The Booke of Thenseygnementes and Techynge that the Knyght of the Towre made to his Doughters/Chapter 13
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.