The Booke of Thenseygnementes and Techynge that the Knyght of the Towre made to his Doughters/Chapter 69
OF THE THRE MARYES WHICHE CAME TO THE SEPULCRE OR MONUMĒT SO ERLY.
HE other example is of the thre Maryes whiche came erly in the mornynge of Ester sonday to the sepulcre, wenynge them to have enoynted the swete Ihesu crist. They had do make precious oynementes, and of grete prys, and had grete deuocion to serue god bothe alyue and dede, and were brennynge in the loue of god. And there they fond the angel, whiche sayd and announced to them that he was rysen, wherof they had grete Ioye. And of the grete Ioye that they had therof they ranne to the Appostles to telle them of hit. These good ladyes waked al the nyght for to make redy theyr precious oynementes, and at the sprynge of the daye they were at the monument for to make theyr seruyse. And therfore is here good ensample how euery good woman, wedded or of Relygyon, ought to be swyft, dylygent, and curyous to the seruyse of god, for therof they shalle be rewarded to c dowble, as were these thre good Maryes, whiche god hath moche hyghe enhaunced in his blessyd glorye. Men may rede and fynde in the Cronycies of Rome, that whan themperour Nero and other tyraunts and enemyes of the holy feythe made the sayntes to be martyred, as it is conteyned in theyre legendes, the good ladyes of the townes where they suffred martirdome, wente and toke the holy bodyes of them, and wonde and buryed them, and bare to them the grettest worship that they myght. These good wymmen wente to here matyns and the masses and the seruyse of god, wherof men fynde that at that tyme were in Rome and in every Towne there about many charytable and good ladyes, but now, as j may perceyue and see, the charyte and the holy seruyse of god is amonge wymmen sowen ferre asonder. For many one there be that haue theyr herte more toward the world than to the seruyse of god, for they can wel awake for to araye and make theire bodyes gay and fayre for to be the more playsaunt to the men, but yf they were as redy to goo and here theyr matyns and masse, and be aboute to doo the seruyse of god, hit were better for them. For they do seruyse displeasynge to god, that is to wete, the delyte and wylle of the body, the whiche shalle be punysshed to c double.