ble occasion to grieve; and his grief was indeed so great that it
nearly killed him.

5 Common people were then buried in shrouds, not in coffins.
--Ed.

This martyr of chastity was buried in the Church of St. Florentin, and,
as was their duty, all the upright women of Amboise failed not to show
her every possible honour, deeming themselves fortunate in belonging to
a town where so virtuous a woman had been found. And seeing the honour
that was shown to the deceased, such women as were wanton and unchaste
resolved to amend their lives.

"This, ladies, is a true story, which should incline us more strongly to
preserve the fair virtue of chastity. We who are of gentle blood should
die of shame on feeling in our hearts that worldly lust to avoid which
the poor wife of a muleteer shrank not from so cruel a death. Some
esteem themselves virtuous women who have never like this one resisted
unto the shedding of blood. It is fitting that we should humble
ourselves, for God does not vouchsafe His grace to men because of their
birth or riches, but according as it pleases His own good-will. He pays
no regard to persons, but chooses according to His purpose; and he whom
He chooses He honours with all virtues. And often He chooses the lowly
to confound those whom the world exalts and honours; for, as He Himself
hath told us, 'Let us not rejoice in our merits, but rather because our
names are written in the Book of Life, from which nor death, nor hell,
nor sin can blot them out.'" (6)

6 These are not the exact words of Scripture, but a
combination of several passages from the Book of
Revelation.--Ed.

There was not a lady in the company but had tears of compassion in her
eyes for the pitiful and glorious death of the muleteer's wife. Each
thought within herself that, should fortune serve her in the same way,
she would strive to imitate this poor woman in her martyrdom. Oisille,
however, perceiving that time was being lost in praising the dead woman,
said to Saffredent--

"Unless you can tell us something that will make the company laugh, I
think none of them will forgive me for the fault I have committed in
making them weep; wherefore I give you my vote for your telling of the
third story."

Saffredent, who would gladly have recounted something agreeable to the
company, and above all to one amongst the ladies, said that it was
not for him to speak, seeing that there were others older and better
in