HOW GOD COMPARED THE GOOD WOMAN TO THE PRECIOUS MARGARYTE.
OD 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 oust to be com pared to the preciouse Margaryte." This was merueyllously spoken, for a Margaryte is a grete perle and round, bryght and whyte and clene, without ony spotte or tatche. This perle is named Margaryte preciouse. And dyd god shewe the valour and worthe of the woman, for she that is clene and withoute tatche, that is to saye, she that is not wedded, that kepeth her vyrgynyte & chastyte; and also she that is wedded whiche kepeth and holdeth her self clenely in the holy sacramente of maryage, and not suffreth her self to be shamed of her spouse, the whiche god hath destyned and gyuen to her; also she that kepeth wel and clenely her wydowhede; these be tho, as the glose seyth, of whome god spake in his holy euuangely. These be lykened and compared, as sayd our lord, to the precious margaryte, whiche is euer bryght and clene, withoute ony macule or tatche. For as sayth the holy scrypture, nothynge is so agreable to god and to his Angels as a good woman, and in a parte god preyseth more her than the man. And by reason she ought to haue more meryte, by cause she is of lyghter courage than the man is, that is to saye, that the woman was fourmed and made out of the man's body, and in so moche that she is more feble than the
