OF A LADY THAT DISPENDED THE FOURTHE PARTE OF THE DAY FOR TO ARAYE HER
THERE 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 hit? 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.” & th?ne 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 demonyak 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 go 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.
