Page:The booke of thenseygnementes and techynge that the Knyght of the Towre made to his doughters - 1902.pdf/53



SHALLE telle to yow an Ensample herof vpon the fayt of wymmen that ete the good morsels behynde theyr husbondes. There was a damoyselle that had a pye in a cage, whiche spak and said all that she sawe. And it happed that the lord of the hows made to kepe a grete Ele in a tronke in a ponde. And he kepte it moche derworthely, for to gyue it to som good lord of his, or to somme frende, yf they come to see hym. And it happed that the lady saide to the Chamberere that it were good to ete the grete ele. And they thought that they wold saye to theyr lord that theues had eten hym. And when the lord cam home, the Pye began to telle and saye to hymn, "My lady hath eten the Ele." And when the lord herd this, he wente to his ponde, and fonde not his ele, and cam home to his wyf and demaunded her what was befallen of his ele. And she supposed to haue excused her. And he said that he was acerteyned thereof, and that the pye had tolde hym. And in the hous therfore was grete sorowe and noyse. But when the lord was gone oute, the lady and the chamberere cam to the pye and plucked of alle the fethers of his hede, sayeng, "Thou hast disccuered vs of the ele," and thus was the poure pye plumed, and lost the fethers of his hede. But fro than forthon, yf ony man cam in to that hows that was balled or fylled or had an hyhe forhede, the pye wolde saye to them, "Ye haue told my lord of the ele." And therfore this is a good ensample, that no good woman sholde not ete for hir lycorousnes the swete or deynte morsels withoute the wytynge of her husböd, but yf she emploed it well with honoure. This damoysell was after moche scorned & mocked for that ele by cause of the pye that so ofte remembryd it to suche as cam thyder so ballyd or pylled.