Page:The booke of thenseygnementes and techynge that the Knyght of the Towre made to his doughters - 1902.pdf/116



ND yet I shalle telle yow another ensample vpon this matere. There was one Amon, whiche was the kynges Seneschal and came of nought and lowe degree. He bicame thorugh his seruyse moche ryche, and bought londes and possessions and gouerned, and had as vnder hym almost the half of the reame. And whanne he sawe hym so ryche, and that he was bicome so grete a lord, he wexyd & bicame ouer proude and felon and presumptuous, and wold that men sholde knele bifore hym, and that euery one shold bere vnto hym honour and reuerence. It befelle that one Mardocheus, that was a noble man which had nourysshed the noble quene Hester, whiche was a good lady and trewe, was aboue al other displeasyd of the pryde and presumpcion of the sayd Amon, whiche come of nought, therfor he daygned not to bere hym ony reuerence, ne knele bifore hym as other dyd, wherfor he bicame as a fole, and almost out of his wytte for angre, and therof dyd complayne hym self to his wyf. And his wyf that of so hyhe courage was, and as proude was as he, counceylled hym that he shold make a gallowes to be sette & dressyd bifore his place, and that he shold make hym and his wyf to be taken and honged theron to grete meschyef, and that he shold accuse them of some grete treason and falshede. And whanne he was take, and the gallowes dressyd, the frendes of mardocheus wente anone rennynge to the quene Hester, and tolde her how Aaman wold make hym to be hanged that had nourysshed her. And anone the quene made to be sent for Aaman. He came, and she had hym tofore the kynge, where as trouthe of the fayte or dede was dylygently jnquyred and knowen, in so moche that it was foude that Mardocheus was accused by the accusacion of Aaman, & was nothynge gylty, and that suche treason he had putte on hym was by enuy. & thêne the good