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 LXV.

[Of the wife of Aman.]

ANd yet woƚƚ y teƚƚ you another ensaumple upon this matere, of Amons wiff, the which Amon was Seneschaƚƚ of the king, and was comen to [? for "of".] pore degre and of mene peple, and became riche by his seruice, and purchased londes and possessiones, and gouerned also the grettest parti of the londe, and become ryche. And he waxe so pore [proud (?).] and presumptuous, that he wolde that euery persone kneled tofore hym and dede hym gret reuerence. So it befeƚƚ [fol/col 28b/2] that Mardocheus, that was of grete noblesse, and had norisshed the quene after, the whiche was a good and gracious lady and iuste. And it displesed gretly to the said Mardocheus of the pride and presumpcion of that man that was comen of not, and deigned not to do hym worshipe, ne to rise afore hym, and of the whiche the said Amon was right fel and wrothe, and compleyned hym therof to his wiff, the whiche was proude and of gret corage as he was,

and counsailed hym that he lete rise a iebet tofore his dore, and that he made hange the said Mardocheus therupon, and to put sum cas upon hym thorugℏ the whiche he had deserued dethe. And the fole Amon beleued his wiff, thorugℏ the whiche hym befeƚƚ gret mischeef. For, whanne he had reised the iebet the frendes of thilke Mardocheus went rennyng to the quene, and tolde her what Amon wolde do to hym that had norisshed her. And the quene for that cause went to seche Amon, and he come tofore the kinge, and he was diligentely enquered for the cause that he hadde putte upon hym, so that it was founde that the said Mardocheus was not culpable therof, but that the other hadde done it by enuye. Thanne the quene after kneled tofore her lorde, and besought hym that men shulde do sem[bla]ble iustice to Amon the seneschaƚƚ, and that he and his children were hanged tofore the gate, to shewe that falsly [fol/col 29/1] and by enuie he hadde iuged the said Mardocheus. And as the good ladi had required, it was done; for he was hanged atte his yate, and his seuene children, and aƚƚ thorugℏ his pride and oultrecuydance, and by the folynesse counsaile of his wyff. Thanne it is gret foly to a man that is comen of mene degre, and of naught, to be proude that he knew not hym selff, for ani erthely good, and that he dispise ne dispreise none other persone, but, and he be wise, he ought to meke hym selff, to that entent to faƚƚ in the grace of aƚƚ men, and that men haue none enuie upon hym; for men haue often tymes gret enuie of them that comithe of mene degre thanne of hem that comen of good place and automd of auncetry. And also the wiff of the said Amon was not wise, whan she saw the wrathe and courance of her husbonde, to susteyne hym in his foly, [for every wise woman should fair [Fr. Car toute saige femme doit bel.....]] ] and curtesly suage and do awey the wrathe of her husbonde by fayre wordes and softe, and specially whan she seithe hym moued to do ani harme, or veleni, of the whiche dishonoure and harme might folw. As the wiff of Amon, that undernam not her husbonde of his foly, but rather atysed hym, and gaue hym counsaile thorugℏ the whiche he

deied foule and felonusly. So this is a goo[d] ensaumple that a woman shulde not susteine her husbonde in his wratℏ and malyncolye, but shulde rather undernyme [MS. "undermyne." Fr. reprendre.] hym bi resones, liteƚƚ and liteƚƚ, what harmes and inconuenienceȝ mow come therof to the foule body ; and so shulde do eueri good [fol/col 29/2] woman anent her husbonde; wherfor, faire doughters, take here ensaumple, and beholde what harme befeƚƚ anone [? for a man.] thorugh the foly of his wyff.