CHAPTER XXXVIII.
[Of Good Examples.]
And there be other be wyse, that haue her herte and hope of God. And for the loue and fere that thei haue in hym, they kepe hem clene and fytithe ayenst temptaciones, and the braydes of the fyre of lecherye, and kepith hem suerly withoute delycious metes, for the flesshe is tempted by delicious metes and drinkes, the whiche bene letteres and kindelers of the brondes of lecherye; and other that haue grace to thenke that they haue suffisaunce, and that is ayeust couetise. And there he other that hane free hert, true and iuste, and be not riotous; for who that sekithe ryot gladly, he metithe therewith, for many men for anger betithe hym selff with his owne staffe, and sekithe hym sorw from day to day. And God blessithe in the gospeƚƚ the meke and the humble hert. And aƚƚ these men that kepithe hem selff clene, and in the loue and drede of God, and of his neigℏboures, sheuithe weƚƚ who is her fader, and that is God the fader, of the whiche they kepe his comaundementis as holy chirche techithe hem. And they haue free hert to witholde good ensaumples of lyff, and ioye perdurable, and of saluacion. And therfor, faire doughters, haue night and day youre hertes to hym [fol/col 18b/2] and loue hym, and drede hym, and he wiƚƚ kepe you and saue you from periƚƚ and temptaciones. And therfor, my faire doughters, y wiƚƚ shewe you and declare you by this boke the good ladyes that God preisithe in the Bybill, and for thaire holy lyff shal euer he praised, and therfor takithe ensaumple to lyue clenly and honestly as thei dede. And also y wiƚƚ declare you sum eueƚƚ women that were diuerse and crueƚƚ, the whicℏ made and hadd̛ eueƚƚ ende, to that entent that ye may take hede by hem to kepe you from the eueƚƚ, that ye faƚƚ not inne.