Book of the Knight of La Tour-Landry : compiled for the instruction of his daughters : translated from the original French into English in the reign of Henry VI / [by Geoffroy de La Tour Landry] ; edited ... with an introduction and notes by Thomas Wright

CHAPTER XXX.

Another ensaumple y wiƚƚ teƚƚ you of hem that for slouthe lessethe her masse and makithe other to lese her masse.

I Haue herde of a knight & of a lady that in her youtℏ delited hem to rise late. And so they used longe, tiƚƚ many tymes that thei loste her masse, and made other of her parisshe to lese it, for the knight was lorde and patron of the chirche, and therfor the preest durst not disobeye hym. And so it happed that on a Sonday the knight sent unto the chirche that thei shulde abide hym. And whanne he come, it was passed none, wherfor thei might not that day haue no masse, for euery

man saide it was passed tyme of the day, and therfor thei durst not singe. And so that Sonday the knight, the lady, and aƚƚ the parisshe was withoute masse, of the whiche the pepiƚƚ were sori, but thei must nedes suffre. And on a night there came on avision to the person, that he kepte a gret flocke of shepe in a felde there that there grewe no grasse; and he wolde haue ledde hem into a felde there grasse was, [fol/col 15/1] but he must go whitℏ hem thorugℏ a streite pathe, and in the pathe he saw a gret blacke swyne and a sowe, horned, that lay ouer-thwarte the pathe; And he was so sore aferde of her hornes, that he yode awey and fledde with his shepe, withoute pasturinge or fedinge hem. And a uoys saide to hym, "Whi art thow aferde of these horned bestys ?" & with that he awoke. And the same night the knight and the lady dremed that thei were become horned swyne and sow, and wolde not late the shepe goo to her pasture nor fedynge. And after hem thought that there come mani blacke hunters, and blake hors, with many blake greyhoundes, and raches; and the houndes were uncoupeled on hem, and chaced and bote hem spitously bi the eeres and thies; and them thought that the chace dured so longe on hem tiƚƚ they were take and slayne. And of this auision, whanne they were awaked, thei were foule afraied; for the auicion come to hem bi two tymes. And the person come to the knightes hous, and he tolde hem his auicyon, and the preest his, of the whiche thei were gretly meruailed, and thaire sweuens [MS. "swemes."] were lyche. And the preest saide vnto the knight, "There is hereby in a forest an holy ermyte that canne teƚƚ us what this auicion menithe." And than thei yede to hym, and tolde it hym fro point to point, and as it was. And the wise holi man, the whiche was of blessed lyff, expouned and declared her auicion in this wise: "Sir knight, ye & youre wiff are blacke swyne and sowes that kepithe the pathe thorugℏ the whiche the shepe shulde go to her [fol/col 15/2] sustenaunce and fode, that is to mene, that ye ar lorde of the parisshe that ye dueƚƚ in. And ye haue destroubled the parisshenes to here masse and Goddes seruice, the whiche is the

feding and the pasture of the body and soule, and for youre rest and sleping by day, like swyne, ye haue made youre neygℏboures lese her masse and Goddes seruice; and the hornes that ye had signifieth that ye be therfor in dedly synne. And in especiaƚƚ ye make other to lese the seruice of God, the whiche ye may neuer amende withoute ye suffre therfor gret turment. And therfor the vengeaunce of the dede is shewed you bi auicion, that ye shaƚƚ be tormented, and chaced, and slayn therfor with fendes of heƚƚ, withoute amendement. For it were beter to you, that ye lacked to here an hundred masses, thanne ye lette a man to here one or a preest of his deuocion. For the preest most faƚƚ into the synne of wrathe, and his parisshenes gone fortℏ to the ale hous or to a tauerne, and thorugℏ taryeng lese her deuocion. And aƚƚ this eueƚƚ comithe of youre sleutℏ and synne, of the whiche ye shaƚƚ yelde onis acompte of; And ye shaƚƚ be therfor chaced, tormented, and slayne, and in waye to be dampned, but ye amende it." And thanne the knight was abasshed, and asked counsaile what was beste for hym to do. And the holy man counsailed that on thre Sondayes he shulde knele on his knees afore aƚƚ the parisshenes, and crie hem mercy, and that they wolde forgeue hym his misdede that he had kepte hem so longe a dayes from her masse, And that thei wold praie to God foryeue hym and his wyff, [fol/col 15b/1] and he wolde euer after be one of the furst atte the chirche. And thei were shriue of the ermite, and had penaunce of hym, and were chastised that thei dede naught as they were wont. And he and his wyff thanked God of her auicion that he sent hem, that thei might amende hem, And so from that tyme forwarde thei were the furst atte the masse and the laste therfrom. And also the ermite tolde the preest his auicion like as hadde the knight, and that God shulde be dradde and serued afore ani erthely thinge or delite of rest or plesaunce; wherfor, doughtres, take here ensaumple that for youre persones ese that ye make not diuerse peple lese her masse and deuocion, thorugh youre necligence and sleuthe; for it were beter for you to here no masse thanne to lette other.