Page:The booke of thenseygnementes and techynge that the Knyght of the Towre made to his doughters - 1902.pdf/47

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had grete despyte & grete desdayne. And thus she that hadde the better and the more sure manere was made quene of England; and tholdest was refused for her wylde lokynge, whiche was ouer ventyllous, and that other suster, by cause she spak ouermoche. Now, fayre doughters, take ye ensample by the doughters of the kyng of denmarke, and late not your eyen ben ouer ventyllous, ne tourne not youre hede hyder ne thyder; but when ye wille see ony thyng on ony syde, torne your vysage and youre body to geder. And be not ouer full of wordes; for who that speketh quermoche is not reputed for wyse. And ye ought wel at leyser vnderstande to fore that ye answere, and yf ye make a lytell pause bytwene, ye shall answere the better and the more wysely, for the prouerbe sayth that as moche auayleth to hym that hereth and no thyng vnderstondeth, as to hym that hunteth and no thyng taketh, as is sayd to fore. And yet, my fayre doughters, I shall saye to yow of a fayt that happed me of this mater. It happed me ones that I was spoken to of maryage for to marye with a noble woman whiche had fader and moder. And my lord my fader ladde me thyder for to see her. Whan we were there, there was made to vs grete chere & ioyous. And I beheld her of whome I was spoken to, and I set my self in comynycacyon with her of many thynges, for to know the better her mayntenyng & gouernaūce, & so we fill in spekyng of prysoners. And thenne I said to her, "Damoysell, i wold wel and had leuer be youre prysoner than ony others, & i thenke that youre pryson shold not be so hard ne cruell as is the pryson of englissh men." And she ansuerd me that she had late sene such one that she wold wel that he were her prysoner. And i demäded her, yf she wold yeue hym euyl pryson, & she answerd me Nay, but that she wold kepe hym as derworthely as her owne body. And j said to her that he, who someuer he was, he was wel happy & eurous for to haue so swete & noble a pryson. Shall I saye to yow she fouyd hym ynough, and had her eye quyck & lyght, &

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