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 CVII.]

[Of the three Maries, and of charity to the dead.]

ANother ensaumple there is, of the iij Maries, whiche cam erly in the morw vpon Pasque, forto anoynt the body of oure lorde Ihesu Crist, for thei had made precious oynement of gret coste, and they had deuocion to serue God euermore, as thei that were brennynge in the loue of his seruice. And there thei fonde the aungeƚƚ, that saide unto hem how oure lorde Ihesu Crist was resuscited, wherof thei hadde gret ioye; and for that gret gladnesse, thei went and tolde vnto the aposteles of his resurreccion. This good ladyes wached longe tyme forto make this precious oynement; and thei arose before the sonne risinge, supposinge to haue anointe the precious bodi of oure lorde before his resurreccion, that thei shulde haue do her seruice. Wherfor here is a good ensaumple hou that eueri good woman that is wedded, or of religion, aught to be [fol/col 47/2] curious, and diligent, and wakinge in the seruice of God, thei that may do it, for thei shaƚƚ be guerdoned an hundred sithes double; as were these .iij. holy ladyes whiche God loued and enhaunced. It is redde in the cronicles of Rome, that whanne the emperoure Nero and other tirauntes of the lawe martired the holy seintes, (as it is contened in thaire legendis,) that the good ladies of Rome toke the bodies that were dede, and beried hem priuely, and dede hem gret worshipe; and also thei arose erly, and serued God with good deuocion. And al were it so that in that tyme there were mani tyrauntes, neuertheles there were mani good women and charitable, and blessed ladies fuƚƚ of pitee, bothe in Rome and in mani other places, where as y trowe now atte this day the charitee and holy seruice of women is right thinne ysowen; for there be mani that haue more thaire herte upon the worlde, and forto obeye vnto the worldely plesaunce, than to the honoure and seruice of God. For thei dispose hem selff more to make hem selff fressℏ arraied, forto be loued vpon of sum yonge louers, thanne for any other entent. But and suche women dede thaire peyne to come and

here the seruice of God, and forto saie deuoutly thaire praiers, as thei haue thaire thoughtis ellys where, and as they putte thaire diligence to make hem selff gay, goodly behauing in fresshenesse, vnto the worlde, and also to eschewe aƚƚ manere of speche, or forto herkyn the iangelyng of foly plesaunce, whiles thei ben in holy place, and in the chirche, it were the beste for aƚƚ suche women; for yef thei wolde not refuse and putte [fol/col 47b/1] awaye suche vsaunce, thei displese gretly God, and they shaƚƚ be punisshed withoute mesure for thaire synne.