man is, and yf she resisteth ageynste the temptacions of the deuylle, of the world, and of thej flessh, the more she is worthy to haue gretter meryte than the man. And therfor god compareth her to the precious margaryte, whiche is bryght and clene. Also saith the glose, in another place, that as it is a foul thynge to spylle droppes of ynke in to a dysshe ful of mylke, ryght so is of her that ought to be a good mayd, whanne she spylleth and gyueth her maydenhede to another than to her spouse and also is of her whiche is wedded that of her falshede & fowle lecherye breketh and spylleth her holy sacrament of maryage, and forswereth her feythe and her lawe toward God & the chirche, and toward her lord also; also she whiche oughte to bere her self clenely in her wydowhede & that doth the contrarye. This maner of wymmen be lyke the black tatches that ben vpon the whyte mylke and vpon the whyte couerchyef; they be lyke in no thyng to the precious Margaryte, for in the precious margaryte is no maner of tatche. Allas! a woman ought wel to hate her self and to curse her euyll lyf whanne she is put oute of the nombre of the good and trewe women. Thenne yf they remembred wel them self of thre thynges: the fyrste is, how they that be not yet wedded lese theyre maryage and theyr honour, and acquere the shame and hate of theyr parentes and frendes, and of the world, and how euery one shewe them with the fynger. Secondly, how they that ben wedded lese al worship, and the loue of god and of theyr lordes, of theyr frendes, and of al other, for god letteth them to haue ony welthe or cheuaunce, and to long were the fowle and euylle talkynge, whiche is sayd of them, to be reherced. For somme shalle do to them good chere before them, but behynd them they shalle hold theyr talkynge, scornyng & mockyng them. And neuer after they shalle loue theyr lord. For the deuyll shalle make them as brennynge, and to haue more delyte in that dampnable synne of fornycacion than in
