lost all that is before rehercyd only for the synne of Inobedyence Loke ye wel thenne that ye kepe yow fro it as I trust in god ye shall remembrynge this Ensample And knowe ye that the synne of oure first moder Eue cam by euylle and shrewed aqueyntaunce by cause she helde parlement with the serpente whiche as the Hystorye sayth· hadde a face ryght fayre lyke the face of a woman And spack ryght mekely she herde hym with alle her wylle and pryuely where Inne she dyde lyke a foole For yf at the begynnynge she hadde not herde hym But hadde come to her lord she hadde dyscomfyted and ouercome hym to grete shame And soo the foole herynge of hym tourned her in to grete losse damage And therfore my fayre doughters It is not good to here folke that ben in theyr speche blandysshynge and castynge many flaterynge wordes For they benefulle of decepcion The Serpente found Eue ferre froo her lord and allone Wherfore atte his beste leyser he shewed her his deceyuable purpos and false langage For the whiche cause it is not good to be alone with ony other withoute he be of his next parente or kynrede Not withstandynge I saye not but men may wel bere honoure to euery one after he is worthy but men put more his honoure and worship in Ieopardy and daunger by answere to moche than by fewe and short answere For one word bryngeth in another Of the second folye of Eue Capitulo xlo. tHe seconde folye of Eue oure firste moder is that she to lyghtely answerd withoute remembryng her ne thynkyng to no harme as lucifer demaunded and asked of her why she and her husbonde ete not of the fruyte of the tree of lyf as they dyd of other she withoute takyng ony counceylle of her husbond answerd and helde with hym talkyng wherof she dide lyke a foole and myshapped her For the answere was not conuenyent to her but it longed and apperteyned to her lord Adam by cause god had gyuen to her lord the kepyng of her and of the fruyte And to hym hadde deuysed and tolde whiche fruytes they sholde ete And therfore she myghte haue answerd that he shold speke to her lord and not to her And therfore my faire doughters herin maye ye take good Ensample that yf one requyre yow of foly or of ony thyng that toucheth youre honoure and worship· ye may wel couer and hyde it sayeng that ye therof shal speke therof to youre lord Wherfore my fayr doughters I wolde that ye wel withheld within youre hert thexsample of a good lady of Acquyllee whiche the prynce of that Countre praid of foule loue And whan he had ynough prayd and spoken to her she answerd that she sholde therof speke to her lord And when the prynce sawe this· he lefte her in pees and neuer syth spack to her therof and said to many one that she was one of the moost parfyte best lady that was in his laÌ„d in this manere the good lady receyued grete preysyng and louyng of many one And soo ought euery goode woman doo and not answere after her owne wylle The thyrdde folye of Eue capitulo xlj tHe thyrd folye of Eue was that she was not remeÌ„bryng the defence of god whiche he made to her to her lord For god tolde them that yf they ete of that fruyte they shold deye of it And therfore when she answerd to thenemy lucifer she told hym not playnly the trouthe but said yf we ete of it it myght fortune soo that by aduenture we shold dye She â—yâ—e put condicion in her answere as many folysshe women doo when men speke to them of foly but oure lord god spak to them with oute ony condicion and withoute auenture Her symple and folysshe answer gaf to the serpent lucifer gretter boldenesse to spâ—â—â— to her more largely and to tempte her more playnly She did as they that herkene and that lyghtely answer to them that requyre them of fowle loue For by theyr symple and wyse answere and by the herkynge of the fowle talkynge of them that praye them of soo fowle loue they gyue to them place and leue to speke ferthermore as it happed to eue oure fyrst moder whiche herd thenemy that tempted her and said to her ye may wel take of the fruyte and ete of it and so shalle ye knowe bothe good and euil as wel as he that suche deffence hath made vnto yow Ye knowe not why he hath forbede that ye shold ete none of it It is bycause that ye shold ete of it ye sholde be as fayre as bryght shynyng and as myghty as he hym self is And soo the foole and 〈◊〉 wende he had told trouthe and byleued hym by couetyse and by his faire spekynge as done the folysshe wymmen thaâ— ben of lyght byleue as they here the faire semely wordes and blandysshynge wordes of the Ianglours that gyue them counceylle to playe and take the worldly disportes ageynst their worship and honoure and by their flaterynge wordes and promysses whiche they hold not they deceyue them soo that the poure and vnwyse wymmen byleue them in so moche that they consent graunte to the fowle delyte of whiche they be by them so tempted wheâ—â—f afterwarde they hold them self deceyued ashamed For when they haue done with them their fowle delyte and accomplysshed their wylle they leue hem as shamefully defamed Of the fourth folye of Eue capo. xlijo. He fourthe foly of Eue was the foolyssh beholdynge when she loked and behelde the tree the fruyte forbeden that god had to them defended This tree was to her eyen so fayre and so delectable that she only by the sight of hit desyred of the fruyte to th ende she shold ete it And soo by her foolysshe lokynge she felle in a foule thought Therfor by a foule beholdynge and lokynge come oftymes many peryls for as the sage saith The worst enuye that men hath is the eye Many haue be deceyued thorugh fals beholdynge For there be many men that by their grete arte make a fals samblauÌ„t or behauyng of a fals beholdynge as many one that behold and loke stedfastly shewyng by their loke to be debonaire and gracious wherof many a woman is by suche fals beholdyng deceyued for they wene thynk that they make suche lokyng haue suche byhauyng only by the destresse of loue· But they doo it for no thynge els than for to deceyue them And therfore this is a good Ensample to a warraunt and kepe hym self of fals beholdynge Neuertheles oftyme many one is by them deceyued for when thenemye fyndeth them in suche foole lokynge delyte he pryketh and enflammeth them by suche temptacion wherin he holdeth them fast bounden in soo moche that he maketh them to fall in the fylthe or ordure of that they desire to doo wherfore they lose bothe body sowle theÌ„ne all this euylle come only by fowle beholdynge And therfore I wold
aLle vertuouse doctryne techynge had lerned of suche as haue endeuoured them to leue for a remembraunce after theyr dethe to vs by whiche we ben enfourmed in scyence wysedom and vnderstandyng of knowleche hou we ought to rewle our self in this present lyf haue caused vs to know many good reules vertuouse maners to be gouerned by Emonge al other this book is a special doctryne techyng by which al yong gentyl wymen specially may lerne to bihaue them self vertuously as wel in their vyrgynyte as in their wedlok wedowhede as al along shal be more playnly said in the same which boke is comen to my handes by the request desyre of a noble lady which hath brouÈt forth many noble fayr douÈters which ben vertuously nourisshed lerned And for very ziele loue that she hath alway had to her fayr children yet hath for to haue more knouleche in vertue to th eÌ„de that they may alwey perseuere in the same hath desired required me to traÌ„slate reduce this said book out of frenssh in to our vulgar englissh to th eÌ„de that it may the better be vnderstoÌ„de of al suche as shal rede or here it wherfor atte coÌ„templacion of her good grace after the lytel connyng that god hath sent me I haue endeuoyryd me to obeye her noble desyre request In whiche werk I fynd many vertuous good enseygnementis lernynges by euydent histories of auctorite good ensaÌ„ples for al maner peple in generally but in especial for ladyes gentilwymen douÈters to lordes gentilmen For whiche book al the gentilwymen now lyuyng herafter to come or shal be arn bounde to gyue laude praysyng thankynges to the auctor of this book also to the lady that caused me to traÌ„slate it to pray for her long lyf welfare when god wil calle her fro this transitory lyf that she may regne in heuen sempiternally where as is Ioye blysse without ende TheÌ„ne for as moche as this book is necessary to euery gentilwoman of what estate she be I aduyse euery gentilman or woman hauyng such children desyryng them to be vertuously brouÈt forth to gete haue this book to th ende that they may lerne hou they ouÈt to gouerne them vertuously in this present lyf by whiche they may the better hastlyer come to worship and good renommee And I desyre all them that shall lerne or see ony thynge in this sayd book by whiche they shal ben the wyser better that they gyue laude thaÌ„kyng to the sayd ladyes good grace and also to praye for her And where as ony defaulte shalle be founde in the reducynge and translatynge in to our Englysshe tongue that it be arrettid to me whiche am Ignoraunt and not expert in the werke thouÈ so be that I haue emprysed here to fore to smatre me in suche translacions whiche I confesse and knowleche me ignoraunt and therin to be Imperfect wherfore I humbly requyre and byseche my sayd good lady to pardonne me of my symple and rude reducynge And yf ony thynge be sayd or made vnto her playsyre than I thynke my labour wel employed whome I humbly byseche to receyue this lytel book in gree thanke I shalle pray to almyghty god for her longe and good lyf and to send to her after this shorte and transytory lyf euerlastyng lyf in heuen Amen And alle other that be vnderstandyng fyndyng ony defaute I requyre pray them of they re charyte to correcte and amende hit and so doyng they shal deserue thanke and meryte of god to whome I shalle pray for them Here foloweth the table of the Rubryshes and the chapytres of the booke of thenseygnementes and techynge that the knyght of the Towre made to his doughters How god ought to be honoured to fore al other thynges Capitulo Primo What sholde be done whanne one is fyrst waked capitulo ij Of themperours doughters one synfull and that other deuoute capitulo iij How the dede folke shalle be prayd fore Capitulo iiij How the matyns and prayers shold be sayd Capitulo v How yonge ladyes ought to doo abstynence and faste ca vj How yong ladyes ought to faste tyll they be maryed ca vij Of a woman of folye that fylle in a pytte capitulo viij Of her that deyde and durst not confesse her synne capitulo ix How wymmen ought to mayntene them curtoysly Capitulo x How wymmen ought not to cast her hedes here and there ca xj How two tholdest doughters of the kyng of denmarke lost they re maryage for theyr fowle maners Capitulo xij How the douÈter of the kyng of aragon lost her maryage ca xiij Of them that ben chydars and brawlers Capitulo xiiij Of her that ete the ele and plucked of the fethers of the pye Capitulo xv How wymmen ought not to be Ialous Capitulo xvj How a woman ought not to stryue with her husbond ca xvij How a woman sprange vpon the table capitulo xviij Of the woman that gaf the flesshe to her houÌ„des capitulo xix Of them that take fyrst newe guyses capitulo xx How men ought not to stryue ageynste them that ben langagagenrs and full of wordes capitulo xxj Of thre ladyes that araysoned boussycault capitulo xxij Of thre ladyes that accuseden one knyght Capitulo xxiij Of them that gladly gone to festes and Ioustes ca xxiiij Of them that wyl not were theyr good clothes on hyhe festes and holy dayes Capitulo xxv Of the suster of saynt Bernard whiche came to see hym in grete araye capitulo xxvj Of them that playe and Iape at the masse ca xxvij An Ensample that happed at the masse of saynt Martyn Capitulo xxviij Of a knyght that caused al the towne to lose theyr masse where as he dwellyd capitulo xxix Of a lady that dispended the fourth parte of the day for to araye her Capitulo xxxo. How the sacrament sprange in to the mouthe of an hooly lady Capitulo xxxjo. Of a Countesse that herd euery day thre masses capo. xxxij Of a yonge amerous lady of an esquyer capitulo xxxiij Yet of the same Capitulo xxxiiij Of the man and woman that made fornycacion within the Chirche capitulo xxxv Of a Monke that made fornycacion in his abbay capo. xxxvj Of the vyces that renne and ben in many capitulo xxxvij Of the good condycions that ben in dyuers and many maners amonge folke Capitulo xxxviij An Ensample of Eue our fyrst moder capitulo xxxix Of the second folye of Eue capitulo xl Of the thyrd folye of Eue capitulo xlj Of the fourthe folye of Eue capitulo xlij Of the fyfthe folye of Eue capitulo xliij Of the sixthe folye of Eue capitulo xliiij The seuenth foly of Eue Capo. xlvo. Of the eyght folye of Eue capo. xlvjo. The nynthe folye of Eue capo. xlvijo. How an holy Bisshop reprysed and taught many ladyes Capitulo
ye wyste and knewe thensample of kynge dauyd that only by a foule loke in beholdyng the wyf of Vrye his knyght he felle in fornycacion of auoutrye And after in homycyde in makyng hym to be put to dethe wherof god toke grete vengeaunce on hym and vpon his peple whiche occasion cam only by fowle beholdynge as it befelle by oure first moder Eue that by her foolysshe loke plaisir she felle in the fait or dede whiche alle the world and the humayne lygnage bought ful dere By this lokynge fait or dede cam the deth in to the world And therfore this is a good ensample for to kepe hym self fro suche folyssh and fals lokynge Of the fyfthe folye of Eue cap o xliij tHe fyfthe folye of Eue was when she took and touched the fruyte It hadde be better that she had had no handes For ouermoche peryllous was the touchynge of it But after the lokynge that sh had had And as the two vyces and her wyll were acordynge to geder she hadde no fere ne drede no thynge but touched it and tooke of it at her wylle And therfore saith the sage that men ought to kepe hym self fro touchynge of ony delyte wherby the sowle and the body myght be hurte in ony manere For foolisshe touchyng chaufe and enflamme the herte And when Reason is blynde whiche ought to rewle and gouerne both herte body men fall in synne and in foolysshe delâ—te And yet saith the sage who that surely wyl kepe hym 〈…〉 clenly he ought to locke his bandes twyes or thryes or that â—e come to towche or tast ony fowle thynge It is to saye that or 〈◊〉 enterprise or vndertake ony fait or dede he ought fyrst to thynkâ— two or thre tymes For touchynge and kyssyng meueth 〈◊〉 blood and flesshe in so moche that they forgete the fere and drede of god and the worship of the world And soo many euylle dedes bicomen by foolisshe attouchementis As in like wise bifelle to Eue that touchid to the fruyte forboden Of the sixthe folye of Eue capitulo xli ijo. tHe sixthe folye was that she ete of the fruyte this was the moost perillous poynt of the dolorous fait For by the same fait or dede we alle the world were delyuerd to the perille of the deth of helle and made straungers of the greete ioye of paradys how many an euylle dede and dolorous become in the world only by that etyng god knoweth it he god whiche is almyghty how sholde men knowe how and in whiche maner thou shalt punysshe them that done suche foolisshe and fowle faiteâ— And that delyteth them in delicious metes and in strong and swete wynes wherof they norysshe their body and fylle theyr bely by which delyte they be chaufed and meued to the fowle delyte of lechery and to many other synne Why take they no hede to the poure hongrye that deye for cold and for hongre and thurste of whiche god shalle aske and demaunde to them acompte the daye of his grete Iugement And knowe ye that synne is not only in takyng to moche of metes and wynes but gretter synne is of the delite that men take in the sauoure and etyng of them wherfore the sage sayth that the dethe lyeth vnder the delyces as the nette vnder the fisshe whiche is cause of his deth Lyke wyse the sauour and delite that men take in delycious metes bryngeth the sowle to deth And right soo as the delyte of the appell brought Eue to deth in suche wyse be brought to their ende may one by the delyte that they take in delicious metes and good wynes The seuenthe folye of Eue Capitulo xlv tHe seuenthe folye was that she byleued not what oure lord god had told her and to adam her lord that is that she shold dye yf she ete of the fruyte But he told her not that she shold soone deye of bodely dethe but symply had saide to her that she shold dye as she did Fyrst her sowle and after of bodely deth as she long tyme had be in the laboure and peyne of the world and that she hadde suffred moche sorowe and susteyned many meschyefs peynes and dolours as god told promysed her And after her deth she descended and fylle in a derke and obscure pryson wheroute none scapeth that was the lymbo of helle where she and her husbond with all their lygnage were in pryson vnto the tyme that oure lord Ihesu Crist was put on the Cros whiche space of tyme was fyue thousand yere and moo And that same tyme god delyuerd them also al tho that had serued hym and hadde be obeisshyng to his commaundements in the old and auncyent lawe And the cursed and euylle folke full of synne hâ— lete in the pryson of helle he took with hym the whete and the strawe he lete breÌ„ne Allas why thynk we not also they that be slepynge in synne to amende vs and not euer striue with the folysshe hope that we haue of longe lyf and not abyde tylle we see vs nyghe oure terme and ende Suche folk seeth not the deth that of nyghe foloweth them· whiche sodenly shalle come as the theef that cometh in atte back dore to robbe and kytte mennes throtes And no man knoweth when he cometh And after this theef stelyng day by day is destroyed Lyke wyse is of the synners that synne day by daye tyl the deth taketh them and destroyeth them Also as the theef that steleth and that can not hym self absteyne fro euylle doynge and hath a delyte in his theeftes tylle the tyme he is taken and put to deth Lyke wyse of the synner that so so moche goth and cometh to his folysshe playsaunce and to his delytes that men ben perceyuyng of it in so moche that he is ashamed and dyffamed of the world and hated of god and of the sages Of the eyghte folye of Eue capitulo xlvjo. tHe eight folye of Eue. was that she gaf thappel to her husbond and praid hym to ete of it as she dyde And as a foole wold not disobeye her And therfore they were bothe partyners of oure grete sorowe and euylle Here thenne is a good ensample For yf ony woman counceylle ony thyng to her husbond he ought first to thynke yf she said well or not and to what ende her counceylle shalle mowe come or that he to her couÌ„seylle gyue ony consent For none ought to be enclyned toward his wyf ne so obeysshynge but that he fyrst consydere yf she saith welÌ„ or not Many wymmen be that gyue no force and care of nothyng but that they may haue their wylle I my self knewe a Baron that byleued in all thynges his wyf in soo moche that by her foolysshe counceylle he tooke deth wherof it was grete pyte and damage But better it had be to hym that he had dredde her lesse and lesse byleued Lyke as Adam folysshly bileuyd hys wyf to his and oure
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