OF THE GOOD KNYGHT THAT HAD THRE WYUES, AND OF THEIR LYUES.
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 and 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 man comforted hym in the best maner and wyse that he couthe, and at the last the knight 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 to his Chappel, and there he made his prayer to god and requyred that it myst please hym to shewe where she was. And after he had be long tyme in oryson, he fylle a slepe, and scone 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 and 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 and suffised, as a good & symple lady, and after god & right she hath had of
