Page:The booke of thenseygnementes and techynge that the Knyght of the Towre made to his doughters - 1902.pdf/99



HE holdeth her self the best welcome that firste bryngeth vpon her ony noueltees. But as the good and hooly man saith, they that firste take suche newe raymentis be lyke to the yong ladyes that fylle in the myere, wherof they were mocked by the wyse ladyes that took the best and ryght wey, for men may not mocke them that kepe suche wey, and that vse their lyf after reason and not after theyr owne wylle. I say not but that whan that manere of newe raymentis is taken & comynly wered of euery one, & in euery towne, it may be thenne worne & taken, but yet the wyse woman shal leue and forbere it yf she can. And suche wymmen shalle not be lyke ne compared to them that fylle in the myere by cause they wold be first in the place, & they were the last. Therfore, my faire doughters, hit is good that none hast her not, but good is to holde the myddel estate. The lesse is the moost certayne and seurest, but as now is a cursed and shrewed world, for yf somme folysshe woman full of her wylle taketh & bryngeth vpon her ony noueltee & newe estate, euery other one shalle soone saye to her lorde, "Syre, it is told to me that suche one hath suche a thynge that ouer faire is, and that so wel becometh her. I pray yow, good syre, that I may haue suche one, for i am as good and as gentyll of blood, and ye as Gentyl a man, as she and her lord ben, & haue as wel for to paye as she hath." And thus she shalle fynde soo many reasons that she shalle haue her wylle, or els ryote and noyse shalle all day be at home, and neuer shalle be ther pees tylle she haue her parte, be it right or wronge. She shalle not loke yf ony of hir neyghbours haue that thynge that she wylle haue, also she shalle not abyde till euery one haue it, but the hastlyest that she may she shalle doo shape & make it, and forthwith shalle were it. It is meruevle of such coyntyse and 89