IT is moche fayre and ryght a noble thyng for to see and beholde thauncyent hystoryes / whiche haue ben wreton of oure predecessours / for to she­we to vs good ensamples / and to aduertyse vs how we may see the good dedes· that they fo [...]o­wed / and teschewe the euyll as may be sent / that they eschewed / Thenne I shalle speke / and saye to them thus / My ryght dere doughters for as moche as I am old / and [...] I haue sene the world more lenger than ye haue / I shall [...] to yow a partye of the world after my seyence / whiche is n [...]t [...] grete / B [...]t the grete loue that I haue to yow / And the [...] I haue / that ye torne youre hertes and youre though [...] [...] god / and to serue hym / by whiche ye may gete wele and [...] in this world and in that other / For certeynly al the [...] honoure / and al thoneste of man and of woman [...] and of the grace of his hooly spyryte / And also gyue [...] [...] and shorte in worldly and erthely thynges / suche as [...] hym / For alle thyng falleth at his playsyre and [...] And also gyueth for all suche wele and seruyce as is [...] an honderd fold double / And therfore my right dere [...] is good to serue suche a lord. whiche rewarded an honderd [...] /

aNd by cause that the fyrst werke & labour that man or woman ought to doo / is for to ad [...]ure and worshipe oure lord / and saye his seruyse / That is to vnderstā de / that as soone as he awaketh / he ought to know le [...]che hym for his lord and maker / and hym self to be his creature That is to wete· to saye his matyns / houres and his orys [...]ns▪ yf he be a clerk and to rendre and yelde to hym thankynges and [...] synges / As to say / laudate dominū omnes genc [...]s Benedicamus patrem et filium cum sancto spiritu / or suche o [...]er thynges as yelde & gyue thankynges & preysynges vnto god. For it is a gretter thyng to thanke and blysse oure lord god / than to re [...]uy [...]e & demaunde hym / For requeste / demaunde / yefte of guerdon & th [...]n­kynges / and to yelde preysynges is th [...]ffyce of angels▪ which alwey gyue thankynges / honoure / and preysyng vnto god / for it is [Page] better to thanke god / than to requyre hym / by cause he knoweth better what is good for a man or a woman than they wote them self / After we ought to praye for them / that ben dede to fore we goo to slepe / And also the dede men praye for them / that praye for hem / And also forgete not the blessid and swete Vyr­gyne Marye / whiche nyght and day prayeth for vs / And also to recommaunde yow to the hooly sayntes of heuen / And when this is done / thenne maye ye well goo slepe / For this ought to be done as ofte as ye awake

IT is conteyned in thystorye of Constantynople. that an Emperour hadde two doughters / Of whome the yongest was of good maners and loued god / and honoured & prayd to hym alwey when she awoke / and moche deuoutely pra [...] for the sowles of them that were dede / And these two yong [...] lay bothe in one bedde / And whan the oldest awoke / and [...] her suster saye her prayers / she mocked and scorned her / [...] said to her that she letred her to slepe / Thenne it happed that youthe and the grete ease that they hadde ben norysshed in / [...] them to loue two knyghtes bretheren / whiche were twoo goodly men and moche gentyll / And so long endured theyr playsyre and loue that they discouered eche to her loue the secrete of the­ir amerous desyre / in soo moche that they sett a certeyne houre to these knyghtes for to come to them pryuely by nyght / And when he that shold come to the yonger / supposyd to haue entryd within the Courteyns / hym semed that he sawe moo than a thousand men in sudaryes lyke dede men / whiche were aboute the damoysell he hadde so grete fere and hydoure. that he was al affrayed / Whe­rof he tooke the feures / and was seke in his bedde / But to that other knyght if happed no thyng so. for he gate the oldest dough­ter of the emperoure with child· And whan the Emperoure knewe that she was grete with child / he made her to be drowned in a nyȝt / & dyd do the knyȝt to be flayn al quyck. Thus for this false delyte they deyde both twe [...]n / But that other doughter was saued lyke as I haue said & shall saye / when it cam on the morn [Page] it was said oueral / that the knyght was seke in his bedde / Thēne she for whome he tooke his maladye wente for to see hym / And he told to her all the trouthe / how when he supposid to haue entrid within the courteyns / he sawe a merueylous grete nombre of dede men in sudaryes / aboute her / Of whome he said / I had so grete drede and hydoure / that I was taken with thaccesse or feures / and also was al moost oute of my wytte for fere / and yet am all af­frayed / And when the damoysel herd the trouthe / she was mer [...]ueylously ioyeful / and thanked god moche humbly / whiche [...] saued her fro perisshyng and dishonoure / And from than [...] on / she worshyped and prayed god alwey when she a [...] And praid moche deuoutely for all Crysten sowles more [...] fore / and kepte her chastly and clene / And it was [...] that a grete kyng of grece desyred and demaunded her [...] to haue her in maryage / And her fader gafe her to [...] was after a good lady and deuoute / and of moche [...] / Thus was she saued for prayeng to god / and [...] hym / and also for prayeng for them that ben dede / And [...] suster / that scorned and mocked her / was dr [...]wned and [...]noured / And therfore my dere doughters remembre yow [...] this example alwey whan ye awake / And slepe not ageyne [...] that ye haue praid for them that ben departed oute of this [...] lyke as dyde the doughter of the emperour / And yet [...] wolde wel that ye shold knowe thensample of a Damoyselle whiche a greete lord wold haue for fayre or fowle for to accom [...]plysshe his fowle playsyr and delyte

IT happed in suche wyse / that this lord dyd do espye / where as this Damoyselle was entred in to an hoole where as she entrid & rested there for drede of hym / that was in a busshe / And she sayd vygylles for the dede men / And this grete lord entryd in to the hoole [...] And sawe her there / And wende anone to haue accomplyss [...]yd his fowle delyte / But when he supposed to haue taken her / hym [Page] semed that he sawe more than ten thousand prysonners buryed that kepte her / And had of them so grete fere and drede / that anon he torned and fled / & 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 thēne 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

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 & vnderstōdeth 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 heuēly 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 legē ­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 [Page] 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 thy [...]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 sha [...] [...] therof· Wherof I shall saye an ensample of this mater [...]

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 meruayl [...]ly deuoute / ne neuer wold ete / till that she bad said all her houre [...] and herd all the masses that she myght here / And that other d [...]ter was holden so tendyrly / and so moche louyd / that she was [...] 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▪ thenne must she goo ete somme good morsell· or somme good [...] And this lyf ledde she / tyl she was maryed vnto a kynȝt 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 [Page] with his clerk / and two of his seruauntes· and ete and played so. that there was a grete noyse / and the men and wymmen [...]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 seruaūtes / whiche had embracid one of the wymmen of the chambre / and smote so sore that seruaūt / 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 heres / 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 norysshed tendyrly / And that she had gyuen her the reyne ouerlong in suffryng her to do all her wylle / wherfore she was in an hard caas / And by this ensample it is good to serue god· & here all the masses / that maye be herd fastyng / And to take on her / honeste and sobrenes of mete and drynke. in due tyme / as aboute the houre of tyerce / at myd day / at souper at houre couenable / after the tyme / For suche lyfe as ye haue vsed & mayntened in your youthe. ye wold mayntene [Page] and vse in your old age

aLso my dere doughters / ye ought to faste tyll that be maryed thre or foure dayes in the weke. For [...] to adaunte youre flesshe / that it m [...]ue not [...] / for to kepe yow more clene and holyly in [...] of god / Whiche shal kepe and guerdome yow double / And yf ye may not faste the thre dayes / yet at the lest [...] in thonoure of the precious blood and of the passion of Ihesu [...] that suffred deth for vs / And yf ye faste it not to brede & [...] atte lest take no thyng that suffreth deth / For it is a moche [...] thyng as I haue herd telle of a knyght a moche noble man [...] was in a batayle of Crysten men ageynst the sarasyne / It [...] that a Crysten man had his heede smyten of with a [...] and spack after tyll that the preest cam / and confessid hym / And he demaunded of hym / for what meryte it was that he [...] speke withoute the body. And the hede answerd hym / that no [...] ode dede was done to god / but that it gate grace. And that he [...] kepte the wednesdaye fro etyng of flesshe in thonoure of the [...] of god· that was thenne sold / And the frydaye he ete no [...] that suffred deth / And for this seruyce god wold not that he shold be dampned / ne that he shold deye in dedely synne / wherof he was not confessid / This is a moche fayre example / and ought to be remembryd / that suche thynge as suffreth deth ought not be eten on the fryday / And also my faire doughters / it is moche good to haste the saterday / in thonoure of oure lady and of her hooly vyrgynyte / to thende that she gete grace for yow for to kepe clene youre vyrgynyte and youre chastyte in the grace of god. and in the loue of youre frendes / that none euyll temptacions ouer maystrye yow not / And hit is a grete vyctory ageynst the flesshe / and a moche hooly thyng / And I saye to yow for trouthe / that it shalle be to yow a lyght thyng / yf ye acustomme yow therin / For it is but acustomaunce for to here the masse / and the seruyce of god / for to saye your houres. and to doo al other hooly werkes / as haue done these holy wymmen / lyke as it is conteyned in the legēdis [Page] And in the lyues of the sayntes of heuen

tHenne I wolde that ye knewe thexample of a folysshe woman that fasted the fryday / of whome I shall telle to yow the hystorye / Ther was a folysshe woman in the Cyte of Rome / that alwey fasted the fryday in thonoure of the passyon of swete Ihesu Criste· And the saterday in thonoure of the Vyrgynyte of oure lady / And alwey these two dayes she kepte surely· Hit happed on a nyght that she went to ward her loue / wh [...]n it was derk / And sodenly or she was ware / she felle in to a pytte· whiche was twenty fadom depe / And as she was fallyng / she escryed with an hyhe voys / lady helpe / and she fylle vpon the water / and fond it hard as a plank. And there cam a voys to her that saide / in thonoure of the vyrgyn Marye / and of her sone for whome thou hast fasted / thou art saued / And fro hensforche kepe thy body clene fro the synne of thy flesshe / And on the morn peple cam for to drawe water / and fond the woman in the pytte oute wherof anone she was drawen vp / and lete goo / And the peple merueyled moche how she was saued / And she said to them how that a voys had said to her / that it was for the fastynges / that she had kept the fryday and saterday / as ye haue herd / And for this grace that god and the blessid Vyrgyn oure lady saynt Marye had done to her / she made a vowe to them / that she shold kepe her chaste / and clene. And shold vse her lyf in the seruyce of god and of his chirche· and euer after nyght and day she s [...]rued in the chirche for to lyghte the torches / tapres / and lampes / and to kepe clene the chirche / Now on a nyght / there cam to her a Vysyon / that she drewe· and took oute of a donghylle a vessell / lyke to a plater of syluer / And when she beheld hit / she sawe therin many black spottes / and a voys cam sayeng. scoure and make clene this plater· And take awey tho blak spottes / so long / tyll it be as clene and whyte / as it was when it cam from the handes of the maystre goldsmythe / And this aduysyon cam to her thre tymes / And when she awoke / she remembryd her aduysyon to god And when hit was hyhe day / she wente for to confesse her / to an [Page] hooly man / and told to hym her aduysyon / And when the good man had herd all the maner / he said to her / Fayre doughter / ye ar moche beholden to serue god / whan he wylle youre saluacion / and warneth. and sheweth to yow / how ye ought to wasshe yow / and make you clene by confession of your synnes / And I shall she­we yow / hou he hath shewed by youre aduysyon the Vessel of siluer / whiche was foully bespottyd of the donghylle / whiche sygnyfyeth the sowle that is in the body / And yf the body consentid not to doo synne / she shold be alwey whyte as the vessel of syluer / that cometh fro the goldsmythe / Ryght so is the sowle when hit cometh fro the fonte of bapteme / And lyke as the Vessel that ye sawe was in the donge / in lyke wyse is the sowle in the body / whiche is no thynge but donge / and fylthe / For when the Chay­tyf body hath synned by his fals delytes. for euery synne that he hath done / ther cometh a black spot in the sowle / And that aby­deth vnto the tyme / that the body whiche dyde the trespas haue cō fessid and bewaylyd it in suche manere as he dyde the dede / and therof hath made satisfaction / And therfor fayre doughter the voys of the vysyon hath said. that ye shold make yow clene & whyte lyke the syluer that cometh fro the goldsmyth / For when ye come fro the fonte of baptesme / after ye ought put it in place. where it shold be kepte clene and withoute or dure / that is to saye to kepe you fro goyng in to place / where as ye ought absteyne you for to doo synne / And kepe yow wel that ye synne nomore / For it is a good thyng to be shryuen / but it is better after the confessi­on to kepe hym that he falle not ageyne therto / For the tornyng ageyne is wors than the first / And when ye shold be shryuen / ye ought to saye alle / and reteyne no thyng behynde / And it ought to be said in the manere as the dede was done / Thenne my fair douȝters said the good man / I shalle telle to yow an ensample of a bourgeyse a moche myghty woman

tHere was a woman of grete renomme and fame lyke to be a blessid woman and charitable / For she fasted thre dayes in the weke / of whiche she fasted tweyne to brede and to water / and gafe moche almesse· vysyted [Page] the seke / norysshed the orphanes / and was at masse vnto mydday And said many orysons and prayers / And lyued an hooly lyf / as a good woman ought to doo / And it happed that she depar­ted oute of this world / by whome oure lord wold shewe ensam­ple / how she was lost for one only dedely synne / For the sepultu­re in whiche she was leyd bigan to fume / & smoken / and the erth to brenne· and there had ben seen on the graue ouermoche torment And the peple of the Countrey merueyled moche / what it mente For they wende veryly / that she hadde be saued aboue alle other wymmen / Thenne was there an hooly man in the Cyte / which toke the crosse / the stole / and hooly water / and coniured the sowle in the name of god / And requyryd of almyghty god / that it ple­syd hym to shewe to hym / wherfore this stenche and this tormente was there / Thenne a voys was herd / that sayd / I am the pou­re synnar. that am dampned to perpetuel fyre. For god sheweth that my wretchyd body gyueth oute smoke and torment by en­sample / And I shall telle to yow / how it hath bifalle me by the synne of my flesshe / I laye ones with a Monk / And I durst neuer confesse me therof / for doubte to be accused for shame of the world / And I doubted more the bobaunce of the world / than the spyrytuel vengeaunce of my synne / I fasted / I gaf for goddes sake my good / I herd masses / and said many orysons & heures / And me semed the grete good dedes and abstynence that I dyde quenchyd and estyncted al my synnes / whiche I durst not telle ne saye to the preest / wherfore I am deceyued and loste / For I telle wel vnto alle· that who that dyeth in dedely synne / and wylle not forthynke it. he is dampned perpetuelly / For the synne ought to be confessid also foully as the dede· was done / and by the same manere / And when she had al said / alle they that were there present were moche abasshed / For there was none / but that he thouȝt she had be saued / And thus said this good man this ensample to this woman that confessyd her / that she shold confesse and telle her synnes lyke as she had done them / and she shold put aweye the spottes of the syluer vessel / These ben the spottes of the sow­le / And thenne this woman confessid her / and lyued after an holy lyf· And thus the begynnyng of her sauacion / cam of the fas­tynges· that she fasted on the fryday in thonoure of the passion of oure lord / and the saterday for thonoure of the vyrgynyte of our blessid lady / By whiche she was saued from perylle / For ther is no good dede done / but it is rewarded / And it is a moche hooly [Page] thyng to faste / And the more payne it doth or hurte to the heede or body. so moche is the fastyng more of meryte / & greter of valewe For yf the fastyng greuyd not / there shold therof be no mede ne merite / & yet for to shewe an ensample how fastyng is of grete meryte / It is trouthe / that the kynge of Nynyue and alle his Cyte were saued therby / as it is conteyned in the grete book of the byble / For god had doo synken certayne Cytees and townes for the grete synnes that they delyted in / And god commaunded his prophete to telle to this kyng / and to the Cyte / that yf they amended them not / that they shold perysshe in lyke wyse / Thenne the kyng and the peple of the cyte had grete drede and fere / And for ca [...]ase the yre of god / alle they that were of age fasted fourty dayes and fourty nyghtes / and kneled doune on her knees / and putte sackes on theyr hedes in grete humylyte. wherfore god took mercy on them / and repeled his sentence / And so by theyr mekenes and fastynge they were saued / And therfore my fayre dough­ters / fastyng is an abstynence and a vertu moche couenable / whiche withdraweth and restreyneth the flesshe from euylle desy­res· And humbleth the herte· and geteth pardon and grace of god And thenne all yong wymmen / and specyally the maydens and wydowes ought to fast / as I haue said here to fore by these en­samples / whiche by the playsyre of god. ye shall well reteyne and kepe

aFter this / my doughters / see ye wel to. that ye be curtois and humble / For there is no gretter vertue for to cause yow to haue the grace of god / and the loue of alle pe­ple. than for to be humble and curtoyse. For curtosye ouercometh all them that ben felouns prowde by thensample of the sperhauk Take a sperhauke ramage / And calle hym curtoysly / and ye shal make hym come frely to yow· ye fro the tree / he shalle come vppon youre fyste / And yf ye be not curtoyse / but rude and cruel he shal neuer come / Thenne syth that curtosye vaynquysshyth a wylde byrde / whiche hath in hym no reson / Thenne ought she wel refrayne a man and woman moche more. that they be not ne haue the herte orguyllous and fyers / Curtosye is the fyrst ware and the entre of alle frendship and of alle worldly loue / And she that [Page] vaynquyssheth hye courages / and that amolysshyth thyre and wrathe of euery creature / Therfore thenne hit is a fayre thyng to be curtoys· I knowe a lord in this Countrey / whiche hath goten and conquerd moo knyghtes / squyers and other peple to serue hym and to doo his playsyrs by his grete curtosye in the tyme / that he bare armes / than other dyd for money / eyther for other thynges / And this is my lord of Craon / whiche ought wel to be honoured / and to be preysyd for his curtosye aboue all other kny­ghtes that I know / and I knowe that he hath goten by his curtosye moche loue and renomme of ryght grete ladyes / and also of other grete and smale. Therfor my fayre doughters shewe youre curtosye vnto the mene and smal peple / for to do them honoure / And to speke to them fayre and swetely / And for to answere them curtoysly / they shalle bere and doo the gretter reuerence / gretter preysyng and renommee than the grete / For thonour of the curtosye that is done and gyuen to the grete astates / is but their ryght / But that whiche is done vnto smal gentylmen and gen­tyl wymmen and to other of lasse degre / that honoure and curto­sye comen of a fre and a curtoys hert / And the lytell or poure mā 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 tauȝt of all the other

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 [Page] 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

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 s [...]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 Fraūce / 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 kynḡ 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 myȝt / And ther was in this companye a knyght and a lady riḡht connyng and moche subtyl whiche took good heede and set their ententes for to see the manere of these thre yong ladyes & their contenaunces / & [Page] 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 / & hū ­ble than of that other two / and thembassatours took their aduys & coūceil that they wold retorne vnto the kyng their lord / & saye to hym suche thyng as they had foūden / & thēne he myȝt take her that plesid hym / Thenne they cam to the kyng & quene for to ta­ke their l [...]ue / & thanked them moche of their good cōpanye & of thonour that they had done to them / & that they wold wel reporte to their lorde suche thynges as they had sene of their douȝters / vpon whiche he myght do his plaisir. The kyng thēne lycencyd them & gaf to them fair gyftes / & so they departed & cam in to englond And recoūted 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 plaisaūce 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. & thēne 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 [Page] 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 / whiche had fader and moder· And my lord my fader ladde me [...]h [...] der for to see her / whan we were there / there was made to [...] grete chere & ioyous. And I beheld her / of whome I was spoken to And I set my self in cōmynycacyon with her of many thyng [...] [...] for to know the better her mayntenyng & gouernaūce / & so we [...] in spekyng of prysoners / And thenne I said to her / damoys [...] I wold wel and had leuer be youre prysoner than ony others / & I thenke that youre pryson shold not be so hard ne cruell / as is [...]e pryson of englissh men / And she ansuerd me that she had la [...]e sene such one / that she wold wel that he were her prysoner / & I demāded her / yf she wold yeue hym euyl pryson / & she answerd me nay / but that she wold kepe hym as derworthely as her owne body / & I said to her / that he who someuer he was he was wel happy & curous for to haue so swete & noble a pryson / Shall I saye to yow She louyd hym ynough / And had her eye quyck & lyght / & she was ful of wordes / & when we shold departe she was a [...]erte / for she praid me two or thre tymes / that I shold not leue / but come see her how sōeuer it went / but I helde me al styll / for I had neuer sene her to fore / & she wist wel that there was spoken of maryage of her and of me / And when we were departed / my lord my fader demaūded me what me semed of her that I had sene / & bad me to telle hym myn aduys / & I answerd to hym & said that she was good & faire / but I shall neuer be more nerre her than I am / yf it please you / & told to hym how me semed of her & of her estate / and thenne he said / that he wold not also that I shold haue her / & ther­for the ouer grete malepertnes & the lyght manere that me semed to see in her / discouraged me so that I maryed not with her / wher of I haue thāked god sith many tymes / for it was not after a yere & an half that she was blamed / but I wote neither it were with wrong or right / & soone after she deyde / & therfor my fair [...] [Page] al gentyl wymmen and noble maydens of good lygnage / ought to be softe / humble / Rype / stedfast of estate and of manere / of ly­tel speche to answere curtoisly· and not to be ouer wyld to sprynge ne le pe / ne cast her syght ouer lyghtely / For in lytel doyng ne cometh but good / For many haue lost their maryage for to shewe them ouer moche / and to make ouer grete semblaunce. wher of oftymes were supposed other thynges in them / than euer were done or thought /

I Wold that ye shold knowe how the doughter of the kynge of Aragon lost the kyng of spayne by her folye / It is conteyned in the gestys of spayne / that a kyng of Ara­gon hadde two doughters / of whome the kyng of spayne wolde haue one / And for to chese her that best plesyd hym / he disguy­sed hym self in the fourme of a seruaunt / And wente with his embassatours / that is to saye· his Messagyers / and with a bisshop and with two barons / And it is not to be demaunded / but that the kyng made to them grete honoure and ioye / The doughters of the kyng arrayed and attoured them the best wyse that they myght / And in especial the oldest / whiche thought that theyr comynge was for her / And so they were there in the Courte thre dayes for to see and behold the countenaunces / wherof it happed that in the mornyng whan they salewed them / the oldest answerd no thyng but bitwene her teeth / as she that was fyers and of grete porte But her suster was humble and ful of grete curtosye / and sale­wed humbly the grete and smale / After he be [...]ld on a tyme that these two susters playd at tables with two knyghtes. but thol­dest chyd with one of the knyghtes / And demened strongly foule chere. But the yonger suster / which had also lost made no semblāt of her losse / but made as good chere / as she had wonne / The kyng of spayne sawe and beheld al this / and drewe hym a part / and called his counceylle / and said to them / ye knowe wel that the kynges of fraunce ne of spayne ought not to marye them for co­uetyse but nobly· and a woman of good maners wel born / and disposed to come to honoure / and to bere fruyte / And for as moche as I haue sene these two damoyselles· And haue by­holden their maners and theyr guyses / me semeth that the yon­gest is moost humble and moost curtois / and is not of so haul­tayn courage / as is the oldest / And they answerd to hym / [Page] Syre tholdest is more fayre / And he answerd to them / none hono­ure / ne beaulte. ne none erthely good may compare to bounte ne to good maners / And in especial to humylyte / And by cause I ha­ue sene her the more humble and the more curtoys / I wylle haue her / And thus chaas her / And thenne the bisshop and the barōs cam to the kyng of Aragon / and demaunded of hym the yonger doughter / Thenne the kyng and alle his peple were moche esmerueyled that they took not the oldest / whiche was moost fayre / But thus it happed that the yonger was quene of spayne / by cause she was humble and softe of speche to greete and smale [...] her grete curtosye / wherof the oldest doughter had so grete desdayn & so grete despit y^t she bycā al frātyke & frō her self & therfore this is a fayre ensample / how by curtosye and humylyte is goten the sone of god and of the world / For there is no thyng so playsaunt as Humblesse curtosye· and to salewe fayre the peple grete and smale / and to make no chere of losse ne of wynnyng / For no gentyl wymmen ought to make none effrayes in them / but ought to haue gentyl hertes and softe answers / And to be humble / For as god sayth in the gospel / he that is moost worthe and moos [...] knoweth / moost humbleth hym / lyke as dyde the yonger doughter of Aaragon / whiche for hir humylyte and curtosye con [...]uerd to be quene of spayne / and took it fro hir older suster

fAyre doughters / see that ye begynne no strif to no foole / ne to them that ben hasty and hoote / For it is grete perill Wherof I shal shewe to you an Ensample / whiche I sawe happen in a Castel / wherin many ladyes & damoys [...]ls duelle den / And ther was a damoysell douȝter of a right gentyl knyȝt And she waxe angry in playeng atte tables with a gentylman / whiche was hoote and hasty and moost Ryotous / And was not right wyse / And the debate was of a dyes. whiche she saide was not truly made / And soo moche it encreaced that wordes were enhaunced / and that she saide he was a coward and a foole. And so they lefte theyr playe by chydynge and strif / Thenne said I to the damoyselle / My fayre Cosyn / Angre you with no thyng. that he saith / For ye knowe wel / he is of haūtayn wordes & of folissh answers / wherfor I praye yow for your honour that ye take no debate ageynst hym / & I told her & coūceiled feithfully / as I wold haue said to my suster but she wold not bileue me / but yet did chide more after this than to fore / And she sayd to hym that he was [Page] nought worth· and many other wordes / And he answerd to her / that he was better for a man / than she was for a woman / & she said that he said not trouth / & soo the wordes aroos / that he said yf she had ben wyse and good / she shold not come by nyght in to the mennes chambres / and kysse them and embrace them without Candell / And she supposed well to haue auenged her / and sayd to hym that he lyed / And he said he dyde not / and that suche one & suche one had sene it / And there was moche peple / that herd hit / whiche knewe no thyng therof to fore / And many of them sayd / that a good stylle / and not so to haue chyden had ben better for her & that she was beten with her owne staf / that is to saye by her tonge / and by hir hasty spekyng / And after these wordes she wepte and said that he had diffamed her / and that it shold not be left so And she reassayled hym to fore them alle in suche wyse / that he said yet more fowle and shameful wordes to the dishonoure of hyr that she shall neuer recouer for socoure that she can make / And thus was she shamed by the haultesse of her herte / And therfore this a good ensample / how no woman ought to chyde nestry­ne ageynst a foole / ne with peple that haue haultayn courage / but they ought teschewe them / For whan they see that they wil speke grossely and hyghe / they sholde lete them alone· and holde them al styll / and saye to them / Fayr frende I see wel that ye speke hyhe and wylle ryotte / Now wylle I leue yow / and so departe and goo fro hym / lyke as a knyght dyd to a lady that I kno­we / whiche had an euylle heede / and saide many oultrages to the knyght to fore all the peple· To whome the knyght said / Madame yf it plesyth yow saye ye as many merueyles as ye wylle / And yf I here yow / I doo yow no wrong. I see well ye be maryed / wherof I am sory / But now for al that she wolde not be stylle / but chode more than to fore / And when the knyght sawe / that she wolde not leue ne be stylle for no thyng / he took a lytell wyspe of strawe that he fond / And set it to fore her / And saide to her Ma­dame / yf ye chyde more / so chyde to this wyspe of strawe / / For I leue it here for me / And wente his way / and lefte hyr there / and it was reputed for w [...]l done of the knyght / that soo lefte her / And she was holden for more foole than to fore. For when she fonde not / to whome she myght chyde / she restreyned her yf she wolde· And thus ought hit to be done / For hit is not honest ne good folke to stryue with fooles / ne to chydars· ne to suche as haue euylle heedes and ben hasty and hoote / but teschewe them lyke [Page] as the knyght dyd this lady / of whome ye haue herd /

I Shall telle to yow an Ensample herof vpon the fayt of wymmen that ete the good morsels behynde theyr hus­bondes / There was a damoyselle that had a pye in a cag [...] whiche spak and said all that she sawe / And it happed that the lord of the hows made to kepe a grete Ele in a tronke in a [...] And he kepte it moche derworthely for to gyue it to som good lord of his / or to somme frende / yf they come to see hym / And it [...] that the lady saide to the Chamberere / that it were good to ete the grete ele / And they thought that they wold saye to theyr lord that theues had eten hym / And when the lord cam home [...] began to telle and saye to hym / My lady hath eten the Ele [...] when the lord herd this / he wente to his ponde / and fonde not [...] ele / And cam home to his wyf / and demaunded her what [...] befallen of his ele / And she supposed to haue excused her / A [...] he said that he was acerteyned therof / And that the pye had [...] hym / And in the hous therfore was grete so [...]owe and noyse / But when the lord was gone oute / the lady and the chambere [...]e cam to the pye / and plucked of alle the fethers of his hede· sa [...]eng Thou hast discouered vs of the ele / and thus was the p [...]ure p [...]eplumed and lost the fethers of his hede. But fro than fo [...]th [...]n yf ony man cam in to that howe / that was balled or pylled or had an hyhe forhede / the pye wolde saye to them / ye haue told my lord of the ele / And therfore this is a good ensample / that no good woman sholde not ete for hir lycorousnes the swete / or dey [...] morsels withoute the wytyng of her husbōd· but yf she empl [...]d it well with honoure / This damoysell was after mo [...]e scorned & mocked for that ele by cause of the pye that so ofte remembryd [...] to suche as cam thyder so ballyd or pylled

I Shall saye to yow an ensample of this euyl thyng Ialousye There was a damoyselle maryed to a s [...]uyer / whiche loued [Page] so wel her husbond that she was Ielouse of all them that he spak to / wherfor her husbond blamed and repreuyd her ofte / but it auayled no thynge· And among al other she was Ielouse of a damoy­selle of the Countrey whiche was of haultayn courage / And so it happed on a tyme / that she dyd chyde ageynst this damoyselle / And reproched her of her husbond· And that other said / that by her fayth / s̄he said not wel ne trouthe / And that other said that she lyed / And thus began they to fyght and smyte / eche other fyersly. And she that was accused tooke a staf / and smote that o­ther on the nose suche a stroke / that she brack the bone / wherof she had euer after a croked nose / whiche is the moost syttyng membre that a man or woman may haue / as it that stondeth in the myd­des of the vysage / So was this woman al blemysshed and bla­med of her husband / and oftymes reproched / so that it had ben moche better for her not to haue ben Ielouse / and to haue kept her vysage hoole withoute blemysshe / And thus by the dysfyguryng of her nose and myschaunce / her husbond myght not loue her soo parfytely after / as he dyde to fore / as he was woned to doo / And other whyle took other / And thus lost she the loue and tho­noure of her husbond by her Ielousye / and her folye / This is a right good ensample for al good ladyes and gentyl wymmen / how they ought to make semblaunt of suche thynges / and to suf­fre fayre and curtoisly their sorowe yf they haue ony / Lyke as di­de one myn Aūte. whiche hath told it me many tymes / This go­od lady was lady of languyller / whiche thenne had a lord to her husbond. that myght wel / and held of rente for· xv· C. pound a yere & helde a merueylous noble estate / but her husbond was lecherous so moche / that he held alwey a woman or tweyne in his ho­us / And oftymes he roos fro his wyf / and wente to his concubynes / And when he cam fro his folye / he fond a candel lyght / and water with a towayll to wesshe his hondes / And when he was come ageyn she said no thyng / but praid hym to wesshe his hondes / And he said that he cam from the preuy chambre· And therfor said she by cause ye come fro thens / ye haue the more nede to wasshe yow / And otherwyse she repreuyd hym not / But som tyme she said to hym pryuely bitwene them bothe only / My lord I wote wel and knowe of youre fait with suche one and suche one / but neuer for me by goddes grace / sith that it is youre play­sire / And that I can by no mene remedye it. I shal not make to yow the werse chere / ne semblaunt. ne to them also / For I were [Page] wel a foole to breke my heede for the debate fo youre marchaun­dise. sith it may be none other wyse / but I pray you my lord atte leste that ye make me no worse chere / ne that I lese not youre lo­ue / ne your good semblaunt / For of the surplus I shall wel deporte and forbere / And shal suffre all that it shall playse yow to commaunde me / And truly by the softe and swete wordes that she said to hym / his herte malte / and wexe pytous / and kept hym self from it a good whyle. And duryng her lyf by grete curtosye and humble obeysaunce she vaynquyssh [...]th hym / For by other wey / she had neuer done it / And at the last he repentyd hym / and kepte hym only to her / This is a faire ensample / how by curtosye and obeysaunce a woman may best ouercome and withdraw her lord and husbond fro suche feet and dedes / and sonner than by rudesse / For a man is of suche courage / that when they be ronne [...]n with fyersnes and rudesse / they done hit the rather / and ben [...] worse / And for so moche for to saye trouthe / and ryght / an hus­bond ought not to conne his wyf maulgre / yf she be som what [...]lons of hym / For the wise man saith that Ialousye is [...] of loue / And I trowe he saith sooth / For I shold not moche re­che of suche one / as I set not by / and that I had no cause to loue whether he dyde wel or euyll / but of my neyghbour or of my frende I shold be sory and heuy at my herte yf he had ony harme or disease / And therfore Ielousye is not withoute grete loue / But h [...] is in two maners / of whiche that one is werse than that other For it is in somme / in whome ben no good resons / And that is moche better to suffre for his honoure and for his estate / than for to haue it / And also a man ought to conne not ouermoche maulgre to his wyf / yf she be a lytell Ialouse ouer hym / For therby she sheweth how her herte doubteth and hath grete fere / that another haue not the loue that she ought to haue of ryght. after god and the chirche / but she that is wyse maketh lytell semblaunt / and she ought to refreyne her wel / and to bere her euyll curtoisly and conuertly / And in like wise ought a man to make as litell semblaunt as he maye / It is wisedom to hym that may kepe hym / but alweye the wif that seeth that her husbond be a lytell Ialouse of her. yf she apperceyue that she hath caused it of ony folissh plesaunces / whiche plese hym not / the good wif thenne ought to deporte and forbere wisely withoute makyng semblaunt to fore ony / how she speketh or maketh ony chere by ony were / And ought to saye by twene them bothe wysely. and the moost swetely that she may [Page] sayenge that she knoweth wel / that the grete loue that he hath to her / hath made hym to fere and doute that she turneth not her lo­ue awey from hym / And to saye to hym that he haue no doute ne be not aferd / For by the grace of god she shalle kepe thonoure well of them bothe / And thus by fayre and softe wordes to meue / & take from hym & bryng hym fro his folissh Melancolye / For yf she take it in angre / and haue hyhe wordes she shalle enlumyne the fire and make it werse / and to make it werse than it was to fore. For many wymmen ben more fyers in theyr lesynges and lyes / than in theyr trewe sayenges and wordes / And therfore many haue grete doubte / And thus I saye yow that the good wyf how wel that she haue a lytel suspection of Ryotte or greef she ought not the lesse to loue her lord and husbond for a lytell Ielousye / For she ought to thynke that is the right grete loue that she hath to hym / And how he hath grete doute and fere in his herte that another haue not the loue· that he ought to haue by his right after god and hooly chirche / And to thynke and beholde / that yf another withdrawe the loue / that he ought to haue / that neuer he shal loue her / and that the loue and the ioye of theyr maryage shold be lost / And theyr good and menage shold torne to declyne and faile fro day to day / And this is a thyng / that mo­che peple ought to remembre and trxpresse oft in theyr mynde / And therfore this is a good ensample / how the courage & thought ought to be mesured

aFter this a woman in no maner wyse ought stryue a­geynst her husbond / ne answere hym so that he take ther­by displaysyre / lyke as dyde the wyf of a burgeys whi­che answerd to her husbond so noiously. and shamefully to fore the peple / that he bicam angry and felle to see hym self so rewlyd to fore the peple / that he had therof shame / And he said to her / and bad her ones or twyes / that she shold be stylle and leue / but she wold not / & her husbond whiche was wrothe smote her with his fyste to the erthe· And smote her with his foote on the vysage so that he brake her nose / by whiche she was euer after al disfygured· And soo by her ryotte and ennoye she gate her a croked nose [Page] moche euyll / It had ben moche better for her· that she had holden her stylle and hadde suffred / yet it is reson and ryght that the hus­bonde haue the hyhe wordes / and it is but honoure to a good woman to suffre and holde her in pees / and leue the haultayn lan­gage to her husbond and lord / And it is in the contrarye to a woman grete shame and vylonye to stryue ageynst her hus­bond be it wrong or right / And in especial to fore the peple / I say not / but when she shall fynd hym alone and tyme / but that she may wel reprehende hym and aduyse hym in shewyng curtoysly that he had wrong and vnright with hym / And yf he be a man resonable / he shal conne her thanke / And yf he be other [...] hath not she done but her parte / For right so shold a wyse [...] do / by th ensample of the wyse quene hester / wyf of the kyng Assuere / whiche was moche melancolyque and hasty / But the [...] lady answerd not to his yre / But after when she sa [...]e hym [...] attempryd / place / and tyme / thenne dyde she what she [...] And it was grete wysedom of a woman / And thus ought [...] wymmen to do / By this ensample / the wymmen that ben [...] and rampynge ben not of suche obeysaunce / as was a [...] marchaunt / of whome I shall saye and telle to yow·

IN a tyme it happed that Marchauntes of Fraunce cam from certayn Fayres / where as they sought Dra [...]er [...] And as they cam with Marchaundyse fro Roan / that one of them said / it is a moche fayre thynge a man to haue a wif obeysaunt in alle thynges to her husbond / Verayly sayde that one / my wyf obeyeth me well / And the second said. I trowe / that my wyf obeye me better / ye sayd the thyrd / lede laye a wager / that whiche wyf of vs thre that obeyeth best her husbond / and doeth sonnest his commaundement that he wynne the wager / wherupon they waged a Iewele / and accorded al thre to the same & sworen that none shold aduertyse his wyf of this bargayn / sau [...] only to saye to her / doo that whiche I shall commaunde what sō ­euer it be / After when they cam to the first mans hows / he sayd to his wyf Sprynge in to this bacyne / and she answerd / wherfore or what nede is it. And he said by cause it plays [...]th me so / and I wyll that thou do so / Truly said she I shall knowe fyrst wherfor [Page] I shal sprynge / And soo she wold not doo it· And her husbond waxe moche angry and felle / and gafe her a buffet / After thys they cam to the second mrachauntes hows / and he saide to his wyf lyke as that other saide / that she wold doo his commaunde­ment / And it was not long after that he said to her / Sprynge in to the basyn / And she demaunded hym wherfore / And at the last ende for ought that he dyde / she dyd it not / wherfore she was be­ten as that other was / Thenne cam they to the thyrd mans hous And there was the table couered· and mete set theron And the marchaunt said to thother marchauntes in theyr errs / that after dyner he wold commaunde her to sprynge in to the bacyn / And the husbond said to his wyf / that what someuer he commaunded her she shold do it / his wyf whiche that moche louyd hym and dred hym herd wel the word. And it was so that they bygan to ete / and there was no salt vpon the table / And the good man sayd to his wyf / Sail sur table And the good wyf whiche hadde fere to disobeye hym / sprang vpon the table and ouerthrewe table / mete / wyn / and platers to the ground / How said the good man / is this the manere / Cōne ye none other playe but this / are ye mad or oute of youre wyt. Syre said she / I haue done youre commaū dement / haue ye not said that youre commaundement shold be do­ne what someuer it was. Certaynly I haue it done to my power how be it that it is youre harme and hurte as moche as myn. For ye said to me that I shold sprynge on the table / I said he / I sayd ther lacked salt vpon the table / In good feyth I vnderstode [...] she for to spryng / thēne was ther laughter ynouȝ & al was taken for a bourd and a mocquerye / Thenne the other two Mar­chaun [...]s said it was no nede to late her sprynge in the basyn / For she had done ynough / And that her husbond had wonne the wager / And she was more preised than the other two that wold not do the commaundement of theyr husbondes. For moyen peple chastysen theyr wynes by buffettys and strokes / but gentyl wymmen ought to be chastysed by fayre semblaunt and by curtosye [...] For other wyse ought not to be done to them. And therfore euery gentyl woman sheweth whether she haue gentyll courage or none That is to wyte that she sheweth by faire semblaunt and by cur­tosye that she obeyeth and hath euer doubte to disobeye / leste ony harme come or myght happen or falle to her· For the other two wyues obeyed not their husbondes lyke as the good wyf dyde to the thyrdde marchaunt whiche for fere of disobeysaunce to her [Page] husbond sprange vpon the table / and threwe doune alle / And thus ought euery good woman to fere and obeye her lord & hus­bonde and to doo his commaundement is hit right or wrong / yf the commaundement be not ouer outrageous / And yf ther be vy­ce therin / she is not to blame / but the blame abyde [...]h vppon her lord and husbonde / And also that she ought not tansuere to euery word of euery husbond ne of other / And that therin is perys [...]e lyke as was of the knyghtes doughter / that sette her honoure in grete balaunce for to stryue and answere to the hasty squyer that sayd to her vylonye as a foole / For many ben so haultayn and of soo euyl courage / that they saye in hastynesse and hete alle that they knowe and cometh to mouthe / Therfore it is grete peryll to begynne strif to suche peple / For who soo doth / he set his honoure in grete aduenture / For many saye in theyr angre more than they knowe for to auenge them

I Shal saye to yow an Ensample of a lady that yaf the flesshe and good morsels to her lytell hoūdes / Ther wa [...] a lady whiche hadde two small houndes / whome she mo­che loued and had soo derworthe that that she took in them greete playsaunce / She made for them dayly dysshes of sowpes / and af­ter gaf to them flesshe and other fryandyses delycyous / And on a tyme there was a frere mendy [...]aunt that said to her that it was euyll done to gyue suche metes to the houndes that were grete & fatte / where as there were moche poure peple lene and drye for [...] gre / Thus he prechyd vnto the lady / but for al that she wold not leue it / S [...]o thenne a lytel afterward this lady bycam seke vnto the deth / And ther happed a wonder thyng / whiche was sene al apertely. For ther cam vpon her bed two lytel black dogges / And whan she drewe on and was in a traunce they were about her mouthe / and lycked her lyppes / And where as they lycked her on the mouthe / it bycam as black as a Cole / This I haue herd of a damoyselle that said that she had sene al this. And na­med to me the lady / This is a good en [...]ample to euery good la­dy and woman / how they ought not to haue ouer grete plais [...]re in suche thynges / ne to [...] flesshe / ne lychorous metes to the [Page] hoūdes. For lack of whiche the poure peple of god dye for honger the whiche ben the creatures of god made to his semblaunce and lykenes / and ben his seruauntes / Suche wymmen vnderstande not the word of god in the gospel / where as god sayth / he that doth wel to the poure / doth to me seruyce / These wymmen resemble not vnto the good quene blāche / that was moder of saynt lowys whiche dyd do gyue in hir syght the mete to the moost nedy and meseased. And after saynt lowys dyd in lyke wyse / For he vysy­ted the poure peple and fedde them with his own honde / The plaisire of euery good woman is to see the faderles and moderles children and lytel poure children and them norysshe and clothe / as dide the holy lady that was Countesse of Mauns whiche norysshed wel thyrtty orphanes / and the lytel poure children for pyte / and therin was al hir disporte / And therfor she was louyd of god / and had an holy lyf and a good ende / And ther was sene at her deth a grete clerenes and lyght alle full of lytel children / These were not the smale houndes that were black / whiche were sene with the other / as ye haue herd to fore

fAyre doughters I praye yow that ye ben not the fyrste for to take on yow newe arraye ne gyses. and that ye in this caas be the last and tarye lengest / And in especialle the newe gyses of wymmen of straunge Countre. For I shalle saye yow of a debate whiche was f a baronnesse. that duellyd in guyenne / And of the lord of beaumont fader of hym that is now lord / whiche was a subtyle and a wyse knyght / This lady aresonned hym of his wyf / And said fayre Cosyn· I am come fro bry­tayne and haue sene my fayre Cosyn your wyf. whiche is not a­rayed ne aourned as ben the ladyes of guyenne ne of many other places / For her pourfyls of her garnementes ne of her hodes ben not grete ynough after the gyse that now is vsed / Thenne the knyght answerd to her· Madame syth she is not arayed after yo­ur gyse / and that her pourfyls seme lytell / wherfore ye blame me be ye certeyn that ye shal blame me nomore therfore / For I shall doo araye her as queyntely and as nobly as ye or ony other ben [Page] and yet more / For ye haue not but the half of your garnementes and of your hoode torned outward with grys and crmynes / but I shalle doo to her better / For I sha [...]le make her kirtels and hoodes alle the furre outward / & so she shalle be better pourfylled than ye ne the other / And after this he said / Madame / thynke ye / that I ne wylle wel that she be arayed after the good ladyes of the Countre / yes veryly / but I wylle not that she chaunge the guyse of good wymmen / ne of the ladyes of worship of Fraunce and of this Countre / whiche vse not the gyse of the loues ne of the lemmans of thenglysshe men / ne of the peple of companyes / For these ben they that first knewe this gyse in brytayne and in Guyenne of these grete pourfyls and of the Coursettys torned by the sydes / For I was of that tyme and sawe it / And for to take the guyse of suche wymmen that brought it firste hyther / I holde them euyl counceyled and also them euyll aduysed that ar­raye them so / and also them that take and vse hit / how wel that the pryncesse and other ladyes of Englond· whiche after theyr longe comyng maye wel do it / But I haue herd of the sages that euery good lady & woman ought to kepe the gyse & state of the good ladyes and wymmen of theyr Countre & comyn gyse of the R [...]y [...]mme / of whiche they ben of / And that they ben moost wy­se that ben the laste that take suche noueltees and newe gyses / And thus by renomme the ladyes of Fraunce and of these lo­we marches ben holden the best ladyes that ben and lest blamed These wordes were said to fore moche peple / wherof the lady [...]ld her self nyce / and wyst not what to answere / And thenne many of them bigan to murmure / and said among them / that she had done better for to haue holden her stylle and said nought / And therfore my fair doughters this is a faire Ensample for to take and holde astate moyen and the gyse of the good lady [...]s of the Countre and of the comune of the royamme / that they ben of That is to saye / of that whiche the good ladyes vse comunely & that is a noble thyng / For to take a newe gyse comen by straū ­ge wymmen and fro other Countrees / they ben more mocqued / and scorned / than for to kepe the gyse of their Countre / as ye haue herd of the good knyght that was wyse / and of grete gouer­nement in repreuyng of the lady / And knowe ye for certayne / that they that first done and take the newe gyses / ben scorned & mocked / But god haue mercy on vs at this day / after that som haue herd that ony newe facion or nouelte of goune or arraye / [Page] shall neuer reste till they haue therof a Copye / And shullen saye to their lord or husbond dayly / Suche thyng / and suche shold be­come me wel / and it is right faire / I praye yow that I may haue it / yf their lord or husbond saye to her / my loue yf suche one ha­ue it / other that ben holden as wyse as she haue it not / And she thenne wylle saye what though they can not araye them / what haue I doo with all / Sith that suche one hath it. I may wel haue it / and were it as wel as she / And I say you that they shal fynd so many resons / that they must nedes haue theyr parte / but these maner of wymmen ben not founde the moost wyse ne moost con­nyng / but they haue their hert moost sette to the plesaunce of the world / I speke not vpon the ladyes ne the damoysels that maye wel do at their lust and gyse / For ageynst their estate I thynk not to speke ony thyng that may displese them yf I may knowe it / For it apperteyneth not / ne is syttyng to me but to honoure and obeye them to my powere / ne I entende not to speke ageynst them by this book / but to my owne doughters / wymmen and seruauntes / to whome I may say that as it shal plese me. and af­ter my wylle

fAyre doughters I shall saye to yow an Ensample / how it is peryllous to speke and holde stryf to peple that ha­ue the world in their hande / and that haue manere and wytte to speke. For gladly men ne wynne but lytel to holde stryf of bourdes and Iapes to suche men / For it happed at a grete feste where as were many grete ladyes and lordes / And that ther was the marchal of Clermōt / whiche merueiloussly had the world in honde as of fayre spekyng and lyeng subtylly / and to knowe hym self and his beyng among alle knyghtes and ladyes / So thenne ther was one lady that said to hym· to fore alle the peple / Cler­mont / in good faythe ye ought to gyue grete guerdon vnto god / For ye be a good knyght and semely ynough. and ye knowe many and conne many merueyles. and were parfite ynough / yf your mockyng ne were and youre euyll tonge. whiche somtyme can not be stylle / Now Madame is this the worst tatche that I haue / [Page] She sayd ye / Now see we thenne in this poynt as me semeth for to Iuge rightfully / that I haue not so euylle a tonge as ye / And I shalle saye yow wherfore / ye haue me repreuyd and tolde me the worst tatche that I haue after youre aduys / And I ha­ue not said the worst tatche that I knowe in yow / what wrong haue I doo thenne / Madame I am not so swyfte of my speche as ye are / The lady helde her pees thenne / And wold that she had not stryuen ne spoken to hym for dyuerse causes / whiche I reherce not· as I haue herd recounted that it was ynough spoken / And somme said that it had better for her to haue ben stylle / And therfore this is a good Ensample / For it is better somtyme to be stylle and saye no thyng than to be ouer apperte and begynne woedes to such men / as haue their wordes redy at hand / And that haue no shame to saye double wordes hauyng dyuerse ententes / And therfore take ye heede to whome ye enterpryse to speke / and beware that ye saye no thyng to theyr displaisire / For for to stryue is moche peryllous

yEt shalle I saye to yow of this matere / how it happed that thre ladyes supposed to haue shamed Boussycault And what fylle therof / Boussycault was a wyse man / and wel bespoken amonge alle other knyghtes / And hadde the world and rule at the wylle among grete lordes and ladyes. So it happed at a feste that thre grete ladyes satte in a Closette / and spaken of theyr good auentures so long / that that one said to the other / Foull̄ alle to her of vs / that wil not say for good cōpanye yf she were this yere praid & requyred of loue / veryly seid one of them / I haue ben desired within this yere / by my feyth seid y^e other so haue I / & I also said the thyrd / Now saide one that was most peert / Foule be she that wylle not discouere his name / that laste desyred vs / By my feyth said one / yf ye wylle ensure vs to saye the same also / we shall saye truly the treuthe. And she agreed & said that it was boussycault / ye said that other. certeynly it was he that desyred me / Certaynly so dyd be me said the thirdde / Ha Ha said they is hit soo / Certeynly he is not so loyal ne trewe as we had supposed / He is not but a bourdour / and a decey­uer of ladyes / late vs sende for hym / And anone [...]e was fette / [Page] and cam / and said to them· My ladyes what pleseth yow / they sa­ide we haue for to speke with yow / Sytte here doune by vs / And wolde haue made hym sytte at theyr feete. but he answerd them and said. Sith I am comen at youre sendyng fore / late me haue a chayer or a stoole to sytte on / For yf I shold sytte lowe I myght breke my poyntes or layners· & ye myght bere me on hond that it were another thyng. And so he must haue a syege to sytt on / And when he was set / the ladyes that were wel born began to saye to hym / how is hit Boussycault· that we haue ben deceyued by yow in tyme passed· For we had supposed that ye had ben feith full and trewe / And ye are not but a trompeur and a mockar of ladyes· It is al youre condicion / how said boussicault my ladyes knowe ye that I haue done ony deceyte or tromperye / yes said that one. For ye haue desired my faire Cosyns / that ben here / & also so haue ye me / And ye haue sworen to eche of vs that ye louyd e­che best aboue al creatures / this is a grete lesyng / & it is not trouthe / For ye be not worthy ne of valewe to haue thre. And ther­fore ye ben fals and deceyuable. And ye ought not to be putt in the nombre ne in thacounte of good and trewe knyghtes / Now my ladyes haue ye al said / ye haue grete vnright / & I shall tell yow wherfore / For at the tyme that I said so to eche of yow / I had thenne my plesaunce / And thought so at that tyme. And therfore ye doo wronge to holde me for a deceyuer / But me behoueth to suffre of yow / For ye haue youre parlementes vpon me / And when they sawe that he was not abasshed / they bygan to saye / what shall we doo / late vs drawe lotte for hym / & she that hath the shortest shall haue hym / For yf I lose / I shall quyte my part truly / And I myn said the other / Thenne answerd he and said to them / nay my ladyes / by the sacrament of god / I am not soo to be departed ne to be left / For there is here no woman that I wyll abyde with / And therwith he aroos and wente his way And they aboden in the shame more abasshed than he was / And therfore it is grete perylle to begynne strif or debate wyth men that knowe the world / and that can mayntene their manere And therfore this is a good Ensample not for to stryue ne to haue wordes with suche maner men / For in all thyng is manere For other whyle they that wene to know moost / ben somtyme deceyued / And therfore I wold that ye shold remembre an En­sample semblable to this matere

[Page]IT was so on a tyme that thre badyes accuseden a knyght of suche a caas and of suche a deceyuaūce / And had shitte hym in a chambre alone / and euery lady had a damoy­selle / And that notwithstondyng they iuged hym to deth / sayeng that he neuer after sholde deceyue in suche manere lady / woman / ne maide / And they were so angry and wroth toward hym / that eche of them helde a knyf to slee hym / And thenne he saide to them My ladyes syth it pleseth yow / that I shall dye withoute reme­dye and withoute mercy / I praye yow alle that it plese yow to graunte me a bone & a yefte / And they acorded & graūted it [...] And thēne saide he / wyte ye what ye haue graunted / & ther [...] nay / but ye say it to vs / I desyre thenne saide he that the strongest hore of you smyte me the first stroke / Thēne were they al abass [...] & eche of them behelde other / & eueriche thought in hym self [...] sholde smyte the first stroke / I sholde be dishonoured & [...] whan he sawe them so astonyed & esbayed / he ran to the [...] opened it / & went out / & so departed fro them / & thus the [...] saued hym self / & they abode all astonyed & mocked / & therfor [...] lytel aduysement is moche worth at nede / be it to man or woman Thenne I leue to speke more of this matere / And come ag [...]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

I Shall saye to yow an Ensample of a good lady that ga [...] 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 p [...]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 [Page] she myght wel apperceyue / that yf she had wold don the playsir [...] 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 w [...]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 [Page] 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 / B [...]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 [...]er­u [...]untes / For yf it so happed / that the torches or lyght were auenchyd and put oute / that they myght abyde by yow / n [...]t for [...] ­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

aN other ensample I shalle telle you of them· that wylle not were theyr gounes ne clothes on hyhe fest [...]s and on sondayes for the honoure of oure lord / Thenne I w [...]l [...] that ye sholde take ensample how a damoyselle repreuyd her l [...]dy There was a lady / whiche had good gounes & ryche / but she wolde not were them on sondayes / ne on fe [...]tful dayes / but yf she sup­posed to fynde there noble men of estate / So it happed at a fe [...]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 da [...]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 ara [...] & make me fresshe for them / Madame said the damoisel that is eu [...]l [Page] 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 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 nouȝt & 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 [...] 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 sō 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 cōplayned 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 [Page] 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

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 su [...] ­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 / & thēne 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 bobaū 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 [Page] 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 /

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 / knyȝ­tes 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 braūche to braū che / And this hooly man blessid hym and merueyled / And when [Page] he was in his canon aboute thende 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 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 y^t sayd their prayers & were in deuociō / they were not on them ne touched thē 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

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 ouȝt to mayntene you humbly and deuoutely in the Chirche / and not to talke ne iangle for no thyng that may happen

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 [Page] 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 wol̄d 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 hogg [...]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 quā 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 eres / 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 [Page] swyne / whiche kepe the pathe and the entre of the pasture. that the sheepe may 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 penaūce and tormente / And therfore the vengeaūce of the wrong that ye haue done / is shewed to yow / that ye shall be tormentyd and hūnted 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 ha­s [...]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 coūceil how he myght doo / Thenne the hooly man said that he shold thre sondayes kne [...]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 demonstraūce / 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 [Page] 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 /

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 [...]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 [...] and so oftymes to muse & to abyde for her. & thēne 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 ce [...]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

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 [Page] 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 demaūded 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 /

I Wolde that ye sholde wel reteyne an ensample of a good lady / a Countesse / whiche euery day wolde here thre mas­ses / And on a tyme she wente a pylgremage· And hit happed of her Chappellayns to falle of an hors to therthe / so that he was so hurte that he myght not saye masse / The lady was at ouer a grete meschyef for to lose one of her masses / And she com­playned deuoutely to god / And anone god sente to her an An­gel in stede of a preest / whiche songe the third masse / but when he had songen / and was vnreuested / it was not knowen where he bicam for ony serche that they couthe make. Thenne thought the good lady / that god hadde sente hym to her / And thanked hym moche humbly / and this is a faire Ensample how god purueyeth to them that haue deuocion in hym / and in his seruyce / But I trowe that ther ben many ladyes at this day / that passe [Page] wel with lasse than thre masses / For it suffyseth them ynowe of one masse only / soo lyte [...]l loue and deuocion / haue they in god / & in his seruyce / Fo [...] in herynge of his seruyse his propte persone fonde hym / For who someuer loueth and dredeth hym / he wyl oft see hym and here his hooly word / And in lyke wyse the contra­ry / For he that hath not wel set his hert to hym ward / he passeth lyghtely as many doo in thise dayes / whiche haue their herte more set on the world / and on the delyte of the flesshe / than on god.

I Shalle telle to yow an Ensample of a yong lady. whi­che had sette her hert on the world / And vnto her repay­red a squyer / whiche was Ioly and amourous on her / And she ne hated hym not / And more for to haue ease and dely­te for to speke and bourde to geder / she made her lord and husbond to bileue that she had auowed to go a pylgremage / & her husbond whiche was a good man suffred her by cause he wold not disple­ase her / and so it happed on a tyme that she and this squyer went a pylgremage vnto a monastery of oure lady / And they were in grete plaisire on the way for to speke to geder / For they entended wel other thynges than to saye theyr matyns / And they had grete playsyre and delyte on the wey / wherof it happed that when they were comen in to the chirche / and were in the myddel of the masse / the fowle fende / whiche is alwey in a wayte tenflamme & tempte man and woman / helde them so subget in this temptacion and fowle plaisire / that they had theyr eyen and plesaunces mo­re to beholde eche other / and to make smale signes and tokenes of loue than they bad in the dyuyne seruyse / or for to saye deuoutely theyr prayers / And soo it happed by open myracle / that soo grete a maladye tooke the said lady / that sodenly she swouned / And they knewe not whether she was dede or a lyue / And so she was born thennes in mennes armes in to the towne / as a dede bo­dy / And her husbonde and frendes were sente fore / whiche were moche sorowfull of this aduenture / And they beheld hyr / and wis [...] not whether she wold dye or lyue / Thenne it happed that the la­dy whiche was in grete payne sawe a merueylous aduysyon / for her semed that she sawe her fader and moder / whiche had ben dede [Page] long to fore / her moder shewed to her / her brest / sayeng / Fayre doughter / loo here thy noreture / loue and honoure thy husbond and lord / as thou dydest this brest that gaf the to sowke / Sythe that the Chirche hath gyuen hym to the· And after her fader sa­yd to her. Fair doughter why hast thou more plesaunce and gret­ter loue to other than to thyn owne lord and husbond / Beholde this pytte that is beside the / And know thou for certayn / yf thou falle in this fire of euyll hete / that thou shalt abyde therin / And thenne she loked and sawe a pytte ful of fyre so nyghe to her / that almoost she had fallen therin. And she was thenne all effrayed / And after this her fader and moder shewed to her wel an honderd preestes reuested al in whyte / And the fader and moder said to her / Fair doughter we thanke the / by cause that thou hast reuested this folke here / And after that her semed that she sawe thymage of oure lady holdyng a Cote and a sherte / and sayd to her / This Cote and this sherte kepe the fro fallyng in this pytte Thou hast defowled my hows and mocked it / And in this effraye / she awoke / and gaf a grete syghe· And thenne had her lord & her frendes grete ioye / and sawe well that she was not deed / And this lady felt her self al wery / and feble of the aduysyon & drede of the fyre / and of the flamme of the pytte / in whiche she was almoost falle / And she demaunded to haue a preest / And anon was fette to her an hooly man a relygyous whiche was a grete Clerke / and ware the hayre and lyued an hooly lyf / And to hym she confessid her / and tolde to hym all her aduysyons and the grete drede that she had to falle in to the pyt / And there she tolde to hym all her synnes. & her yong wantoun lyf / And the holy man declared to her / hir aduysyon / & said to her in this wyse

dAme ye ben moche beholdynge to god / and to his swete moder / whiche wylle not haue yow dampned / ne the perdicion of youre sowle / But they shewe to yow yo­ure perylle and youre saluacion / First they haue shewed to yow youre fader and moder / And youre moder said to yow / Fayre doughter see the breestes. of whiche thou hast taken thyn noreture loue & honoure thy husbond. lyke as thou hast done these brestes / [Page] That is to vnderstonde / ye ought to loue & fere hym / like as ye lo­ued the pappes of youre moder / & ther ye took youre norysshynge And like as the childe leueth alle thynges for loue of the [...]. & for the swetenes of the mylke / wherof he taketh his foode / ryght so ought euery good woman next god and his hooly lawe loue her husbond aboue al other / and leue all other loues for hym / In lyke wyse as oure lord saith with his hooly mouthe / that a man shold leue fader & moder / suster & broder / & abyde with his wyf & with wyf her husbonde / & that they be not tweyne but one flessh / & y^t god hath ioyned man may not departe / & also where he said that youre moder saide / ye tooke youre noreture in her pappes & your welthe / that is to say / yf ye loue youre husbond aboue al other / thenne shall your noreture growe & encrece from day to day / like as the child groweth by his noreture of the pappe & by the s [...]ettenes of the mylke / which signyfyeth the grete swetenes the [...] the loue that ouȝt to be in trewe mariage / & the grace of god du [...]lleth in them / After your fader said / faire douȝter. why hast thou more gretter loue & plaisaūce to other than to thyn husbond / beholde the pitte that is beside the / & knowe thou verily yf thou fall in the pitte with grete hete / that thou shalt be lost therin / that is to saye / that if thou loue more another than thy lord / thou shalt fall in to the pyt / where ye shal be brent & broiled for the delyte of euil plaisaūce & euyll hete / And therfore he shewed to yow the pytte of fire & of hete / And the vengeaūce & the pugnycion that beho­ueth to ensue for this delite & the hete of the folissh plaisaūce. After he shewed to you the prestes in white / & said that ye had reuested them / wherof he thāked you / that signefiāce is / that ye haue [...] reuestid prestes / & done said masses for them / & in like maner pray they for you· & they ben sory when they see them that done good for them ben sent to perdiciō / as ye may wel apperceyue that they were sory of the tēptacion that ye had in the foule plaisaūce / in which ye were in the wey for to be lost / & therfor they cam for to socour you for loue of the good dedes of the masses & almesses that ye haue done for them / After ye saw thymage of our lady that held a cote & a shirte / & said this cote & this shirt haue kept the fro fallyng in to the pytte / for thou hast defouled my hous & mocked it / That is to saye that ye haue ben in the chirch in gretter loue of another / than of hym / They were the folisshe regardes & the folisshe plaisires y^t ye toke hym / for whom ye emprised & toke the Iourneye : & also the vois said to you y^e haue fouled & mocked his haus y^t is his chirch [Page] For all they that come thyder for ony other playsaunce / but for the deuocion of hooly place / & doo not the seruyse of god / but co­me for their plaisire and worldly delyte / they mocke the chirche and the hows of god / After ye defowled it when ye synned the­re lyke as the voys said to yow. that was when ye hadde youre herte sette more in the plaisire of folye / than on the dyuyne seruyse / And of that trespas god hath wylled to shewe to you youre defaulte / And hath sente to yow this grete euylle and sekenes / that ye haue now felt / And this grace and chastysement is co­men to yow for the seruyse & good dede that ye dyde to two poure wymmen / of whiche ye gaf to one a Cote / & to that other a smok And the voys said to yow / that the Cote and smock haue kepte you fro fallyng in to the pytte / that is to say that the good deede and thalmesse that ye haue done for goddes sake haue kept you fro perysshynge / For yf ye hadde fallen in to the folye and fowle playsyre· where ye had set youre herte in / ye had ben vtterly loste and perysshed / wherfore ye ought to gyue grete thankyng & ser­uyse to god / that he hath vouchedsauf to shewe yow youre errour Now ought ye from hens forth to kepe yow from fallynge in suche perylle / as for to lose all honoure and youre sowle / and not to haue plaisire to loue none so moche as youre lord youre husbond to whome ye haue promysed feith and trouthe / and ye ought not to chaunge for better ne werse / And yf she chaunge and loue an other / than she lyeth and periured her feithe and trouthe / Now haue ye here god be thanked a faire myroure all lyke as the wy­se man shewed yow the aduysyon / And thus he confessid & tauȝt her the best wyse he couthe· & the lady wexed al hole / and than­ked god and lefte all her folysshe plaisaunce / Thenne it happed aboute half yere after / that the squyer that loued her peramours cam from a vyage / and from an armee where he had ben / And cam to her queynt and Iolye / And began to bourde and iape / & speke suche langage as he had to fore other tymes vsed / And he fonde her all straunge / thenne was he all abasshed and admerueyled / And demaunded her and said / Madame at what playe haue I lost the good tyme / the lyf and the hope / that I haue had to lyue with you Ioiously / And she answerd to hym that all that tyme was passid / For neuer as long as I lyue sa­yd she I purpose to loue ne haue plaisaunce thith none· sauf with my lord my husbonde / And thenne she told to hym the aduen­ture that happed her in the chirch· And he thought and supposed [Page] wel to haue torned her / but he myght not / and when he sawe that she was feeme and constaunt / he lefte her / And after sayd / and tolde to many other the constaunce and stedfastnes of her / wherof he moche preysed and honoured her the more / And ther­fore here is a good Ensample / how me ought not to goo to hooly pylgremages for no foolysshe playsaunces / but only for the dy­uyne seruyse and for the loue of god / And how good it is for to praye / and to doo saye masses for the soules of fader / moder and other frendes / For in lyke wyse they praye and empetre grace for them that ben alyue that remembre them / and doo good for them as ye haue herde / And also it is good to gyue almesse for gods sake / for the almesses geten grace of god to them / that gyue them lyke as ye haue herd / And nowe I shalle telle yow another en­sample that happed in a Chirche / whiche was called oure lady of Bealem

IT befelle in the same chirche vpon the Vygyl or euen of oure lady that one named P [...]rrot Lenard / whiche was sergeaunt of the saide chirche that same yere laye with a woman vnder an Awter / in whiche place this myracle befelle / They were ioyned to geder as a dogge is to a bytche / And in this manere they were foūden & taken / & so ioyned & knytted to geder they were all the hole day / in so moche that they of the chirch & of the Coūtrey had leyser ynough to see & behold them· For they couthe not departe one fro another / wherfore a procession was made for to pray god for them / And soo about the eueuyng of the daye they were losed and departed. that one fro that other / Neuertheles nedeful and right it was that the Chirche shold be newe holowed / And that the said perrot for his penaunce shold goo al about the Chirche al naked on thre sondayes / betyng hym self / rehercyng and tellyng his defaute and synne / And therfore here is to euery man a good ensample / how that he shold hold hym clenly and honestly in holy chirche. And [...]et shall I telle yow an other ensample vpon the same matere / whiche byfelle in the par­tyes of peytow / whiche is not past thre yere

IN pytowe was an Abbeye whiche was named chyure fare / of whiche Abbeye the chirche hath be sore empeired and wast by the warre / The pryoure of the same Abbe­ye hadde a neuewe that had to name pygrere / It befell on a son­day after matyns were done / And as the Monkes made hem re­dy toward the hyghe masse / that this Pygrere was demaunded and asked for / and sought all aboute / and he couthe not be foun­den / but at the last so grete serche was made for hym. that he was founde within the Chirche lyeng vpon a woman in grete distres­se and hard empesshed. For so nyghe they touched and ioyned o­ne to other that they myght not departe nor styre one fro other / but bothe at ones. And in suche manere and poynt they were so longe that alle the 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 Ensāple / 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 hows sholde be kepte clene / And that it ought to be the hows of hooly orysons and prayers. and not hows 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 hows and his hooly Chirche

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 whoos co [...]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 /

[Page]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 whoos 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 thende ye take of them goode Ensample to kepe yow fro all euylle and fro the perdycyon. wher as they fallen in

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 v [...]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 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 [Page] 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

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 lād / & 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

[Page]tHe thyrd folye of Eue was. that she was not remēbryng 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 [...]y [...]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 sp [...] 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 tha [...] 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 / whe [...]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.

[Page]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 thende 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 samblaūt / 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 / thēne all this euylle come only by fowle beholdynge. And therfore I wold 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 /

tHe fyfthe folye of Eue was when she took and touched the fruyte / It hadde be better that she had had no handes / For [Page] 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 del [...]te And yet saith the sage / who that surely wyl kepe hym [...] clenly / he ought to locke his bandes twyes or thryes. or that [...]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 thynk [...] 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

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 faite [...] / 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 [Page] 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 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 h [...] lete in the pryson of helle / he took with hym the whete / and the strawe he lete brēne / 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 [Page] 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 /

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 coū seylle gyue ony consent / For none ought to be enclyned toward his wyf ne so obeysshynge / but that he fyrst consydere yf she saith wel̄ 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 also grete meschyef and sorowe / Therfore euery good woman ought to thynke wel / what counceylle she wyll gyue to her lorde / and that she counceyl hym not to doo ony thyng· wherby he or she may haue ony shame or damage in acomplysshynge her foolyssh wylle / For and she be wyse she ought to thynke to what ende other good or euylle / her counceylle may co­me / And lyke as eue wold not do wel / neuertheles she ought not to counceylle other to doo euylle / For it suffysed wel / and to moche yf she dyde it / Herupon may we take good Ensample / for yf one wylle not faste ne doo ony good / he ought not to gyue to ony other shrewde counceylle that may kepe hym fro good and holy doynge· And therfore saith the sage / he that so coūceyleth other hath the gretter parte of the synne / And therfore yf one wylle do no good / lete other doo as they be wyllyng to doo·

[Page]tHe nynthe folye of Eue was the last and moost / For as god dyde putt her to reason / askyng to her / why she had trespaced his commaundement / and had made her lord to falle in synne / she thenne wold haue excused her / and sayd that the serpent had so counceyled her / and had made her to do it / S [...] wende to alyght her euylle and her synne / puttyng the charge of the dede vpon other / Wherfore it semed that god therfore was more angry thēne than he was before / For he said that fro thens forthon sholde the bataylle be of it bytwene her and the e­nemye / by cause she wold be lyke vnto god / also that she dyd trespasse his commaundement / And bicause she byleued more in the enemye than she dyde in hym / that had made her / Also by cause she deceyued her lord by hir folyssh counceylle / and that she w [...]lde haue excused her synne and mysdede / god put the bataylle bytwene man and thenemy / For thexcusacions of eue displeasid moche to god / as done now these dayes they that confesse them & publysshynge their mysfaytes and synnes. excuse them self in theyr confession / that is to wyte that they ne cōfesse or telle their synnes so vylaynsly as they made them & therfor they be semblable and lyke vnto oure fyrst moder Eue / whiche excused her / But saynt Powle saith that who so wylle be well & clenly wasshed of synne / he ought to confesse and telle it as shamefully as he hath done / or els he is not clene of synne. For as saynt Peter sayth / Lyke so as the theef dwelleth fayn there as he may be hyd and there as men hyde and couere his thefte / and goth not there as men crye after hym / Ryght so and by semblable manere dothe synne in suche folke· For they be lodged with thenemy whiche hydeth their theftes / that is to saye their synnes by subtyle tempta­cion / Here shalle I leue to speke of Eue oure fyrst moder. and shalle telle yow how none wyse woman ne oughte to be to hasty in takynge ony newe thynges brought vp / ne other noueltees /

And how syth late a hooly man dyd preche therof / And af­ter this matere I shalle telle and reherce vnto yow the ensample of a knyght that had thre wyues / and all vppon this matere / And thenne I shalle tourne ageyne to the tale and matere of the euylle and shrewde wyues / And also I shalle telle of the good and hooly wymmen / And how the hooly scripture preyseth them

[Page]I Shalle telle yow how a hooly man late dide preche / and was a bisshop a right good clerke / At his prechynge & sermon were many ladyes and damoisellys / of which som were dressid and clothed after the newe manere / the remenaunt of their heedes was lyke two hornes / and their gownes made after the newe gyse. wherof the good hooly man had merueyle. and began to repreue them gyuynge and rehercynge to fore them many a fair ensample / and told them how the deluge or gaderyng of waters in the dayes of Noe was bycause of the pryde and de­sguysynge of men and specially of wymmen / that counterfeted them self of newe and dishonest rayments / And thenne when thenemye sawe their grete pryde and their desguysynge / he made them to falle in the fylthe of the stynkyng synne of lecherye / whiche thynge was so moche displesynge to god. that he dyde made to rayne fourty dayes and fourty nyghtes / withoute cessynge / in so moche that the waters were aboue the erthe / and surmounted by heyght of ten Cubites vpon the hyhest montayn / Thenne was all the world drowned and perysshed / and none a­bode on lyue / sauf only. Noe. his wyf / his thre sones· and his thre doughters / And alle this grete meschyef cam bycause of that synne / And thenne as the bisshop had shewed to them this fayte & many other / he said that the wymmen that were so horned were like the snayle that ben horned. He said more / I doute said he that betwyxt their hornes thenemye hath made his mancion & dwel­lynge / For as they take hooly water / they cast dounward theyr faces / And that maketh the deuylle syttynge vpon their heede by nature and strengthe of the hooly water / He tolde and reherced to them many merueyles in so moche. that at the ende of his predicacion he made hem to be mowrnynge and full of thought / For he hadde repreued them so sore / that they had so grete shame / that they ne durst lyfte vp their hedes / and helde them mocked / and diffamed of their vyce / And after many of them caste a­wey their braunches and hornes / and held them lowe and went symply / For he saide that suche coyntyses & suche countrefaytyng and suche wantonnesse were to compare to the Copspyn that maketh his nette / to take the flyes / Ryght soo dothe the deuylle by his temptacion the desguysyng in men and wymmen / to the ende they may be enamoured one of other. and for to take and brynge them to the delyte of lechery / He taketh them / and byndeth them / as the copspyn doth the flees in her nette as a holy heremyte [Page] telleth in the booke of the faders of lyf / to whome was shewed by tonge as ye may fynde playnly in the said book. And yet he saith that the coulpe of the synne was in them / that first tooke & brought vp suche desguysynge and that euery good womman and wyse ought wel to drede the takynge and werynge of suche ray­mentes vnto the tyme she seeth that euery one comynly took and went in hem / For after the word of god / the first shall be the most blamed / And the last shal syt on the hyhe syege / The bisshop that a good man was sayd an Ensample vpon the fait of them that hasted them to be the fyrst in takynge and bryngynge vp suche noueltees / And said thus.

IT befelle that many ladyes and damoysels were come at the weddyng of a maide / As they were goyng toward the place / where as the dyner sholde 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 refectiō & wel drōken 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 thende / ye myght be the [...] sonner & fyrst at the place [Page] & wold not folowe vs / hit is wel bestowed / For I telle yow for certayne that some wene to auai [...]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 thende 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

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 / [Page] 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 straūge 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 s [...]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 [Page] noueltees / that specially wymmen took on them was token and signe of somme grete meschyef to come as is werre / famyne and pestylence.

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 / For the deth that all consumeth and destroyeth / tooke her / wherof the knyght was so ful of sorowe that nyghe he deyde therof / He ne wyste where to seke ony comforte sauf only to the Heremyte his vncle that he knew for a holy man / He cam to hym mournyng and wepynge / waylynge and regretyng his wyf / The hooly men comforted hym in the best maner and wyse that he couthe / And at the last the knyght preid hym that he wolde pray god for hym that he myght knowe whether she was dampned or saued / The hooly man hadde pyte of his neuewe / and went in to his [...] And there he made his prayer to god / and requyred that it [...] please hym to shewe where she was / And after he had be long tyme in oryson / he fylle a slepe / And soone after hym thought / he sawe the poure sowle before seynt Mychael tharchaungel / and the fende at the other syde / and was in a balaunce / and her good de­des with her / And at the other side was the deuyll with all hyr euyll dedes / whiche greued & troubled her sore / it were her gounes that were of moche fyn cloth / & furred of calabre / letuce & ermyn And the enuy or deuylle cryed with a hyghe voys & said / Sire this woman had ten paire of gownes long & short / And ye know wel she had with half of them ynough / that is a long gowne / two kyrtells & two cottes hardyes / or two short gownes / & ther­with she myght haue be pleasid & suffised. as a good & symple lady / & after god & right she hath had of them to moche by the half & of the valewe of one of her gownes / l / poure peple had had l. ellys of burell or fryse / whiche haue suffred suche cold & such mesease about hem / & yet she neuer took pyte on them / Thenne took the deuyl her gownes / rynges & Iewelles y^t she had had of the men by [Page] loue / Also alle the vayne and euylle wordes that she / hadde sayd of other by enuye / and taken awey their good renommee / For ouermoche she was enuyous and of euyll talkyng / and no syn­ne that she had done he lefte behynde / but al this to geder he dyde put in the balaunce / and weyed / they were to her good de­des / but moche more they weyed than dyde all the good that she euer hadde done / And thus took her the deuylle whiche dyde her to endowe her gownes that were thenne brennyng as fire and had her within in to helle. And the power sowle cryed and soro­wed pyteously / Thenne awaked the hooly heremyte / and tolde part of this aduysion to the knyght his neuewe / And commaunded hym and charged that all her gownes shold be gyuen for goddes sake to poure folke /

aFter this the said knyght maryed hym ageyne to ano­ther woman / they were fyue yere to geder / And thenne she passed oute of this worlde / And yf the knyght hadde be sore meuyd and sorowful of the deth of his first wyf / yet mo­re he was of his second wyf· And wepynge came to theremyte his vncle demenynge grete sorowe / and praide hym for this as he had done for the other that he myght knowe where she was / And for the grete pyte that he took of hym / seynge hym in suche sorowe wente allone in his Chappel / And there made to god his prayer & oryson / There it was shewed & reueled to hym that she shold be saued / but y^t she shold be .C. yere within the fire of purgatory / For certayne fawtes whiche she had done she beynge in her maryage. that was that a squyer had leyn with her and other grete synnes / Neuertheles she had therof many tyme be confessid / for yf she had not so doo she withoute doute hadde be dampned /

Thenne cam theremyte to the knyght / and told hym how hys wyf was saued / wherof he was ioyeful and glad / Here may ye see how that for one dedely synne she was so longe in the fyre of purgatorye / but it may well be / as the hooly man sayth that they had done the dede ten or twelue tymes /

For a certeyne and very trouthe is / for euery dedely synne confessid shalle the sowle be punysshed in purgatory the tyme and space of seuen yere / Faire doughters take ye here good ensample [Page] how this fowll and fals delyte is dere bought / And how therof men must gyue acompte / And also of them that haue so ma­ny gownes and that so moche waste their good to be Iolyf & re­payre their carayn / in so moche they may haue the loke and be­holdynge of the world / and the plaisaunce of the folke / Now see how it happed to the knyghtis first wyf / that for her pryde and for the grete quantite of gownes and Iewelles that she hadde / was loste and dampned for euer / And yet many one is in this world that wel haue the courage soo prowde / that wel they dare bye gownes of thre or foure score Crownes / & yet thynkyng hit of lytel prys / that yf so were they must gyue to poure folke two or thre shyllynges / they shold holde that ouermoche / and as halfe loste / Loke and beholde ye thenne how they that haue soo many gownes wherof they coyntyse and araye their bodyes / how ones they shalle straitly answer of them / And therfore euery good woman after she is of estate and degree she ought to hold and behaue her symply and honestly in her clothyng / and in the quantite of hit / And gyue a parte to god / to thende she may in the other world be clothed of all ioye and glorye / as dyde the hooly ladyes and hooly vyrgyns as in their legende is rehercyd / As of seynt Elyzabeth / of saynt Katheryn and of seynt Agathe and other mo / that gaue their gownes to the poure folke for the loue of god And soo ought to doo euery good woman / Now I haue told [...] & recounted to yow of the two first wyues of the knyght / and he­rafter ye shalle here of the thyrd

sone after toke the said knyght his thyrdde wyf / and were long tyme to geder / but at the last she deyde / wherfore the knyght was nyghe deed for sorowe / And w [...]en she was dede / the knyght cam to his Eme / and praid hym for the sa­me as he hadde done for his two firste wyues / And as the hooly man was in his prayers and oryson / it cam to hym in aduysyon that an angel was before hym / whiche shewed hym the torment & peyne that the poure sowle suffred /

For he sawe appertely and clerely / how one deuylle helde her faste with his hondes or clowes. by her heres and tressis / as a lyon holdeth his proye / in suche manere / that she couthe nought [Page] meue her hede here ne there / & dyde put brennyng nedels thorugh her browes / whiche entred in to her heede / as ferre as he myghte thruste them in / And the poure sowle at euery tyme cryed horrybly / And after he had made her to suffre suche grete martyre that ouerlonge lasted / Another deuylle horryble and ouer hydous cam there with grete brondes 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 na [...]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 pur­ueaūce / 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 /

[Page]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

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 coūtrefaiture 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 [Page] 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

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 brēned 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 [Page] ony shame / And to it enforced them self withoute kepynge in their fowle and abhomynable doyng the lawe of reason of na­ture· And right soo as their hertes were brente and esprysed in that fowle synne of lechery / oure lord god made them to be brent and with them their children & goodes by thonder and stynkyng fire of sulphure / whiche ouer hote and horryble is. And this was the vengeaunce and punycion of oure creatoure the fader / Here is a faire ensample. how men ought wel to kepe hem self fro the forfait of maryage whiche is commaundement of god / For in maryage men may doo many greuous synne / After thenne as the wyf of Loth hadde loked behynd her for to see the torment of the synners that were perysshynge by fyre of sulphure as befo [...] is said / she was transformed in to a stone by cause she trespassed the commaundement of god / Here may the synnar take faire [...] nyffyaunce or ensample in thynkyng how ofte god hath pardo [...]ned hym his mysdedes and faultes when he hath graunted hym grace to confesse them / but the commaundement of god. that is to say of the preest whiche hath defended hym. that nomore h [...] shold see behynde / that is to vnderstonde that he ne shold torne ony more to synne / but eftsoone after he doth the contraire / And suche men or wymmen be to compare to the wyf of Lothe· And as I trowe they shalle at the last be transformed in to a stone as she was / that is to wete transported or borne in to the Abismes of helle / I wolde ye couthe thexample of the lady that dyde leue her lord that was a faire knyght / and went with a Monke / and her bretheren pursewed her / and dyde so moche that they found her that nyght lyenge with the said monke / They kyt awey the Ge­nytoryes of the monke / and casted them in their susters vysage / And they tooke them and bothe to geder they putted in a sakke with grete foyson or quantite of stones and casted them in to a depe water / And so bothe to geder they were drowned / For of e­uyll lyf cometh euer an euylle ende / And it is a synne that nedes must at the last be knowen and punysshed / And yet I shalle telle thexample of the two doughters of Loth / how thenemy tempted them vylaynsly / They sawe ones their fader withoute ony breche / And forthwith bothe were tempted of his companye / & they discouered eche to other their secre [...]e and faitt / And thenne went and took good wynes and good metes and festyed and chyered their fader· and soo moche they made hym drynk that he was dronke / And anone they had hym to his bed / and bothe all [Page] naked wente / and leyd them self a bothe his sydes / And meuyd hym to fornycacion / in so moche he had the maydenhode of them bo­the / whiche were his doughters / This was a perillous and abhomynable synne / Neuertheles they were bothe grete with child / And had two sones the one named Moab / and the other was called Amon / Of whiche two sones cam first the paynyms / and the fals lawe / And many euyls and sorowe cam by that synne And men saie they were bycome passynge proude after the transformacion of their moder / And that all their entent was to coyntyse and arraye them self / whiche caused the deuyll fyrst to temp [...]e them lyghtlyer and the sooner he brought them to that fowle synne of lechery / I wold also ye couthe and well hadde withold within youre thoughtes thexample of the fowle damoysel / the whiche for a hood that a knyght gaf her / she dyde soo moche by certayne yeftes and promesses that her lady dyd his wylle / and made her to be diffamed and dishonoured / wherof gre­te meschyef befelle / For a seruaunt of her lord whiche of yongth he hadde brought vp and norysshed perceyued hym of it / and told it to his lord / in so moche that soone after he toke & fond the knyȝt with his wyf / he kylde hym / and dyde his wyf to be mewred and putte in pryson perpetuel / where as she deyde in grete sorowe and [...]angoure / It happed ones or she was dede / that her lord came forth by the pryson where she was in / he thenne stood styll and harked what she said / And she sorowed sore and cursid her that had counceyled her so to doo / And thenne he sent one to wete what was she that so had counceyled her / And she saide how it was her damoisell The lord made her come to fore hym and cōmaunded and straytly charged her / that she sholde say trouthe / And at the last she confes­sed that she was cause of her meschyef / And that she had councey­led her / & for her laboure she had of the knyght a hoode / And thenne the lord saide / For a lytel thynge ye haue vndo yow and ha­ue be to me traitresse. And therfore I Iuge and gyue sentence / that the hood and the neck be bothe cutte to geder / And soo was her Iugement / Now maye ye see how good is to take with hym good companye and in his seruyse good and trewe seruaun­tes that be not blamed of no man lyuynge / For the saide damoysell was not wyse / And therfore good is to take wyse seruauntes and not fooles / For fooles and shrewd seruauntes be sooner bro­ught to doo somme euylle and to gyue euylle counceylle to their lorde or lady than other / as dyde the two doughters of lothe one [Page] to other / And the same damoysel whiche had and receyued the gwerdon of her deserte

I Shalle telle you another Example of the doughter of Iacob / whiche for lyghtnes and Iolyte of herte lefte the hous of her fader and of her bretheren for to goo and see the atoure or aray of the wymmen of another lande / Wherfore hit happed that Sychem the sone of amor which was a grete lord in that londe sawe her so faire that he coueyted her / and prayd her of loue / in so moche he took fro her maydenhode / & thenne when her twelue bretheren wyste and knewe of hit / come thyder and slewe hym and also the moost parte of his lygnage and of his fol­ke for the shame that they had of their suster / that so had be depuceld or defowled / Now loke ye and see how by a foolysshe woman cometh many euyllis & domages / For by her yongthe and by her lyght courage was made grete occyflon and shedyng of bloode / As it fortuned and happed by a doughter of a kyng of grece whiche by her foolyssh loue acoynted her of the sone of an erle of that Countre. wherfore the kyng made hym werre duryng the which more than a thousande men were slayn / And yet hadde the werre lenger lasted when the kynges broder whiche was a wyse man come to the kynge / and saide to hym / Syre quod he I merueyle moche that only for the sport and delyte of youre doughter / so many good knyghtes ben lost & also so many good men / It were better that neuer she hadde be borne / The kynge thenne saide / ye sa [...]e trouthe / And anone he made his doughter to be take / by whiche the meschyef was bygonne / and made her to be hewen in smal pyeces / And thenne before all he said / that wel right it was / that she sholde be so detrenchid by whome so many had ben hewen and slayn

I Wylle that ye here thexample of Thamar whiche was wyf to Henam that was sone of Iuda sone of Iacob & broder [Page] to Ioseph / This Henam was yrous and felon / and of euyl lyf of whiche I wylle not say moche nor al / by cause god wold that he deyd sodenly and pytously. And as Thamar sawe / that of her lord she myht haue no lygnage she bethought her that the fader of her lord shold yet engendre & gete children wel / and that she was not barayn / And coueyted and desyred to haue his flesshely cō panye / whiche was ageynst the lawe / Neuertheles so moche she dide / that she cam by nyght in his Chambre and leid her with hym And as I wene she conceyued of hym two Children / of whiche the one was named phares. And the other had to name Zaram. wherfor many tribulacions and euylls befelle afterward For the children that ben not of trewe maryage / they be they by whome the grete herytages and Auncestri ben loste / wherof I shalle telle you an Ensample of a kynge of Naples / as it is conteyned in the Cronycles of that lond / There was somtyme a quene of that lōd whiche clenly ne truly kepte her body toward her lord / in so moche she gate a sone by another than her lord / It befelle after­ward / that this sone was made kynge of the lond / after the dethe of the kynge / This newe kynge was passynge prowde and loued not his lordis ne barons but was to them full hard and felon & also to al his comyns he was vnresonable / For he took fro them all that he couthe / And enforced their wyues / and vyoled their doughters / And vsed all euyl dedes / whiche he couthe ymagyne to doo / He bigan werre to his neyghbours and to his Barons in so moche that alle the reame was put in exyle and brought to grete pouerte. whiche longe tyme lasted / In that tyme was ther a Baron a good man and a right good knyght / whiche went vnto an Heremytage / where as was an hooly heremyte moche rely­gious / And that many thynges knewe· The knyght demaunded and asked of hym how and wherfore they had so long warre in the lond And yf it shold yet last long tyme / And the hooly Here myte answerd hym. Sire it is cōuenyent that the tyme haue his cours / that is to saye that as long as this kynge and one his so­ne shalle be on lyue the tribulacion shalle not cesse / And I shall telle yow why / trouthe it is that this kyng that now regneth is not trewe heyr to the Crowne / but is borne in aduoultrye / And therfore he may not be peasyble to the reame ne haue the Ioysaū ­ce of it / wherfore he and his reame must haue sorowe and tribu­lacion / as long as a fals heyr / shall possesse it / But his sone shal haue none heyr / And so shalle fynysshe the fals lygnee and shall [Page] the reame come ageyne to the right heyre / And thenne shalle las­se the pestylence and pees shalle be / And al haboundaunce of goodes shalle come to the reame / Ryght so as the good Heremyte had saide. so it befelle. He said more ouer / For he spak of the fals quene / and said she shold be punysshed in this world & that the wyf of the kynge her sone shold accuse her toward her lord / And hou she shold lye with one of her preestes / and that the kynge her so­ne sholde fynde hem to geder / and how both / he shold do to be brent in a grete fornais / And all this befelle afterwarde as he said / For in certeyne the quene was destroyed and brente by the com­maundement of the kyng her sone / And therfore my good doughters a noble thyng is to kepe hym self clenly in his maryage / And for a fals heyre ofte cometh in a lond many euyls and tribulacions / For by the fals heyres ben lost the grete lordshipes / & the moders of them dampned perpetuelly in helle as longe as their sones shalle possesse ony groūd of theyr parastre / that is to say of their moders husbond

fAyre doughters I shalle telle yow an Ensample of a grete euylle that came by lokynge and folysshe plaisaun­ce. It is of Ioseph the sone of Iacob / he that was sold by his bretheren to the kyng Pharaon / This Ioseph was of merueylous beaute wyse and right humble / And for his good seruyse the kyng loued hym moche and gafe hym baundon ouer all the goodes that were in his reame. The quene that sawe hym so faire gentyll meke and curteys was soone merueylously ena­moured of hym. And shewed hym many signes and tokenes of loue in beholdynge and lokynge on hym / And when the quene sawe that for ony thyng that she couthe doo / he wolde not consent to her euyll wyll / she was sore troubled and nyghe oute of her wit At the last she called hym and hadde hym alone with her in a chambre / and ther she preid hym of loue / But he that was good and honest answerd to her / that he neuer sholde be suche a traitoure to his lorde / And thenne she with hir fyst tooke hym fast by the mantell and bigan to crye as lowde and hyghe as she myght. in so moche alle came thyder / She saide to the lord that he wolde haue [Page] haue forced her / And forthwith the lord made hym to be take / & put in a pryson / whiche was right derke & obscure / where he was a long space of tyme / But afterward god that wold not forgete hym for his vertue and goodnes delyuerd hym oute of pryson / And was gretter mayster than he was before in the reame and more better loued and honoured / And therfore is here a good ensample / For god enhaunceth euer the Iuste and trewe / And the fals quene was punysshed. for within a lytell tyme after she dei­de vylaynsly / and sodenly of an euylle deth / & so god rewarded eche of them after their deserte and meryte / Therfore is here a fa­ire ensample to doo wel / For of good delyng and of good guy­dynge cam neuer but worship and honoure / And as saith theuā gelyst / there is no good dede done but it shalle be remembryd & rewarded / Ne also none euylle dede done but that it shalle be pu­nysshed / Therfore getynge of fals heyres is grete sorowe and tribulacion to come in a land where as they become lordes of / wherfore the moders of them shalle be delyuerd to the dolorous deth of helle / wheroute they shalle neuer yssue / as long as their children bastardys shall hold ony of the lond and goodes of their husbondes / And alle this is very trouth as wytnesseth many that ben suscited ageyne / and so doth the hooly scripture also

aNother ensample I shalle telle yow of the euylle wym­men that were in tyme passed / how the doughters of Mo­ab were falsely engendryd and goten / And ageynst the lawe· And comynly of an euylle or bad tree yssueth bad & euylle fruyte / For these doughters were fooles and ful of lechery / wherfore it bifelle that balam whiche was a paynym for to doo gryef to the hoost of the sones of Israel / dyde do make these doughters queynt and Ioly and wel arayed of ryche clothes and with precious stones / And sente them in the said hoost of the Hebreux whiche were al folke of god to thende he sholde make them to falle in synne with them / And that their god sholde caste therfore his yre vpon them / Thenne cam these coynted and Ioly doughters in to the hoost of the Iewes / of whome many of them as they saw [Page] the beaute of them / were sore tempted / and so esprysed of theyr loue / that at the last they tooke and had theyr delyte and plaisaū ce with them / wherfore the prynces of the hoost made no sembla­unt / but god was therfore angry vpon them / And commaunded to Moyses that the prynces of the hoost that suche inyquyte hadde susteyned and made sholde be hanged. and put to deth / Wherfore Moyses made anone to knowe thorugh oute all the hoost the co­maundement of god / whiche sone after was accomplysshed / and many one put to deth for the forsaid fowle dede and inyquyte /

Here is a good ensample for the prynces and Capytayns of hoostes that suffren many force and vyolence to be done / and that suffren a grete nombre of harlottes within their hoost / wel maye they see how suche thynges displeasen god the fader / that wold take vengeaunce of the capitaynes of the Iewes hoost /

I Shalle telle yow another Ensample that befelle another tyme in the said hoost of the sones of Israell / that is to wyte. the Iewes that were people of god / and that kepte his lawes / Now it befelle that the doughter of Madyan whiche was a paynym was so sore tempted that she coynted and arrayed her in the best wyse she couthe / And thenne cam in to the hoost of Ebreus / She was coynt and Ioly and right richely and nobly arayd / And dyde come thyder only for hors and harnois that is to wete / to accomplisshe her fowle delyte. She cam so ferre in to the hoost that a knyght one of the lordes of the hoost espyed her and sawe her / the whiche was lyghtely tempted and surpry­sed of her loue / in so moche he dyde made her to come in to his ten [...]e and lodgynge and tooke his delyte with her / And hit ha [...]ped thenne as it plesyd god that one of the moost Chyuetayns and lord of the hoost knewe and perceyued this fowle dede. And be in contynent cam there / as they were yet nyghe to geder / and broched and put his swerde thorugh bothe the bodyes of them / And soo lothe they deyde there vylaynsly by the synne of lechery / The knyght was named Sambry / and was of the lygnage of Sy­meon that was of the twelue prynces of their lawe / And yet neuertheles he was not spared. For the prynces and chyuetayns [Page] of the hoost that sawe how god wrought for them that euery day were fyghtyng ageynst as many mo as they were / And that all the vyctoryes y^t they had / they had them thorow the myȝt of god whiche wold spare no man / but dyde good Iustyce to euery man what someuer he had be / For it was nother ryght neither reson / that their folke shold lye with them of other lawe / as the Cri­sten folke with the Iewes and sarasyns / And so they helde and kepte them self clenly as moche for fere of their prynces / as for the loue of god. And god gaue hem vyctory and warauntyssed them / And for certeyne the thyng that god kepeth / shalle neuer be hurted ne domaged in no wyse / Now may ye see how god hateth the synne and dede of lechery / And how he wylle that men be punysshed of it

yEt my dere doughters I shalle telle you another ensample / how men ought not to abyde alone with another al one / all be he of his parente / his affynyte or other For ye shall here how it befelle to thamar the doughter of kynge Dauyd to whome her broder tooke awey her maydenhede / This Amon was tempted ageynst god and ageynste the lawe / And for to accomplysshe his euylle wylle / fayned hym self to be seke. and made his suster to serue and kepe hym. He euer loked on her of a waunton and fals regard / and kyssed and embraced her / And so moche he made lytell and lytell that he chaffed hym so that he depuceled her / that is to say / he tooke her maydenhede fro her / And when Absolon hir broder of fader and moder wyst and knewe it al moost he wexe woode for yre and anger / He slewe his broder Amon that suche desloyalte and vntrouth had done to his suster And therof cam many tribulacions and euyls /

And therfore here is a faire Ensample / For euery woman that clenly wylle kepe honoure and worship ought not to abyde alo­ne with a man alone withoute it be with her lord / with her fader or with her sone / and not with ony other / For many euyls & temptacions ben therof come / Of the whiche yf I wold I shold reherce you of many of them / to whome as men saie is euyll happed & also by their nygh parentes / Therfore it is grete perylle to trust in [Page] none / For the deuylle is to subtyll to tempte the flesshe / whiche is yong and lusty / wherfor men ought to kepe hem self well and take the moost seurest wey / wherof I wold ye wyst hou it happed to an euyll wyf / whiche was wyf to a roper or ca­ble maker / seruynge for shippes and grete vessels vpon the see / and was dwellynge in a good towne /

a Man was whiche of his craft was a Rope maker / & had a wyf whiche was not wyse / and the whiche kepte not her feyth & trouth toward hym / but falsed it by the mene of a fals bawde / whiche for a lytel syluer made her to synne and playe with a pryour / that was Ryche / and a grete lechour / And soo for the couetyse of a lytell gyft and a lytell Iewel the sayd euylle Bawde maade her to falle in a myschaunt and euylle dede / wherfor the sage sayth / She that taketh / selleth her self / It happed ones / that this Pryour was come by nyght and laye with her / And as he yssued oute of the chambre / the fyre beganne to brenne / and gaf lyght / And thenne her husbond sawe hym how he wente oute / wherof he was affrayed / and sayd he had sene somme man within the chambre / His wyf made semblaunt as she therof were affrayed / and sayd it was the fende or elles the go­blyn or somme spyryte / But notwithstondyng her sayeng / the good man was therof in grete trytesse and in grete melan­colye / The wyf whiche was malycious and subtyle went anon to another her godsep her neyghbour and bawde / & brought her home with her The bawde thenne saw the good man went aboute the hows / berynge with hym the cordaylle / wherwith he he made his cordes / She tooke in her handes a spynroke with blacke wolle and beganne to spynne / And as he was co­mynge ageyne toward her she tooke another with whyte wolle / Thenne sayd to her the good man whiche was a playne man and trewe / My godsep me semed/ that ryght now ye spanne blacke wolle / Ha a sayd she my Godsep / Veryly I dyd not soo / Thenne wente he fro her ageyne / [Page] and as he torned ageyne toward her / and that she had taken the other spynrock he loked on her / and beganne to saye / Ha­ue fayre godsep / ye had incontynent a spynrock with whyte wolle / Ha fayr godsep what ayleth the now In good feyth It is not so / I see wel / that ye be dasewed and sore dyseased of your syghte and wytte / And in trouthe men wene somty­me to see a thynge that they see not / Ye be thoughtfull / and ryght pensyf / certaynly / ye haue somme thynge that hurteth yow / And the good man that thought she sayd trouthe sa­yd to her / by god godsep me thought that this last nyght I sawe some body that yssued oute of oure chambre / Ha a my good godsep & frend sayd the old and fals woman / Hit was nothynge but the day / and the nyght / that so bestourned your syght / Thenne was the good man wel apayed by the falsenes of the old woman / & wend verily she had said trouth Afterward it befell another tyme to hym / as he supposed to take at his beddes feet a pouche or sack / for to haue gone with / at a market thre myle thens / but he toke with hym the pryours breche / and put them vnder his armes / And thenne whanne he cam to the market and wende to haue taken his pouche or lytyll sak / he toke the pryours breche / And as he sawe that / he was sore troubled and wrothe of hit / And the pryour that was voyded and hydde vnder the bedde / wende to haue take his breche / but he fonde none / sauf the pouche or sak allone / and thenne he knewe well / that the good man had them with hym Thenne was his wyf at a grete meschyef / and wyst not what to do / she wente to her godsep ageyne / and told her al the mater and fayt / And that she for goddes sake wold fynde some remedye to it / She sayd to her ye shal take a payre of breches / And I shalle take also another payre / and shalle telle hym / that all wymmen were them / And so they dyde / Thenne perceyued hym the fals godseb and sawe hym come / She went and welcomed hym and asked hym what chere good godsep quod she I doubte that ye haue fonde some euyll auenture or that ye haue lost somme thynge wherof ye be so sadde / Veryly sayd the good man / I haue lost no thynge / but well I haue other thought / she dyde so moche that he tolde her alle the [Page] matere how that he had founde a payre of breches at hir beddes feet / And whan she herd hym saye thus / she began to lawghe and sayd / Ha my godsep / Now I see wel that ye be deceyued and in the weye to be dampned / For in good feythe in alle this towne is none better than is youre wyf / ne that more feythfully and clenly kepeth her self toward her husbond / than she dothe toward yow / And to putte yow oute of suspecion / trouthe hit is that she and I / and many other of thys Towne good wymmen and trewe haue take eche of vs a paire of breches / and were them for these lechours and putyers / that forced and wylle doo theyr wylles of good wymmen / And to thende ye knowe yf I lye or saye trouthe / loke yf I were them or not / She tooke vp her clothes and shewed hym the breche / And he beheld and sawe that she sayd trouthe / and byleued her / And so by suche maner the fals godsep had saued his wyf twyes / But at the laste al euylle wylle be knowen / The good man ones sawe his wyf goo in to the sa­yd pryours hows allone / wherof he was ful angry and so­rowful / In so moche that Incontynently he deffended h [...]r and warned her vpon payne of lysynge of her eye / that neuer she sholde be so hardy to goo ne conuerse in the hows of the sayd pryour / But neuertheles she myght neuer hold her self ther fro / For the grete temptacion that the fende gaf her / It becam ones that the good man made semblaūt to goo oute & played And hyded hym self in a secrete place / And soone after his foole wyf wente in to the pryours hows / And her husbond folowed her pas by pas / and brought her ageyne / and told her / that euylle she had kepte his commaundement / wherfor he bete her / and brake bothe her legges / Thenne wente she in to the Towne / and made couenaunt with a Cyrurgyen to hele and sette ageyne fast to gyder two broken legges / And whanne this couenaunt was made / he cam ageyne to his hows / and took a stamper / and brake the two legges of his wyf / sayeng to her / At the lest shalt thou hold a whyle my couenaunt / and shalt not go ageynste my deffence there as it pleaseth me not / And whan he had thus done / he tooke and leyd her in a bed & there she was a grete whyle without departyng / & atte last [Page] the fende mocked her / as ye herd to fore / For he made her euer to seke soo many of fowle plesaunces in her folye / and in her fowle synne / that he myght not chastyse her therof / but whan she was amended of her legges / came the Pryour secretely to her / But the good man herd hym come / and doubted hym self / and made semblaunt of slepe and routed / And at the laste soo moche he was herynge them / that he herd / how he disported hym self with his wyf accomplysshynge and do­ynge the fowle synne of lecherye / and he tasted aboute / and founde well that the dede was trewe / And thenne he wexed so moche angry / and wrothe therof that al most he was oute of his memorye and wytte / And drewe oute a grete knyf with a sharp poynte / and caste a lytel strawe within the fyre / and ranne to them lyghtly / And he kylled them bothe at ones / And whanne he had done this dede / he called to hym his mey­ne and his neyghbours / and shewed them the faytte or dede And sente also for the Iustyse of whiche he was excused / And hadde no harme / Ryght moche merueylled the neygh­bours how she had tourned her herte to loue suche a pryour / whiche hadde soo grete a bely / and soo thycke and fatte / soo blacke and so fowle of face and so vncurteys as he was / And her husbond was fayre and good / sage & ryche / But many wymmen ben lyke and of the nature of the she wulf / that is the female of the wulf / whiche taketh and cheseth to 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 plesaūce / & 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 [Page] 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 hows / 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 thende 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 theyre 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 surmoūted many grete temptacions and vaynquysshed many tyraūts / 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 [Page] 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

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 brouȝt / for many wymmen be y^t may not suffre ease & worship to gyder / & can not reste tyl by their pryde & enuy they falle in grete pouerte / & fro hyhe [Page] to lowe as dyd the folysshe quene wh [...]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 be [...] 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 he fonde not that tale whiche his men had told hym of her trewe / And so her pryde / and ouermoche langage was cause of her dethe [...] And therfor this ensample is very good to euery woman to see / how she ought to be meke and humble and curtois in gyuyng ony answere ageynst the yre and wrathe of her lord / For the wyse Salamon sayth that by curtosye and by swete langa­ge ought the good wymmen to refreyne the yre & wrathe of their lord / For the lord of right ought to haue aboue his wyf the hyghe talkyng / be it ryȝt or wrong / & specially in his yre / & wrath / & bifore ony folk / but as his wrath is gone she may wel shewe to hym y^t he had no cause so to do / & so she shal euer [Page] hold the loue and pees of her lord and of all her hows / ney­ther she shalle not make her self to be blamed / ne to be bete / ne slayne by her lord / as dyd the wyf of kynge Herodes

I Shal telle you another ensample of a quene that was named vastys / She was wyf to the kynge Assuerus It befelle / that the kynge held a feste with his barons and there were alle the grete lordes of his londe / They satte att dyner in a hall and the quene in another / And whanne the barons had dyned they prayd the kynge that he wold vou­chesauf to shewe them the quene whiche was merueyllously fayr / The kynge sente for her ones / twyes and thryes / but neuer she daygned to come / wherof the kynge had grete shame / and demaunded of his barons counceylle what therof he my­ght best do / And suche was the counceylle gyuen / that is to wete that he shold put her fro hym / and made her to be lock­ked & shette bitwene two wallys that euery other shold take therby ensample to be better obedyent to theyr lord than she was / And so after theyr counceyll dyde the kyng his wyf to be mured / and herof he made a lawe / that fro thens forthon al wymmen y^t shold of ony thyng wythsaye & be disobebedyent to her lord / seynge that it be resonable / that she shold be a yere within two wallys / and with litil mete and drynke for her defaute / And as yet they kepe and hold that custome in that londe / The quene that sawe her put in mewe was sore ashamed & wepte and sorowed moche / but it was to late / For notwith­stondynge her mournynge and lamentacion she was putte in pryson as aboue is sayd where she was a yere / Therfore wel ye ought to take here good ensample / For specially before folke ye ought to doo the commaundment of your lord / and obeysshe and bere hym honour / and euer shewe hym semblaūt of loue yf ye wylle haue the loue of hym and of the world / But I saye not as ye shalle be pryuely and allone one by other / but that ye may eslargysshe your self to say or do your wylle / after the best wyse that ye maye / and after ye knowe [Page] his maners I shall telle yow thensample of the lyon & of his propryete / As the lyonesse that is to vnderstond the female of the lyon hath done the lyon ony faute or despyte / he shalle not go with her / but fro her shalle kepe hym self one daye and a nyght / And soo sheweth he his lordship and seygnorye that he hath ouer the lyonesse / This ensample is fair & prouffita­ble to all wymmen / consyderynge how a sauage and wyld beest and withoute reason / and that dothe / but as nature en­clyneth her / maketh her self to be drawe / and doubted of fe­lawe

aNd yet I shalle telle yow another ensample vpon this matere / There was one Amon whiche was the kynges Seneschal / and came of nought and lowe de­gree / He bicame thorugh his seruyse moche ryche and bought londes and possessions and gouerned / and had as vnder hym almost the half of the reame / And whanne he sawe hym so ryche / And that he was bicome so grete a lord / he wexyd / & bicame ouer proude and felon and presumptuous· and wold / that men sholde knele bifore hym / and that euery one shold bere vnto hym honour and reuerence / It befelle that one Mardocheus that was a noble man which had nourysshed the noble quene Hester / whiche was a good lady and trewe / was aboue al other displeasyd of the pryde and presumpcion of the sayd Amon whiche come of nought / therfor she daygned not to bere hym ony reuerence / ne knele bifore hym as other dyd / wherfor he bicame as a fole / and almost oute of his wytte for angre / and therof dyd complayne hym self to his wyf / And his wyf that of so hyhe courage was and as proude was as he counceylled hym that he shold make a gallowes to be sette & dressyd bifore his place / and that he shold make hym and his wyf to be taken and honged theron to grete meschyef / And that he shold accuse them of some grete treason and falshede / And whanne he was take / and the gallowes dressyd / the frendes of mardocheus wente anone rennynge to the quene [Page] Hester / and tolde her how Aaman wold make hym to be hanged that had nourysshed her / And anone the quene ma­de to be sent for Aaman / he came / and she had hym tofore the kynge Where as trouthe of the fayte or dede was dylygent­ly Inquyred and knowen / In so moche that it was foūde that Mardocheus was accused by the accusacion of Aaman & was nothynge gylty / And that suche treason he had putte on hym was by enuy / & thēne the good and noble quene Hester kneled bifore her lord the kynge / and requyred and prayd hym / that suche Iustyce shold be made of Aaman the Seneschalle as he wolde it had be done of Mardocheus and of his wyf / And that he shold be hanged at the yate of his place / to she­we that falsly & by enuy he had accused Mardocheus of tre­son / And as the good quene dyde requyre her lord / so was hit done / Thus was hanged Aaman by his grete pryde and sur [...]uedrye / And by the counceylle of his wyf / Wherfore gre­te folye is to a man come fro lowe degree to Worship and grete estate to become and wexe prowde and surquydous for er­thely good / that he hath gadred & amassed / and to myspryse ony other / but yf he be wyse / he ought hym self shewe to euery one meke and humble / to thende he may falle in the grace and welwyllynge of alle folke and that none may haue enuye o­uer hym / For comynly men haue more enuye ouer them / that ben come of nought to grete worship / than of them that ben come of ryche and noble folke and of Auncestrye / The wyf of Aaman was not wyse whanne she sawe the yre & wrathe of her lorde to susteyne hym in his folye / for euery good wo­man & wyse ought by fayr and curtoys spekynge put aweye yf she may the yre and Wrathe of her lorde / & specially Whan she seeth hym meued and be Wyllynge to do somme euylle or somme shameful dede / Wherof dommage & dishonour maye to them come / as dyd Aamans wyf / whiche repreuyd not her lord of his folye / but gaf hym folysshe and euylle counceyll Wherby he dyd vylaynously / Men ought not to susteyne his lord in his Wrathe and yre / but curtoysly and by fayr Wordes men ought to repreue hym of his euylle thought / and shewe vnto hym lytyl and lytyl the reasons and cause why he shold not do as he had purposed to do / For Which thyng [Page] my fayr doughters I requyre and praye yow / that ye here take good ensample / and take hede what meschyef befelle to Aaman by the folysshe counceylle of his wyf /

nOw wylle I telle yow thexample of an eu [...]lle / cru­el / and dyuerse quene / how it befelle to her / It was the quene Gesabel / whiche had many euyl ratc [...] / Fyrst she hated the Indygent / and power / she hated the ho­ly and good heremytes and al prestes and men of holy [...] / and alle them that to the laye peple taught the feyt [...] [...] made them to be beten and robbed / in soo moche that of ne [...] they must voyde / and goo oute of the reame / she had of none mercy ne pyte / wherfor she was cursed / and hated of god [...] and of al the peple / A good man was at that tyme / whic [...] was named Nabor / whiche had an Aker of a vyne yerd ryght fertyle and good / whiche the kynge coueyted and de­syred moche to haue it by byenge / or otherwyse / but the good man Nabor consented not to hit with good wylle / The kyng told to this quene his wyf that he was ryght sory / that he myght not haue that vyneyerd / And she sayd / that well she shold make that he shold haue it / as she dyde / For by treson she made the good man Nabor to be murdred and slayne / And thenne she brought forth / and made to come fals men / whiche wytnessid that he had gyuen the kyng Achas her lord his vyneyerd / whiche thynge was moche displeasynge to god wherfor he sente Iosue to make werre ageynst hym / in so mo­che he toke prysoner the kynge Achas / and with hym lx chil­dren / grete and smal / And anone after Iosue made theyr bedes to be smyton of / This was the punycion of the vengeaun­ce dyuyne / And as for the euylle and cruell quene gesabell I shalle telle yow the ende of her / She wente vp vnto a hyhe portayll or yate where as Iosue shold passe / and there she coynted and arayed her with clothes of gold / and flourynge of ryche ermyns with grete plēte of precious stones / al desguysed [Page] and in other maner of clothynge than ony other woman of that lond was / And as she sawe the kynge go by the waye / she bigannne of a hyghe voys to curse hym and all his lygna­ge also / and proudely she spake to hym sayenge of hym al the vylonye that her cruel and proude herte couthe thynke / The kynge▪ thenne beganne to loke vp and sawe the couetyse and desguysynge of her and herd her proud / and shamefull Wor­des / wherof he was merueylled and wrothe / And seyng she h [...]ld not her fals and venymed tongue / but cursed / and euer spake euylle / commaunded to his men / that they shold go where as she was / And that they shold caste her before alle the peple the heed dounward fro the place where she was vnto the strete / And so they dyde / And thus by her cruell courage and pryde she shamefully and vylaynsly ended her lyf / And for the grete crueltees and euyls that she in her lyf had done & made to be done commaunded kynge Iosue that she shold ha­ue sepulcre / but that she shold be eten and deuoured of dog­ges / as she was / By suche wayes god taketh vengeaunce of tyme of them / that haue no pyte of the power and Indygent / And that loue not his chirche and his seruauntes / and that by couetyse make grete crueltees and many euylle dedes / and also them that brynge fals wytnes to disheryte other of his ryght / as dyd the fals quene gesabel / whiche susteyned her lord in his folye / wherfor euylle happed to her / Here ye maye take ensample to be pyteous charytable toward the poure folke / and to loue holy chirche and the mynystres of hit / and al so to kepe hym self fro gyuynge ony euylle counceyl to her lord Also to take no desguysed rayment / but only thestate of the good nd worshipful wymmen of the lond

I Athalye wylle telle yow another ensample of a que­ne of Ierusalem / whiche was of euyll condycions / diuerse and withoute pyte / For whanne Ozias her so­ne was deed / she made al the children of her sone to be slayne [Page] and alle his heyres also / sauf only one that a good man na­med Zoadis made to be nourysshed secretely / This quene to­ke the possession of alle the reame and goodes / And made vnto the peple grete dyuersytees and sore trauaylled them / and she taxed them so hyghe / that they became poure / And as she had so trauaylled the reame / as she that was withoute reason and pyte / the child / whiche hadde be secretely nouriss [...]d and brought vp cam to his enherytaunce / and toke the quene A­thalia / and made her to deye of an euyl and shameful dethe / And soo she hadde at the laste the reward and guerdon of her meryte / For god gyueth to euery one the deserte of his meryt [...] in his lyf or after his dethe / For none euylle is done but [...] shalle be punysshed soone or in tyme to come / I wold [...] doughters that ye knewe thensample and the tale of a [...] of Fraunce / whiche had to name Brunehault / She was the quene / of whome Sybile prophesyed / sayenge thus / Brun [...] ­hault shal come fro black Spayne in to the Reame of Gaule Fraunce whiche shal do many euylle dedes / and afterwarde she shal be destroyed / And so it befelle / For she made somme of her children to be slayne / and also the sones of her children & other grete crueltees she procured / and dyde / whiche were to long to be reherced / But at the laste as hit pleasyd god s [...]e was payd / For a child that scaped her cruelte whiche was so­ne to her sone / and the whiche knewe the grete crueltees and abhomynaltees that she had done and procured and maade to be done / accused her / And thenne al her fayttes and dedes we­re put to Iugement before al the barons of the londe / and sentence of dethe was cast on her / that she shold be bounden with the heres of her hede atte hors taylle / And thus it was done And so she deyed of an euyl and shameful dethe

I Wylle telle yow an ensample of Enuye / whiche is an euyl vyce / of Marye the suster of Moyses / the whiche sayd that she was as wel belouyd of god as her [Page] broder Moyses / and that god herd her prayers and requestes as he dyd his / wherof god was wrothe with her / and made her to become lepre / in soo moche she was put oute of the towne / soo that she myght no more come amonge the folke / And not withstandynge her grete enuye / yet had Moyses and Aaron / pyte of her / and made requeste that it wold please hym to he­le and gwerysshe her / And at theyr requeste god maade her hole ageyne / Take ye here ensample how grete parylle is to ha­ue enuye of other mens preferement and worship / And how god dyd punysshe this lady whiche was the moost noble da­moysel that was in alle the land /

I Wold fayre doughters that ye knewe another ensam­ple vpon this matere of a wyf to a grete lord / whi­che was named Helchana / Whiche had two wyues after the lawe of the lond / the one was named Anna / and the other Fenenna / Of Anna Helchana myght haue no chil­dren / wherof Fenenna was ful glad and ioyeful / For wy­ues that bare no children were lesse preysed / than they that bare ony / Fenenna scorned and mocked Anna / and called her berhayn / And was ouer proude that she had of her lord ma­ny fayr children / And Anna had none / Anna ofte wepte & sorowed / and complayned her to god / And god whiche her pacyence and humylyte beheld / and sawe the scornynge and mockynge of Fenenna / took al her children fro her· And ma­de Anna to wexe grete with child / and many one she hadde of her lord afterward / wherfor Helchana loued her more than he dyd Fenenna / to whome her children were al dede / And thus ben the Iugements of god merueyllous / For he hateth alle maner of enuye / And chastyseth the proude whan hym lyst / and enhaūceth the meke and humble that requyreth hym of mercy / And therfor ye haue here a good ensample / how no woman ought to wexe proude of the goodes and graces that [Page] god gyue [...]h to her / and not to haue enuye of ony other goodes ne to be glad and ioyefull of the meschyef of other / As Fe­nenna was / of that she sawe her haue many children / and Anna none / And therfor god punysshed her ouer her children / For they deyde euerychone / And gaf somme to her that to fore had none / Suche ben the Iugements of god / therfore men ought well to take here ensample / and thanke god of al his bienfaittes / Here I leue this matere / And shalle telle yow of another vpon the faytte or dede of couetyse /

I Shalle telle yow another Ensample vpon the faytte or dede of an euylle wyf and a fals woman / whic [...]e was named Dalida / whiche was wyf of Sampson / that moche loued her / in so moche that he dyde nothyng but that he made her to knowe hit / And for the grete loue that he had to her / he lyke a foole discouered and told her that al his [...] was in the heerys of the heed / And whanne the fals wo [...]ā wist it / she made to telle the paynyms whiche were enemyes to her lord / that yf they wold gyue her a good reward she shol­de so do / that they shold take hym / And anone the paynyms promysed her that yf she couthe so doo / as she sayd / they shold gyue her a grete quantite of gold and of gownes / and as many precious stones as she wold take of them / And she that thorugh couetyse was deceyued / made her lord to slepe in her lappe / And whyle he fast slepte / she cutte awey the heerys of his heede / And anone sent for the paynyms / whiche nyghe were embusshed / and made hym to be taken of them / Thenne he awoke and fonde alle his myght and strengthe loste and gone that before that tyme was wont to resiste and fyghte he al one ageynst thre thowsand men / And whanne they hadde hym fast bounden / they thrested and putte oute bothe his eyen And made hym to tourne aboute a mylle as a blynde hors / Behold ye thenne and loke how couetyse deceyued this folissh woman that for a lytell gold bitrayed her lord / that soo [Page] moche loued her / whiche was moost doubted of all m [...]n / that euer were and euer shall be / A coueytous herte dar well saye & vndertake to do moch euylle / For he maketh the noble men to be rapynous & tyraūts ouer their men & subgettes / Couetyse also maketh many theues / many vsurers / many murderers many maydens & wydowes to become harlottes / and many secrete homycyde is done by this fals vyce of couetyse / the [...]hil­dren also to desyre and wysshe the dethe of theyr faders and moders onely for to haue and rauysshe their goodes after the­yr dethe / Also Iudas for couetyse of syluer he bitrayd oure lord Ihesu Cryst / In suche maner done these dayes the aduo­cates and men of lawe / whiche sellen theyr talkyng & wordes tornynge fro the trouthe / and pletynge ageynst hit / For they doo the ryght of the good man to be dylayed for to haue and take of hym more syluer / And many one of them is that ta­keth on bothe partyes / And so they selle theyr speche / whiche god gaaf them to prouffyte with for the comyn wele / Therfor is couetyse moche deceyuable / which brought the wyf of Sāpson to doo grete folye / Here ye haue good ensample to kepe your self fro the vyce of couetyse / For soone after god sente to the sayd dalida the deserte of her meryte and dede / She to­ke to spouse one of the paynyms / and made a grete feste / Sampson that knewe of it / And to whom his heres were growen and his strengthe come ageyne / made hym to be ledde the­re as they were sette at the dyner / And thenne he toke the pyler in his armes whiche stode in the myddell of the halle / and that susteyned and bare al the place / and shoke it with so gre­te strengthe and myght that he brake it in to pyeces / and the place fylle vpon them / there was slayne dalida / her newe lord and the moost parte of them that were at that dyner / And thus Sampson venged hym of dalida his fals wyf / whiche was there punysshed of her euylle dede and folye / And well was reason and ryght that of euyl doynge / euyl shold come to her /

[Page]I wylle telle yow how of a lytel wrathe sourded and came grete euyll / A good man was whiche was no­ble / and of the mount Euffraym / he maryed hym / and took a damoysell of Bethlehem the whiche for a lytel occacion was wrothe with her husbond / and wente ageyne to her fa­ders hows / The good man her husbond was therof heuy and sorowful / and wente and dyd fetche her home ageyne / And her fader blamed her and sayd she dyde not as a good wyf shold do / As they were goynge homeward / they lodged in a toune named galga / where as was many worldly folke ful of lechery / This folke cam there where as this woman & her lord were lodged / they brake the dores and by force & vyolen­ce vylaynsly toke and rauysshed the sayd woman fro her husbond / & for nothyng that their hoost coude saye or do / whi­che wold haue gyuen one of his doughters for the warauntyse of his hostesse / they wold not leue her / but had her wyth them. And as the mornynge cam / she that sawe her dishonou­red and so vylaynsly shamed / toke in her self suche shame & suche a sorowe that she thenne deyde at her lordes feet / wherfore the good man was nyghe dede also / & as he was come to hym self ageyne / he toke & bare her body vnto his hows / & thenne be made xij pyeces of her body / & vpon euery pyece he set [...]e a pa­per leef / wherin was wreton al the maner how it befelle to her & sent these xij pyeces to xij persones her parentes & most nyhe of her kyn to thende they shold among them take vengeaunce of it / wherof it befelle that all her frendes & her husbondes frendes also toke therof so grete yre & wrath / & had so grete abhomynacion of it / y^t they gadred & assembled them to gyder / & wyth grete nōbre of men of armes / came to galga / & slewe th [...]r wel xxxiijM persones men & wymmen / This is to yow a good ensample / how a woman ought not to leue her husbond & lord for none yre ne maltalent that may be bitwene them / & a wyse & good woman ouȝt to bere & suffre the yre and wrath of her husbondes in the most fayr & hūble wyse that she can & to put her self in payne to appease hym by curtoys & fayr wordes / & not leue & go fro hym / as dyd the said damoysel / whiche lefte her lord / & wente fro hym / & her husbond must fetche her ageyn By the whiche her goynge she deyd / and soo dyd many one / [Page] as aboue is sayd / And yf she had be in pees and styll with her lord / al this grete euylle and sorowe had not fallen / And therfore it is somtyme good to refreyne hir / yre and amolysshe hir herte / For this is the vsage of the wyse woman / whiche tendeth to lyue peasybly and louyngly with her husbond and lord

I Wold ye knewe wel the tale and example of the lady / whiche daygned not to come to her dyner for ony commaundement that her lord coude make to her / and so many tyme he sent for her / that at the last whanne he sawe she wold not come at his commaundement / he made to come before hym his swyneherd / he that kepte his swynes / whiche was foule / and ouermoche hydous / and bad hym fetche the clowte of the kechyn wherwith men wype dysshes and platers And thenne he made a table or bord to be dressyd before hys wyf / and made it to be couerd with the sayd cloute / and commaunded to his swyneherd to sytte besyde her / And thenne he sayd thus to her / Lady yf ye ne wylle ete with me / ne come at me / ne come at my commaundement / ye shalle haue the kepar of my swyne to hold yow company and good felauship / And this cloute to wype your handes with al / And whanne she that thenne was sore ashamed and more wrothe than she was tofore sawe and knewe that her lord mocked her / refrey­ned her proude herte and knewe her foly / Therfore a woman ought not in no wyse to refuse to come at the commaundement of her lord yf she wylle haue and kepe his loue and pees / And also by good reason humylyte ought to come fyrste to the woman / For euer she ought to shewe her self meke and humble toward her lord /

[Page]hEre shall I telle yow an ensāple of a grete lady named Susanna / that had a sone a grete lord / whiche was go­ne in to a feld or batayll [...] / where he wa [...] slayne / The moder was in grete thought and sorowe what tydynges she shold here of hym / In her companye she had a woman a flateresse & a grete lyer / whiche ofte sayd to her / Madame be not in no wyse desmayed ne sorowful / [...]o my lord your sone hath vic­tory vpon his enemyes / therfor he must tary & abyde there a whyle for to ordeyne of his affaryre [...] / & so this fals flateresse appeased her lady of fayre wordes nought / For she ne sayd neuer to her lady ony word that myght displease her / as done many flaterers and many flateresses / whiche shal neuer sa [...]e thynge that may displease theyr ladyes or lordes / and s [...]alle hyde the trouthe / and theyr wele and make them to haue io [...]e of nought / As dyd this fals woman to that good lady / Whiche made her to vnderstonde / that her sone had obteyned vyctory / and brought With hym his prysoners / And wel hit was the contrary / For he deyde there / wherfor it befell that whan the lady his moder knewe it / she deyde nyghe for sorowe / therfor is an euylle thyng to a man to haue aboute hym ony flaterers / For they dare not gyue trewe counceylle / but ofte they make theyr lordes to do grete folye / They be lyke to the Iouglours whiche wylle make of a cole seme and shewe a fayr thynge / For they preyse a thyng before the folk / and behynde them they blame hit / wherfor one ought not to byleue that / what they sayen / For they retche not what they say / but that they may please yow & to haue youre loue / And yf ye be wyse / ye ought to knowe them better / than they shalle you / & put them fro yow & take suche one that shall telle yow the trouthe & your wele / Suche flaterers deceyue the ryche men / as dyd a flaterer to a woman that sold cheses / whiche was fowle of vysage / & he made her to vnderstonde / that she was fayr & praty / And the wo­man was so folyssh that she wende he had sayd trouthe / Som­tyme she gaf hym a chese / and as he hadde it and was behynd her bak he mocked her of it / I wold ye wyst thexample / whiche I sawe in the toun of Angolosme / as the duk of normādy cam before Aguyllon / ther were knyȝtes which for to take their disp [...]rte shotte at a marke / And whanne the duke cam in to the [Page] wherin was the holy brede of the manna whiche cam and des­cended fro heuen / wherof the holy faders were refressh [...] and fylled / that for to worshipe god and the feste / the kyng went and putte hym self among the prestes for to synge and harpe with them / and made the grettest ioye that he coude for the lo­ue and worship of god and of his chirche / His wyf loked on hym that so dede / and had of it grete desdayne and shame / and mocked hym sayenge that he was bicome a mynystrelle And the good kynge answerd that one may not to moche meke ne humble hym self toward god / ne do to moche worshyp and reuerence to his chirche / For of god cometh alle the good and honour that man and woman may haue / And therfore god was displeased of that she had spoken of it / and made her barayn and seke by cause he wold shewe to her her folye / For euery goode woman ought to Incyte and mene her lorde to worship god and the chirche / and not mocke hym of that he dothe in the worship of god / For as the sage sayth in the bo­ke of sapyence / whanne the man seeth hym mocked & scorned / specially / before ony folke of his wyf / his herte swelleth / whi­che causeth hym to answere outrageously / And therfor it is good to a woman to be of fayre and swete spekynge in repreuynge her lord of ony thynge

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 heres / 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 [Page] 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 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 y^t she must obeye hym / & not do lyke as y^e duchesse of Athenes did / wherfor her lord exyled & put her fro hym /

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

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 hows / 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 [Page] 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 kep [...] in ryght his peple / and not greue them / as Roboam dyd / For the synne of the fad [...]r and moder is noyous to the children as ye haue herd tofore /

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 fort [...]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 [...]n grete despyte I am merueyled / how the god for whoos 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 / whic [...]e god sente her / And as the pleasyr of god was Thobye [...]a [...]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 sende [...] hym / For as wel is the axe or swerd lyft ouer the ho [...] 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 whic [...]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 [Page] 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

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

[Page]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 [Page] 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 ey [...]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 theyre 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 nouȝt / 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

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 [Page] 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 [...]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 /

aNother ensamps [...] 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 [Page] 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 l̄yuynge 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 [...]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 chil̄d 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 exāple of many other bestes also / that [Page] 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

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 hows / She casted ouer them beddes and fardels of lynen clo [...] 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 hows with a cord oute of a wyndowe / and saued them / wherfor it befell that she therfore was wel guerd [...] ned after the deserte / For the towne was soone after take / and alle the men and wom [...]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 [Page] 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 Fraū 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 glory of the world and the worldly Ioye / and ranne to hyde her secretely fro parys vnto Poytyers / And there she rendryd her self in to thab­beye / and bycame a Nonne / and lefte the world / to thende she myght the better serue god withoute drede of ony man / wher­fore afterward god shewed for her sake a myracle / For a tree whiche stode in the myddes of theyr cloystre / the whiche was al drye / god made hym to bycome and wexe fayr and grene And sprange oute of hit newe braunches and leues ageynste the cours of nature / But no thynge is Impossible to god / And many other grete myracles he dyd for the loue of her And therfore is here a good ensample to be charytable / as a­boue ye haue herd of these two holy ladyes / and of this good lady Raab / as they dyd / and how at the last god gwerdoned and rewarded them for theyr good seruyse /

aNother ensample shalle be reherced to yow of the Fa­der and moder of Sampson / whiche were hooly folk in theyr maryage / but they myght haue no Children / and yet many clamours & orysons they hadde therfore made [Page] vnto god / This good lady was thenne vpon a day at a chir­che / whiche at that tyme was called temple / And as she was there wepynge and prayenge god / god toke pyte on her / and sente vnto her an Angel / whiche told her / that she shold haue a sone that shold be the strongest man that euer was / & that by his strengthe the lawe shol̄d be enhaunced / The good lady came soone to her lord / and told hym this tydynge / Her lord thenne kneled / and prayd god / that he wold shewe to hym / this thynge by his angel / And thenne god sente to them his aungel / whiche sayd vnto them that they shold faste and doo abstynence / and also that they shold kepe this child fro moch mete and drynke / And yet sayd the aungel / For ouermoche [...]tynge and drynkyng fyghten ageynst the body and ageynst the sowle / And whanne thus he had sayd to them / he departed fro them / They [...]obeyed the commaundement of the Aungel / & fasted and made abstynence / And soone after they had a chil̄ ­de / whiche whanne he was ful growen he fought ageynst the paynyms and kepte and mayntened the lawe of god ayens [...] them / of whome he made grete occisyons and many grete mer­ueylles as god susteyned and helped hym / For he allone discomfyted and ouercame thre thousand persones / Therfor ye haue here good ensample / how ye shalle fast and do abstynence yf ye wylle requyre of god ony thynge / For confession and fastynge done the request to be graunted of god / as the Aun­gel told vnto them / And yet after he sayd to them / that they shold kepe theyr sone fro ouermoche mete / & specially of drynk Thenne syth the holy Aungel of god whiche al thyng knoweth defended to them this two vyces / Hit is thenne good to euery man and woman to kepe them ther fro. For by this synne of glotonye men falle in alle the other sixe dedely synnes / as ye shalle more playnly knowe in the booke of your bretheren / where as it is reherced / how an heremyte chose his synne of glotonye / and made it / in so moche he bycame dronke / And soone after by this synne he fylle and made alle the seuen /

And neuertheles he had supposed to haue chosen the most best of them alle / Wherof I shall telle yow what Salamon therof seyth in the book of thenseygnements / first he saith y^t wyn taken [Page] as they dyd cutte it / they sawe a whyte doune / that yssued oute of hit / wherfor some of them by this ensample were con­uertyd to the feythe of god / And therfor after this ensample it is good to put his children to scole whanne they be yonge / and make them to lerne the bookes of sapyence / that is to saye the bookes of good techynge and enseygnementes / where as men see the sauement of bothe the body and sowle / And not putte them to lerne in the bookes of the fallaces and vanytres of the world / For better thyng is and more noble to here speke of the good enseygnementes and techynges that may pro­uffyte bothe to the body and sowle / than rede and studye the fables / and lesynges / wherof no good ne prouffyte may come And by cause somme folke sayen that they wold not / that theyr wyues ne also theyr doughters wyst ony thynge of clergye ne of wrytynge / therfor I say answerynge to them / that as for wrytyng it is no force / yf a woman can nought of hit but as for redynge I saye that good and prouffytable is to al wy [...]en / For a woman that can rede may better knowe the peryls of the sowle and her sauement / than she that can nouȝt of it / for it hath be preued

aNother ensample I shalle reherce vnto yow of a good lady / whiche was named Ruth / of the whiche yssued and cam kynge Dauyd / The holy scrypture preyseth moche this good lady / whiche merueyllously loued god / and honoured and obeyed her lord / And for the loue of hym she bare honour and loued his frendes / and made to them better chere than she dyd to her owne frendes / wherof hit befelle / that after that her lord was dede / his sone whiche he had of another wyf / wold leue to her nothynge / neyther land ne meuable go­od / but wold haue al for hym self / by cause he thoughte / she was of ferre countrey and ferre fro her frendes / but the parentes and frendes of her lord that loued her moche for her grete [Page] bounte / and for the grete seruyce that she had done to them whyles that her lord was a lyue / dyd helpe her ageynst theyr fren­des and parentes / In soo moche that they made her to haue al that of ryght apperteyned to her / And soo this good lady sa­ued her good thurgh the frendship and good companye that she had done the frendes and parentes of her lord / And ther­fore is here good ensample how alle good wymmen ought to serue and bere worship to the frendes and parentes of theyre lordes / For gretter semblaunt of loue may they not shewe vnto them / and alle good may therof come to her / as dyd to the good lady Ruthe the whiche by cause she had loued and worshipped the parentes and frendes of her lord / recouered and hadde her herytage / as ye haue herd to fore

I Wylle telle yow another Ensample of a good lady / the whiche ought wel to be preysed / It was the good lady Abygal / whiche had a lord that was ful of y­re / dyuerse and ryotous to al his neyghbours / He forfayted somme thynge toward the kynge dauyd wherfore he wold haue had hym to be destroyed and putte to dethe / but the good lady whiche was sage and wyse wente toward the kyng and so moche humbled her self / that by her swete and fayre wordes she made the pees of her lord / Of many other peryls wherin he fylle and putte hym self thurgh 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 [Page] 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

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 l̄and 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 [Page] fader / but she kepte her lord in loue and his child [...]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 wymm [...]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 /

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 ch [...]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 pl [...]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 [Page] 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

[Page]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 pro [...]hete / and prayd hym to come and be herbero­wed with her lord in her hows / They dyde anone make a chā ­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 [...]o haue an humble and meke herte / Therfor men ought to kepe the felauship of the good and holy men / whiche vsen holy lyf / & [Page] byleue them / For al good may therof come / as dyd to the sa­yd lady

I Shalle reher [...]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 womā that bra [...] [...] 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 hed [...] to the wordes of a foole and to answere and speke with hym / The [Page] 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 womā 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 thouȝt 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

[Page]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 merueylled as they sawe and herd this lytell child so speke / wherfor they perceyued well / that it was by myracle of god The Iuges thēne 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 /

I Shalle telle yow another Ensample of the newe tes­tament / It is of saynt Elysabeth moder vnto Saynte Iohan / This Elysabeth thēne serued fyrste god / and [Page] 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 hows / 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 c [...]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 guerdonne [...]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 / whi [...]he ke­peth and holdeth them clenely in theyr maryage / and that ha­ue good hope in hym / as had this good Susanne /

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 mē haue to telle them / is to them a grete parte of their indulgēces & god whiche seeth the hūylyte & the repentaunce moueth hym self to pyte & e [...]largyssheth his misericorde / as he did to Mary [Page] Magdalene to whome he pardonned her synnes and mysdedes for the grete contricion and repenta [...]nce that she had / Ano­ther reason is wherof the holy magdalene ought to be preysed It is by cause that she loued and wonderly [...]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 fas [...] 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 /

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 go [...]d woman serued our lord at y^e time that he preched & administred & made his mete and drynke the best wyse they couthe / Here i [...] [Page] 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 [...]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 theyre 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 spek [...]th of an euylle man and a tyraunt / the whiche was thre t [...]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 god / And yf the one suffre not the other / that is to vnderstonde / yf the good dyd suffre & supported not the euylle / all̄ shold go to perdicion / And yet I saye that the obeyssaunce and drede of god was stablys­shed before maryage / For men ought fyrst obeye to the crea­tour / whiche hath made them to his blessyd forme and sembla­unce and that maye gyue them grace to be saued / And also the lawe commaundeth that men ought not to obeye to the bo­dy / tylle that they haue purueyed fyrst for the prouffyte of the sowle / whiche is perdurable / wherupon sayth the glose that alle good and dewe seruyse of the body is to the sauement of the sowle / For the good of the sowle hath none lyke hit / And therfor it is good to dresse & meue his lord to doo somme go­od / And after his poure to kepe hym fro euylle dede / And thus oughte to doo euery good woman /

How it is good to herberowe and receyue in his hows the [Page] gentylle wymmen that were of good renommee / she enhaunced and maryed them / She maade to seche and enquere the poure housholders / and somme of her good she gaf to them / She had grete pyte of wymmen whiche were at theyre childbedde / and vysyted / and foustred them / She had of her owne phisicien [...] and Cyrurgyens to helpe and hele for goddes loue al maner of folke / And in especia [...]e the poure whiche had nought to paye / And as men saye god shewed and made oftyme myracle for her sake / For whanne men took her her booke and her paternoster / they stode before her allone by them self in the aye [...] And also many other tokens and signes were sene / whiche for her loue god dyd shewe / And therfore here ought euery good woman to take good ensample and haue pyte one of other / and thynke how god gyueth the goodes to be therof thā ked and knowen / and to helpe and haue pyte on the poure / Here I leue the tale of these good ladyes and of thys matere But soone I shalle com [...] to hit ageyne / and shalle speke of another ensample /

mY fayre doughters beware ye well that the synne of y­re ouercome yow not / For god sayth in his holy euā gely that men ouȝt to pardonne to them that haue mysprysed and mysdone / And yf one be smeton of his neygh­bour / or of his broder crysten vpon one cheke / he oughte to l [...]ye forth the other for to receyue on it as moche / For takynge vengeaunce is none meryte / but is contrary to [...]he sowl [...] / And yet sayth oure lord / that yf one haue ony hate or wrathe with ony other / he ought to goo and aske hym mercy to fore he make or doo his oryson / offrynge or prayer / that it may be of ony vale­we and playsaunt to god / For of no mane [...] of man ne wo­man / whiche in the synne of yre / god receyueth not theyre offrynge / how grete that it be / For as god that maad the pa­ter noster whiche sayth that god shold pardonne to them / as [Page] they pardonned to other / therfore we ought to pardonne eche one to other / And thus they that ben euer in wrathe / and hate / yf they saye the pater noster / theyr prayer is more ageynst them / than with them / And vpon thys / I shalle telle yow an ensample of a grete Burgeyse / as I herd saye at a p [...]edyca­cion or prechynge / This Burgeyse was moche ryche / charyta­ble / and moche preysed / and had on her many signes and to­kens to be a good c [...]ysten / It befelle that she was brought tho­rugh a grete sekenes to the bedde of dethe / ther cam to her / her curate or parson whiche was a hooly man and trewe / He herd her in confessyon / And as he came to speke to her of the synne of yre / sayenge to her that she must pardonne to alle them that had mysprysed or mysdone vnto her / And whanne she herde of that artycle / she ansuerd that a woman whiche was her neyghboure had soo moche mesprysed and mysdone vnto her / that she myght neuer pardonne ne forgyue her with her good wyll / Thenne the holy man began to put for [...]he & shewe vnto her by fayr wordes & ensāples / how Ihesu Cryst forgaaf & pardonned his dethe / Also he reherced to her thexample of a knyghtes sone / whos fader had be slayne / This knyghtes sone came to an heremyte and confessyd hym / And as he came to the synne of yre / he sayd / that he myght neuer pardon [...]e ne Forgyue to hym that had slayne his fader / And the holy he­remyte shewed hym how god forgaf his dethe / and many o­ther ensamples he dyd shewe vnto hym / And so moche he sa­yd that by his swete and fayr wordes / the child pardonned and forgaf his faders dethe with good wylle / In suche wyse that whanne the child cam to knele before the crucyfyxe / he enclyned his heed toward hym / And a voys was herd / whiche sayd / by cause that thow hast pardonned humbly for the loue of me / I pardonne and forgyue to the al thy synnes and mysdedes / and thow shalt haue grace to come to me in to the celes­tyal ioye / This parson or curate thenne shewed and told this ensample with many other to the sayd Burgeis / But for none ensample ne for no thynge that he couthe saye or doo / she wold neuer forgyue her euylle wylle / but in that estate she deyde / wherof hit befelle that atte nyght a vysyon came to the sayd curate or parson / by the whiche vysion he sawe how the [Page] in suche poynt and estate as I was whanne I herd yow I am come to see yow / therfore please it yow to pardonne me for the grete Ioye whiche I haue of youre comynge maade me to doo hit / The knyght thēne beheld and sawe the manere of his nyece / wherof he was full glad / and loued and preysed her moche more than his other nyece / He gaf her the two gownes whiche he had bought for her and for her suster / And thus she that cam gladly in thestate wherynne she was to welcome her vncle / she wanne bothe gownes / and she whiche taryed for to make her ioly and gay lost her parte of them / She thenne that forthwith came to welcome her vncle as she had brought hym in her chamber / she wente and propyrly arayed her self / And thenne sayd to hym / My lord and myn vncle / I haue arayed and coynted me for to serue yow more honestly / And thus she gate the loue of her vncle / and the other lost it / Here is go­od ensample / how men ought to come ioyously in thestate where one is in to welcome his frendes whiche be come to see hym / And yf ye wyst thexample of a baronnesse or wyf of a baron whiche Was a good lady / and whiche wold in no manere were ne doo on euery day hir best gownes / wherfore her serua­untes sayd to her / Madame why go ye not better arayed and more coynted than ye doo / And she answerd to them / yf euery day I went in my best rayments and helde me coynte and Ioly / how shold I doo on the hyghe feestes and holydayes / And also as the lordes my parentes shalle come to see me / For thenne as I shold araye me the best wyse I couthe / yet men shold saye that al the day byfore I was fayrer and bet­ter besene / wherof no thanke I shold haue of them whiche were come to see me / And therfor I preyse her nothyng that can not amende her self in tyme and place as nede is / For a thyn­ge whiche is comyn and dayly sene is nothynge preysed ne sette by

[Page]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 a [...] 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 woū ­des / wherfor as his armes were of he sente his sher [...]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 [Page] 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 theyre 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 y [...] haue herd to fore

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 [Page] 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 [...]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 pro [...]hetes that the sone of god shold be borne of a vyrgyn / whiche shold ha­ue to name Marye / wherfore he thanked God moche humbly of the grete grace that he had done to hym / in gyuyng to hym the kepynge and gouernaunce of his swete and blessyd mo­der / And also the good moder and vyrgyne bare to hym honour and reuerence / wherof in the holy scrypture she is mo­che preysed / Also she is moche preysed of that the Angel founde her alone wi [...]hin the Temple knelynge sayenge her prayers and orysons / And thus ought euery good wo­man to be in deuocion and in the seruyse of god /

And yet the holy scrypture preyseth her by cause she dradde & was aferd as the Aungel salewed her / Of whome she demaū ded how it myght be that she shold conceyue a child that hadde neuer knowen man / & thaūgel ansuerd her & said to her y^t she shold haue no fere & that she shold not be merueylled / for she [Page] shold be replenysshed with the holy ghost & that nothyng was inpossyble as to god / that was to saye that god myght do all thynge after his wylle and playsyre / And that her Cosyn saynt Elyzabeth was grete with child / and had as thenne born her fruyte the space of six monethes / the whiche was barayne and was oute of the age to bere ony children / And thenne as the Aungel had thus sayd to her / she assewred her self / & sayd in this manere / Here is the auncylle or chambrere of god Be done to me after thy wordes / She wold fyrst knowe how it myght be / But thus dyd not Eue / she dyd byleue to lyȝtely / As this day done many symple wymmen whiche lyghte­ly byleue the fooles / wherfore afterward they be broughte to doo folye / They enquere not ne behold not the ende to the whiche they shall come / as dyd the gloryous and blessyd vyrgyn Marye / whiche enquyred of the Aungel the ende of the faytte or dede / the whiche he dyd announce to her /

Thus thēne ought the good wymmen to doo / as men speketh to them of yongthe / or of ony other thynge / wherof dyshonoure and blame may come to them

aLso the hooly wrytynge preyseth her for her greete humylyte / For as the Aungel told her that she shold be the moder of the sone of God / of whome the regne shold haue none ende / She took no pryde therfore within he r self / but sayd that she was his chamberere or seruaunt· And that hyt shold be done after his playsyre / This word was ryght agreable vnto god / in soo moche that he came doune fro heuen / and daygned to take humanyte / and the fourme of a child within her wombe virgynal / Therfore is here good Ensample / how euery good woman oughte to humble her self toward god / toward her lord and toward the world / [Page] For god sayd / who that shalle mo re humble hym self / and shalle kepe hym self mekely / the more shalle he be ones en­haunced and worshipped / And for certayne god and his Angels louen better humylyte than ony other vertue / For hu­mylyte fight ageynst pryde / whiche god hateth more than ony other synne / And thorugh the whiche the Aungels felle in to helle / And therfore ought euery noble woman to humble her self / and be curtoys to the leste as to the moost takynge exem­plary to our blessyd lady moder and vyrgyne Mary / whiche named her self chamberere of god / Also she is preysed of the holy scrypture for her good kynde and nature of her curtosye whanne she wente and vysyted her cosyn saynte Elysabeth / whiche wold serue her And the child of Elysabeth / that was saynte Iohan baptist maade thenne Ioye within his moders bely / In so moche y^t by the grace of the holy ghost / saynte Elysabeth cryed & sayd / that blessid shold be the fruyt of her wōbe & that she was blessyd aboue al wymmen / & that hit was not reson that the moder of god shold come to see and vysyte so poure a woman as she was / And than bothe Cosyns hum­bled them self one toward the other / wherfore good exemplary is here / how that parentes and Frendes ought to see and vysyte eche other in theyr childbedde / and in theyr dysease and sekenesse / And humble them self the one ageynst the other / as dyd these two holy and blessyd ladyes / as ye haue herd / and not say as doo some whiche of theyr prowde and folysshe herte saye thus I am the more noble / the more gentylle / eyther the more hyghe maystresse: And therfor I ought to go before that other / Ha a god how lytell they thynke to the curtosye and humylyte of these two hooly ladyes / And also to that / that god sayth in his euangely / as ye haue herd / that the mooste humble shalle be the moost hyghely enhaunced / Allas how this folyssh enuye that they haue to be fyrst and before other and the preysynge of them self / shalle to them be dere sold / wherof the good quene Hester speketh and sayth ryght well / sayeng that in as moche as a woman is of gretter lygnage or gretter maystresse / the more ought she to be humble and debo­nayr / And the more that she bereth her self curtoysly / the more she receyueth worship and praysynge of other folke / for the [Page] small folke holdeth them to be worshipped whanne the grete make to them ony chere and speke fayre to them / wherfore the grete be preysed of them in euery place / And therfore no bet­ter vertue maye be in a woman / than the vertue of humylyte / & be curtoys bothe to grete and small / And goo and vysyte the poure / theyr Frendes and parentes / as dyd the quene of heuen whiche wente and vysyted her Cosyn / and how they hūbled them self one toward the other /

aLso the hooly scrypture preyseth her / in that she wente in to galylee to the weddynge / and had pyte of that the wyn lacked there / And in complaynyng her selfe of that the wyn wanted there / requyred her sone that he wolde gyue remedye to it / The swete Ihesu Criste had pyte of his moder / And therfore is here good ensample / how euery good woman oughte to haue pyte of her parentes and poure neyȝ­bours and to helpe and socoure them of that she may / For hit is grete charyte and fredome comyng of kynde / Also the swete vyrgyne Marye had and suffred dolour for her sone / whiche was gone to dyspute ageynste the maystres of the lawe / For she wend that he was ascended and gone in to heuen / She sought hym al aboute / and so moche she dyd / that she found hym / to whome she sayd / Fayre sone your parentes and I haue be in grete fere for yow / For we wend to haue lost yow / And he ansuerd that his parentes were tho that dyd the commaundementes of god his fader / The Iewes thenne and the maysters of the lawe were wōderly abasshed of the grete wyt that they founde in hym whiche was of soo lytell age / After this dolour thēne y^t she had wenyng her self to haue lost her sone she had another riȝt grete sorowe / for as she offred hym in to the temple / saynt Symeon receyued hym whiche before desyred moch to see hym / & hadde praid to god long tyme before that he [Page] myght not deye vnto the tyme that he first had sene the sone of god with his eyen / Thenne thorugh the grace of god he knewe hym / and sayd with a hyghe voys / Here is the lyght and the sauement of the world / And sayd to his moder that one tyme shold come / that to her shold seme that a suerde shold tresperce her sowle and her herte / that is to wete / that she shold see hym suffre grete and dolorouse passyon / And therfore is here good ensample to euery good lady and to euery good wo­man how they may not be desmayed ne esmerueyll [...]d as they suffre ony mysease / seynge that the quene of heuen suffred in this world soo moche payne and dolour / Thenne oughte we wel to suffre and haue pacyence we that be poure synnars / & that deseruen more after our meryte / to receyue payne & euyll than good / And that by reason ought not to be spared in be­rynge dolours and trybulacions / seynge that god spared not his moder /

aLso good ladyes and euery good woman ought to be charytable / as the holy lady was / that gaf for the loue of god and ful charyte the moste parte that she had / And at thexample of her dyd saynt Elyzabeth / saynte Lucye / saynt Cecylle and many other holy ladyes / whiche were so charitable that they gaf to the poure & Indygent the most parte of theyr reuenues / As reherced is playnly in theyr legendes / wherfor I wold ye wyst thexample of a good lady of Rome whiche was atte masse / and sawe besyde her a poure womā the whiche was shakyng for cold / for the froste was grete / The good lady had pyte of her / and pryuely called her to her and wente / and had her in to her hows / whiche was not ferre thens / and gaf to her a good furred gowne / And whyles she was aboute this charytable dede / the preest that sayd the masse couthe speke neuer a word vnto the tyme that she was come to the Chirche ageyne / And as soone as she was come ageyne he spake as he dyd to fore / And sawe afterward in a vysion the cause why he had lost his speche / & hou god preyseth before his āgels y^e gyft gyuē of the good lady to hym / Here is [Page] good ensample for euery good woman to be charytable and not to suffre her poure neyghbours to be shakynge for cold and hongre / ne to haue ony mysease / but to helpe them as ferre / as theyr power may retche / Now haue I told yow of the blessyd and holy vyrgyne Marye / to the whiche none may be lykened ne compared / And lytell ynough I haue spoken of her / but to longe were the matere yf I shold speke of all her dedes & fayttes / Therfor as now I shalle leue of her / And shall spe­ke of the good wydowes ladyes of Rome / the whiche whan as they held them clenly in theyr wydowhede they were wor­shipfully crowned in signe and token of chastyte / But long thynge were to reherce the bounte and charyte of them / whiche were before the comynge of Ihesu Cryste / as it is founde and reherced in the byble / Also I haue recounted to yow of some good ladyes whiche haue ben syn the newe testament / that is to wete syn god toke his humanyte within the wombe of the blessyd vyrgyne Marye / And in lyke wyse as the holy scripture preyseth the good ladyes of that tyme / It is reason and ryght that we preyse some of this present tyme wherin we be / Wherfor I shalle telle yow of euery estate of them one example or tweyne for to shewe example vnto al other / For men ought not to hyde the goodhede / ne also the worship of them / And none good lady ought not to take desdayne of hit / but be gladde to here telle and recounte the goodnes and worship of them

tHe good quene Iane of Fraunce whiche of late passed out of this world / & the whiche was wyse / of holy lyf / & moche charytable / & also ful of deuocion / held her estate so clenly & so noble by so good ordenaūce / that grete thynge were to reherce it / After by her shal we set the duchesse of orliaūce which in her lyf suffred moch / but she kept her euer clenly & holily / but to long it were to recoūte of her good lyf & good condycions / Also we may not forgete the good Coun­tesse of Roussyllon / the whiche she beynge a wydowe kepte & gouerned her sel̄f so clenely / and soo peasyble dyd nourysshe [Page] her children / the whiche also kepte good Iustyce and held her land and peple in pees Also I wylle telle yow of a baron­nesse whiche duellyd in our Countrey the whiche was in wy­dowhede by the space of xxxv yere / and was yonge and fayr whanne her lord deyde / and of many one she was requyred / But she sayd in her secrete / that for the loue of her lord and of her children she shold neuer be wedded / And held her in her wydowhede clenly withoute ony reproche / wherof she ought to be preysed / And her name I shalle declare vnto yow / It was my lady of Vertus

aLso I shalle telle yow of the wyf of a knyght which was a wydowe / This lady was yonge and fayre / & of many men lordes and knyghtes she was desyred & requyred to maryage / but neuer she wold be wedded / but nourysshed her children ryght worshipfully / Wherfore she oughte to be preysed / and yet more she myght be preysed durynge her lordes lyf / For her lord was ouer lytell of persone crokbacked goglyed and vncurtoys / And she was fayre and yonge / & a gentylle woman borne / but the good lady loued and wor­shipped hym / as ony woman can or may loue ony man / And dradde / and serued hym so mekely that many man [...] won­der therof / wherfore she may wel be sette in to the nombre of the good wymmen / Now shalle I telle yow of a good woman / the wyf of a symple man / This lady was good and fayre / & of good lignage / & also yong / & her lord was old & auncy­ent / & al tourned in traunce / for he pyssed & made vnd [...]r hym his syege / as a yong child doth / But nothwithstōdyng al this the good lady serued hym nyght & daye ryght humbly & with good hert & more curtoisly than shold haue done a chamberere or seruaūt / Some cam ofte to her for to fetche her to the daūces & festes / but seldom she wente thyder / And no plesaunce ne no thynge myght haue hold her as tyme was for to doo some seruyse to her lord / And yf one sayd to her / Madame ye shold take youre sporte / and playe more ofte than ye doo / And be [Page] other grete peryls / And as he hath suffred payne and trauail ynough / he is put and enhaunced in to grete honour / And grete yeftes ben thenne gyuen to hym / and grete wonder and merueylle it is yf the grete worship and grete renommee that men beren vnto hym / Lyke wyse it is of the good lady and good woman / whiche in euery place is renommed in honoure and worship / This is the good woman that payneth her selfe to kepe her body clene and her worship also / the whiche also sette nought by her yongthe ne of the delytes and folysshe plesaunces of this world / wherof she myght receyue ony blame / as I haue sayd before of the knyghtes / the whiche take and suffre suche poynte and trauaylle for to be put in to the nom­bre of the other that ben renommed of grete worthynes and valyaunce / This oughte to doo euery good woman and eue­ry good lady / and thynke how thus doynge she geteth the lo­ue of god and of her lord / of theyr frendes and of the world And the sauement of her sowle / wherof the world preyseth her and god also / For he calleth her the precious Margarite / It is a perle / whiche is whyte and round bryght and wythoute macule or spotte / Here is a good ensample how god preyseth the good lady in the euangely / and thus ought to doo alle folke / For m [...]n ought to doo and bere as moche worship and honour to a good lady or damoysell as to a good knyght or squyer / But as now this day the world is al tourned vpsodoune / For worship is not kepte in her ryght regle / ne in her ryght estate / as hit was wonte to be / Now I wylle telle yow how on a tyme I herd say to my lord my fader and to many other good knyghtes / how in theyr tyme men worshipped and bare grete reuerence to the good women / And how they which were worthy to be blamed / were refused and separed oute of the felauship of the other / And yet it is not past fourty yere that this customme was as they sayd / And at that tyme a woman reproued of blame had not be soo hardy to putte her self in the Rowe or companye of them that were renommed / Wherfore I shalle telle yow of two good knyghtes of that tyme / the one was named My lord Raoul / de lyege / and the other had to name Geffroy / and were both bretheren / and [Page] good knyȝtes in armes / for euer they vyaged & neuer rested tylle they came in place where they myght essaye and preue the strengthe of theyr bodyes for to gete worship and good renomme / And so moche they dyd by theyr valyaunce / that at the last they were renommed ouer al / as charny and bouchy­kault were in theyr tyme / And therfor they were byleuyd and herd before all other as knyghtes auctorysed and renommed

[...]Herfore hit became that yf they sawe a yonge man of age make ony thyng that dyd ageynst his honour they shewed hym his fawte before the folke / And therfor the yong men dradde them moche / For thenne as I herd saye to my lord my fader / how a yonge man cam to a feste where were many lordes ladyes and damoysels / and [...]rrayed as they wold haue sette them to dyner / and had on hem a coo [...]e hardye after the maner of almayne / He cam and salewed the lordes and ladyes / And whanne he had done to them reueren­ce / the forsayd Syre Geffroy called hym before hym / and de­maunded hym where his vyell or clauycordes were / and that he shold make his craft / And the yonge man ansuerd / Syre I can not medle therwith / Ha a sayd the knyght / I can not byleue it / For ye be contrefaytted and clothed lyke a mynys­trell / Neuertheles I knowe well your auncestrye and the go­od and trewe men of the towre / of the whiche ye be come of / But in good faythe I sawe neuer none of your lygnage / that wol̄de haue contrefayted hym ne also be clothed of suche gowne as ye be / And thenne he ansuerd to the knyght ageyn Syth that my clothynge semeth to yow lothely and dishoneste hit shalle be amended / Thenne he called to hym a mynystrell & gaf hym his gowne / and toke another / and came ageyne to the halle / And whan the good & auncyent knyght sawe hym he sayd / trewely this yonge man forueyeth not / For he byle­ueth the counceylle of his older / And euery yonge man and [Page] yonge wymmen whiche byleue the counceylle of thauncyent & good folke may not faylle to come to honour and worshyp / And therfore is here a good ensample / how none ought to byleue / and not to haue shame ne vergoyne of the techynge of the wyse men and more auncyent than he is / For that whiche they saye and techen they done it not but for good / But the yonge men and wymmen that ben at this day take to thys no hede / but haue grete despyte whanne they be repreued of theyr wyckednes and folye / and wene to be more wyse than the olde and auncyent folke / It is grete pyte thenne of suche vn­knowlege / For euery gentylle herte and of honeste lyuynge oughte to haue grete Ioye whan he is repreued of his fawte and mysdede / and yf he be wyse and sage / he shalle thanke hym / by whome he knoweth his fawte / And in this is shewen and perceyued the free kynd of the good yonge man & yong woman / For no chorlysshe nor vylayne herte shall neuer yeue thanke ne graces of it / Now haue I told to yow how thaun­cyent spake and chastysed the yong men / And now I shalle telle yow how they gaf good ensamples to the good ladyes & damoysels that were at that tyme

IN tho dayes was the tyme of pees / and were holden grete festes and reueyls / and al maner of knyghtes and ladyes and damoysels gadred and assembled to gyder where as they wyst that ony feste was kepte and hol­den / And there they cam with grete worship / and wyth them came the good knyghtes of that tyme / but yf hit happed by somme aduēture / that ony lady or damoysell y^t had euyl name or were blamed of her honour put her self / and wente byfore another of good renōme / how be hit that she were more gentyl and more noble and more Ryche / yet notwithstondynge the good and auncyent knyghtes had no shame to come to them [Page] before euery one / ne to telle thus to them / lady or damoysel be not yow displesyd yf this lady go before yow / for how it be so that she be not so noble ne so ryche as ye be / neuertheles she is not blamed / and hath good Renommee / and is put among the nombre of the good wymmen / And thus it is not sayd of yow wherfore me displeaseth moche / but worship and hono­ur shalle be borne to them that be worthy / and haue deserued it / And therfore be not yow meruaylled / Thus and in lyke wyse spake that tyme the good and auncyent knyghtes and put them of good Renommee the fyrst and formest / wherof they thanked god that had gyue them grace to kepe & hold them clenely / wherby they were sette bifore the other and worshipped ouer al / And the other tooke them self by the nose castynge theyr faces dounward / and receyued moch shame & vergoyne / And therfore was this a good ensample to al wymmen / For by the grete repreef and shame that they herd saye & talke of the other / they doubted & drad ony thynge / to do that was amys / of whiche they myght be blamed as the other were / But certaynly now vppn this daye men bere as grete wor­ship to them that ben blamed as to the good and trewe / whe­rof many one taketh euylle ensample / and saye / I see that men bere as grete honoure to them / whiche shold be blamed and dyffamed / as they do to the honest and trewe / it is no force to doo euylle / al thynge passeth forth awey / but neuertheles it is euylle sayd / For in good feythe how be it that they wene to [...]eyue honour and worship of them that be wyth them / whan [...]e they be departed they mocke and scorne with them / sayenge one to other / Suche one is full curtoys of her body / su­che a man taketh his disporte with her / And thus somme ma­ken good chere and beren honour before them / and behynd the­yr backes they pulle oute theyr tongues in scornynge of them But the folysshe wymmen perceyue them not / but Ioyen them self in theyr folye / and wene that none knowe theyr fawte & shame / Thus is the tyme chaunged otherwyse than hit was wonte to be / wherfore hit is damage and grete pyte / For hit were best that of theyr fawte and blame they were reproued before al as they were at that tyme / Yet more I shalle telle [Page] yow / as I haue herd reherced of many knyghtes whiche saw and knewe the sayd Syre Geffroy de lyege / how that as he rode thorugh the Countrey / and as he aspyed and sawe some place or manoyr / he demaunded and asked the / place / and yf he vnderstode by ony maner that the lady of the manoyr or place were blamed of her honour and worship / he shold haue gone oute of his ryght way / Rather than he had not gone to the yate of the same place / and make there a faytte and put and sette his signes ageynste the yate / And thenne rode ageyne in to his ryght way / And contrary to this dede / yf hit happed to hym to passe before the place of a good and Renommed la­dy or damoyselle / al had he neuer so grete haste / he wente to see her / And sayd to her my good Frende / other my lady / or els damoysell / I praye to god that in this welthe and honoure he wylle euer hold and mayntene yow in to the nombre of the good wymmen / For wel ye oughte to be preysed and wor­shipped / And thus by this maner and way the good wym­men drad and held them more sure fro doynge ony thynge / wherby they myght lese theyr worship and honoure / wherfore I wold that tyme were come ageyne / For as I wene many one shold not be blamed and diffamed as they be now /

wHerfore yf the wymmen recorded and thought the tyme past before the comynge of Cryst / whiche lasted more than fyue thousand yere / And how the badde and euylle wymmen / specially they that were wedded were punys­shed / as they mysgyded them / For yf it myght be proued on­ly by two men that they had had companye or carnal felau­ship with ony other than to theyr lord / she was brente eyther stoned with stones / And for no gold ne syluer she myghte be saued al were she neuer so noble / after the lawe of god and of Moyses / And yet I ne knowe but fewe Reames this day sanf the Reame of Fraunce and of Englond / and in the lo­we [Page] or basse Almayne / but that men doo Iustyse of them when the trouthe and certaynte of the dede may be openly knowen / That is to wete in Romayne / In Spayne / In Aragon / and in many other Reames / In somme plares men kytte of theire throtes / And in somme they be heded before the peple / And in other places they be mewred or put bytwene two walles / And therfore this Example is good and prouffytable to euery good woman / For how be hit that in this Royamme Iustyce is not done of them as in other Reames / Neuertheles they lese therfore theyr worship and theyre estate / the loue of god and of theyre lordes and of theyre frendes and world also / For they ben separed and putte oute of the book of them that ben good and trewe / as more playnly is reherced in the booke of the holy faders lyf / wherof the tale shold be longe to reherce / wherof I shalle telle yow a moche fayr-example / the hyghest of alle other examples as hit is / whiche god told of his mouthe / as telleth the holy scrypture

gOd preyseth the good woman / whiche is clene and pure / And sayth / how it is a noble thynge of a hooly and good woman / And syth god of his owne mou­the preyseth her so / by good reason the world and al the folk ought to loue and preyse her well / It is conteyned in the E­uangely of the vyrgyns / how the swete Ihesu Cryst preched and taught the peple / and spake vpon the matere of the good and clene wymmen where as he sayth / Vna Margarita preciosa comparauit eam / I telle yow sayd our lord / that a woman whiche is pure and clene ouȝt to be compared to the preciouse Margaryte / This was merueyllously spoken / For a Marga­ryte is a grete perle and round bryght and whyte and clene without ony spotte or tatche / This perle is named Margaryte preciouse / And dyd god shewe the valour and worthe of the [Page] woman / For she that is clene and withoute tatche / that is to saye / she that is not wedded that kepeth her vyrgynyte & chas­tyte / And also she that is wedded whiche kepeth and holdeth her self clenely in the holy sacramente of maryage / and not suffreth her self to be shamed of her spouse / the whiche god hath destyned and gyuen to her / Also she that kepeth wel and cle­nely her wydowhede / These be tho / as the glose seyth / of whome god spake in his holy euuangely / These be lykened and compared as sayd our lord to the precious margaryte whiche is euer bryght and clene withoute ony macule or tatche / For as sayth the holy scrypture nothynge is so agreable to god and to his Angels as a good woman / and in a parte god preyseth more her than the man / And by reason she ought to haue more meryte / by cause she is of lyghter courage than the man is / that is to saye that the woman was fourmed and made out of the mans body / And in so moche that she is more feble than the man is / And yf she resisteth ageynste the temptacions of the deuylle / of the world / and of the flesshe / the more she is worthy to haue gretter meryte than the man / And therfor god compareth her to the precious margaryte / whiche is bryght and clene / Also saith the glose in another place / that as it is a foul thynge to spylle droppes of ynke in to a dysshe ful of mylke / Ryght so is of her that ought to be a good mayd whanne she spylleth and gyueth her maydenhede to another than to her spouse / And also is of her whiche is wedded that of her falshede & fowle lecherye breketh and spylleth her holy sacrament of ma­ryage and forswereth her feythe and her lawe toward God and the chirche / and toward her lord also / Also she whiche oughte to bere her self clenely in her wydowhede and that doth the contrarye / This maner of wymmen be lyke the black tat­ches that ben vpon the whyte mylke and vpon the whyte co­uerchyef / they be lyke in no thyng to the precious Margaryte For in the precious margaryte is no maner of tatche / Allas a woman ought wel to hate her self / and to curse her euyll lyf whanne she is put oute of the nombre of the good and trewe women / Thenne yf they remembred wel them self of thre thynges / the fyrste is how they that be not yet wedded lese theyre maryage and theyr honour and acquere the shame and hate [Page] of theyr parentes and frendes and of the world / And how euery one shewe them with the fynger / Secondly / how they that ben wedded lese al worship and the loue of god / and of theyr lordes / of theyr frendes and of al other / for god letteth them to haue ony welthe or cheuaunce / And to long were the fowle and euylle talkynge whiche is sayd of them / to be re­herced / For somme shall do to them good chere before them / but behynd them / they shalle hold theyr talkynge scornyng & mockyng them / And neuer after they shalle loue theyr lord / For the deuyll shalle make them as brennynge and to haue more delyte in that dampnable synne of fornycacion / than in the de­de of maryage / For in the dede of maryage is no mortall syn­ne / for it is an operacion commaunded of god / And therfore the deuylle hath nothynge to doo of hit / but in puterye and in synne mortalle or dedely he hath grete power / and is there in his persone to chauffe and meue the synnar to the fals delyte / as the smyth / whiche putteth the cole in the fornays / and then­ne he bloweth and kyndeleth hit / And soo moche wayteth the deuylle to serue them wel in that fowle delyte / and to kepe them stylle therin / that at the last he caryeth and bereth wyth hym theyr soules in to the depe pytte of helle / wherof he taketh as grete Ioye / and holdeth hym therof as wel apayed / as doth he that al the day hath chaced and atte euen he taketh the best and hath it with hym / And in lyke wyse dothe the deuyll of al suche men and wymmen as rayson is / For the holy wrytynge sayth / they that ben chauffed and brennynge in the fyre of lecherye / shalle be brente in the fyre of helle / And it is well reson as a good heremyte sayth in vitas patrum / that one hete be put with the other / for as god sayth / there is no good dede done / but that it shalle be guerdonned / Ne none euylle done / but that it shal be punysshed /

I Shalle telle yow another Ensample of the doughter of a noble knyght / that loste her maryage by her coynted [Page] Raymentes & clothynges / A knyȝt was which had many do­ughters of the whiche theldest was wedded / It happed that a knyght demaunded the second doughter to be his wyf / & the fader graunted her to hym / He that neuer before had sene her came to be fyaunced with her / And she whiche knewe wel of his comynge arayed & coynted her self in the best manere that she coude / to thende that she myght seme the fayrer / smaller / & of of body well shapen / She had vpon her but a streyght cote furred. It was at that season moche cold / and grete wynde rose vp and blewe / And she whiche was symply clothed had gre­te cold / in so moche that for cold she wexed black / Thenne ar­ryued the knyght whiche cam for to see her / and sawe her co­lour deed and pale / also he beheld hir other suster / whiche had the co [...]our rede and fresshe / For she was clothed wyth gownes good and warme as she that thought not soone to be maryed The knyght beheld wel the one and the other / And after dy­ner he callyd to hym two of his parentes / whiche were come with hym / And sayd to them / Fayr lordes we be come hyder to see the doughters of the lord of this place / And by cause I knowe well that to my wyf I may haue the whiche I wylle ch [...]se of them / therfor I shalle haue the thyrd doughter / Then­ne sayd his parentes vnto hym / Ye saye not wel / for gretter worship shal be to yow to take the oldest / Fayre frendes an­suerd the knyght / I see in the choys but lytill auauntage / ye wote and knowe well how they haue a suster wedded / whiche is older than they be and fyrst born / I see the thyrd more fair and fresshe / and of better colour than the second / of the whi­che men haue spoken to me / In the thyrd is my plesaunce & my loue sette therfore before ony other / I wylle haue her / his parentes thenne ansuerd to hym / that he shold doo after his playsyre / And thenne he made to demaunde and aske the third doughter for to be his wyf / And the fader dyd graunte her to hym / wherof many one were merueylled / And she specially / whiche wend to be maryed was sore abasshed & sorowful / It befelle a lytell whyle after / that this second douȝter which had loste the knyght by cause of the grete cold whiche caused her vysage to be of euylle colour whanne she was wel clothed [Page] and that she had on her suche a gowne as she was wonte to couere hir as it was cold wether / her colour cam to her ageyn / & fressher by a grete dele / than her suster dyd / whiche the knyghte had wedded / In soo moche that the knyght merueylled hym moche therof / and sayd vnto her / Fayre suster whanne I cam for to see yow / and that I tooke your suster / ye were not soo fayre by moche / as ye now be / For ye be now of colour fresshe whyte and rede / and that tyme ye were black and pale / and your suster was fayrer / but now ye passe her of beaute / wher­fore I haue grete merueylle / Thenne sayd his wyf / whiche was there present / Syre I shalle telle all the maner how hit was / My suster that ye see here thought and wende / and also dede we al / that ye shold come for to haue fyaunced her / wherfor she coynted and arayed her self in the most praty maner that she couthe for to shewe her body praty and small and well shapen / but the cold was at that tyme grete / the whiche made her black & palysshed her colour / and I whiche thought ne wend not to receyue soo grete worship as to be your wyf / coynted not my self / but I was wel clothed with furred gounes that kepte my body warme / wherfore I had better colour than she had / wherof I thanke god / For therfore / I gate your loue / And blessyd be the houre that my suster clothed her self so lyght / For yf it had not be so / ye had not take me for to haue lefte her / Thus loste as ye haue herd theldest doughter her maryage by cause she coynted her self / Now haue ye herd go­od Ensample how one ought not to coynte her body for to she­we it small and better shapen & specially in the wynter / in so moche that she lost her manere and colour / As ones it befell to Syre Foucques delaual / as he told me vpon the fayt of this Ensample / of whome I shal speke and telle vnto yow what that happed to hym /

sIre Foucques de laual was a fayr knyght clene & wel besene emong other / & was of good maner / and of fayr maynten / It happed to hym as he told me that ones he was gone for to see his peramours in the wynter sea­son that the froste was grete and the wether passyng cold / He [Page] thenne hadde in the mornynge coynted hym self of a scarlatte gowne wel broudred / & of a hood of scarlatte sengle & wythoute furrynge / and nought els he had on hym sauf only his fyn sherte / For he had no mantell neyther gloues in his han­des / The wynd and the cold were grete / wherfore he had soo grete cold / that he became of colour black and pale / For the perles ne the precious stones / wiche were on the broudryng of his sengle gowne couthe gyue hym no hete / ne kepe hym fro the cold / There came another knyght / whiche also was amerous of that lady / but he was not so gay aourned / ne so sengle of clothes / but he had on hym good and warme gownes / & had a mantell / and a double hood / and was reed as a cok / and had a good lyuynge colour / The lady thenne welcomed this knyght / and maade to hym better chere / than she dyd to Syre Foucques / and held with hym better companye / And sayd to Syre Foucques / Syre hold yow nere the fyre / for I doubte / that ye be not al hool / for your colour is dede and pale / And he ansuerd that his herte was ioyous and well at his ease / This other knyght was fayrer to the lady syght / than Foucques / But within a whyle after Syre Foucques aspyed the knyght / whiche was goynge toward the place of his pera­mours / He arayed hym otherwyse than he was wonte to doo And so moche hyed hym / that he came thyder / as soone as the other knyght dyd / for to preue how the mater and his faytte shold ende / But certaynly he was thenne take of his lady for the fayrest and best coloured / wherfore he told me how lo­ue wylle be kepte hote and warme / And how that he had approuned hit / Therfore hit is grete folye to kepe hys body sen­gle of clothes for to seme to the folkes syght better maad / & fayrer of body / Yet vpon this matere I wylle reherce vnto you a grete merueylle / how many one deyd for cold /

[Page]Ayre doughters I shalle telle yow of the galoys and galoyses / how the deuylle by his arte made many of them to deye for cold with the helpe of the flamme of venus goddesse of loue and of lecherye / It byfelle thenne in the partyes of peytou and in other Countrees nyghe / that the goddesse Venus whiche hath grete power vpon yongthe / that is to wete vpon the yonge folke / For somme she maketh to be amerous of loue resonable / And other of folysshe loue and vnresonable / wherof somme lese theyr honour and worshyp / And other bothe body & sowle & made many knyghtes and squyers ladyes and damoysels to loue peramours eche other / And to make an ordenaunce of a moche sauage and wyld guyse / and ageynst the kynde of the tyme / whiche ordenaunce was this that in the somer they shold be clothed hote and war­me with theyr furred gownes and with mantels and double hoodes / And euer fyre they shold haue in theyr chemenyes / were it neuer so grete a hete / And that they shold make of the somer wynter / & thus to the contrarye / In the wynter tyme / and as it was hard frosen these galoys & galoyses dyd on theyre shertes but only a shorte and sengle gown withoute lynyng and had no mantell ne hood but sengle for no grete cold ne wynd that myght come / And yet more theyr chambres were withoute fyre and dayly made swyped clene / And yf at that season ony herbe or grasse or somme thynge fresshe and grene myght be found / it was had in to theyr chambres & strawed on the floor / And vpon theyr beddes they had thurgh al the nyght but only a sengle and lyght couerlet. and nomore they myght haue after theyr owne ordynaunce / Ferthermore it was ordeyned that as soone as a galoys cam ther as a galoyse was / & yf she had ony husbond / he must by this ordenaunce go & take the galoys horses / whiche last was come thyder / and ryde oute of his place / & neuer to come ageyne as long as the galoys shold be with his wyf / And also yf her husbond were a galoys & wēt to see his peramours another galoyse & foūd her husbond with her / it had be grete shame to the husbond / yf he had abyden at home neyther to haue ordeyned ony thynge / whyles the galoys had be with his wyf / for he had thēne no more power within his hows than had a straunger / This lyf [Page] lasted longe whyle vnto the tyme that the most parte of them was dede and perysshed of the grete cold / whiche they suffred Many of the galoys deyde in theyr ladyes bedde / And so dede in lyke wyse the galoyses with theyr frendes and peramours scornynge them that were warme and wel clothed / And som of them were to whome men must dysseuere theyr teethe wyth knyues / and toste and Rost them before the fyre as a chyken hard of [...]roste / Wherfore I doubte moche that these galoyses & galoys whiche deyde by suche maner were martired by loue / & that as they deyde of cold / they shalle haue to the contrarye a grete hete and a warme clothynge in the pytte of helle / For yf they had suffred for the loue of god whiche suffred soo moche for them the tenthe parte of the payne and dolour whiche they dyd suffre for the fowle delyte of theyr stynkynge lecherye / they shold haue hadde mercy and grete guerdon in the other world / But the deuylle whiche euer is aboute to make the mā and the woman to dysobeye to god / made them to fele gretter delyte and playsaunce in folysshe loue / than to doo somme seruyse vnto god / And by this reason whiche wel is approu­ued how the deuyll tempteth and essayeth man and woman And holdeth in perylle bothe the sowle and the body / And hou he gyueth folysshe playsaunces and many euylle maners / that is to wete somme by couetyse to drawe to hym the good & sub­staunce of other / And somme he holdeth in grete pryde by the praysyng of them self and dispraysynge of other / Some also by enuye whanne they see other haue more 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 [Page] For he y^t 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

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 [...]de And here ye the grete debate and stryf whiche was bytwene her and me / Thus thenne I sayd to your moder / Lady w [...]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 l [...]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

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 theyre 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 [Page] 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 yong [...]e that when they were in the chirche / theyre 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 coun [...]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 [Page] 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 womā 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 theyre 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 [...]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 deceyua­b [...]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 / [Page] 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 theyre 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

aNd to thende 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 / [Page] 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 /

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 theyre 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 cō 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 demaūde and aske theyr per­amours to be theyre 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 theyre 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 [Page] happed to yow of a lady / to whome 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

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 theyre 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

[Page] 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

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 theyre 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

[Page]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

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 plesaū ­ce / 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 thende / 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 [Page] 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 ouȝt 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 [Page] the wylle of god and the commaundementes of holy chirche th [...]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 the­yre husbondes / and that they be cursed of god /

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 balaūce & in suche peryllous auēture / wherfor I coūceyll 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 / [Page] 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

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 demaū ­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 / [Page] tyll the tyme of seuen yere and an half be passyd & gone / and that it was but a lytell tem [...]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 thēne he [...]rayd that I shold kepe my pees therof and that in good fey [...]he he shold neuer speke to me therof / But at the last he sayd to me L [...]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 [...]ualle / whiche said to me thus that she wold neuer here ne vnderstād the noote and wordes of none / sauf one tyme that a knyghte pra [...]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 herd hym / but her self alone / wherfore I dare almost say that bothe yow and she be but grete spekers / and lytell pyte­ous of them that requyre mercy and grace / And she is of your oppynyon / that no ladyes or damoysels may not disporte them with none other thā with theyr lord for the resons / which ye haue sayd before / but syre sayd thēne the lady of the tour to her lord / as for your doughters ye may saye to them and charge them of that what shalle befalle yow / but after the faytte or dede ryght shall be done / Syre I pray to god that to wor­ship and honour they may come / as I desyre / For myn entencion and wyll is not to ordeyne vpon none ladyes ne damoysels / but yf hit be vpon myn owne doughters / of whome I haue the chastysement and charge / For euery good lady or damoyselle yf god be pleased shalle gouerne and kepe hem self well to theyr worship and honour withoute I that am of lytell wytte and lytell knowynge entremete me therof /

[Page]aT the lest my lady I wylle yet argue to yow sayeng that yf she may seme to come vnto worship and valo­ur / the whiche had neuer ne also shold haue courage ne hardynes to put hym self in payn to haue hit / but it were for the loue and playsyr of his lady / and by good trust to be a good knyght and Renommed amonge the valyaunt and hardy for to gete worship and the grace of his peramour / And for a lytell chere a man comynge of lowe degree may be enhaunced by his loue / and be compted amonge the worthy and valyaunt

sIre hit semeth me that there be many maners of loue / And as men saye the one is better than the other / for yf hit be so that a knyght or squyer loueth somme la­dy or damoyselle by worshyp and honoure only / And for to kepe her worship and the curtosye of her and for the good that she shalle do to hym / suche loue is good whiche is wythout prayer or request / What lady / yf he requyreth her to kysse or embrace hym / it is no force / the wyndes blowen it awey / Ha a Syre I answere vnto yow / that as wel to my doughters as to other· that me semeth / And therto I consente / that they maye make to them good chere / and that they kysse them before all to thende that they lose not theyr valour / but as for my dough­ters whiche ben here present I defende and withsaye to them the kyssyng and alle suche maners of disportes / For the wyse lady Rebecca whiche was ryght gentylle and noble / sayth / the kyssynge is nyghe parente and Cosyn vnto the fowle faytte or dede / And Sybylle sayth that the fyrst signe or token of lo­ue is the loke or beholdyng / And after the amerous loke they come to the kyssynge / and thenne the dede or faytte / Th [...] whi­che dede taketh awey the loue & worship of god & of the world & thus they come from one dede to another / & I lete you know that me semeth that assone as they suffre them to be kyssed they [Page] put them self in the subiection of the deuyll / whiche is to sub­tyll / For suche one weneth wel at the begynnyng to kepe hym fermely and be stronge / the whiche he deceyueth by his subtyll arte and crafte / and by suche kyssynges / And thus as one kyssynge draweth to hym another / And as the fyre kyndeleth a strawe / and fro that strawe it cometh / and kyndeleth ano­ther / & thus atte last the bedde is a fyre & the hows also / In lyke wyse is it of suche loue / And yet I charge yow my fa­yre doughters / that ye be no players / For suche playeng cau­seth oftyme many a folysshe loke / and beholdynge / by the whiche may perauentur come blame and euylle renomme / I herd ones reherce and saye a tale of the duchesse of bauyere / how that she had wel twenty subgettes as men sayd the whiche lo­ued her / and to eche of them she gaf signe and token of loue / She playd wi [...]h them at the tables / and wan of them coursers and hakneys and dere and ryche furrynges and also rynges and precious stones / and many other Iewels and grete prouffyte she had by them / But for certayne she coude neuer kepe her self so wel / but that at the last s̄he was blamed and dyffamed / And better it had be for her worshyp / that she had bought and payed alle that she had of them / half derer more than it was worthe / Therfore grete perylle is to euery lady or damoysell and to all other good and worshipfull wymmen to vse suche playenge and be of suche lyf / For the most apper­tyse and wyse fynd them self at the last by suche delynge mocked and blamed / and fowle dyffamed / And therfore my fayre doughters take ye here good ensample / and be ye not to curyous to ony playe for to wynne suche ouches or fer [...]aylles For by the couetousnes to gete and haue suche Iewels for nought many a woman put her self in subiection / and oftyme it befalleth therfor that they be deceyued / And thus is it good to aduyse and beware hym self before the comynge of the stro­ke /

[Page]fAyr doughters I wylle telle yow one of the last ensamples of this book / It is of a full good lady / whiche is moche to be preysed / And this ensample is re­herced in the booke of Vitas Patrum / how the wyf of the prouost of Acquylee approued an holy Heremyte by his bounte /

Ther was thenne an holy Heremyte in an heremytage / the whiche had ben there by the space of xxv yere / where as he ete but breed and herbes and Rotes / And ofte he fasted / and was of good and holy lyuynge / This good and holy Here myte beganne ones vpon a tyme to saye / A good lord my creatour and my maker / yf ageynst the I haue ony thyng mysprysed I demaunde and crye to the mercy / And yf I haue this xxv yere done ony good dwellyng stylle in this Heremytage / what meryte shalle I haue therfore / A vysyon came so­ne to hym / by the whiche hym thought that he sawe oure lord / whiche sayd to hym / thow shalt haue the meryte of the pro­uost of Acquylee and of his wyf / And thenne whanne he hed sene this vysyon / he sayd that he shold neuer reste tylle he come in to Acquyllee for to enquere of the lyf and condycions of the prouost and of his wyf / He wente thyder / And as god wold thurgh the grace of the holy ghoost the prouost and his wyf knewe wel the comynge of this Heremyte / and the cau­se also why he came thyder / It befelle thenne as the Heremyte was nyghe by the Towne / he sawe the prouost / whiche yssued oute of hit with a grete companye of men / and wente to make Iustyse of a Squyer / whiche had slayne another Squyer / And was the prouost rydynge vpon a fayr courser / And had on hym a fayre gowne of sylke rychely furred / And all his men that were aboute hym wel clothed & arayed / And as so­ne as the prouoste sawe the Heremyte / he knewe hym / as the wylle of god was / and callyd hym / and sayd / good and trewe man / goo ye home to my wyf / and take her this rynge And telle her / that she doo to yow as she wold doo to me The Heremyte demaunded of hym what he was / And he an­swerd to hym that he was the prouost of Acquyllee / The He­remyte thenne that sawe hym in suche estate and soo Rychely clothed / was abasshed / and ryght sore merueylled / that he [Page] was so coyntely arayed / and that he wente for to make a mā to be hanged / He wyst not what he shold thynke or saye / and was al troubled and abasshed / And hym thought / that he had nothynge deserued of god / But neuertheles he wente to the prouostes place / and founde there the lady his wyf / to whome he toke the rynge / and said vnto her that her lord sent hym thyder / And that she shold doo to hym / as she wold doo to hym self / The good lady receyued hym / and made the table to be couerd & prayd hym to sytte before her / She made hym to be serued of grete plente of good and delycate metes and of go­od wynes / And the Heremyte whiche was not wont to haue before hym suche metes / Neuertheles he ete and dranke there / And sawe how the good lady toke the good metes that were put before her / and how she brake and dressed the good ca­pons and other metes / And thenne she dyd put it al to gy­der in a grete dysshe / and sente it to the poure folke / And toke only for her refection brede and water / And thus she dyd e­uery day bothe at souper and at dyner / And as the euen ca [...]e she had the Heremyte in to her chambre / whiche was rychely hanged with cloth of sylke and nobly dressed and arayed and sayd to hym / good and trewe man ye shall lye in the bedde of my lord and in his chambre / The Heremyte wold haue reffused it / but the lady sayd that she wold do the comaundement of her lord / And that for certayne he shold lye there / There s [...]e made to be brought to hym good spyces and stronge and good wynes / wherto the good Heremyte tooke soo good a sauoure that he ete and dranke soo moche / that he was dronke and ful Ioyous in his spekynge / For the good wyn had soone ouercomen hym / by cause he was not wonte to drynke of hit / He wente to bedde / and the lady vndyd her clo [...]es [...] and leyde her self by hym / and beganne to embrace and ta [...]e hym / And the Heremyte that moche hadde taken of metes and drynkes / awaked / and his flesshe beganne sore to be meuyd / And wold haue accomplysshed the faytte or dede of fornyca­cion with the lady / Thenne sayd she to hym Swete Frende whanne my lord wyl haue to doo with me of suche thyng / he goeth fyrste to bathe and wassheth hym selfe in that Tubbe / whiche ye see yonder full of water for to be the more [Page] clene and fayre / And theremyte whiche thoughte to nothyng than to fulfylle and accomplysshe his wyll sterte in the tub­be full of water / and bathed and wasshed hym in the water / whiche was cold as ony yse / and anone he was as half dede of cold / Thenne the lady called hym to her / And he came alle shakynge / For his hete was gone / and also his euylle wylle And the lady embraced hym ageyne so moche that he gate hete / and was so chauffed that he wold haue done his folysshe delyte / And as she sawe hym soo chauffed and so brennyng in that fowle delyte of lecherye / she prayd hym that he wold for the loue of her goo and wasshe hym ageyne in the tubbe for to be the clener / And he that yet had not slepte and was full of myghty and stronge wynes / as a man oute of his wytte rose vp oute of the bedde / and wente / and bathed hym ageyn in to the tubbe / And anone the cold water made hym feble & hard for cold / Thenne the lady called hym to her ageyne / And shakynge he came to her as he dyd before / his teeth sho­ke / and bete eche other for cold / And alle his grete here was passed and gone / The lady roose vp and couered hym well with warme clothes / and lefte hym alone / to thende he shold take his reste / And soone after as he was a lytyll warme / he fylle in to a slepe / for his hede was ryght pesaunt and heuy / And he awoke not tylle the morowe was come / To his ry­synge cam an old preest or chappellayne / whiche demaunded hym how he dede / And whanne he perceyued that he laye in so fayr a bedde / and that he was so taken and surprysed / he was full of shame and moche merueylled how in that dronkeship and folysshe wylle he was falle / He thenne sawe wel / that they were of gretter meryte than he was / And demaunded of the Chappellayne of the lyf and gouernaunce of the Prouost and of his wyf / And he told hym that the most parte of the dayes of the yere they wered the hayre / And that the good metes whiche were brought at the table before them / they sente to poure folke / and ete black brede and metes of lytyll sauoure and dranke but water / And how they fasted the most parte of the weke / He after demaunded of hym why that tubbe full of cold water Was sette by theyr bedde / And he answerd that it was put there for to kepe them fro the brennynge wylle of [Page] lecherye / for as soone as she or he is chauffed and their flesshe mouyng to that fowle delyte / they ryse out of the bed / & wasshe and bathe them self in this tubbe / whiche is ful of water / ex­cepte one daye of the weke / Thenne as theremyte had this examyned the old Chappellayne vpon the faytte of the prouost and of the lady his wyf / and that he was well certayne how they ledde theyr lyf / he thought that the prouost / how be it that he were nobly and Rychely arayed withoute / and to the sight of the folke / whiche secretely vnknowynge to no man bare and had on his flesshe the hayre / and made good Iustyce and the execucion of the mysdoers to be done and executed bifore hym was worthy to haue and also his wyf seuen tymes more me­ryte / For he remembryd hym of the fowle dede / whiche he wold haue commysed or done with the good lady / And how she es­sayed / wherof he was moche vergoynous and shamefull [...] and within his herte he cursed hym self that euer he departed oute of his heremytage / and that in trouthe he was not worthy [...] pulle of theyr shone and hosen fro theyr legges / wherfore fro thens he departed shameful and wepynge / sayenge with a hyghe voys / Fayre god and good lord / I knowe no gretter tresour more noble / ne more precious than is the good lady / whiche hath essayed me / sene my foly / and approuued my fallace and decepcion / And veryly she is wel worthy to be called and named the precious Margaryte / as ye sayd in the Euangely / Thus spake the holy Heremyte in hym self allone And repented hym of his mysdede / and humbly cryed to god mercy / praysynge the good lady of her good lyf / Therfore a woman is to be preysed / whanne she essayeth her self / and that she can resiste ageynst the temptacions of the deuyl / and ageynst the feblenes of her mortal flesshe / the folysshe wylle of her fowle delyte / And thenne as that fowle and dampnable delyte is by them accomplysshed and done / they repente them of it / but it is to late / For the deuyl as he hath purchaced and brought them therto / he holdeth them in his subiection / and for his seruauntes / and assembled and bynde them to gyder / in suche wyse that with grete payne they may be vnbound /

aN Ensample I shalle reherce vnto yow of a grete la­dy / whiche was lady to a Baron / This lady was longe tyme in thestate of wedowhede / and had but a doughter / whiche was wedded to a grete lord / She thenne be came seke / and laye in her dedely bedde / and made the cheste where as her tresoure was in to be sealed / and the keye to be brought vnto her w̄hiche she put in a lynen clothe vnder her bak The dethe ranne fast vpon her / and she whiche had euer thouȝt to her tresour / lyfte vp her hand makynge signe or token / that none shold approche ne come to her back / And thus she dyd styll / tylle that she deyde and rendryd her sowle oute of her bo­dy / Thenne came the doughter whiche was a grete lady / and demaunded of them that were at her deth / yf she had ony tre­sour / They ansuerd that they knewe of none / but thought that she had some / And that yf she had ony / it was hyd somwher aboute her bedde / They tol̄d to her the maner of her moder and how she wold not suffre that ony body shold come by her / and also how s̄he maade a cheste to be sealed / and the keye of hit brought to her / whiche keye she kepte euer vnder her back / The corps was meued and tourned / and the keye found / And thenne her doughter wente in to a Towre where as the Chyste was / and opened hit / wherin she fond as wel in coyne as in plate more than thyrtty thousand pound / but the gold was found in cloutis and ballys of threde and of wulle. and in other thynges / wherof alle they that knewe and sawe the maner of it were merueylled and abasshed / The doughter thenne made a Crosse / and sayd / that in good feythe she held her not so ryche by the xxv parte as she was / wherfore she merueylled moche and was sore abasshed / And yet she sayd / how of late she and her lord also cam to her / and prayd her to helpe and lene to them some of her good tyll a certayne tyme that they shold rendre it and paye it her ageyne / And that she sware & made grete othes to them that she had no money ne no syluer / but suche plate as they sawe abrode / that was a c [...]up and a [Page] pyece only / And therfore was she moche merueylled to fynd there so grete a tresour / Thenne sayd the folke whiche were with her / Madame be not ye merueylled / for we ben therof mo­re merueylled than yow / For yf she wold send on a message / or els as she had som other thyng to do / she borowed some money of oure seruauntes / & sayd that she had no money by her feythe / The doughter tooke alle this good with her / and went her waye toward her lord / to whome she was welcome And of all this tresour was neuer gyuen a halfpeny for the sowle of theyr moder / but soone they forgate her / For it is not yet longe tyme gone that I was where as she was buryed / and demaunded and asked of the Monkes of the Abbeye / where she lay / and why she had no tombe on her / or some token of her / And they ansuerd to me that syn she was entered the­re / no masse ne no seruyse at all / ne none other good ther had be done for her / By this ensample may ye knowe how the de­uylle is subtyll to tempte the folke of the synne where he seeth them most entatched / & soo fast he holdeth them in it / that they maye not leue it / withoute to be therof Cōfessyd / and maketh them his seruauntes as he dyd the forsayd lady / For he dyd soo moche that she wās subgette and seruaunt to her gold / in suche wyse that she durst not take of hit to doo her eny good / And therfore my fayre doughters here is a good ensample / that yf it befelle that god of his grace sende yow ony grete go­od that ye departe largely of hit to the poure folke in the worship of god and for the loue of hym / And specially to youre poure parentes and neyghbours / and leue it not to be depar­ted by the handes of youre heyres / as dyde this lady / for whome after her dethe was neuer masse ne none other good done for her as ye haue herd to fore /