Page:The booke of thenseygnementes and techynge that the Knyght of the Towre made to his doughters - 1902.pdf/37



HERE was a woman of grete renomme and fame, lyke to be a blessid woman and charitable, for she fasted thre dayes in the weke, of whiche she fasted tweyne to brede and to water, and gafe moche almesse, vysyted the seke, norysshed the orphanes, and was at masse vnto mydday, and said many orysons and prayers, and lyued an hooly lyf, as a good woman ought to doo. And it happed that she departed oute of this world, by whome oure lord wold shewe ensample, how she was lost for one only dedely synne. For the sepulture in whiche she was leyd bigan to fume and smoken, and the erth to brenne, and there had ben seen on the graue overmoche torment. And the peple of the Countrey merueyled moche what it mente, for they wende veryly, that she hadde be saued above alle other wymmeh. Thenne was there an hooly man in the Cyte, which toke the crosse, the stole, and hooly water, and coniured the sowle in the name of god, and requyryd of almyghty god, that it plesyd hym to shewe to hym wherfore this stenche and this tormente was there. Thenne a voys was herd that sayd, "I am the poure synnar that am dampned to perpetuel fyre. For god sheweth that my wretchyd body gyueth oute smoke and torment by ensample. And I shalle telle to yow how it hath bifalle me by the synne of my flesshe. I laye ones with a Monk, and I durst neuer confesse me therof, for doubte to be accused for shame of the world. And I doubted more the bobaunce of the world than the spyrytuel vengeaunce of my synne. I fasted, I gaf for goddes sake my good, I herd masses and said many orysons & heures, and me semed the grete good dedes and abstynence that I dyde quenchyd and estyncted al my synnes whiche I durst not telle ne saye to the preest. Wherfore I am deceyued and loste; for I telle wel vnto alle, 31