The Booke of Thenseygnementes and Techynge that the Knyght of the Towre made to his Doughters/Annotated

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The Book of the Knight of the Tower (1371)
by Geoffroy de la Tour Landry, translated by William Caxton

Annotated version

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One daughter, Marie de la Tour-Landry, married on 1 November, 1391 Gilles Clerembault, the son of her father's second wife by her former husband. Marie de la Tour left no issue, and may have died by 1400, as in that year Clerembault himself married a second wife." This edition contains only half the book, one of the translators electing to leave out portions that discuss topics such as a woman escaping rape, or scandalous sex resulting in public shame.

This is a version of The Booke of Thenseygnementes and Techynge that the Knyght of the Towre made to his Doughters that has been annotated by the Wikisource community.

Geoffroy de la Tour Landry3401308The Book of the Knight of the Tower — Annotated version1371William Caxton

CAXTON'S PREFACE.

LLE vertuouse doctryne & techynge had & lerned of suche as haue endeuoured them to leue for a remembraunce after theyr dethe to vs, by whiche we ben enfourmed in scyence, wysedom, and vnderstandyng of knowleche, hou we ought to rewle our self in this present lyf, haue caused vs to know many good reules & vertuouse maners to be gouerned by. Emonge al other this book is a special doctryne & techyng, by which al yong gentyl wymen specially may lerne to bihaue them self vertuously, as wel in their vyrgynyte as in their wedlok & wedowhede, as al along shal be more playnly said in the same; which boke is comen to my handes by the request and desyre of a noble lady which hath brouȝt forth many noble & fayr douȝters which ben vertuously nourisshed & lerned; and for very ziele & loue that she hath alway had to her fayr children, & yet hath for to haue more knouleche in vertue, to thēde yͭ they may alwey perseuere in ye same, hath desired & required me to trāslate & reduce this said book out of frenssh in to our vulgar englissh, to thēde that it may the better be vnderstōde of al suche as shal rede or here it. Wherfor, atte cōtemplacion of her good grace, after the lytel connyng that god hath sent me, j have endeuoyred me to obeye her noble desyre & request, in whiche werk j fynd many vertuous good enseygnementis & lernynges, by euydent histories of auctorite & good ensāples for al maner peple in generally, but in especial for ladyes & gentilwymen, douȝters to lordes & gentilmen: for whiche book al the gentilwymen now lyuyng & herafter to come or shal be, arn bounde to gyue laude, praysyng, & thankynges to the auctor of this book, & also to the lady that caused me to trāslate it, & to pray for her long lyf & welfare, &, when god wil calle her fro this transitory lyf, that she may regne in heuen sempiternally, where as is Ioye & blysse without ende. Thēne, fo as moche as this book is necessary to euery gentilwoman, of what estate she be, j aduyse euery gentilman or woman, hauyng such children, desyryng them to be vertuously brouȝt forth, to gete & haue this book, to thende that they may lerne hou they ouȝt to gouerne them vertuously in this present lyf, by whiche they may the better & hastlyer come to worship and good renommee. And I desyre all them that shall lerne or see ony thynge in this sayd book, by whiche they shal ben the wyser & better, that they gyue laude & thākyng to the sayd ladyes good grace, and also to praye for her; and where as ony defaulte shalle be founde in the reducynge and translatynge in to our Englysshe tongue, that it be arrettid to me, whiche am Ignoraunt and not expert in the werke, thouȝ so be that I haue emprysed here to fore to smatre me in suche translacions, whiche I confesse and knowleche me ignoraunt and therin to be Imperfect. Wherfore I humbly requyre and byseche my sayd good lady to pardonne me of my symple and rude reducynge, and yf ony thynge be sayd or made vnto her playsyre, than I thynke my labour wel employed, whome j humbly byseche to receyue this lytel book in gree & thanke, & I shalle pray to almyghty god for her longe and good lyf, and to send to her after this shorte and transytory lyf euerlastyng lyf in heuen. Amen. And alle other that be vnderstandyng & fyndyng ony defaute, j requyre and pray them of theyre charyte to correcte and amende hit, and so doyng they shal deserue thanke and meryte of god, to whome I shalle pray for them.

HERE FOLOWETH THE TABLE OF THE RUBRYSHES AND THE CHAPYTRES OF THE BOOKE OF THENSEYGNEMENTES AND TECHYNGE THAT THE KNYGHT OF THE TOWRE MADE TO HIS DOUGHTERS.

EXPLICIT.

How god ought to be honoured to fore al other thynges

15th century translation

Modern English

HERE FOLOWETH THE BOOK OF THENSYGNEMENS AND TECHYNGES OF THE KNYGHT OF THE TOURE. AND FIRST, HOW GOD OUGHT TO BE HONOURED ABOUE ALL THYNGES.

T 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 folowed and teschewe the euyll, as may be sene that they eschewed. Thenne I shalle speke and saye to them thus: My ryght dere doughters, for as moche as I am old, and that I haue sene the world more lenger than ye haue, I shall shewe to yow a partye of the world after my scyence, which is not ouer grete. But the grete loue that j have to yow, and the desyre that I haue that ye torne youre hertes and youre thoughtes to drede god and to serue hym, by whiche ye may gete wele and honoure in this world and in that other. For certeynly al the very wele, honoure, and al thoneste of man and of woman cometh of hym, and of the grace of his hooly spyryte, and also gyueth long lyf and shorte in worldly and erthely thynges, suche as hit plesyth hym, for alle thyng falleth at his playsyre and ordynaunce, and also gyueth for all suche wele and seruyce as is done to hym an honderd fold double. And therfore, my right dere doughters, it is good to serue suche a lord, whiche rewarded an hondred fold double.

It is quite fair and right, as well as a noble thing to see and behold, the ancient histories which have been written about our predecessors to show us good examples and to advise us how we may see the good deeds which they followed - and to eschew the evil, as evidenced that they eschewed it. Then I shall speak and say to them thus: My right dear daughters, inasmuch as I am old and that I have seen the world longer than you hae, I shall show to you a party of the world from my understanding, which is not overly much. But the great love that I have towards you, and the desire that I have that you turned your hearts and your thoughts to fear God and to serve him, by which you may get wellness and honour in this world and in the world to come. For certainly, all the very well, honoured and honest of men and women come to Him, and by the grace of His holy spirit, and He gives long life and short in earthly, worldly things, such as it pleases Him, for all things fall at his pleasure and ordinance. He also gives to all a hundredfold, doubled, for their wellness and service to Him. And therefore, my right daughters, it is good to serve such a Lord who rewards a hundredfold, doubled.

What sholde be done whanne one is fyrst waked

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW WE OUGHT TO SAYE OURE HOURES AND PRAYERS.

AYRE doughters, whan ye ryse oute of youre bedde, thenne entre in to the seruyse of the hyhe lord, and begyn ye your matyns. This ought be youre first werk and your firste labour. And when ye shal say them, saye ye them with good herte, 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 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 legēde 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 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 thynkyng on ony other thynge, and beware that ye breke not your faste till that ye haue said youre matyns and heures, for a ful bely shal neuer be humble ne deuoute. Also see wel to that ye here alle the masses that ye maye here, for grete good shall come therof, whereof I shall saye an ensample of this matere.

Of themperour's doughters, one synfull and that other deuoute

15th century translation

Modern English

OF TWOO DOUGHTERS OF THE EMPEROURE, THAT ONE SYNFULL AND THAT OTHER DEUOUTE.

T 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 praid for the sowles of them that were dede. And these two yong ladyes lay bothe in one bedde, and whan the oldest awoke and herd her suster saye her prayers, she mocked and scorned her, and said to her that she letted her to slepe. Thenne it happed that youthe and the grete ease that they hadde ben norysshed in caused 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 have 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 it 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 tweyn. But that other doughter was saued lyke as I haue said & shall saye. When it cam on the morn 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 have 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 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 merueylously ioyeful, and thanked god moche humbly, whiche had saued her fro perisshyng and dishonour. And from than forth on she worshyped and prayed god alwey when she awaked, and praid moche deuoutely for all Crysten sowles more than to fore, and kepte her chastly and clene. And it was not long after that a grete kyng of grece desyred and demaunded her of her fader to haue her in maryage, and her fader gafe her to hym. And she was after a good lady and deuoute, and of moche grete renomme. Thus was she saued for prayeng to god and thankyng hym, and also for prayeng for them that ben dede. And her elder suster, that scorned and mocked her, was drowned and dishonoured. And therefore, my dere doughters, remembre yow ofte of this example alwey whan ye awake, and slepe not ageyne till that ye haue praid for them that ben departed oute of this world, lyke as dyde the doughter of the emperour. And yet I wolde wel that ye shold knowe thensample of a Damoyselle, whiche a greete lord wold haue for fayre or fowle for to accomplysshe his fowle playsyr and delyte.

How the dede folke shalle be prayd fore

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW WE OUGHT TO PRAYE FOR THEM THAT BEN DEDE.

T 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 accomplysshyd his fowle delyte. But when he supposed to haue taken her, hym semed that he sawe more than ten thousand prysonners buryed that kepte her; and had of them so grete fere and drede 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 dede. 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.

How the matyns and prayers shold be sayd

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW THE MATYNS AND HOURES OUGHT TO BE SAID.

ND bycause that the fyrst werke and labour that man or woman ought to doo is for to adoure and worshipe oure lord and saye his seruyse; that is to understāde, that as soone as he awaketh he ought to knowleche hym for his lord and maker, and hym self to be his creature; that is to wete, to say his matyns, houres, and his orysons, yf he be a clerk, and to rendre and yelde to hym thankynges and preysynges, as to say, laudate dominū omnes gentes, Benedicamus patrem et filium cum sancto spiritu, or suche other thynges as yelde and gyue thankynges & preysynges vnto god. For it is a gretter thyng to thanke and blysse oure lord god than to requyre & demaunde him. For requeste demaunde yefte of guerdon; & thankynges and to yelde preysynges is thoffyce of angels, whiche alwey gyue thankynges, honoure, and preysyng vnto god. For it is 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.

How yonge ladyes ought to doo abstynence and faste

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW GOOD DOUGHTERS OUGHT TO FASTE.

HERE was a knyght that badde two doughters, one that was by his first wyf, and that other by his second. And she that he had by his first wyf was meruaylously deuoute, ne neuer wold ete till that she had said all her houres and herd all the masses that she myght here. And that other dougter was holden so tendyrly and so moche louyd, that she was suffred to have alle her wylle. For as soone as she had herd a lytill masse and hadde saide twoo or thre pater nostres, she wente in to the garderobe and there ete a soupe or some 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 muste she goo ete somme good morsell or somme good mete. And this lyf ledde she tyl she was maryed vnto a knyst whiche was wyse and subtyle. Thenne it happed that her lord knewe her manere, which was euyll 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 she wold 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 firste 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 with his clerk and two of his seruantes, and ete and played so that there was a grete noyse and the men and wymmen iaped 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 seruautes whiche had embracid one of the wymmen of the chambre, and smote so sore that seruaut that a splynt sprange out of the staf in to the one eye of his wyf, whiche 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, whereof 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 save 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, & howe 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 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 and vse in your old age.

How yong ladyes ought to faste tyll they be maryed

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW GOOD DOUGHTERS OUGHT TO FAST THEY BE MARYED.

LSO, my dere doughters, ye ought to faste tyll that ye be maryed thre or foure dayes in the weke, for the better to adaunte your flesshe, that it meue not ouermoche, for to kepe yow more clene and holyly in the seruyce of god, whiche shal kepe and guerdome yow double. And yf ye may not faste the thre dayes, yet at the lest fast frydaye in thonoure of the precious blood and of the passion of jhesu crist that suffred deth for vs. And yf ye faste it not to brede & water, atte lest take no thyng that suffreth deth, for it is a moche good thyng: as I haue herd telle of a knyght, a moche noble man that was in a batayle of Crysten men ageynst the sarasyns. It happed that a Crysten man had his heede smyten of with a swerde, and spack after tyll that the preest cam and confessid hym. And he demaunded of hym for what meryte it was that he myzt speke withoute the body. And the hede answerd hym, that no goode dede was done to god, but that it gate grace, and that he had kepte the wednesdaye fro etyng of flesshe, in thonoure of the sone of god that was thenne sold, and the frydaye he ete no thyng that suffred deth; and for this seruyce god wold not that he shold be dampned, ne that he shold deye in dedely synne whereof he was not confessid. This is a moche fayre example, and ought to be remembryd, that such thynge as suffreth deth ought not be eten on the fryday. And also, my faire doughters, it is moche good to faste 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 say to yow for trouthe, that it shalle be to yow a lyght thyng yf ye acustomme yow therein, for it is but acustomaunce for to here the masse and the seruyce of god, for to say your houres, and to doo al other hooly werkes, as haue done these holy wymmen, lyke as it is conteyned in the legēdis, and in the lyues of the sayntes of heuen.

How Good Daughters Ought to Fast Until They Are Married^[1]

Also, my dear daughters, you ought to fast three or four days of the week until you are married, so as to better your flesh so that it pushes not overmuch, for to keep you more clean and holy in the service of God, who shall keep and repay you double. And if you may not fast the three days, yet at the least fast Friday in honour of the precoius blood and of the passion of Jesus Christ that suffered death for us. And if you fast it not to bread and water, at least eat nothing that suffers death, for it is a very good thing as I have heard tell of a knight, a very noble man that was in a battle of Christian men against the Saracens. It happened that a Christian man had his head smitten off with a sword and continued to speak until the priest came and gave him Confession. And the priest asked him for what merit it was, that he may speak without his body. And the head answered him that no good deed was done to God, but that it gave grace and that he had kept the Wednesday of eating of meat^[2] in honour of the Son of God that was then sold, and the Friday he ate nothing that suffered death, and for this serice God would now not allowed that he should be dampened by dying with unconfessed sins. This is a very fair example, and ought to be remembered, that such things as suffer death should not be eaten on the Friday, and also my fair daughters, it is very good to fast the Saturday in honour of Our Lady and of her Holy Virginity, so then she gets grace for you to maintain your own virginity and your chastity in the Grace of God, and in the love of your friends that no evil temptations overpower you, and it is a great victory against the flesh and a ery holy thing. And I say to you for turth, that it shall be to you an easy thing if you accustom yourself to it, for it is but accustomance for to hear the Mass and the service of God, for to say your Hours and to do all other holy works, as these holy women hae done, like as it is contained in the legends and in the lives of the saints of Heaven.

↑ The title is different for the work, than listed in the contents
↑ unclear whether abstaining from meat Wednesday, or only eating meat on Wednesdays

Of a woman of folye that fylle in a pytte

15th century translation

Modern English

OF A COMYN WOMAN THAT WENTE TO SEE HER LOUE, AND FYLLE IN A PYTTE.

HENNE 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 toward her loue, when 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 hensforthe 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 serued 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 tooke 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 the 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 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 thyng 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 cōfessid 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 ordure; 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.

Of her that deyde and durst not confesse her synne

15th century translation

Modern English

OF HER THAT DEYDE, AND DURST NOT CONFESSE HIR SYNNE.

HERE 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 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 and smoken, and the erth to brenne, and there had ben seen on the graue overmoche torment. And the peple of the Countrey merueyled moche what it mente, for they wende veryly, that she hadde be saued above alle other wymmeh. 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 shalle 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 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 thereof 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 tappease 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.

How wymmen ought to mayntene them curtoysly

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW GOOD WYMMEN OUGHT TO MAYNTENE THEMSELF CURTOYSLY.

FTER this, my doughters, see ye wel to that ye be curtois and humble. For there is no gretter vertue for to cause yow to have the grace of god and the loue of alle peple than for to be humble and curtoyse. For curtosye ouercometh all them 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. Then, 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 waye and the entre of alle frendship and of alle worldly loue, and she that vaynquyssheth hye courages and that amolysshyth thyre and wrathe of euery creature. Therfore, thenne, hit is a fayre thyng to be curtoys. I know 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; 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 shall bere and doo the gretter reverence, gretter preysyng and renommee than the grete. For thonour of the curtosye that is done and gyuen to the grete 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 ma or woman to whome it is done thynketh that he is happy to receyue it and hath therin a grete 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 taujt of all the other.

How Good Women Ought to Hold Themselves Courteously

After this, my daughters, see to it that you are courteous and humble for there is no greater virtue to earn the grace of God and the love of all people, than to be humble and courteous. For courtesy overcomes all, as the example of the sparrow-hawk. Find a sparrow-hawk in a tree and call him courteously, and you shall make him come freely to you; indeed, from the tree shall come land on your fist, though if you are are not courteous but instead rude and cruel, he shall never come. Then, since that courtesy vanquishes a wild bird which lacks reason, then courtesy ought well refrain a man and woman much more, that do not have a guileful or fierce heart. Courtesy is the first way and the entirety of all friendship and of all worldly love, and it is courtesy that vanquishes high courages and that amolishes the ire and wrath of every creature. Therefore then, it is a fair thing to be courteous. I know a Lord in this country who has got and conquered more knights, squires and others to serve him and to do his pleasure by his great courtesy in the time that he bare arms, than others did for money or for things. And it is my lord of Craon, who ought well to be honoured and to be praised for his courtesy above all other knights that I know. Know that he hath received from his courtesy much love and renomme of very great ladies and also of others, great and small. Therefore, my fair daughters, show your courtesy unto the mean and small people, for to do them honour and to speak to them fairly and sweetly, and to answer them courteously. They shall bear you and do you the greater reverence, greater praising and renomme. For the honour of the courtesy that is done and given to the great which is done unto small gentlemen and gentlewomen and to others of lesser degree, that honour and courtesy comes from a free and a couteous heart. And the little or poor man or woman to whom it is done thinks how happy they are to receive it and thus tas a great pleasure and gives again great honour to him or her that has done such coutesy and honour to him. And by this manny of the small people to whom is done such courtesy or honour, comes the great and renomme which grows from day to day. It happened that I was in a company of knights and ladies, and a great lady took off her hood and humbled herself courteously to a tailor. And there was a knight that said to her, "Madame, why have you taken off your hood to a tailor?" and she answered that she would rather take it off to him than to have left it on for a gentleman. And that was considered to be rightly well-done, and as for the best taught of all the other.

How wymmen ought not to cast her hedes here and there

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW YONGE MAYDENS OUGHT NOT TO TORNE THEIR HEEDES LYGHTELY HERE NE THERE.

FTER this, in sayeng to them, Be 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 and there as a vane. But haue youre regarde and manere stedfast, lyke as the hare hath, which is a beest that seeth alwey to fore hym, even right forth, withoute tornyng of his hede 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 and 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.

How Young Maidens Ought Not to Turn Their Heads Lightly Here And There

After this, in saying to them "Be ye not like the tortoise nor the crane, which have turned their face and their head above their shoulders, and wind their head here and there as a weathervane. But have your regard and manner steadfast, like as the hare does, which is a beast that sees always what is ahead of him, even directly, without turning his head here and there". Always see that you are steadfast in looking plainly ahead of yourself, and if you would look to the side then turn your face and your body to ⟨geder⟩, and so shall you hold in your estate more firm and sure. For they are mocked, those who so lightly cast their sight and head and turn their face here and there.

HOW YONGE MAYDENS OUGHT NOT TO TORNE THEIR HEEDES LYGHTELY HERE NE THERE

How two tholdest doughters of the kyng of denmarke lost theyre maryage for theyr fowle maners

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW THE DOUGHTERS OF THE KYNG OF DENMARKE LOST THEIR HUSBONDE BY CAUSE OF THEYR MANERS.

HENNE I wold wel that ye had vnderstonden thensample of the doughters of the kyng of denmarke, whiche j 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 shapen, 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 Frauce, 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 kyng 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, he 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 myzt. And ther was in this companye a knyght and a lady right connyng and moche subtyl, whiche took good heede and set their ententes for to see the manere of these thre yong ladyes & their contenaunces, & 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 & huble than of that other two. And thembassatours took their aduys & couceil that they wold retorne vnto the kyng their lord, & saye to hym suche thyng as they had fouden, & thene he myst take her that plesid hym. Thenne they cam to the kyng & quene for to take their leue, & 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 dousters, vpon whiche he myght do his plaisir. The kyng thêne lycencyd them & gaf to them fair gyftes, & so they departed & cam in to englond, and recouted 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 have herd ofter myshappe for to take a wyf for beaulte or for plaisauce, than to take her whiche is of stedfast manere, & that 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. And therfor I chose the thyrd doughter, for I wylle haue none of the other." And thene he sent for to fetche her, wherof the two older doughters had grete despyte & grete desdayne. And thus she that hadde the better and the more sure manere was made quene of England; 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 on ony syde, torne your vysage and youre body to geder. And be not ouer full of wordes; for who that speketh quermoche 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 thyder for to see her. Whan we were there, there was made to vs grete chere & ioyous. And I beheld her of whome I was spoken to, and I set my self in comynycacyon with her of many thynges, for to know the better her mayntenyng & gouernaūce, & so we fill in spekyng of prysoners. And thenne I said to her, "Damoysell, 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 the pryson of englissh men." And she ansuerd me that she had late sene such one that she wold wel that he were her prysoner. And i demäded her, yf she wold yeue hym euyl pryson, & she answerd me Nay, but that she wold kepe hym as derworthely as her owne body. And j said to her that he, who someuer he was, he was wel happy & eurous for to haue so swete & noble a pryson. Shall I saye to yow she fouyd hym ynough, and had her eye quyck & lyght, & she was ful of wordes. & when we shold departe, she was aperte, for she praid me two or thre tymes that I shold not leue, but come see her how'sõeuer it went. But j 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 jam, yf it please you," and told to hym how me semed of her and 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, wherof j haue thaked god'síth 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, and soone after she deyde. & therfor, my fair dousters, 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 lepe, 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, wherof oftymes were supposed other thynges in them than euer were done or thought.

How y douȝter of y kyng of aragon lost her maryage

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW THE DOUGHTER OF ARAGON LOST HER MARYAGE.

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 countenances, 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 beheld 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 semblat of ber losse, but made as good chere as she had wonne. The kyng of spayne sawe and beheld at 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, & disposed to come to honoure & 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, "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, which 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 by her grete curtosye, wherof the oldest doughter had so greete desdayn and so grete despit y she byca al frätyke & fro her self. & therfore this is a fayre ensample, how by curtosye and humylyte is goten the loue 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 mooste knoweth, moost humbleth hym, lyke as dyde the yonger doughter of Aaragon, whiche for hir humylyte and curtosye conquerd to be quene of spayne and took it fro hir older suster.

Of them that ben chydars and brawlers

15th century translation

Modern English

OF THEM THAT BEN CHYDARS OR SCOLDES.

AYRE doughters, see that ye begynne no strif to no foole, ne to them that ben hasty and hoote, for it is grete perill, whereof I shal shewe to you an Ensample, whiche I sawe happen in a Castel wherin many ladyes & damoysels duelleden. And ther was a damoysell, douster of a right gentyl knyst, 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 enbaunced, 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 hautayn wordes and of folissh answers, wherfor I praye yow for your honour that ye take no debate ageynst hym," & i told her & couceiled feithfully, as j wold have 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 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; and 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 have 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 ther fore this a good ensample, how no woman ought to chyde ne stryue 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, whereof 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 wel 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 as the knyght dyd this lady, of whome ye haue herd.

Of her that ete the ele and plucked of the fethers of the pye

15th century translation

Modern English

OF HER THAT ETE THE EELE AND PLUMED HER PYE.

SHALLE 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 cage, 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 ponde. 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 happed 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, the Pye began to telle and saye to hymn, "My lady hath eten the Ele." And when the lord herd this, he wente to his ponde, and fonde not his ele, and cam home to his wyf and demaunded her what was befallen of his ele. And she supposed to haue excused her. And he said that he was acerteyned thereof, and that the pye had tolde hym. And in the hous therfore was grete sorowe and noyse. But when the lord was gone oute, the lady and the chamberere cam to the pye and plucked of alle the fethers of his hede, sayeng, "Thou hast disccuered vs of the ele," and thus was the poure pye plumed, and lost the fethers of his hede. But fro than forthon, yf ony man cam in to that hows that was balled or fylled 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 deynte morsels withoute the wytynge of her husböd, but yf she emploed it well with honoure. This damoysell was after moche scorned & mocked for that ele by cause of the pye that so ofte remembryd it to suche as cam thyder so ballyd or pylled.

I shall here tell you of an example of the fate of women who eat the good morsels behind their husbands' [backs]. There was a damsel that had a magpie in a cage, which spoke and said that which it saw. And it happened that the Lord of the House made to keep great eel in a trunk in a pond. And he kept it much ⟨derworthely⟩ for to give it to some good lord of his, or to some friend if they came to see him. And it happened that the lady said to the ⟨Chamberere⟩ that it was good to eat the great eel. And they though that they would say to their lord that thieves had eaten him. And when the lord came home, the magpie began to tell and say to him "My lady hath eaten the eel". And when the lord heard this, he went to the pond and found not his eel, so came home to his wife and demanded of her what had befallen his eel. And she believed that she had given her excuse. And he said that he was certain of it, and that the magpie had told him. And in the house therefore was great sorrow and noise. But when the lord was gone out, the lady and the ⟨chamberere⟩ came to the magpie and plucked off all the feathers of his head saying "Thou hast made known us with the eel", and thus was the poor magpie plumed, and lost th efeathers of his head. But from then forth, if any man came into that house that was bald or ⟨fylled⟩ or had a high forehead, the magpie would say to him "You have told my lord about the eel". And therefore this is a good example that no good woman should eat for her craving the sweet or dainty morsels without the knowledge of her husband, if she conducts herself with honour. This damsel was, after that, much scorned and mocked for that eel because of the magpie that so often brought it to mind to such as came thither bald of ⟨pylled⟩.

How a woman ought not to stryue with her husbond

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW A GOOD WOMAN OUGHT NOT TO STRYUE WITH HER HUSBOND.

FTER 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 answered 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 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 suffer and holde her in pees, and leue the haultayn langage to her husbond and lord. And also 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 unright with hym, and yf he be a man resonable he shal conne her thanke. And yf he be other, yet hath not she done but her parte. For right so sholde a wyse womā do, by thensample of the wyse quene hester, wyf of the kyng Assuere, whiche was moche melancolyque and hasty. But the good lady answered not to his yre, but after when she sawe hym well attempryd place and tyme, thenne dyde she what she wold. And it was grete wysedom of a woman. And thus ought wyse wymmen to do. By this ensample the wymmen that ben chydars and rampynge ben not of suche obeysaunce as was a wfy of a marchaunt of whome I shall saye and telle to yow.

After this, a woman ought not strive against her husband in any manner, nor answer him such that he takes displeasure, as did the wife of a burgess who answered to her husband so noisily and shamefully in front of the people that he became angry and felle to see himself so rudely treated in front of the people, causing him shame. And he said to her and bade her once or twice to be still and leave, but she would not, and her husband who was wroth smote her with his fist to the earth, and smote her with his foot on the face such that he broke her nose, by which she was ever after all disfigured. And so by her riotous and annoying behavior, she gave herself a much evil crooked nose. It would have been much better for her that she had held her style and had suffered.

Yet is is reason and right that the husband have the high words, and it is but honour to a good woman to suffer and hold her in peace, and leave the haultayn language to her husband and lord. And also, it is great shame and felony for a woman to strive against her husband, whether it be right or wrong, and especially in front of people. I say nothing except that she should a time where he is alone and then she may well reprimand him and advise him, in showing courteously that he had wrong and unright with him, and if he is a reasonable man he shall conne her thanke. And if he be other [than reasonable], yet she has not naught but her part. For right, so should a wise woman do, by the example of the wise Queen Esther, wife of King Assuerus,^[1] who was very melancholy and hasty. But the good lady did not answer to his ire, but later when she saw him well-tempered at a good time, then she did as she intended. And it was great wisdom of a woman. And wise women ought do the same.

By this example, the women that have been chiding and rampagers have not been so obedient as was the wife of a merchant of whom I shall say and tell to you.

↑ Xerxes, also known as Ahasuerus

How a woman sprange vpon the table

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW A WOMAN SPRANGE VPON THE TABLE.

N a tyme it happed that Marchauntes of Fraunce cam from certayn Fayres where as they sought Draperye, 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 obeve me better.” “Ye” sayd the third, “lete laye a wager, that whiche wvf of vs thre that obeyeth best her husbond and doeth sonnest his commaundement, that he wynne the wager.” Wherupon they waged a jewele, and accorded al thre to,the same,.& sworen that none shold aduertyse his wyf of this bargayn, sauf only to saye to her, “ Doo that whiche I shall commaunde what soever it be.” After, when they cam to the first man's hows, he sayd to “Sprynge in to this bacyne And she answerd, “Wherfore? or what nede is it ? And he said, “By cause it playsyth me so, and I wyll that thou do so.” “Truly,” said she, “I shall knowe fyrst wherfor 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 marchauntes 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 third man's hous, and there was the table couered and mete set theron. And the marchaunt said to thother marchauntes in theyr eres, 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 goode man sayd to his wyf, “Sail sur table.”^[1] And the good wyf, which hadde fere to disobey hym, sprang vpon the table and ouerthrewe table, mete, wyn, and plater to the ground. "How!” said the good man, “Is this the manere? Cone ye none other playe but this? Are ye mad, oute of youre wyt?” “Syre,” said she, “I haue done youre coma?dement; haue ye not said youre comaudement shold be done, what somever 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,” said she, “for to spryng.” Thene was ther laughter ynous, and al was taken for a bourd and a mocquerye. Thenne the other two Marchauntes said it was nonede 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 wyues by buffetys and strokes, but gentyls wymmen ought to be chastised by fayre semblaunt and by curtosye that she obeyeth and hath euer doubte to disobeye, leste ony harme come or might happen or falle to her. For the other two wyues obeyed not thir husbondes lyke as the good wyf dyde to the thyrdde marchaunt, whiche for fere of disobeysaunce to her 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 therein she is not to blame, but the blame abydeth vppon her lord and husbonde. And also that she ought not tansuere to euery word of euery husbond ne of other, and that therein is perylle, lyke as was of the knyghtes doughter, that sette her honoure in grete balauncie 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 euyll courage, that they saye in hastynesse and hete alle that they knowe & 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.

IIt once happened that French merchants came from certain fairs where they had sought drapery, and as they came with their merchandise from Roan, one of them said "It is a very fair thing for a man to have a wife obedient in all things to her husband". "Truly," he said, "my wife obeys me well". And the second said "I promise my wife obeys me better", "Yea", said the third, "let's lay a wager that whichever wife of us three that best obeys her husband and soonest does his commands, that he will win the wager". On that, they each wagered a jewel and swore that none of them would tell his wife of the bargain, other than to say to her "Do that which I shall command, whatsoever it may be".

After, when they came to the first man's house he said for her to "Jump into this basin", and she answered "Why? What need is there for that?" And he said "Because it pleases me, and I say to do it". "Truly," she said, "I must first know why I should jump" and thus she would not do it, and her husband ranted angrily and began striking her. After this they came to the second merchant's house, and he said to his wife just as the other had said, so she might do his command, and it was not long after that he said to her "Jump into the basin", and she demanded he explain why. And at the end, what she was told to do, she did not do it, and thus she was beaten as that other wife was. Then they came to the third man's house, and there was the tabled bedecked and meat set out on it. And the merchant whispered to the other merchants that after dinner he would command her to spring into the basin. And the husband said to his wife, that whatsoever he commanded her she should do it. His wife, who loved him that much and held him in awe, heard well the word.

And so it was that they began to eat, and there was no salt upon the table. And the good man said to his wife, "Salt to the table". And the good wife, who feared to disobey him, sprang upon the table, flipping it and sending the meat, wine and dishes to the ground. "How!", said the good man, "is this behavior? Have you nothing better to do than this? Are ou mad, out of your wits?". "Sir", she said, "I have done as you commanded, did you not say your commands should be done whatsoever they were? Certainly I have obeyed as best as I am able, how can you be as upset and hurt as I am - for you said to me "Sault [Jump] to the table". "I?", he said, "I said to put salt upon the table". "Honestly, I thought you said to jump", she said. Then there was laughter enough, and all was taken for a bard and a jest. Then the other two merchants said there was no need to later ask her to jump into the basin, for she had done enough and that her husband had won the wager. And she was more praised than the other two that would not do the commands of their husbands. For some people chasten their wives by pummeling and striking, but gentlewomen ought to be chastised by fair semblance and by and that by courtesy she obeys him and always hesitates to disobey, lest only harm comes, or something else happens or befalls her. For the other two wives obeyed not their husbands like the good wife did to the third merchants, who for fear of disobedience to her husband, jumped upon the table and sent everything crashing down.

And thus should every good woman fear and obey her lord and husband, and to do his command whether right or wrong, if the command be not overly outrageous. And if there is sin, then she is not to blame, but the blame would be upon her lord and husband. And also that she should not respond to everything her husband says, or others, as that is dangerous - as it was for the knight's daughter who set her honor in great balance to strive and answer to the hasty squire who said to her ⟨vylonye⟩ as a fool. For many are so hesitant and of such evil courage, that they say in haste and hate all that they know and speak. Therefore it is great peril to begin strife for such people, for those who do it set their honour in great abeyance, for many will say in their anger more than they realize, so as to avenge themselves.

↑ Sail sur table, Old French for "Salt on the table", but the wife mistook this sentence for "Style sur table", i.e., "Leap onto the table".

Of the woman that gaf the flesshe to her hoūdes

15th century translation

Modern English

OF THE WOMAN THAT GAF THE FLESSHE TO HER HONNDES.

SHAL saye to yow an Ensample of a lady that yaf the flesshe and good morsels to her lytell houdes. Ther was a lady whiche hadde two small houndes, whome she moche loued and had soo derworthe 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 mendycaunt 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 hogre. Thus he prechyd, vnto the lady, but for al that she wold not leue it. Soo 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 lycied 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 ensample to euery good lady and woman, how they ought not to haue ouer grete plaisyre in suche thynges, ne to geue flesshe ne lychorous metes to the houdes, 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 be his seruauntes. Suche wymmen vnderstande not the word of god in the gospel, where as god sayth, "He that dot wel to the poure doth to me seruyce.” These wymmen resemble not vnto the good quene blache, that was moder of sayni 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 goode ende. And ther was, sene at her deth a grete clercnes 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.

Of them that take fyrst newe guyses

15th century translation

Modern English

OF THEM THAT TAKE FIRST NEWE GYSES.

AYRE 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 [o]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 yeony other ben, and yet more. For ye haue not but the half of your garnementes and of your hoode torned outward with grys and ermynes, but I shalle doo to her better, for I shalle 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 & of this Countre, whiche vse not the gyse of the loues ne of the lemmans of thenglysshe men, ne of the peple of companies, for these ben they that first knewe this gyse in brytayne and in Guvenne of these grete pourfyls and of the Coursettys torned by the sides, for I was of that tyme and sawe it. And for to take the guyse of suche wymen 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 herd of the sages that euery good lady & woman ought to kepe the gyse & state of the good ladyes and wymmen of Countre & comyn gyse, of the Royamme 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 held 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 ladyes of the Countre and.of the commune 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 strauge 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 shall neuer reste till they haue therof a Copye, and shullen save 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 herte 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 fyttyng 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.

How me ought not to stryue ageynste them that ben langageurs and full of wordes

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW ME OUGHT NOT TO STRYUE AYENST THEM THAT BEN LANGAGEURS AND FULL OF WORDES.

AYRE doughters, I shall saye to yow an Ensample, how it is peryllous to speke and holde stryf to peple that have 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 japes 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 have?" She sayd "Ye." "Now see we thenne in this poynt, as me semeth, for to juge rightfully that I have not so euylle a tonge as ye. And I shalle saye yow wherfore. Ye have me repreuyd and tolde me the worst tatche that I haue, after youre aduys, and I have 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 have herd recounted that it was ynough spoken. And somme said that it had better for her to have ben stylle. And therfore this is a good Ensample, for it is better somtyme to be stylle and saye no thynge than to be ouer apperte and begynne wordes 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.

Of thre ladyes that araysoned boussycault

15th century translation

Modern English

OF THRE LADYES THAT ARESONNED BOUSSYCAULT.

ET 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, "Foull falle to her of vs that wil not say for good copanye yf she were this yere praid & requyred of loue." "Veryly," seid one of them," haue ben desired within this yere." "By my feyth," seid y other, "so haue j." " & j 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 he 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 he was fette 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, and ye myght bere me on hond that it were another thyng." And so he must have 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 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.

Of them that wyl not were theyr good clothes on hyhe festes and holy dayes

15th century translation

Modern English

OF THEM THAT WYLLE NOT WERE THEYR GOOD CLOTHES ON HYGHE FESTES AND HOLY DAYES.

N other ensample I shalle telle you, of them that wylle not were theyr gounes ne clothes on hyhe festes and on sondayes for the honoure of oure lord. Thenne I wold that ye sholde take ensample how a damoyselle repreuyd her lady. There was a lady whiche had good gounes & ryche, but she wolde not were them on sondayes ne on festful dayes, but yf she supposed to fynde there noble men of estate. So it happed at a feste 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," said 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 dayes 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 alwey, and therfor it is gretter honour to me to aray & make me fresshe for them." "Madame," said the damoisel, "that is euil 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 styre 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 have 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 justes. For somtyme the fruyte that was in me was noust & 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'sõdayes 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 & joly 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 vii 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 all, and for thonoure of his swete moder & of the hooly sayntes, more than for worldly people whiche ben no thynge 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 he dyd of the lady of which ye haue herd. And therfore this is a good Ensample to all good ladyes and to alle good wymmen.

Of the suster of saynt Bernard, whiche came to see hym in grete araye

15th century translation

Modern English

OF THE SUSTER OF SEYNT BERNARD WHICHE CAM TO SEE HYM IN GRETE ARAYE.

NE 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 abstynence & was a grete almes man to the poure. And he had a suster 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, & thene he came to her & said, "Fair suster, yf i loue your body j 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 bobauce 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 queyateryes and noblesses myght refresshe and clothe moo than xl persones ageynst the cold?" Thenne this hooly man declared to her hou she shold leue the folye of the world and the bobaunce therof, and shewed to her how she shold saue her sowie 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 so 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 sette all his entent for to haue the playsyr of the world, i am certayne that it is folye and temptacion of the fende oure enemye. And ye ought more better to araye yow for the love 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.

OF THE SUSTER OF SEYNT BERNARD WHICHE CAM TO SEE HYM IN GRETE ARAYE

Of them that playe and Iape at the masse

15th century translation

Modern English

OF THEM THAT PLAYE AND IAPE AT THE MASSE.

SHALLE telle yow another Ensample of them that jangle 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 Johan. 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, knygtes 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 jangled 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 brauche to brauche. And this hooly man blessid hym and merueyled. And when 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 may 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 he 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 and spryng vpon the hornes and other nyce apparaylle of many wymmen, and they were tho that talked and jangled 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 and beholdynges of the musardes on them; he saw on these the fendes pynne their keuerchyefs. But vpon them ỷ sayd their prayers & were in deuocio, they were not on them ne touched the, how well there were ynough of them that were wel arayed & curyously. But it holdeth more in that 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 hoofy heremyte. And thus were they chastised, that fro than forthon they kepte them from spekying and janglyng in the tyme 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.

An Ensample that happed at the masse of saynt Martyn

15th century translation

Modern English

AN ENSAMPLE THAT HAPPED AT THE MASSE OF SEYNT MARTYN.

ND 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 him why he laughed. And he answerd hym that he had sene the deuyll, whiche put in wrytynge alle that the men and wymmen talked togeder 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 along with his teeth, for to make it larger, And when he so drewhe with his teeth the perchemyn escaped fro hym in such 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 vpon 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 have herby a fayre ensample how that ye out to mayntene you humbly and deuoutely in the Chirche, and not to talke ne iangle for no thyng that may happen.

Of a knyght that caused al the towne to lose theyr masse where as he dwellyd

15th century translation

Modern English

OF A KNYGHT THAT CAUSID ALL A TOWNE TO LESE THEYR MASSE WHEREAS HE DWELLYD.

NOTHER 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 such manere that oftymes they lost theyr masse, and causid alle the parysshe to lose it also in whiche they dwellyd, for he was lord and patron of the parysshe, and the parson durst not withsaye 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 mass. 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 wold 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 hogges 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?" And 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 quātyte 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 homes, halowed and cryed. And this chace or hūtyng 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, whereof 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 vnderstonde 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 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 here 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 homes 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 hunted of the fendes of helle, and at the last ye shall be taken and slayn by the very huntyng of deuyls, lyke as it was shewed to you 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 hastlyer than ye wene, for ye shalle be hunted and put to deth lyke as ye haue sene in youre aduyson; 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 knele 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 therefore, my faire doughters, take herby a good ensample, that for your plaisire ye cause none to lese their masse ne theyr 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.

Of a lady that dispended the fourth parte of the day for to araye her

15th century translation

Modern English

OF A LADY THAT DISPENDED THE FOURTHE PARTE OF THE DAY FOR TO ARAYE HER.

HERE 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.

There was a lady who had her lodging by the church, and she was always accustomed to taking a long time to array herself and to make herself fresh and gay, to such a degree that it annoyed and much grieved the parson of the church and the parishoners. And it happened on a Sunday that she was so long that sent to the priest that he would wait for her, as she had been accustomed, and it was then ⟨ferforthe⟩ on the day. And it annoyed the people and there were some that said "How is it? Shouldn't this lady today be ⟨pynned⟩ and not well-appearing in a mirror?" and some said softly "God send to her an evil sight in her mirror that costs us today, and so often, to muse and to his abide for her", and then as it pleased God for an example, as she looked in the mirror she saw within it the Fiend, who showed her his backside so foul and horrible that the lady went out of her wits and was all demonic a long time. And after God restored her health, she took less time in arraying herself but instead thanked God for allowing her to be so chastised. And therefore this is a good example, how we ought not to take a long time to dress and to make gay, so as to not reduce the ⟨seruyse⟩ of the Mass, nor to make others to reduce their service to God.

How the sacrament sprange in to the mouthe of an hooly lady

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW GOD SPRANGE IN TO THE MOUTHE OF A HOOLY LADY.

OW 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 ete 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 myght not synge 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 words, she sawe two freres of relygyon comying, of whom she had grete ioye. And anon 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 seruyce of god. Loo, my faire doughters, this is a good ensample for you certayn. They that love 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.

Of a Countesse that herd every day thre masses

15th century translation

Modern English

OF A COUNTESSE THAT EUERY DAY HERD THRE MASSES.

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, which 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 hymn 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 wel with lasse than thre masses, for it suffyseth them ynowe of one masse only, so lytelf loue and deuocion have they in god & in his seruyce. For in herynge of his seruyce his propre persone fonde hym. For who someuer loueth and dredeth hym, he wyl oft see hymn 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.

Of a yonge amerous lady & of an esquyer

15th century translation

Modern English

OF A YONG AMOROUSE LADY, AND OF AN ESQUYER.

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 joly and amourous on her. And she ne hated hym not. And more fore 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 fylgremage. And her husbond, whiche was a good man, suffred her by cause he wold not displease her. And so it happed on a tyine that she and this squyer went a pylegremage 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; whereof 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 had 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 hus. bonde and frendes were sente fore, whiche were moche sorowfull of this aduenture. And they beheld hyr, and wist 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 long to fore. Her moder shewed to her her brest, sayeng, "Fayre doughter, loo, here thy noreture. Loue and honour 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 lorde and 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 sette to her an hooly man, a relygyous whiche was a grete Clerke, and wayre 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,—

Of a Young Amorous Lady and an Esquire:

I shall tell you the example of a young lady who had set her heart on the world. And a squire travelled to her, who was jolly and amorous toward her. And she did not hate him [for it]. And rather had ease and delight to speak and eat together, she made her lord and husband to believe that she had vowed to go on a pilgrimage. And her husband who was a good man, allowed her so as not to displease her. And so it happened one time that she and this squire went on a pilgrimate into a monastary of Our Lady, and they were in great pleasure on the way speaking together. For they well intended something other than to say their matin prayers. And they had great pleasure and delight on the way, when it happened that they came into the church and were in the iddle of the Mass,

Yet of the same

15th century translation

Modern English

YET OF THE SAME.

" AME, ye ben moche beholdynge to god, and to his swete moder, whiche wylle not haue yow dampned, ne the perdícion 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. 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 love of the tete, & for the swetenes of the mylke whero 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 hymn: 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, and that they be not tweyne but one flessh, & y god hath ioyned man may not departe. & also where ye 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 swetenes of the mylke, which signyfyeth the grete swetenes, the ioye, the loue, that ouzt to be in trewe mariage, & the grace of god duelleth in them. After your fader said, "Faire dougter, why hast thou more ter loue & plaisauce 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 therein; that is to saye, that if thou loue more another than thy lord, thou shalt fall into the cyt, where ye shall be brent & broiled for the delyte of evil plaisauce & euyil 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 plaisauce. After, he shewed to you the prestes in white, & said that ye had reuested them, whereof he thaked you. That signefiace is, that ye haue do 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 perdicio, as ye may wel apperceyue that they were sory of the tēptacion that ye had in the foule plaisauce in which ye were in the wey for to be lost, & therfor they cam for to socour you, for love 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 saye, that yehaue ben in the chirch in gretter loue of another than of hym. They werethefolisshe regardes & the folisshe plaisires ý ye toke hym fer whom ye emprised & toke the journeye. & also the vois said to you, Ý (you) haue fouled & mocked his hous, Ÿ is, his chirch; 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 sekeness 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 another, 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 and taugt 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 froin a vyage and from an armee where he had ben, and cam to her queynt and Jolye, and began to bourde and jape and 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 joiously?" And she answered to hym that all that tyme was passid. "For neuer as long as I lyue," sayd she, " i purpose to loue ne haue plaisaunce with none, sauf with my lord my husbonde." And thenne she told to hyin the aduenture that happed her in the chirch. And he thought and supposed wel to haue torned her, but he myght not.' And when he sawe that she was ferme and constaunt, he lefte her, and after sayd and tolde to many other the constance and stedfastnes of her, whereof he moche preysed and honoured her the more. And therfore here is a good Ensample how me ought not to go 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 god's sake, for the almesses geten grace of god to them that gyue them, lyke as ye haue herd. And now I shalle telle yow another ensample that happed in a Chirche, whiche was called oure lady of Bealem.

Of the vyces that renne and ben in many

15th century translation

Modern English

OF THE VYCES THAT RENNE & BEN IN MANY ONE.

Y faire doughters, he that the beste 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 haue 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 counceylle and 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.

Of the good condycions that ben in dyuers and many maners amonge folke

15th century translation

Modern English

OF THE GOOD CONDYCIONS THAT BEN IN DYUERSE AND MANY MANERS AMONGE FOLKE.

LSO ther be 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 men's 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 jre 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 cĺerly 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, fayre doughters, haue ye euer youre herte in hym, and loue and drede hym, and he shalle saue yow fro alle peryles 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.

An Ensample of Eue our fyrst moder

15th century translation

Modern English

THENSAMPLE OF EUE OURE FIRST MODER.

HE 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 vnder 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 seruage. 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 herd 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 faire doughters, it is not good to here folke that ben in theyr speche blandysshynge and castynge many flaterynge wordes, for they bene fulle of decepcion. The Serpente fould Eue ferre froo her lord and allone, wherfore atte his beste leyser he shewed her his deceyuable purpos and false langage, for the whiche 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 jeopardy and daunger by answere to moche, than by fewe and short answere, for one word bryngeth in another.

How an holy Bisshop reprysed and taught many ladyes

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW A HOOLY BISSHOP REPRYSED AND TAUGHT MANY LADYES.

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 hoofy 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, & such countrefaytyng, and suche wantonnesse, were to compare to the Copspyn, that maketh his nette to take the flyes. Ryght soo doth 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 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 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 sucheraymentes 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:

How yong ladyes were scorned & mocked of the old & auncyent ladyes

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW THE YONG LADYES WERE SCORNED AND MOCKED OF THE OLDE & AUNCYENT.

T 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 wey 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 begynnyng 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 & well 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, & wold not folowe vs. Hit is wel bestowed, for I telle yow for certayne that some wene to auaūce 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 tofore 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.

Yet of the same

15th century translation

Modern English

YET OF THE SAME.

he 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." 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 meruevle of such 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 Joly, 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 ladyes to 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 scorned 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 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 noueltees, that specially wymmen took on them, was token and signe of somme grete meschyef to come, as it werre, famyne, and pestylence.

Of the good knyght that had thre wyues, & of their lyues

15th century translation

Modern English

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

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, and yet she neuer took pyte on them." Thenne took the deuyl her gownes, rynges, & jewelles y she had had of the men by 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 togeder 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 & sorowed pyteously. Thenne awaked the hooly heremyte, and tolde part of this aduysion to the knyght his neuewe, and comaunded hym and charged that all her gownes shold be gyuen for goddes sake to poure folke.

OF THE GOOD KNYGHT THAT HAD THRE WYUES, & OF THEIR LYUES

Of the second wyf

15th century translation

Modern English

OF THE SECOND WYF.

FTER 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 yͭ 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 twelve 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 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 jolyf and 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 Jewelles 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 behold 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 cuery good woman. Now I haue tolde & recounted to yow of the two first wyues of the knyght, and herafter ye shalle here of the thyrd.

Of the thyrd wyf of the knyght

15th century translation

Modern English

OF THE THIRD WYF OF THE KNYGHT.

ONE 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 when 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 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 entflammed 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 deserued 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 nature 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 purueauce, 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 effrayed. 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 every day a brennynge bronde. Syre," said the Heremyte, "shalle she be longe in this torment?" "Ye," said 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 powre 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 Kayght and told hym his vysyon. The knyght was sore a basshed 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. Then 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 sake the third parte of all his reame and good. And fro thennes forth he vsed an 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.

Of a lady that blanked and popped her

15th century translation

Modern English

OF THE LADY THAT BLANKED AND POPPED HER.

ND for to afferme this Ensample, that it may for very certeyne haue be, I shalle telle yow of suche one that byfelle but of 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 every yere suche thynges wherwith she popped her, wherfore he tooke yerely grete pension of her, as he hym self said as he was aparte 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 dymynuysshed. 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 coutrefaiture 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 remembraunce withynne youre hertes, and that ye put no thynge to youre faces but leue them as god & nature hath made and ordeyned them. For ye may fynde and see atte 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 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 no more but eyght persones.

Of Apomena, quene of Surrye

15th century translation

Modern English

OF APOMENA QUENE OF SURYE.

OW 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 byble. 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 reverence 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 broust, for many wymmen be y may not suffre ease & worship to gyder, & can not reste tyl by their pryde & enuy they falle in grete pouerte & fro hyhe to lowe, as dyd the folysshe quene whiche was come fro lowe degree vnto so hyghe and myghty estate and myght not suffre it. And every woman whan she seeth and knoweth her ford 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 symply, and to force her self to kepe his loue and his pees, for al hertes be not euer in one estate. A stone flyteth, 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 her 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 lyghtely, 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 gyuying 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 ryxt or wrong, & specially in his yre & wrath, & bifore ony folk; but as his wrath is gone she may wel shewe to hym y he had no cause so to doo, & so she shal euer 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.

Of the quene Vastis

15th century translation

Modern English

OF THE QUENE VASTIS.

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 shold of ony thyng wythsaye & be disobedyent 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 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 commaundement 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 his maners. I shall telle yow thensample of the lyon & of his propryete. As the lyonnesse, 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.

Of Amon and of his wyf

15th century translation

Modern English

OF A MAN AND OF HIS WYF.

ND 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 he daygned not to bere hym ony reuerence, ne knele bifore hym as other dyd, wherfor he bicame as a fole, and almost out 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 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 jnquyred and knowen, in so moche that it was foude that Mardocheus was accused by the accusacion of Aaman, & was nothynge gylty, and that suche treason he had putte on hym was by enuy. & thêne the good and noble quene Hester kneled bifore her lord the kynge, and requyred and prayd hym that suche Justyce 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 goode quene dyde requyre her lord, so was hit done. Thus was hanged Aaman by his grete pryde and surquedrye, 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 have 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 may to them come, as dyd Aaman's 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, 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.

Of the quene Gesabel, whiche had many euyll condycions

15th century translation

Modern English

OF THE QUENE GESABEL WHICHE HAD MANY EUYLLE CONDYCIONS.

OW wylle I telle yow thexample of an euylle, cruel, and dyuerse quene, how it befelle to her. It was the quene Gesabel, whiche had many euyl tatches. Fyrst, she hated the jndygent and power; she hated the holy and good heremytes and al prestes and men of holy chirche, and alle them that to the laye peple taught the feythe. She made them to be beten and robbed, in soo moche that of nede they must wyde 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, whiche 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 Josue 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 Josue made theyr hedes 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 Josue shold passe, and there she coynted and arayed her with clothes of gold and flourynge of ryche ermyns, with grete plète of precious stones, al desguysed 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 biganne 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 held 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 euyles that she in her lyf had done & made to be done, commaunded kynge Josue that she shold haue [no] sepulcre, but that she shold be eten and deuoured of dogges, as she was. By suche wayes god taketh vengeaunce oftyme of them that haue no pyte of the power & 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 also to kepe hym self fro gyuyage ony euylle counceyl to her lord, also to take no desguysed rayment, but only thestate of the good and worshipful wymmen of the lond,

Of Athalia, quene of Jerusalem

15th century translation

Modern English

OF ATHALIA, QUENE OF JHERUSALEM.

WYLL telle yow another ensample of a quene of Jerusalem 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, and alle his heyres also, sauf only one, that a good man named Zoadis made to be nouysshed secretely. This quene toke the possession of all 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 nourisshed 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 every one the deserte of his meryte in his lyf or after his dethe. For none euylle is done, but hit shalle be punysshed soone or in tyme to come. I wold, fayre doughters, that ye knewe thensample and the tale of a quene of Fraunce, whiche had to name Brunehault. She was the quene of whome Sybile prophesyed, sayenge thus: "Brunehault 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, she was payd, for a child that scaaped her cruelte, which was sone to her son, and the whiche knewe the grete crueltees and abhoomynaltees 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.

Of Athalia, Queen of Jerusalem^[1]

I will tell you of another example, an evil queen of Jerusalem who was of dierse evil conditions and without pity. For when Onas, her son, was dead she made all the children of her son to be slain, and also his heirs except only one which a good man named Zoadis had secretly nourished. This queen took possession of all the realm and goods, and made great disasters for the people, and sorely travailled them, and she taxed them so highly that they became poor. And while she so travailed the realm, as one without reason or pity. the child which had been secretly nourished and brought up came to his inheritance and took the Queen Athalia and made her to die an evil and shameful death. And so she had at the end, the reward and repayment of her merit. For God gives to everyone their desserts of their merit in their life or after their death. For no evil is done, but it shall be punished soon or in time to come. I would, fair daughters, that you know the example and the tale of a Queen of France which had the name Brunehault. She was the queen of whom Sybile prophesied saying "Brunehault shall come from Black Spain into the realm of Gaul, France and will do many evil deeds and afterwards she will be destroyed". And so it befell, for she made some of her children to be slain, and also the sons of her children and other great cruelties she procured and did, which were too many to be recited here. But at the end, as pleases God, she was repaid by a child who had escaped her cruelty, which was her grandson, and who knew the great cruelties and ⟨abhoomynaltees⟩ that she had done and procured and made to be done, and accused her. And then all her ⟨fayttes⟩ and deeds were put to judgement before all the barons of the land, and the sentence of death was cast upon her, that she should be bound with the hairs from her head to a horse's tail. And thus it was done, and so she died of an evil and shameful death.

↑ The daughter of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel

Of Enuye

15th century translation	Modern English

Of Dalida, Sampson's wyf

15th century translation	Modern English

How a woman ought to obeye to her lord or her husbond in alle thynges honest

15th century translation	Modern English

How men ought to kepe them self fro flaterers

15th century translation	Modern English

How a woman ought in no wyse discouere ne telle the secretes of her husbond for ouer many peryls

15th century translation	Modern English

How the faders and moders ought to praye for theyr children

15th century translation	Modern English

How men ought to sette and put theyr children in the wylle of god

15th century translation	Modern English

Of Charyte

15th century translation	Modern English

How a bienfaytte done for the loue of god is rendryd of god an honderd fold gretter

15th century translation	Modern English

How he that wyll praye god must do abstynence

15th century translation	Modern English

How men ought to sette and put theyr children to scole

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW MEN OUGHTE TO SETTE AND PUT THEYR CHILDREN TO SCOLE.

SHAL telle you another ensample of a good woma whiche had a doughter that was named Delbora, the whiche she dyd put to the scole of wysedome and of sapyence. This delbora lerned so wel that she wyst and knewe al the hooly scrypture and wrytynge, & vsed of so good & holy lyf that she knewe of the secretis of god, and spak of many thynges that were to come. And by cause of her grete wysedome and wytte euery body cam to aske her counceylle of his affayres. Her lord was euylle and cruell, but by her wytte & by her fayr speche she couthe reule hym wel, for she toke away his frenesye and yre and made hym to be peasyble & juste to his peple. Therfore is here a good ensample how men ough to put her children to scole for to lerne clergye & holy scrypture, for by the knowyng of it they shalle better see theyr sauement and shall knowe & discerne the good fro the euyll, as dyd the good lady Delbora, & as dyde saynt katheryn, whiche thurgh her wysedome and by her clergye, with the grace of the holy ghoost, surmounted and vaynquysshed the wysest men of al grece, and by her hooly clergye and sure feythe god gaf her the vyctorye of her martirdome, & made her body to be borne by his angels viiii dayes Iourney fro the place where as she suffred her martirdome vnto the Mount of Synay, & her holy body rendrid holy oyle. And the begynnyng and fundament of the knowlege of god she had thurgh the clergye where as she knewe the trouthe & the sauement of her self. Yet shalle I telle yow an ensample of a child of the age of nyne yere, whiche had be four yere at the scole, & thorugh the grace of god he disputed & argued of the faythe ageynst the paynyms, and vaynquysshed them alle in so moche that they were so wrothe with hym that ones they spyed hym secretely and hurled at hym with stones, & whanne they supposed to haue hold hym in subiection they saide to hym that yf he wolde not forsake his god, they shold slee hym, but for ony torment that they made hym to suffre he had euer his trust & feythe in God. They asked hym where God was, and he ansuerd, "In heuen & withid myn herte.” And thenne for despyte they slewe hym, and opened the syde of hym to see yf he sayd trouthe that god sholde be in his herte, whiche they toke and made two pyeces of it. And as they dyd cutte it they sawe a whyte douue 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 vanytees 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 it; but as for redynge, I saye that good and prouffytable is to al wymen, for a woman that can rede may better, knowe the peryls of the sowle and her sauement than she that can nought of it, for it hath be preued.

How euery good woman ought to ansuere for her lord in al thynge

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW EUERY GOOD WOMAN OUGHT TO ANSWERE FOR HER LORD.

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 he swete and fayr 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 al 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 euvile and cruell to her. Hit befelle that he accused one of treason, the whiche anone casted his gage of 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 thishame 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 wymment preysynge the one and blamynge the other.

I will tell you another example of a good lady, who well ought to be praised. It was the good lady Abigail, who had a lord full of ire, diverse and riotous to all his neighbors. He forfeited something to the King David which would have seen him [her lord] destroyed and put to death, but the good lady who was sage and wise went toward the king and so much humbled herself that by her sweet and fair words, she made peace for her lord. From many other perils he full went and put himself through due to his false tongue, she saved him again. And thus this good lady amended every of his follies, and for that she is well-praised. Therefore ye have here a good example how every good woman must suffer of her lord and ought to overall make excuse for him, al be he's never so angry and cruel to her, and save and keep him from all perils. I would wish you were the example of a good lady, wife unto a Senator of Rome, as it is contained in the Chronicles of the Romans. This Senator was jealous of his wife without any cause and was evil and cruel to her. It befell that he accused a man of treason, which led the other to plan war against him, saying that he wrongly accused him. The day came that should joust against one another. The Senator was afraid and dared not come, and sent word to the Senate that he was sick and he needed to send another person to joust for him but couldn't find anyone. Whereupon, the valiant lady his wife, seeing the cowardice of her lord, and the shame coming to him, went and armed herself came to the field. And by cause, God saw her bounty and that she did her deuoyr, He gave her force and strength in so much that she obtained the victory. And when the jousting was finished, the Emperor wanted to know who was the replacement champion who fought for the Senator, thus the good lady's helmet was unlocked and so she was known, and the Emperor and all those at the tournament bore unto her from themselves greater honor than they held. And thus here is a good example how every good woman must humble suffer of her lord that which she cannot change. For she that suffers much from her lord without making of it a resemblaunt receives much more praise and times that she has no cause to suffer from him, or will not suffer anything from him, as Solomon says, which very much speaks well of women, in that he is praising the one and blaming the other.

An ensample of the Quene of Saba and of the kyng Salamon

15th century translation

Modern English

THEXAMPLE OF THE QUENE SABA AND OF THE KYNGE SALAMON.

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 chese a good and krewe man, and also wyse, of her lygnage or else of other, and hold and kepe hym in love and frendship, of whome she may take counceylle of that she hath to doo. And yf she falle in plee or in ony contempte the good and wyse man shalle amodere hit, and shalle make her to haue her ryghte withoute grete costes and expenses, and euer therof cometh somme good, as did to the good quene Saba, that fro 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 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 of his chamberlayne which he had nourysshed and brought vp of his yougthe. 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." Then 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 shall 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 say 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.

How no woman ought not to chyde ne brawle with folke that ben brawlers

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW NO WOMAN OUGHT TO CHYDEN OR BRAWLE WITH FOLK WHICHE BEN BRAYNLES.

SHALLE reherce 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 jugementes 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 that ben fooles and cruels of theyr tongue, wherof I shalle telle yow an ensample that I sawe of a gentyll womā that brawled with a man that had an euylle heed. I sayd vnto her, "My lady, I praye yow that ye answere not this foole, for he is well shapen to saye more euylle than good." She wold not byleue me, 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 hede to the wordes of a foole and to answere and speke with hym. The wordes were foule and dishonest, and herd of many one, wherfore she was diffamed, and by her brawlyng she dyd to 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 womä 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 thougt, 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 have and receyue but grete worship, and yf she answere hym she shalle haue the euylle wylle of her husbond, wherof no good may come to her, but grete shame and dishonour.

How no good woman ought to ansuere to her husbond whanne he is wrothe

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW NO GOOD WOMAN OUGHT TO ANSUERE TO HER HUSBOND WHANNE HE IS WROTHE.

SHALLE telle yow another ensample, of the quene Hester, whiche was wyf to the grete kynge of Surye. She was a good lady and a wyse, and loued and drad her lord. And before alle other ladyes the hooly wrytynge preyseth her moche by cause of her her holy lyf and of her good condycions. The kyng her ford was a felon man & dyuers, and said to her many outragyous wordest but for ony thynge that he sayd she ansuerd hym nothinge, before the folke wherby he myght be wrothe. But after, whanne she had hym alone, and sawe the tyme and the place be conuenyente, she blamed hym, and curtoysly shewed hym his fawte. And therfore the kynge loued her moche, and sayd att his secrete that he myght not be wrothe with his wyf by cause she repreued hym by soo fayre and swete wordes. Certaynly it is one of the best tatches or condycions that a woman may haue, to kepe her self fro ansuerynge in the yre of her lord. For a dredefull herte is euer in drede to doo or saye ony thynge that may displease to hym whom she ought to loue and beie hym honour: wherof is reherced in the booke of the kynges of the wyf of one grete ford whiche was euylle and felon, and his wyf was ryght swete and peasyble, to whome her damoysels sayd, "Madame, why take yow not your disportes as a yong lady, as ye shold do?” And she ansuerd that she must be in doubte, knowynge her lord of suche condycions as he was of, and that she wold kepe the loue of hym and pees in her hows. And also she sayd that the fere that she had of the prysons kepte her from yrthe and gladnesse. The one pryson was loue, the other was drede, and the thyrd shame. These thre vertues mastryed her, for the loue that she had to her lord kepte her fro doynge of ony thynge that myght come to the dysplaysyre of her lord; drede made her ferynge the losse of her, good renomme and honour, and to falle in synne; and shame kepte her fro euylle and dishonest repreef. Wherfore, my fayre and dere doughters, I praye yow that ye maye take her good Ensample that ye ne ansuere to your lord, but in tyme and place conuenyent, and by fayr wordes, as dyd the good quene hester, as ye tofore haue herd, and also as the same, the whiche sayd to her damoysels that her herte was in the loue and in the pryson of her lord, and that therfore she myght, doo but after his playsyr, lyuynge in pees.

I shall tell you of another example, of the Queen Esther, who was wife to the great king of Assyria. She was a good and wise lady, who loved and feared her lord. And before all other ladies, the holy writing praises her greatly due to her holy life and her good conditions. The king, her lord, was a criminal and diverse man, and said to her many outrageous words - but for anything that he said, she did not question him in public where he might be angry, but afterwards when she had hiim alone and saw the time and place to be convenient, she would blame him and courteously showed him his fault. And therefore the king loved her much, and said all his secrets so he would not be wrote with his wife due to her reproving him with such fair and sweet words. Certainly it is one of the best tatches or conditions that a woman may have, to keep herself from angrily rebuking her lord. For a fearful heart is ever in fear to do or say anything that may displease him whom she ought to love and obey him with honour, such as is recited in the Book of the Kings about the wife of one mighty lord who was evil and crimina, and his wife was right sweet and peaceable, to whom her damsels said "Madame, why do you not take your pleasures as a young lady, as you should?" And she answered that she must be in doubt, knowing her lord's conditions, and that she would keep the love of him and peace in her house. And she also said that the fear that she had of the prisons kept her from mirth and gladness. The one prison was love, the other was fear, and the third was shame. These three virtues mastered her, for the love that she had to her lord kept her from doing of anything that might cause displeasure to her lord; fear made her fearing the loss of her good name and honour and to fall into sin, and shame kept her from evi land dishonest reproof. Wherefore, my fair and dear daughters, I pray you that you would take her good example that you not respond to your lord except in a convenient time and place and with fair words, as did the good queen Esther, as you have just heard, and also as the same, that which she told her damsels - that her heart was in the love and in the prison of her lord, and that therefore she did nothing except for his pleasure, lying in peace.

How a good lady oughte to loue and drede and also bere feythe vnto her husbond

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW THE GOOD LADY OUGHT TO LOUE AND DREDE AND ALSO TO BERE FEYTHE VNTO HER LORD.

SHALLE telle yow another Ensample of the newe testament. It is of saynt Elysabeth, moder vnto Saynte Iohan. This Elysabeth thene serued fyrste god, and 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 coueyted 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 guerdonneth 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 whiche kepeth and holdeth them clenely in theyr maryagep and that haue good hope in hym as had this good Susanne.^[1]

I shall tell you another example of the New Testament. It is of Saint Elizabeth, mother unto Saint John. This Elizabeth served God first, and her lord second - and above all women ⟨he drad and doubted him⟩. And as he came out of the town, and that by adventure something was going awry in her house, she kept it and made it to be kept secret until the time that she saw her point. Then she went and tld t to him by so fair and a temperate language that in no way could he be wroth. She ever coveted the peace and love of her lord, as should every good woman. This holy lady loved and feared God, and bore forth to her lord and therefore God gave her Saint John the Baptist as her son, which was a good repayment. For a woman that loves God and holds her cleanly, God rewards her in life and after death he repays and rewards her double, as he did to this holy lady to whom he gave celestial and earthly goods to sufficience, as He doth to His friends who keep and hold themselves cleanly in their maryages and that have good hope in Him as had this good ⟨Susanne⟩.

How men ought bewaylle and wepe for there synnes and mysdedes

15th century translation	Modern English

This chapyter sheweth how be it that a woman haue an euyl and felon husbond neuertheles she ought not therfore leue the seruyse of god

15th century translation

Modern English

THE NEXT CHAPPYTRE SHEWETH HOW BE IT THAT A WOMAN HAUE AN EUYLLE AND FELON HUSBOND, NEUERTHELES SHE OUGHT NOT THERBY TO LEUE THE SERUYSE OF GOD.

FTER this ensample I shalle telle yow another of ii good wymen, wyues of two paynyms. The one was wyf to the seneschall of Herode. This good woman serued our lord at y time that he preched, & administred & made his mete and drynke the best wyse they couthe. Here is 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 humble 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 supporteth the euylle and mysdedes of her husbond, as it is reherced in the lyf of the Auncyent faders, where as he speketh of an euylle man and a tyraunt, the whiche was thre tymes saued fro euylle dethe for goodnes and bounte of his wyf, wher, fore 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 synnar, 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, all 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 seruauntes and mynystres of god

15th century translation	Modern English

Of a burgeyses wyf, whiche wold neuer pardonne her euylle wylle to her neyghbour wherfore she was dampned

15th century translation	Modern English

Of them whiche ought to come to theyr carnal frendes in whatsomeuer estate they be

15th century translation

Modern English

OF THEM WHICHE OUGHT TO COME TOWARD THEYRE CARNALL FRENDES, IN WHAT SOMEUER ESTATE THEY BE.

F them that ought to come in thestate wherin they be as theyre carnal Frendes come to see them, wherof I shalle telle yow an Ensample. There was somtyme a knyght, a good and trewe man, the whiche wente in vyage beyond the see. He had two nyeces, the whiche he had nourysshed and broughte vp of theyr yongthe, and had maryed them, and ouermoche he loued them. In tournynge home ageyne fro his vyage, he bought for eche of them a good gowne, wel fourred, to be coynted and arayed therwith. He came and arryued late at the night in to the hows of one of them. He called and demaunded after his nyece and made her to wete how he was come thyther for to see her. She that herd of his comynge wente anone in to her chambre, and did shette her self within for to brusshe and make clene her gowne to make her gay and fresshe, and sente worde vnto her vncle that soone she shold come to hym. The knyght abode there stylle a grete whyle, and sayd, "My nyece shalle not come." And her seruauntes ansuerd to hym that she shold soone come. The knyght had desdayne and was angry of her long taryenge, seyng that long before she had not sene hym, wherfor he lepe vpon his hors and tooke his way toward the hows of his other nyece, where he entred in, but as soone as he dyd calle, she that anone knewe that it was her vncle which long tyme had be oute of the land, lefte forthwith the tournyng & makynge of her breed, and with her handes yet full of paste came and embraced hym and sayd, "My dere lord and vncle, 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 Loye whiche I haue of youre comynge maade me to do hit." The knyght thene 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 both 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 chambre she wente and propyrly arayed her self, and thenne sayd to hym, " My lord and myn uncle, 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.

Of them that ought to come as they are as their carnal friends come to see them, of which I will give you an example. There was once a knight, a good and true man, who went on an overseas voyage. He had two nieces, who he had nourished and brought up in their youth and had found husbands for them, and he very much loved them. In turning home again from his voyage, he purchased for each of them a good, well-furred gown to be a status symbol and an adornment. He arrived late at night to the house of one of them, and called and demanded of his niece that she wait as he was coming there to see her. The niece who heard of his coming went back and shut herself in her bedroom to brush and clean her gown to make her gay and fresh, and sent word to her uncle the should would soon be there to see him. The knight remained a long while and said "My niece is not coming". And her servants answered that she should be coming soon. The knight was angry and held her in disdained because of her long tarrying, saying that she hadn't seen him in ages, and thus lept upon his horse and took his way to the house of his other niece where he entered, but as soon as he did call out, she knew it was her uncle who had been out of the land a long time, so abandoned the turning and making of her braid and with her hands still full of paste came and embraced him and said "My dear lord and uncle, in the state I was in at the point I heard you, I have come to see you. There, please forgive me, for the great joy which I have of your coming, caused me to do it". The knight then beheld and saw the manner of his iece, of which he was very glad, and loved and praised her much more than his other niece. He gave her the two gowns which he had bought for her and for her sister, and thus she that came gladly, in the state wherein she was, to welcome her uncle - she won both gowns. And she who tarried for to make herself joly and gay, lost her part of them. Then she who had come to ewlcome her uncle, as she had brought him in her bedroom, she went and properly clothed herself and then said to him, "My lord and my uncle, I have dressed and made myself more able to serve you honestly". And thus she got the love of her uncle and the other lost it. Here is a good example how people ought to come joyously in the state wherein they are, to welcome friends who come to see them. And if you wished for an example of a baroness or wife of a baron, who was a good lady and who would not wear her best gowns every day, so her servants said to her "Madame, why do you not go better clothed and more valued than you do?" And she answered to them, "If every day I went in my best raiments and held ⟨held me coynte and Ioly⟩, how should I do on the high feasts and holidays, and also when the Lords, my parents, should come to see me? For those times I should dress myself in the best ways I could, that people should say that all the day before I was fairer and better seen, whereof no ⟨thanke⟩ I should hae of them which were come to see me". And therefore I praise he who can refrain from amending herself in time and place as needed, for a thing which comes - and ⟨daily seen is nothing praised or set by⟩.

Of a good knyght whiche fought ageynst a fals knyghte for the pyte of a mayde

15th century translation

Modern English

OF THE GOOD KNYGHT WHICHE FOUGHT AGEYNST THE FALS KNYGHTE FOR THE PYTE OF A MAYDE.

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 yefte 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 juste, 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 have cast the mayd in to the fyre [came], 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,

OF A GOOD KNYGHTE WHICHE FOUGHT AGEYNST A FALS KNYGHTE FOR THE PYTE OF A MAYDE

Of the thre Maryes whiche came to the sepulcre so erly

15th century translation	Modern English

Thexample of the folysshe vyrgyns, and also of the wyse and prudente vyrgyns

15th century translation

Modern English

THEXAMPLE OF THE FOLYSSHE AND VIWYSE VYRGYNS, AND ALSO OF THE VYRGYNS PRUDENT AND WYSE.

he wyse man sayth in a prouerbe that whanne the ladyes were ryse out of theyr beddes, and ar they were wel kymbed and arayed, the Crosses and processions were gone and al the masses and seruyse of god done. It is as god sayth in his euangely; yf the fyue hooly vyrgyns whiche were curyoust awaked, and well garnysshed, of oylle and of lumynary to lyghte with theyre lampes, and whanne the spouse was come they wente and entred wyth hym with grete loye in to the castel, and founde the yates open. But the other fyue vyrgyns, whiche were ful of slepe, and had not purueyed them of oyll in to theyr lampes, whan they cam to the castel they found the yate shette before them. And whanne they asked for oylle, it was ansuerd to them 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 shalle 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 whom god spake in his euangely, as ye haue herd to fore.

How wymmen ought to be charytable by thexample of our lady

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW THE WYMMEN OUGHT TO BE CHARYTABLE AFTER THEXEMPLARY OF OUR LADY.

LSO 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 and jndygent 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 woma, 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 agels y gyft gyue of the good lady to hym. Here is 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 I 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.

Of the quene Jane of Fraunce

15th century translation	Modern English

How a woman ought not to marye her self without the counceylle of her parentes and Frendes

15th century translation	Modern English

How euery good woman ought wel to kepe her renommee

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW EUERY GOOD WOMAN OUGHT WEL TO KEPE HER RENOMMEE.

Y dere doughters, yf ve wyst and knewe the grete worshipwhiche cometh of good name and Renomme, ye shold peyne your self to gete and kepe it, as the good knyght whiche tendeth to come to worship & flee vylonye, payneth hym self and suffreth many grete trauaylles, as cold, hete, and hongre, and putte his body in to grete Ieopardy and aduenture to deye or lyue, for to gete worship and good Renommee , and maketh his body feble and wery by many vyages, also in many bataylles and assautes, and by many 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 only blame, as I haue sayd before of the knyghtes, the whiche take and suffre such 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 men 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 vpso doune, 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 repreued 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. good knyghtes 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.

How thauncyent were wonte to lerne the yonge

15th century translation	Modern English

How hit was wonte to departe the dyffamed wymmen fro the companye of the good and trewe felauship & companye of the good and trewe

15th century translation	Modern English

How before this tyme men punysshed them that were dyffamed

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW BEFORE THIS TYME MEN PUNYSSHED THEM THAT WERE DIFFAMED.

HERFORE 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 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, sauf the Reame of Fraunce and of Englond, and in the lowe 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 places 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 I the booke of the holy faders’ lyf, wherof the tale shold be longe to reherce, wherof I shalle telle vow a moche fayr example, the hyghest of alle other examples as hit is, whiche god told of his mouthe, as telleth the holy scrypture.

Wherefore of the women recorded and thought the time passed before the coming of Christ, which lasted more than five thousand years, and how the bad and evil women, especially they who were married, were punished, as they misguided them. For if it might be proven only by two men that they have company or carnal fellowship with any other than their lord, she was burned or stoned. And for neither gold nor silver could she be saved since she was never above the law of God and of Moses. And yet I do know only a few realms nowadays, except of France and of England and in the low or basse Germany, but that men do justice to them when the truth and certainty of the deed becomes openly known. That is, to wit, in Italy, in Spain, in Aragon, and in many other realms. In some places men cut their throats, and in some they are publicly beheaded. And in other places they are immured between two walls. And therefore this example is good and profitable to every good woman. For how be it that in this realm justice is not done of them as it is in other realms? Nevertheless they lose therefore their worship and their estate, the love of God and of their lords, and of their friends and of the world, for they have been spared and put out of the book of them that were good and true, as more plainly is rehearsed in the book of the Holy Fathers' life, whereof the the tale would be long to recite, whereof I shall you you a very fair example, the highest of all of all other examples as it is, which God spake from His mouth - as told in holy scripture.

How god compareth the good wymmen to the precious perle or Margaryte

15th century translation	Modern English

How a doughter of a knyght lost her maryage

15th century translation	Modern English

How loue wylle be kepte warme

15th century translation	Modern English

How the deuylle tempteth one in the synne that he fyndeth hym most enclyned to

15th century translation	Modern English

An Ensample of a good wydowe

15th century translation

Modern English

THEXAMPLE OF A GOOD WYDOWE.

NOTHER Ensample I wylle telle yow, contrary to this. It is of a good lady, whiche longe tyme was in wydowhere. She was of a holy lyf, and oche humble & honourable, as she whiche euery yere kepte and held a Feste vpon Crystemasse day of her neyghbours bothe ferre and nere, tyll her halle was ful of them. She serued and honoured eche one after his degree, and specially she bare grete reuerence to the good and trewe wymmen, and to them whiche had deseruyd to be worshipped. Also she was of suche customme, that yf she knewe ony poure gentyll woman that shold be wedded, she arayed her with her Iewels. Also she wente to the obsequye of the poure gentyll wymmen, and gaf there torches and all suche other lumynary as it neded therto. Her dayly ordenaunce was that she rose erly ynough, and had euer Freres and two or thre chappellaynes whiche sayd matyns before her within her oratorye. And after she herd a hyhe masse and two lowe, and sayd her seruyse full deuoutely. And after this she wente and arayed her self and walked in her gardyn or els aboute her place, sayenge her other deuocions & prayers. And as tyme was she wente to dyner, and after dyner, yf she wyste and knewe ony seke folke, or wymmen in theyr childbedde, she wente to see and vysyted them, and made to be brought to them of her best mete. And there as she myght not go her self, she had a seruaunt propyce therfore, whiche rode vpon a lytell hors, and bare with hym grete plente of good mete and drynke for to gyue to the poure and seke folke there as they were. And after she had herd euensonge, she wente to her souper, yf she fasted not, and tymely she wente to bedde, and made her styward to come to her to wete what mete sholde be had the next daye, and lyued by good ordenaunce, and wold be purueyed byfore of alle suche thynge that was nede full for her houshold. She made grete abstynence, and wered the hayre ypon the wednesdayand vpon the fryday. And hou I knowe this I shalle telle it to yow. This good lady dyed in a Manoyr whiche she held in dowaye, the whiche was apperteynynge to my lord my fader, and I and my susters, whiche were but yonge of age, cam to duelle there. And the bedde wheron this good lady deyd was broken in pyeces, & vnder the strawe was founde a hayr, whiche a damoysell toke, and sayd to vs that it was the hayr of her lady, and that she wered it two or thre dayes in the weke, and also told and reherced to vs her good condycions and her good lyf, and how she Rose euery nyght thre tymes, and kneled doune to the ground by her bedde, and rendryd thankynges to god, and prayd for al Crysten sowles, and how she dyd grete almes to the poures. This good lady, that wel is worthy to be named and preysed, had to name, My lady Cecyle of balleuylle. And yet I haue herd save that her broder myghte spende yerely xviii m pound, but notwithstondynge that, she was the most humble and the most good and curtoys lady that euer I knewe or wyste in ony countrey, and that lasse was enuyous, and neuer she wold here say ony euyll of no body, but excused them & prayd to god that they myght amende them, and that none was that knewe what to hym shold happe. And thus she blamed them that spake euylle of other folk, and maade them abasshed of that she repreued them so as she dyd. And thus oughte to doo euery good woman and euery good man at thexample of this good lady. And knowe ye that hit is a noble vertu not to be enuyous, and not to be Ioyeful of the dommage or scathe of other. And for certayn this good lady sayd, that they whiche auaunced them of the euylle and dommage of other, and that mocked theyr neyghbours and other, and that god shold punysshe them or some of theyr nyghe frendes and parentes, wherof came to them grete shame. And that haue I sene ofte befalle, as the good lady sayd, for none oughte not to Iuge ne reproche the dammage or euylle of other. Many suche fayre and prouffytable talkyng of this good lady in my memorye, notwithstondyng the yong age whiche I was of whanne she deyde, for I was not aboue ten yere old. She had a ryghte noble ende, and as I wene, ryghte agreable to god. And as men say communely, of honest and good lyf cometh euer a good ende.

The thre enseygnementes or lernynges whiche Cathon gaf to his son

15th century translation

Modern English

THE THRE ENSEYGNEMENTES OR LERNYNGES WHICHE CATHON GAF TO HIS SONE.

NOTHER ensample j will telle yow of the wyse Cathon, by whos wysedome was all the Cyte of Rome gouerned. He made & wrote many fayr auctorytees, the whiche yet as now make grete memore of hym. This Cathon had a sone, and as he was in the bedde of his deth, he callyd his sone to hym, the whiche had to name Cathonet, and sayd to hym, "Fayre sone, I have longe lyued in this world, whiche is moche hard to knowe, and moche merueyllous, and alwey shall wexe wors, as I trowe. Wherfore I wold and desyre moche that your gouernement and maner of lyuynge shold be good to the worship of yow and of all your frendes. I haue take therfore to yow by wrytynge many enseygnementes, the whiche shalle prouffyte to you herafter, yf ye therto wylle sette your herte and have them in youre memorye. Neuertheles I haue bethought in my self to telle and gyue yow other thre er i deye, wherfore I praye yow that euer ye wyll have them in your memorye.

THE THRE ENSEYGNEMENTES OR LARNYNGES WHICH CATHON GAF TO HIS SONE

The fyrst and the second enseygnement

15th century translation

Modern English

THE FYRSTE ENSEYGNEMENT.

HE fyrst enseygnement of the thre is this: that ye take none offyce of your souerayne lord, yf so be that ye have good ynough & good suffysaunte after as your estate ought to haue, and nomore ye ought to aske of God. And therfore ye ought not put your self in subiection to lose your good by somme euyll word or by somme euyll reporte. For certaynly, my fayr sone, there be lordes of dyuerse condycions and maners. Somme ben hasty, and that lyghtely bileue, and somme haue other maners of condycion. And therfore men oughte to haue suffysaunce, and be doubtynge to put hym self, his estate, and worship, in parylle, and in the daunger of folke whiche ben lyght of wylle. The second enseygnement is, that ye respyte no man that hath deseruyd to deye, & specially yf he be custommed to doo euylle. For yf ye soo dyde, ye shold be participant in al the euylle that he afterward shold doo, as ryght were.

The thyrd enseygnement

15th century translation

Modern English

THE THYRD ENSEYGNEMENT.

HE thyrd Enseygnement is, that ye preue and essaye your wyf to wete and knowe yf she shalle kepe secretely your counceylle, whiche parauenture myght be cause of your dethe. For there ben somme whiche ben moche wyse, and that can wel kepe secretely what that someuer men sayen to them, and the whiche also gyue good counceylle and aduysement. And somme ben that can neuer kepe theyr tongue, but telle alle that is sayd to them, as well ageynste them as for them." And thus the wyse Cathon gaf this thre enseygnementes to his sone, as he laye seke at the poynt of his dethe. This trewe and wyse man Cathon deyde, and his sone abode on lyue, whiche was hold sage and wyse, in so moche that themperour of Rome toke hym his sone for to endoctryne ani teche hym. And afterward he maade some lordes to speke to hym for to withold hym to gouerne and sette in good rewle the grete fayttes and materes of Rome, and promysed hym to baue therby grete auaylles and prouffytees, wherfor and by the couetyse of these prouffytees he consented to take thoffyce, and toke on hym the charge of it, and forgate thenseygnement and techynge of his fader. And after, whan he was stablysshed and receyued in his offyce, he rode on a daye thorugh the hyghe strete with grete companye of folke whiche folowed hym. He sawe a theef whiche men conueyed to the galhows for to be hanged, whiche was moche yonge. Thenne sayd one to Cathon, whiche stood by hym, "Syre, by cause of the nouellyte of your offyce, ye may wel respyte and kepe this man fro dethe." And he withoute enquest by hym made of the caas why he was juged to receyue dethe, made hym to be vnbound, and by cause of the nouellyte of his offyce he kepte the theef fro dethe. He was to hasty, for at that tyme he thougt not on the commaundement that his fader had made vnto hym.

How Cathonet, after that he had done ageynst the two commaundements of his fader, essayed the thyrd on his wyf

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW CATHON, AFTER HE HAD DONE AGEYNST THE TWO COMMAUNDEMENTS, ESSAYED THE THYRD ON HIS WYF.

S the nyght was come, and that Cathon had slept. his fyrst slepe, he had many vysyons vpon this matere, in so moche that he remembryd how he had broken and done ageynst two of the commaundementes of his fader. And seynge this, he thought that he wold not breke ne do ageynst the thyrd, wherfore he wente to his wyf and sayd thus to her: "My good frende and my wyf, I wold telle yow a grete counceylle whiche touched my persone, and myghte be the cause of my dethe, yf I wyst that ye shold kepe it secretely." "Ha a, my lord!" sayd she, "on my feythe I hadde leuer be dede than to discouere to ony body youre counceylle." "Ha a, my frend! thenne shalle ye knowe hit,** sayd he. "Trouth it is that themperour toke to me his sone, as ye wel knowe, for to lerne and teche hym, but certaynly hit is not longe tyme gone, for somme wordes whiche he sayd to me, that I as a dronken man, and as he that was wrothe of other thynge, hastely take the Child and slewe hym; and more I dyd, for I tooke and arrached oute of his bely his herte, the whiche I made to be confyte in sugre and other spyces, and sente it to themperour his fader, and to his moder, and they ete hit. And thus I auenged me of hym, but I knowe wel now that it is an euyll and abhomynable dede done, wherof I me repente, but it is to late. Therfore, my good Frend and my wyf, I praye yow as affectually as I can, that ye kepe this counceyll secrete withyn your herte as I trust me to yow." But the morowe after she beganne to wepe and maake grete sorowe, and a woman whiche was with her demaunded of her, "Madame, what haue ye that ye make suche sorowe? Haue ye ony heuynesse wythin your herte?" "Veryly," sayd she thenne, "ye, my Frend, and that a grete, but rather I shold deye er it shold be knowen." "Ha a " madame! She were wel oute of her wytte that shold telle and dyscouere suche a counceylle yf ye had sayd hit, and as for me rather I shold lete me drawe than I shold telle it ageyn." "Ye," sayd the wyf of Cathonet, "maye I truste in yow?" "Ye, by feyth," saith the other woman. She tooke her feythe and her othe, and thenne to her she told and discouered her secrete, how her lord had slayne themperour's sone, and his herte confyted in spyces had sente to themperour his fader and to his moder & how they had ete of hit. This woman maade a Crosse as she were sore merueylled, and sayd that she shold kepe hit secretely. But certaynly her taryenge there, after that she knewe hit, thought her longe for to have go and telle it to other. For as soone as she was departed fro Cathon's hows, she wente forthwith where themperour's wyf was, and came and kneled before her and sayd, "Madame, to your good gracej wyll speke secretely of a grete counceylle." And thenne themperesse commaunded her ladyes to go a parte, and the sayd woman beganne thus to speke: "Madame, the grete loue whiche I bere vnto yow, and for the grete good that ye have done to me, and as I truste that ye yet wylle doo, maketh me to come hyder for to telle yow a grete counceylle, the whiche I wold not telle but to youre persone, for I myght not suffre ne see your dishonour for none erthely good. Madame, it is so that ye loue and haue dere Cathonet more than ony other, as it appyereth wel. For ye haue made hym gouernour of the Cyte of Rome, and ye shewed hym gretter loue whanne ye gaf to hym the kepynge of your sone, to whome he hath hold such felauship that he hath slayne hym, and hath take his hert out of his bely, and wel dressyd and confyted in sugre and spyces, and hath made yow to ete it." "What saye ye?" sayd themperour's wyf. " Madame," sayd she, "j telle yow trewe for certayn, for I knowe this by the mouthe of Cathonet's wyf, whiche sorowful and wepynge told it to me in grete counceylle." And whanne themperesse herd her so speke, she with a hyghe voys beganne to crye, and made suche a sorowe that it was pyte to see, in soo moche that the tydynges came to themperour, how the Emperesse made so grete sorowe. Themperour was sore abasshed, and came there as themperesse was, and demaunded of her why she maade suche sorowe. And she with hyghe pleynt ansuerd and reherced to hym al that the damoysell had told her of theyr sone. And whan themperour wyst that they had eten the herte of theyr child, he bicame ryght angre and sorowfull, and commaunded that Cathonet shold forthwith be take and hanged in the myddes of Rome, there as the folke myght loke on hym as vpon a fals murderer and traytour. His Sergeaunts wente and toke hym anone, and told hym the commaundement of them. perour, and that it was for his sone whiche he had slayne. Cathonet thenne sayd to them, "It is no nede that al that men sayn be trouthe. Ye shalle put me in pryson, and shalle saye that it is to late to make ony execucion of lustyse, and that to morowe I shalle be hanged before the peple." The Sergeaunts loued hym moche, and soo dyd alle manere of folke. They dyd as he badde them to doo, and thenne wente and sayd to the Emperoure and themperesse that hit were for the beste to make Iustyse of hym on the morowe nexte comynge, and that hit was to late, and how more people shold thenne be gadered and assembled for to see hym. And the Emperour, whiche made grete sorowe for his sone, graunted hit. And not withstondynge this, in the meane whyle that Cathonet was conueyed to pryson, he callyd to hym a Squyer of his, and seyd to hym, "Goo to suche a knyght, that kepeth themperour's sone, and telle hym how the Emperour weneth that I have put hym to dethe, and that he faylle not to be here to morowe with hym before the houre of pryme, or els I shalle be in grete perylle to receyue a shameful dethe." This Squyer departed, and soo faste rode and waloped that that nyght he came, aboute one of the cloke after mydnyght, there as Cathonet hadde take to kepe the sone of the Emperoure as to his trewe and good Frende whiche was a trewe man, and moch wyse, and merueyllously they loued eche other. The Squyr beganne to calle wyth an hyghe voys, and dyd soo moche that he came to fore the bedde there as the trewe and noble Baron laye, and told hym how somme had done byleue to the Emperour that Cathonet hadde slayne his sone, and how hit was ordeyned that he shold be on that next morowe hanged. And as the Baron herd this, he was sore abasshed, & moche merueylled of this auenture, & forthwith he rose oute of his bedde, and made his men to be redy, and came to the bedde where the sone of themperour laye, and told to hym the merueyll. And whanne the child vnderstood it he had grete sorowe in his herte, for ouermoche he loued Cathonet his maystre. Here I leue to speke of the Baron and of themperour's sone, and tourne ageyne to speke of Cathonet whiche was in pryson.

How Cathonet shold haue ben hanged

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW THEY WOLD HANGE CATHONET.

ATHONET was merueyllously loued in Rome of al maner of folke, as he that was wyse, humble, trewe, and curtoys. And whan the morow was come he sayd to one his grete frend, that at all auenture he shold make the hangmen of the towne to hyde them self secretely somwher tyll it were about the houre of tierce. And he dyd as he had prayd hym to doo. Cathonet thenne, aboute the houre of pryme, was conueyed to the galhows of alle the peple of Rome, whiche made grete sorowe for hym. And yet gretter sorowe had they made, but they wened veryly that he had done the dede of whiche he was accused, wherof they had grete merueylle, and sayd emonge them, "How may suche a wyse man haue be so sore tempted of the deuylle that he hath slayne themperour's sone? How may this be?" Of this faytte was grete talkynge amonge them. Somme byleued hit, and somme sayd it was not so. Neuertheles he was had to the galhows, and was asked after the hang man, but he coude not be found there, wherof hit befelle a grete merueylle, for he whiche Cathonet had respyted & saued fro dethe, as men led hym to be hanged, came forthe & sayd, "Lordes, the dede is fowle, dishonest, and vylaynous, and for the loue of themperour I offre my self to doo thoffyce, yf there be none other that wylle doo hit." Euery man loked thenne on hym & sayd, "Is not that he to whome Cathonet graunted his lyf, whanne he was newe putte in thoffyce of gouernour?" "Certaynly," sayd the other, "hit is he & none other, withoute fawte." Wherfore in token and signe of a grete merueyll they blessyd them with theyr handes, sayeng, "He is wel a foole that saueth and respyteth ony theef fro the galhows." Cathon thenne loked on hym and sayd, "Thou arte wel passyng redy. Remembryst not thow the tyme passed? But thus gone the merueylles of the world." And as soone as he had sayd these wordes, there was a grete nombre of men al on horsback, whiche made grete clamour and cryed, "Put not to dethe the trewe man Cathonet!"

How themperour's sone came to saue his mayster Cathonet

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW THEMPEROUR'S SONE CAME TO SAUE HIS MAYSTER CATHONET AND OF HIS ESCAPE.

ND whan the people perceyued and sawe the horses rennynge toward them, and sawe anone the sone of themperour, whiche cryed, "Touche not, neyther ley hand on my mayster's body, for i am alyue," they were gretely merueylled. The child anone lyght of his hors and wente and vnbonde his mayster, & sore wepyng kyssed hym ful tendirly & said, "Ha a, my swete frend & maister! Who hath this purchaced & so grete a lesyng foūde & contryued vpon you, the which my lord my fader hath so lyghtely by leued?" And thenne he embraced & kyssed hym ageyne, & al the people, whiche was gretely merueylied, as they sawe the pyte & good nature of the child, thaked & mercyed god with al theyr hertes of the delyuerauce of Cathonet. The child made his mayster to be sette on horsbak, & ledde hym thurgh the stretes of Rome by the raynes of his brydell tyll they came in to the palais where themperour his fader was. And whanne themperour and his wyf knewe for certayne the comynge of theyr sone, they wente and met hym with grete. Ioye, and as they sawe hym ledynge his mayster Cathonet by the raynes they were gretely merueylled, & held them ashamed and vergoynous toward Cathonet, and cam to hym, and eche of them kyssed hym, and made to hym the grettest ioye and chere and the grettest honoure that they couthe, and excused them toward hym of this dede. Thenne sayd the child to his fader themperour, "Ha, my lord! Wylle ye vse of so hasty lustyce withoute makynge of none enqueste vpon the dede or faytte? For a man of so hyghe estate as ye be shold & out to be more blamed therfore than another of lower degre or estate, for hadde ye maade hym to be dampned and destroyed withoute cause, it had be grate pyte and grete dommage. And certaynly neuer after I shold haue had Ioye in my herte, for yf I can ony good, it cometh of hym." Themperour ansuerd, "Fayr sone, hit was euylle done of vs, and in this we haue gretely offended and gete shame, but the loue that we haue in the, and the trust that we haue in thyn preferre ment, toke reason fro vs, and bestourned our wytte." Thenne spake Cathonet and sayd to themperour, "Syre, merueylle yow not of this thynge. I shalle now telle vnto yow why al this was sayd. My fader, whiche in his tyme was a ryght wyse man and a trewe, and borne in this land, shewed to me many good enseygnementes, yf I had be so wyse to haue had them euer stylle in memorye. And yet as he was seke in his bedde, and nyghe at his last ende, he callyd me to hym, as he whiche moche desyred that I myght lerne and knowe som good, and prayd me that I wold wel kepe in my memorye thre enseygnements emonge al other that he before that hadde taught to me, the whiche I wylle now recorde and declare them, to thende that they may be ensample in tyme to come to euery man, as to hym to whome they have happed and that done the contrarye.

How Cathonet escaped

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW CATHONET TOLD THEMPEROUR OF THE LORE OF HIS FADER, AND OF HIS ESCAPE.

HE fyrst enseygnement that he taught me was thys: that if euer god gaf me chaunce and good ynough, that I shold thanke hym moche of hit, and haue in me suffysaunce, and not coueyte ne aske more of god. And by cause I shold haue suffysaunce, he commaunded and charged me that neuer I shold put my self in subiection of none offyce vnde my souerayne lord, for yf I dyd so by couetyse of more good, somme enuyous, by somme fals repporte, shold make me to lese my good and my self also; and that hit was a peryllous thynge to serue ony prynce or grete lord of lyght and hasty wylle, for many one ther ben whiche enquereth them not yf the repporte to them made is trewe or not, wherfor the commaundements of suche hasty lordes ben straunge and peryllous, as ye now haue sene how this ensample is to me, whiche al most hath be shamefulle & greuable. And yf I had byleued the counceyll of my fader, I had neuer falle in suche perylle. For thanked be god, I had of erthely goodes ynough, and more than I haue deseruyd to god, and myght wel haue deported my self of takynge of thoffyce. The second enseygnement was, that I neuer shold respyte ne saue to no man his lyf, whiche had deserued to deye, and in especiall a theef or an homycyde, whiche were custommed to theftes and murdre of folke; and that yf i dyd, I shold euer be partener of alle suche ewylle dedes that they myght doo afterward. And this commaundement I haue enfrayned and broken, for this daye haue I sene hym whiche I haue respyted hym fro the shamefulle dethe, that offred and presented hym self for to be the hangman of my body. Lytell reward he offred to me. The thyrd enseygneiment was, that I shold essaye my wyf or euer I shold discouere to her ony grete counceylle, for therin is to grete paryll. Neuertheles ther ben some that can wel kepe secretely what men saye to them, and in the whiche men fynd good counceylle and comforte, and other also whiche that can no thynge kepe in secrete. And thenne as I me bethought how I had broken and done ageynst the ii enseygnementes of my fader, I thought and sayd in my self that I shold preue and essaye the thyrd. Wher fore that other daye as I was a bedde wyth my wyf, I awaked her, and for to essaye her wylle, I sayd to her that I had slayne the sone of themperour, and that his herte confyted in spyeces I had made themperour and his wyf to ete hit, and that for the loue of whiche she loued me she shold kepe this in secrete soo that none myght neuer knowe no thynge of hit. Now have I proued and essayed how she hath kepte secretely my counceylle, as euery one maye now see and knowe. But I gyue me not to grete merueylle therof, for hit is not of newe how that a woman can not kepe secretely that whiche men sayen to her in counceylle.

How Cathonet exposed his aduenture

15th century translation

Modern English

HOW CATHONET EXPOSED HIS AUENTURE OR HAP.

OW haue ye herd how it is happed to me by cause i dyd not byleue the counceylle of my Fader, whiche was so trewe and wyse a man. To me therfore is come almost a grete euylie." And notwithstondynge thus sayd Cathonet to themperour, "Syre, I rendre and discharge me of your offyce, and from hensforth I shalle not be enpeched of hit." And he therof was discharged with grete payne. Neuertheles he wasfreteyned for to be mayster of the grete counceill of Rome, and in especiall of the grete fayttes and dedes. And themperour made hym to haue grete prouffitees, and gaf hym grete yeftes, and loued hym aboue al other, and regned moche holyly in the loue of god and of the peple. And therfore, my fayre doughters, this is here a good ensample how ye ought to kepe the counceyll of your lord, and not telle it to no body what someuer it be, for ofte comen therof many euyls; and for to be secrete, and specially in suche thyng that is deffended, may not come sauf only good. And in lyke wyse as the shafte is departed fro the bowe must take her flyght. and cours, and neuer cometh ageyne to the bowe tyll it haue smyte somme thynge, soo is the word whiche yssued oute of the mouthe lyke it, for after that he is put out of the mouth it may neuer be put in to the mouthe ageyne, but that it shal be herd, be it good or euylle. Wherfor we ought wel to haue in our memorye the sayenges and auctorytees of the wyse Salamon, whiche sayth that men must thynke on the wordes twyes or thryes or they be putt oute of the mouthe. And thus ought to doo al wyse folke, for ouer many grete euyls haue ben done and engendered for to haue discouered the counceyll and suche thynges as haue ben sayd there in counceylle. Therfore I pray yow, fayre doughters, that ye wylle haue this ensample in your memory and neuer forgete it. For all good and worship may therof come to yow, and hit is a vertue the whiche escheweth grete hate and grete enuye, and many euyls also. For many one I knowe whiche haue loste moche of theyr goodes & suffred many grete euyls for to haue spoke to lyghtely of other, and for to haue reported suche wordes as they herd saye, of the whiche they had nought to doo at al. For none soo wyse is that may knowe what to hym is to come, and full of naturel wytte be they whiche kepe them self fro recordynge of ony wordes. For he whiche wythsayeth them that blameth other, as wel in ryght as in wronge, he doth but wel; and for to hold and kepe secretely the dommage and euylle of other may come but good, as hit is reherced in the booke of my two sonnes, and also in an Euangely.

Here fynysshed the booke whiche the knyght of the Toure made to the enseygnement and techyng of his doughters, translated oute of Frenssh in to our maternall Englysshe tongue by me, William Caxton, whiche book was ended & fynysshed the fyrst day of Iuyn, the yere of oure lord mcccclxxxiii, And enprynted at westmynstre the last day of Ianyuer the fyrst yere of the regne of kynge Rychard the thyrd.

EXPLICIT.

This work is a translation and has a separate copyright status to the applicable copyright protections of the original content.

Original:

This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

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Translation:

This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.

The longest-living author of this work died in 1939, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 84 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

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↑ This is a reference to an omitted chapter

[1] The title is different for the work, than listed in the contents

[2] unclear whether abstaining from meat Wednesday, or only eating meat on Wednesdays

[3] Xerxes, also known as Ahasuerus

[4] Sail sur table, Old French for "Salt on the table", but the wife mistook this sentence for "Style sur table", i.e., "Leap onto the table".

[5] The daughter of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel

[6] This is a reference to an omitted chapter

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