hyghe and lowe· wherof euery one sâ—orned and mocked her· And as mockyng and scornynge cam there she was to beholde and loke vpon her I dyde aske of the good lady· the manere and facion of the same araye And she tolde me the manere of it but euylle I witheld it But as ferre as I me remembre of it Hit was hyghe culewed with longe pynnes of syluer vppon her hede after the makynge and maner of a gybet or galhows right straunge and merueylous to se And in good feyth after that tyme the yonge and folysshe lady that had that araye on her heede was euer mocked scorned nought set by Here shal I leue to speke of the newe and desguysed raymentis and of the good bisshop that so repreued them that hadde and wered suche araye And that dede shewe to them by Ensamples and hooly scripture how that suche noueltees that specially wymmen took on them was token and signe of somme grete meschyef to come as is werre famyne and pestylence Of the good knyght that had thre wyues and of their lyues Capitulo lj Ayre doughters I wold ye couthe and wel withheld the example of a knyght that had thre wyues A knyght was somtyme a right good man and of good and honest lyuynge whiche had an Heremyte to his vncle a good hooly man and of relygyous lyf This knyght and his first wyf whiche he moche loued were but a lytel space of tyme to geder
of fyre and thrested them vnto her face And in suche maner he tormented her and brente and enflammed her ouer alle sydes that the Heremyte was therof sore effrayed and trembled for fere But the Aungel assured hym and saide that she had wel deseruyd it And theremyte demaunded of hym why And the Angel saide that she had popped and polysshed her face for to seme more faire and plaisaunt to the world And that it was one of the synnes that was moost displesynge to god For she dyde hit by pryde by whiche men falle to the synne of lecherye And fynally in to all other For aboue alle thynge it displesith to the Creatour as one wylle haue by crafte more beaute than naâ—ure hath gyuen to hym And that hit suffyseth hym not to be made and compassid after the hooly ymage Of whome alle the Aungels in heuen take alle theyr ioye and delyte For yf god had wolde of his hooly purueauÌ„ce they had not be wymmen but they had be domme beestes or serpentes And why thenne take they no heede to the grete beaute whiche their creatoure hath gyuen hym And why doo they put to their faces other thynge than god hath gyuen hem It is therfore no merueyle yf they endure and suffre suche penaunce· And thenne said the Aungel she hath wel deserued it Go ye there as the body of her lyeth and ye shall see the vysage ryght hydous and affrayed And by cause he was eueer besy aboute her browes and aboute her temples and forheede to dresse and paynte them that she myghte be faire and playsaunt to the worlde it is conuenient and ryght that in euery place wheroute she plukked ony here of her face that there be put euery day a brennynge bronde Syre saide the Heremyte shalle she be longe in this torment Ye saide the angell a thousande yere and more he wold not discouere ne telle to hym of hit But as the deuylle dide putte the brounde in her face the power sowle cryed sore and cursed the houre that she euer was borne or engendryd And of the fere that thenne the hooly heremyte hadde he awoke alle affraid And cam to the Knyght And told hym his vysyon The knyght was sore abasshed and right sore meued of this auysyon And went to see the body that men wold haue supposed had be fair but they founde the vysage soo black and soo hydous and so horrible to see that it was grete confusion Thenne bileued wel the knyght for certeyne al that theremyte his vncle had told hym wherof he had grete horroure and grete abhomynacion and pyte in so moche that he lefte the world and dyde were the hayre euery fryday and euery wednesday and gaf for goddes sasake the third parte of all his reame and good And fro thennes forth he vsed and hooly lyf and had no cure more of the worldly bobaunces ne plaisire so moche he was ferful and agaste of that he had sene his last wyf and of that vncle had told hym Of the lady that blanked and popped her Capitulo lâ—â—ij â— aNd for to afferme this Ensample that it may for very certeyne haue be· I shalle telle yow of suche one that by felle but to late I sawe a baronnesse ryght a hyghe and noble lady of lygnage the whiche as men saide blanked and popped or peynted her self I sawe also hym that gaf to her euery yere suche thynges wherwith she popped her wherfore he tooke yerely grete pension of her as he hym self said as he was a parte at his seurte This lady was somtyme right moche honoured and worshiped and also right myghty her lord deyde wherfore euer syn her stat day by day dymynnyssed One tyme was that she had more than .lx payre of gownes as men said but at the last she had lesse and scant ynough And of her I herd saye that after she was dede her visage and all the body of her took suche forme and couÌ„trefaiture that men ne couthe saye what it was But well I wene that the peyntynge of her face wherof ofte she vsed as she lyued also the grete pryde of her and the grete wast and superfluyte of her gownes was cause and occasion of suche horryble countrefeture wherfore my faire doughters I pray you that here ye wylle take good Ensample and wel withold it and kepe hit in rememembraunce withynne youre hertes And that ye put no thynge to youre faces but loue them as god nature hath made and ordeyned them for ye maye fynde and see atte oure lady of Rukemadoure many tresses of ladyes and damoyselles that had wasshed them in wyn and other thynges And therfor they myght not entre in to the Chirche· tyll they had doo kyt of their tresses and brought them in to the Chappell of oure lady where as yet they be hangynnge This fayt or dede is approued And I telle you that that oure lady dyde shewe to them grete loue in doynge this myracle· for the gloryous vyrgyn wold not that they shold lese their peyne and tyme comyng thyder Also that they sholde not be lost for euer therfore she shewed the said myracle on them wherfor they that were in the weye of perdicion were brought to the weye of saluacion Here is a fair spectacle to euery woman to see in and conceyue the tyme comynge and the tyme also gone and passed as in the tyme of Noe when thorugh the synne of pryde god sent the deluge of waters wherof all the world was drowned for by that synne of pryde came amonge men and wymmen the fowle and vyle synne of lecherye And therof cam the grete perylle and of all the world scaped nomore but eyght persones Of the wyf of loth that trespassed the commaundement of god Capitulo .lv. aN Ensample I shall reherce vnto yow of Lothis wyf whiche god saued out of Gomore with her lord and her two doughters God defended her that she ne shold loke bebynde her but she dyd not his commandement but loked anon behynde her And therfore she bycam was tourned in to a salt stone Right so as seynt Martyn of verter dede doo falle and perysshe the Cytee of derbenges whiche was in the bisshopryche of Nantes whiche perisshed thorugh the synne of lechery and of pride as dide that Cyte wherout Loth was saued that was Gomore and Sodome and other fyue Cytees moo that god made to be conbusted and sonken vnto the Abysmes And bicame a grete water that men calle the lake of Gomore And the cause was the synne of lecherye that so merueylously stynketh that the stenche of it goth vnto the heuen and bestormeth all the ordre of nature And so were the seuen Cytees breÌ„ned and fourdryed in stynkyng sulphure by cause they that were moche vsed of the fylthe ordure of lechery For he that myght do it dyd it without hauyng ony shame And to it enforced them self withoute kepynge in their fowle and abhomynable doyng the lawe of
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
none good woman ought to mocke or scorne her husbond ne preyse hym the lesse for ony sekenesse or trybulacion that god sendeâ—â— hym For as wel is the axe or swerd lyft ouer the hoâ—â— as ouer the seke as ye haue herd of Thobye whiche was heled of his eyen and his wyf by cause of her folysshe spekynge felle in a grete sekenesse wherfor I wyl that ye knowe thensample of Sara whiche had seuen husbondes the whicâ—e the deuyl slewe by cause they wold vse her of an enorme and ouer foule faytte of which it neded not to be spoken of Thys by the smallyst worme that myght be founde in the world I haue spoken and told vnto yow of the euylle wymmen after hit is conteyned within the byble for to be vnto yow other an ensample for to kepe and beware yow of euylle doyng Now I shalle traytte and telle vnto yow of the good wymmen the whiche holy wrytyng preyseth moche And therfore it is good to recorde and brynge to memory the good condycions of the good wymmen whiche somtyme were the myrrour and exemplary to alle other of that tyme that now ben to them that ben yet to come And the fyrst ensample is of Sarra whiche the holy scrypture or wrytyng preyseth so moch Of the noble woman Sarra whiche kepte her self full clenly Capitulo lxxxij sArra was wyf to Abraham a moche good woman a wyse and god kepte her fro many paryls For as the kyng Pharao toke her god dyde sende hym so many euyls and so moche he was trauaylled of sekenes that of nede he must take yelde her ageyne to her owne lord so god saued her by cause of her holynes and good lyf As he dyde kepe many sayntes fro fyre and water and fro gleues or wepen and also fro many other grete torments as is conteyned in the bookes of theyr lyf and legendes For thus saueth God them that louen hym and ben his frendes Thys Sarra suffred many euyls and grete dolours She was the space of a honderd yere barayn but by cause of her holy feyth and for the sure trouthe that euer she bare vnto her lord and also for her humylyte God send and gaf her a sone whiche afterward was a good holy man It was Isaac of whome the xij lygnees yssued and came and God gaf hym to her for her grete bounte Of the Valyaunt lady Rebecca the wyf of ysaac Capitulo lxxxiij aNother ensample I shalle telle yow of Rebecca which was merueyllously good and fayre and full of good condycions The holy wrytynge preyseth moche this Rebecca as for her grete humylyte She was wyf to ysaac and moder of Iacob The scrypture wytnessyth how she loued and worshipped her lord aboue al thyng and shewed her to hym meke and humble and ansuerd hym swetely and for to haue be slayne she wold not haue sayd one worde that myght haue displeased hym And by cause of her grete humylyte shew shewed her more to be seruaunt than lady She was long tyme barayne but god whiche loueth holynesse and humylyte gaf and sente to her two children at ones and at one byrthe that were Ezau and Iacob of the whiche Iacob yssued twelue children the whiche afterward were prynces of the twelue lygnees of whom thepystle of al hallowen day maketh mencion This Rebecca loued more Iacob whiche was the last borne than she dyd Esau she made hym to haue the blessyng of his fader as in the byble is reherced She loued hym best that best couthe cheuysshe hym self and whiche was of grete purueaunce She was lyke the lyonesse whiche of alle her faons she loueth best hym that best can purchace for hym self Iacob was of grete purueaunce And Esau hadde alle his herte sette to the chace and to the veneson And so the children of one fader and moder ben not of one condycion manere For some louen one crafte and one maner of lyuyng and the other louen another I shall telle yow thensample of a good man and of a good woman whiche were long tyme to gyder withoute hauyng ony children And at theyr request god sente them a moche fayr sone And soone after another they had whiche was fowle and lame Trouthe hit is that they shold gyue to the Chirche theyr fyrst begoten sone But as they had the second and sawe hym so contrefayt they sayd he shold be gyuen to the Chirch And that the fayrest shold abyde with them for to be theyr heyr wherof god was wrothe and took them both and neuer syn they had none wherfore they lyued in grete sorowe And therfor is here a good ensample For none ought to make ony promesse to god but yf he wyll holde and accomplysshe it and none may mocke hym as these wold haue done in gyuynge to hym the fowlest of theyr two children and wold haue kepte the fayrest for them and the whiche they had promysed to gyue hym Ye shall neuer see good come therof to them that so do Ne to them that haue and take oute their sones and their doughters fro the monastery where ones they were gyuen and receyued wherof many ensamples I haue sene with myn eyâ—n as of many that haue be had oute of theyr Abbeyes for the landes possessions that to them were comynge by the succession of they re parentes whiche were passed oute of this world And after by couetyse somme made werre ageynste them and toke by force alle that they had fro them And for certayne I sawe neuer none soo had oute of the chirche that myght be peasyble but at the last he came euer to nouÈt And as wel I say of wymmen that for suche caas or other were had oute fro theyr monastery I wyst neuer none but that she had an euylle ende For at the last they were dyffamed and vyoled and deyde of theyr children or otherwyse vilaynsly they ended their lyf And therfor men ought not take fro god that whiche is his How the faders and moders ought to praye for theyr chilÌ„dren Capitulo lxxxiiij I Shalle telle yow thexample of lya the wyf of Iacob The byble preyseth her moche and sayth how she loued parfyghtely her lord the worship that she bare vnto hym And how as god sente to her ony child she thanked hym therof deuoutely therfore god gaf her Viij of the xij prynces of whome the twelue lygnees yssued that soo moche were good men and dradde and loued god aboue al thyng And their fader and moder praid euer god for them syn they were but yonge that he wold purueye them of his loue and of his grace And he wel herd theyr prayer For they were holy men worshipped aboue al folk Here is thenne good ensample hou the faders and moders ought euery day to pray god for theyr children as Iacob and Lia dyd And yet I saye that for no faute ne ryotte they neuer cursyd them but blamed and repreued them by
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
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
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
I gyue no name the whiche ye wente ones to see her wyllynge to take her in maryage She that wyst and knewe well how it was spoken of yow her for her maryage maade to yow as grete chere as she hadde loued and knowen your personne all the dayes of her lyf ye prayd her of loue but by cause that she whiche was not wyse ynough to ansuere yow curtoysly and wel ye demaunded her not And yf she had hold self more secrete and couered and more symply ye had take her to your wyf of whome I haue syn herd saye that she hath be blamed but I wote not for certayne yf it was so And certaynly Syre ye be not the fyrst to whome suche aduenture is happed For many wymmen haue lost theyr maryage by cause of theyr amerous loke and fayr semblaunt Therfore it is good to euery woman vnwedded for to behaue her symply and clenely and specially before them of whome is spoken for her maryage I saye not but that men must bere honoure to euery one after that they be How men ought to loue after his estate and degree Capitulo Cxxvj wHat saye yow lady wold ye haue kept them so straitly that they shold not take somme plesaunce more to somme than to the other Syre I wylle not that they haue or take ony plesaunce of them that ben of lower estate or degree than they be of that is to wete that no woman vnwedded shalle not sette her loue vpon no man of lower or lasse degree than she is of For yf she tooke hym her parentes and Frendes shold hold her lassed and hyndered These whiche louen suche folke done ageynste they re worship and honoure For men ought to desyre ne coueyte nothynge so moche in this world as worship and the frendship of the world and of hir Frendes the whiche is lost as soone as she draweth oute her self oute of the gouernement and fro the counceyll of them as I myght telle yf I wold an Ensample of many whiche therfore ben dyffamed and hated of theyr parents Frendes And therfore Syre as I theyr moder charge and deffende them that they take no playsaunce ne that in no wyse sette theyr loue to none of lower degree than they be come of Ne also to none of hyhe estate whiche they may not haue to their lord For the grete lordes shalle not take them to theyr wyues but alle theyr louynge loke and semblaunt they do it for to deceyue them and for to haue the delytes and playsaunce of theyr bodyes and for to brynge them in to the folye of the world How wedded wymmen whiche haue sette theyr loue to some of lower degree than they be of are not worthy to be callyd wymmen Capitulo Cxxvij aLso they whiche putte and sette theyr loue on thre maner of folke that is to wete wedded men prestes and monkes and as to seruauntes and folke of noughte These maner of wymmen whiche take to theyr peramours and loue suche folke I hold them of none extyme ne valewe but that they be more gretter harlottes than they that ben dayly at the bordell For many wymmen of the world done that synne of lechery but only for nede and pouerte or els by cause they haue ben deceyued of hit by false counceylle of bawdes But alle gentylle women whiche haue ynough to lyue on the whiche make they re peramours or louers suche maner of folke as before is sayd it is by the grete ease wherin they be and by tbe brennynge lecherye of theyr bodyes For they knowe wel that after the lawe of theyr maryage they may not haue for theyr lordes ne to be theyr husbondes men of the chirche ne other of no valewe This loue is not for to recouere ony worship but alle dishonour and shame How hit is almesse to enhaunce a man in to grete valour Capitulo Cxxviij aT the leste syth ye wylle not graunte ne accorde that youre doughters loue no man peramours as longe as they shalle be vnwedded please it yow to suffre that whanne they shall be wedded they may take somme plesaunce of loue for to hold and behaue them self the more gaye and Ioyefull and for the better knowe theyr behauynge and maner emonge folke of worship And as before this tyme I haue sayd to yow It were to them grete welthe and worship to make a man of none extyme ne of valewe to become of grete valour The answere of the lady of the Towre Capitulo Cxxix sIre to thys I ansuere yow I wylle well and am content that they make good chere to all worshipfulle men And more to somme than to the other that is to wete to them of gretter name and more gentyl or els better men of theyr persones And after that they bere to them worship and honour And that they synge and daunce before them honourably But as for to loue peramours sythe they shall be wedded withoute it be of suche loue as men ought to bere vnto folke of worshippe for to loue and worshippe them after that they be worthy and of valour And whiche haue had grete payne and trauaylle to gete and acquere glorye and worshyp by theyr valyaunce in armes These must be loued doubted serued and honoured withoute hauynge in them ony plesaūce sauf only for the bounte of them But to saye and hold hit good that a wedded woman shold loue and haue a peramour Ne take the othe and feythe of none to th ende that they be theyr louers and peramours Ne also to gyue their feith and othe to none I trowe and wene certaynly that no lady ne damoysell wedded ne woman of other estate shall not put her estate and worship in this balaunce for many reasons the whiche I shalle declare vnto yow wherof the fyrst is as before I told yow that none woman amerous shalle neuer be soo deuoute in her prayers ne to here the seruyse of god as she was before For oute of loue spryngen and comen to many thoughtes and Melancolye as men sayn And many one ben so enamoured and enflammed of loue that yf they herd ryng the last peel of a masse and that they knewe that theyr peramoure wold haue come to see them they shold lese the masse for to please to theyr peramoure This is no game egaly parted But suche is the temptacion of Venus the goddesse of lecherye The other Reason I doo compare to the mercer whiche weyeth his sylke whiche is fyn and lyght but yet he maye put so moche of it in to the balaunce that it shalle ouerbere the weyght whiche is at the other syde of the balaunce That is to saye that the woman may be soo moche enamoured that lasse she shalle loue her lord therfore and that the loue worship and cheuaunce whiche he shold haue she shalle take fro hym and gyue it to other And for certayne a woman may not haue two hertes no more than a greyhond may renne
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
that was nedefull for her houshold She made grete abstynence and wered the hayre vpon the wednesday and vpon the fryday And hou I knowe this I shalle telle it to yow This good lady dyed in a Manoyr whiche she held in dowaye the whiche was apperteynynge to my lord my fader And I and my susters whiche were but yonge of age cam to duelle there And the bedde wheron this good lady deyd was broken in pyeces vnder the strawe was founde a hayr whiche a damoysell toke And sayd to vs that it was the hayr of her lady And that she wered it two or thre dayes in the weke And also told and reherced to vs her good condycions and her good lyf And how she Rose euery nyght thre tymes and kneled doune to the ground by her bedde and rendryd thankynges to god and prayd for al Crysten sowles And how she dyd grete almes to the poures This good lady that wel is worâ—â—y to be named and preysed had to name My lady Cecyle of balleuylle And yet I haue herd saye that her broder myghte spende yerely xviijM pound but notwithstondynge that she was the most humble and the most good and curtoys lady that euer I knewe or wyste in ony countrey and that lasse was enuyous and neuer she wold here say ony euyll of no body but excused them prayd to god that they myÈt amende them and that none was that knewe what to hym shold happe And thus she blamed them that spake euylle of other folk And maade them abasshed of that she repreued them so as she dyd And thus oughte to doo euery good woman and euery good man at thexample of this good lady And knowe ye that hit is a noble vertu not to be enuyous And not to be Ioyeful of the dommage or scathe of other And for certayn this good lady sayd that they whiche auaunced them of the euylle and dommage of other and that mocked theyr neyghbours and other And that god shold punysshe them or soâ—e of theyr nyghe frendes and parentes wherof came to them grete shame And that haue I sene ofte befalle as the good lady sayd For none oughte not to Iuge ne reproche the dammage or euylle of other Many suche fayre and prouffytable talkyng of this good lady is in my memorye Notwithstondyng the yong age whiche I was of whanne she deyde For I was not aboue ten yere old She had a ryghte noble ende and as I wene ryght agreable to god And as men say communely of honest and good lyf cometh euer a good ende The thre enseygnementes or lernynges whiche Cathon gaf to his sone Capitulo Cxxxvij aNother ensample I will telle yow of the wyse Cathon by whos wysedome was all the Cyte of Rome gouerned He made wrote many fayr auctorytees the whiche yet as now make grete memore of hym This Cathon had a sone and as he was in the bedde of his deth he callyd his sone to hym the whiche had to name Cathonet and sayd to hym Fayre sone I haue longe lyued in this world whiche is moche hard to knowe and moche merueyllous and alwey shall wexe wors as I trowe wherfore I wold and desyre moche that your gouernement and maner of lyuynge shold be good to the worship of yow and of all your frendes I haue take therfore to yow by wrytynge many enseygnementes the whiche shalle prouffyte to you herafter yf ye therto wylle sette your herte and haue them in youre memorye Neuertheles I haue bethought in my self to telle and gyue yow other thre er I deye wherfore I praye yow that euer ye wyll haue them in your memorye The Fyrste enseygnement Capitulo Cxxxviij tHe fyrst enseygnement of the thre is this that ye take none offyce of your souerayne lord yf so be that ye haue good ynough good suffysaunte after as your estate oughte to haue and nomore ye ought to aske of God And therfore ye ought not put your self in subiection to lose your good by somme euyll word or by somme euyll reporte For certaynly my fayr sone there be lordes of dyuerse condycions and maners Somme ben hasty and that lyghtely bileue And somme haue other maners of condycion And therfore men oughte to haue suffysaunce and be doubtynge to put hym self his estate and worship in parylle and in the daunger of folke whiche ben lyght of wylle The second enseygnement is that ye respyte no man that hath deseruyd to deye specially yf he be custommed to doo euylle For yf ye soo dyde ye shold be participant in al the euylle that he afterward shold doo as ryght were The thyrd enseygnement Capitulo xxxix He thyrd Enseygnement is that ye preue and essaye your wyf to wete and knowe yf she shalle kepe secretely your counceylle whiche parauenture myght be cause of your dethe For there ben somme whiche ben moche wyse and that can wel kepe secretely what that someuer men sayen to them and the whiche also gyue good counceylle and aduysement And somme ben that can neuer kepe theyr tongue but telle alle that is sayd to them as well ageynste them as for them And thus the wyse Cathon gaf this thre enseygnementes to his sone as he laye seke at the poynt of his dethe This trewe and wyse man Cathon deyde and his sone abode on lyue whiche was hold sage and wyse In so moche that themperour of Rome toke hym his sone for to endoctryne and teche hym And afterward he maade some lordes to speke to hym for to withold hym to gouerne and sette in good rewle â—he grete fayttes and materes of Rome and promysed hym to haue therby grete auaylles and prouffytees wher for and by the couetyse of these prouffytees he consented to tâ—ke thoffyce and toke on hym the charge of it and forgate thenseygnement and techynge of his fader And after whan he was stablysshed and receyued in his offyce he rode on a daye thorugh the hyghe strete with grete companye of folke whiche folowed hym He sawe a theef whiche men conueyed to the galhows for to be hanged whiche was moche yonge Thenne sayd one to Cathon whiche stood by hym Syre by cause of the nouellyte of your offyce ye may wel respyte and kepe this man fro dethe And he withoute enquest by hym made of the caas why he was Iuged to receyue dethe made hym to be vnbound and by cause of the nouellyte of his offyce he kepte the theef fro dethe He was to hasty For at that tyme he thouÈt not on the commaundement that his fader had made vnto hym How Cathon after he had done ageynst the two commaundements essayed the thyrd on his wyf capitulo Cxl aS the nyght was come And that Cathon had slept his fyrst slepe he had many vysyons vpon this matere in so moche that he remembryd how he had broken and done ageynst two of the commaundementes of his fader And seynge this he thought that he wold
reward he offred to me The thyrd enseygnement was that I shold essaye my wyf or euer I shold discouere to her ony grete counceylle For therin is to grete paryll Neuertheles ther ben some that can wel kepe secretely what men saye to them and in the whiche men fynd good counceylle and comforte And other also whiche that can no thynge kepe in secrete And thenne as I me bethought how I had broken and done ageynst the ij enseygnementes of my fader I thought and sayd in my self that I shold preue and essaye the thyrd wherfore that other daye as I was a bedde wyth my wyf I awaked her and for to essaye her wylle I sayd to her that I had slayne the sone of themperour and that his herte confyted in spyeces I had made themperour and his wyf to ete hit And that for the loue of whiche she loued me she shold kepe this in secrete soo that none myght neuer knowe no thynge of hit Now haue I proued and essayed how she hath kepte secretely my counceylle as euery one maye now see and knowe But I gyue me not to grete merueylle therof For hit is not of newe how that a woman can not kepe secretely that whiche men sayâ—n to her in counceylle How Cathonet exposed his auenture or hap Capitulo xliiij nOw haue ye herd how it is happed to me by cause I dyd not byleue the counceylle of my Fader whiche was so trewe and wyse a man To me therfore is come almost a grete euylle And notwithstondynge thus sayd Cathonet to themperour Syre I rendre and discharge me of your offyce And from hensforth I shalle not be enâ—eched of hit And he therof was discharged with grete payne â— Neueâ—â—theles he was receyued for to be mayster of the grete 〈◊〉 of Rome And in especiall of the grete fayttes and dedes â— And themperour made hym to haue grete prouffitees and 〈◊〉 hym grete yeftes and loued hym aboue al other And 〈◊〉 moche holyly in the loue of god and of the peple 〈◊〉 therfore my fayre doughters this is here a good ensamâ—â—â—â— how ye ought to kepe the counceyll of your lord and not 〈◊〉 it to no body what someuer it be For ofte comen therof 〈◊〉 euyls and for to be secrete and specially in suche thyng 〈◊〉 is deffended may not come sauf only good And in lyke 〈◊〉 as the shafte is departed fro the bowe must take her flygâ—â— and cours and neuer cometh ageyne to the bowe tyll it hauâ— smyte somme thynge Soo is the word whiche yssued oute of the mouthe lyke it For after that he is put out of the mouâ—â— it may neuer be put in to the mouthe ageyne but that it shal be herd be it good or euylle wherfor we ought wel to haue 〈◊〉 our memorye the saynges and auctorytees of the wyse Sâ—lamon whiche sayth that men must thynke on the wordes twyes or thryes or they be putt oute of the mouthe And thus ought to doo al wyse folke For ouer many grete euyls haue ben done and engendered for to haue discouered the counceyll and suche thynges as haue ben sayd there in counceylle Therfore I pray yow fayr doughters that ye wylle haue this ensample in your memory and neuer forgete it For all good and worship may therof come to yow And hir is a vertue the whiche escheweth grete hate and grete enuye and many euyls also For many one I knowe whiche haue loste moche of theyr goodes suffred many grete euyls for to haue spoke to lyghtely of other and for to haue reported suche wordes as they herd saye of the whiche they had nought to doo at al For none soo wyse is that may knowe what to hym is to come And full of naturel wytte be they whiche kepe them self fro recordynge of ony wordes For he whiche wythsayeth them that blameth other as wel in ryght as in wronge he doth but wel And for to hold and kepe secretely the dommage and euylle of other may come but good as hit is reherced in the booke of my two sonnes And also in an Euangely Here fynysshed the booke whiche the knyght of the Toure made to the enseygnement and techyng of his doughters translated oute of Frenssh in to our maternall Englysshe tongue by me William Caxton whiche book was ended fynysshed the fyrst day of Iuyn the yere of oure lord MCCCClxxxiij And enprynted at westmynstre the last day of Ianyuer the fyrst yere of the regne of kynge Rychard the thyrd
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
pryncipall cause She was an euylle goddesse fulle of euylle temptacion She is the goddesse of loue whiche kyndeleth and chauffeth the amerous hertes and maketh them to thynke bothe day and nyght to the Ioye and foule delytes of lechery And specially whan they be at the masse or heryng the dyuyn seruyse the deuyl causeth this for to trouble their feythe and theyr deuocion whiche they haue toward oure lord And knowe ye for certayne my fayr doughters that a womaÌ„ whiche is amerous shalle neuer sette her herte to god ne she shall not saye deuoutely her houres or matyns ne the hert open for to here the dyuyne seruyse of god wherof I shall telle yow an Ensample Two quenes were at this syde of the see which in lent vpon the holy thursday in the passion weke took theyr fowle delytes and playsaunce within the Chirche duryng the seruyse dyuyne And rested not of theyr foly tylle hit was alle done wherfore god whiche was displeased wyth them for theyr enorme and fowle synne made theyr fowle dede and faytte to be openly knowen amonge the folke In suche wyse that they were take and putte vnder a grete and heuy coope of lede And there they deyd of an euylle dethe And the two knyghtes they re putyers deyd also as they that were flayne they beynge yet on lyue Now maye ye see how theyr fals loue was euylle and dampnable And how the temptacion of Venus the goddesse of loue and lady of lechery tempted them so moche that she made them to take theyr fowle plesaunce In suche holy tyme as vpon the thursday and holy frydaye in the â—assyon weke By this Ensample is wel sene and knowen how that euery woman amerous is more tempted wythin the Chyrche than in eny other place And the same is the fyrst reason how a yonge woman must kepe her self fro suche folysshe loue and not be in no wyse amerous The other rayson is by cause of many gentylle men whiche ben so fals and deceyuabâ—e that they requyre euery gentylle woman that they may fynde And to them they swere that they shalle kepe to them their feythe and be trewe to them and shalle loue them without falshed or deceyuaunce and that rather they shold deye than to thynke ony vylonye or dyshonoure And that they shalle be the better preysed for the loue of them And that yf they haue ony good and worship it shalle come by them And thus they shalle shewe and saye to them so many reasons and abusions that a grete meruaylle is to here hem speke And yet more they gyue oute of theyr brestes grete and fayned syghes And make as they were thynkynge and Melancolyous And after they cast a fals loke And thenne the good and debonayr wymmen that sene them supposen that they be esprysed of trewe and feythfull loue but al suche maner of folke whiche vsen to make suche semblaunt ben but deceyuours or be gylers of the ladyes and damoysels For there is no lady ne damoysell that wold here them but that they shold be deceyued of them by theyr fals reasons whiche they shold not here These ben contrary to the feythfulle and trewe louers For he that loueth with god and trewe loue as he cometh before his peramours he is ferynge and dredefull lest he doo ony thyng that may displease her For he is not so hardy to discouere ne say one onely word And yf he loue her wel I wene that he shalle be thre or four yere er he dar saye his secrete vnto her But thus do not the fals louers For they praye al them that they fynd as aboue is sayd And are not in drede ne in fere to saye al that cometh vpon theyr fals tongues And no shame ne vergoyne they haue of hit And al that whiche they maye vnderstand of them they reherce and telle it amonge theyr felawes And of them they hold they re talkynge wherof they laugh and scorne and take theyr disporte of hit And thus by suche a waye they mocke and scorne the ladyes and damoysels and make newe talkynges and lesynges of them whiche before were neuer sayd ne spoken of For they to whom they tellen hit put to it rather somme euyll than somme good In so moche that fro word to word and by suche mockynge and fryuolles many ladyes and damoysels ben ofte blamed How a woman ought not to here the wordes or talkynge of hym that requyreth her of loue Capitulo Cxxiiij aNd to th ende ye be not deceyued kepe yow wel fro the talkynge of them And yf one begynne to resonne and talke with yow of suche mater lete hym alone or els calle to yow somme other body to here hym say what he wil And thus ye shalle voyde and breke his talkynge And knowe yow for certayne that yf ye doo thus ones or twyes he shalle nomore speke to yow therof but in good feyth at the last he shalle preyse and drede yow and shalle saye this woman is assured and ferme And by this maner of waye ye shalle not be put in theyr Ianglory and talkynges and shall not also haue no blame ne diffame of the world How the knyght answereth to his wyf Capitulo Cxxv tHenne I ansuerd Lady ye be moche hard euyll in as moche that ye wyll not suffre that your doughters be amerouse And yf so came that somme gentyl knyght worshipful myghty and puyssaunt ynough after they re degree had sette his herte on one of them and be wyllynge to loue her and take her to his wyf why shalle she not loue hym Syre sayd his wyf To this I shalle ansuere yow It is so as to me semeth that euery woman mayde or wydowe may wel bete her self with her owne staf For al men ben not of one coÌ„dycion ne of one manere for that thynge whiche pleseth to one is dyspleasyng to the other And somme ben the whiche taken grete playsyre of the grete chere and semblaunt that is done to them And that thynken but good and honeste And som also ben therfore more curyous to demauÌ„de and aske theyr peramours to be they re wyues But many other ben whiche are not of suche manere but all contrarye For whanne they see that theyr peramours paynen them self to make them chere they preyse them lesse And within theyr hertes ben doubtyng of them And as they see them so lyght of wylle and so enamowred they leue them and demaunde them not for to be theyr wyues And thus many one for to shewe them self to moche amerous and for to be to moche open in beholdynge and in gyuynge fayre semblaunt lese they re maryage For in certayne they that kepe them symply and the whiche gyuen noo fayre token or semblaunt to one nomore than to other ben most preysed and they be therfore the sooner wedded wherupon ye told me ones an ensample whiche I haue not forgeten which happed to yow of a lady to whome