Page:The booke of thenseygnementes and techynge that the Knyght of the Towre made to his doughters - 1902.pdf/77



ND yet I shalle saye to yow what befelle att the masse of seynt Martyn of Tours. The hooly man songe the masse, and his godsone seynt Bryce helpe hym to synge, which was after hym Archebisshop of Tours. This saynt Bryce began to laughe, and saynt Martyn apperceyued it. And when the masse was done, seynt Martyn callyd hym, and demaunded of him why he laughed. And he answerd hym that he had sene the deuyll, whiche put in wrytynge alle that the men and wymmen talked togeder as longe as he sayd the masse. Thenne it happed that the parchemyn in whiche the fende wrote was ouer shorte, and he began to drawe it oute along with his teeth, for to make it larger, And when he so drewhe with his teeth the perchemyn escaped fro hym in such wyse that he smote his heede ayenst the stone walle. And for that cause I lough. And whan saynt Martyn hadde herd that seynt Bryce had sene this, he preched vpon this mater to the peple, how it was grete perylle to speke & talke in the masse tyme and in the tyme of the seruyce of god. And yet susteyne the grete clerkes that me ought not saye no prayers in the masse tyme, and in especial whyle the gospell is red, and per omnia with the preface. And for these causes aforsaid, my fair doughters, ye have herby a fayre ensample how that ye out to mayntene you humbly and deuoutely in the Chirche, and not to talke ne iangle for no thyng that may happen.