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One sunny evening, walking in his pleasance, and weaving out of memories chaplets for a dear head, as, in the dead years, he had woven them out of those roses, white and damask, the Knight of La Tour-Landry resolved to compile, from the “matter of England, France and Rome,” a book for the guidance of his motherless daughters.
In that book Teresa read the following exemplum:—
“It is contained in the story of Constantinople, there was an Emperor had two daughters, and the youngest had good conditions, for she loved well God, and prayed him, at all times that she awaked, for the dead. And as she and her sister lay a-bed, her sister awoke and heard her at her prayers, and scorned and mocked her, and said, ‘hold your peace, for I may not sleep for you.’ And so it happened that youth constrained them both to love two brethren, that were knights, and were goodly men. And so the sisters told their council each to other. And at the last they gave the Knights tryst that they should come to lie by them by night privily at certain hour. And that one came to the youngest sister, but him thought he saw a thousand dead bodies about her in sheets; and he was so sore afraid and afeard, that he ran away as he had been out of himself, and caught the fevers and great sickness through the fear that he had, and laid him in his bed, and might not stir for sickness. But that other Knight came into that other sister without letting, and begat her with child. And when her father wist she was with child, he made cast her into the river, and drench her and her child, and he made to scorch the Knight quick. Thus, for that delight, they were both dead; but that other sister was saved. And I shall tell you on the morrow it was in all the house, how that one Knight was sick in his bed; and the youngest sister went to see him and asked him whereof he was sick. ‘As I went to have entered between the curtains of your bed, I saw so great number of dead men, that I was nigh mad for fear, and yet I am afeard and afraid of the sight.’ And when she heard that, she thanked God humbly that had kept her from shame and destruction.... And therefore, daughters, bethink you on this example when ye wake, and sleep not till ye have prayed for the dead, as did the youngest daughter.”