Page:The booke of thenseygnementes and techynge that the Knyght of the Towre made to his doughters - 1902.pdf/67

"How is hit, Boussycault, that we haue ben deceyued by yow in tyme passed? For we had supposed that ye had ben feithfull 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 have 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, and 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, and 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 í 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 knowe moost ben somtyme deceyued, and therfore I wold that ye shold remembre an Ensample semblable to this matere.