The Booke of Thenseygnementes and Techynge that the Knyght of the Towre made to his Doughters/Chapter 3
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.