Page:The booke of thenseygnementes and techynge that the Knyght of the Towre made to his doughters - 1902.pdf/66



ET shalle I saye to yow of this matere how it happed that thre ladyes supposed to haue shamed Boussycault, and what fylle therof. Boussycault was a wyse man, and wel bespoken amonge alle other knyghtes, and hadde the world and rule at the wylle among grete lordes and ladyes. So it happed at a feste that thre grete ladyes satte in a Closette and spaken of theyr good auentures so long that that one said to the other, "Foull falle to her of vs that wil not say for good copanye yf she were this yere praid & requyred of loue." "Veryly," seid one of them," haue ben desired within this yere." "By my feyth," seid y other, "so haue j." " & j also," said the thyrd. "Now," saide one that was most peert, "Foule be she that wylle not discouere his name that laste desyred vs." "By my feyth," said one, "yf ye wylle ensure vs to saye the same also, we shall saye truly the treuthe." And she agreed & said that it was boussycault. "Ye," said that other, "certeynly it was he that desyred me." "Certaynly, so dyd he me," said the thirdde. "Ha, ha!" said they, "is hit soo?" "Certeynly he is not so loyal ne trewe as we had supposed. He is not but a bourdour and a deceyuer of ladyes. Late vs sende for hym." And anone he was fette and cam and said to them, "My ladyes, what pleseth yow?" They saide, "We haue for to speke with yow. Sytte here doune by vs," and wolde haue made hym sytte at theyr feete. But he answerd them and said, "Sith I am comen at youre sendyng fore, late me haue a chayer or a stoole to sytte on. For yf i shold sytte lowe I myght breke my poyntes or layners, and ye myght bere me on hond that it were another thyng." And so he must have a syege to sytt on. And when he was set, the ladyes, that were wel born, began to saye to hym,