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 CIII.]

[Of women who were full of pity.]

ANother ensaumple there is, of the good ladies that wepte; for oure Lorde whan he bare the crosse upon his shuldres,: whereupon he vouchedsauf to suffre dethe, for the redem-

cion of us synners. These good ladyes were of holy lyff, and had her hertis pitous, and God turned towardes hem and said̛ vnto hem, "My doughters! wepithe not for me, but wepe for the sorues that be to come; " and shewed hem the mischeef that is befaƚƚ sin hedirwarde, as ye shal finde it in the boke that y haue made for youre bretheren. [Cf. Caxton's "as hit is reherced, in the booke of my two sonnes." Sign. n in bk., p. 205 below. No copy is known.] These goode ladyes, that had pitee upon the soru that oure Lorde suffered, thei loste not the teres that they wepte for hym, for he rewarded hem hyly: and therefor by this ye may haue ensaumple, how euery good woman aught to haue pitee upon the disese of the pore pepiƚƚ and seruauntes of God. As he saithe hym selff in the Gospeƚƚ that, " Who that hathe pitee upon the pore, in the reuerence and for the loue of me, y wol haue pitee and mercy upon hem." And as the wise man saithe, "The woman, of nature shulde be pitous moche more thanne the man, for the man is of more of harde corage than the woman." And, therfor, it is saide, a woman that is not humble and pitous she is mannisshe and not womanly, whiche is a uice in womanhode to be rude or of hautaigne courage. [fol/col 44b/1] And also the wise man saithe, a woman shulde not be a chiche of that she hathe in gret plente, that is to saye, of wepinge teris, and of piteous herte, to haue pitee on the pore peple, vpon her kyn and frendes, that she seithe in necessitee. And there was a gode lady that was Countesse of Aniou, and founded the abbey of Burgeyl, and she is there yberied; and it is saide she is there in flesshe and blode, seminge in coloure thougℏ she were quicke lyvinge. This good lady, she halpe and gaue her goodes vnto her pore kyn, unto pore gentiƚƚ women and maydenes, to susteine and meintaine her estate, to kepe from synne and mysleuinge. And she enquered thorugh euery parisshe for pore men and women that were wedded and had children, and had not wherewith to susteyne hem, and for sucℏ and for diuerse sikenesses or other aduersitees might not laboure ne trauaile, and upon poure women in gesyne: aƚƚ suche

pepiƚƚ, and mani other, she releued and comforted with almesse of her charitable deuocion. And also she hadde her medicines and surgens forto hele and medicine aƚƚ suche as were nedefuƚƚ, wherthorugh that for her bounte and goodnesse, God hathe shewed mani miracles for her; for, as it hatℏ be saide, whanne she shulde receiue her matenis, [t]he saulter or other bokes of deuocion they were brought vnto her oute of the ayre as by miracle. And, therfor, bi this a good woman may haue gret ensaumple how and what it is good forto be pitous upon [fol/col 44b/2] the poure pepiƚƚ, and to be charitable. So as atte this tyme y passe ouer to speke more of these good ladyes, and retorne ayen to other thingges, whiche y shal shewe vnto you in other manere.